Ten years ago, maybe more, I bought one of those do-it-yourself gore kits at the Halloween store and fashioned the best neck gash ever. It took some finesse in gluing the pieces to my skin, then feathering the colors (with the help of my wife’s makeup brushes), but the result was quite convincing. While wandering the darkened Danville streets with the trick-or-treaters, innumerable pairs of eyes morphed from festive calm, to strained, then stricken, as pupils dilated and contracted in the dim light trying to focus closely on my neck. Was it real? Did he do it shaving? Shouldn’t it be stitched?
There are neighborhood friends who still remark about that gash. “Man, that was disgusting!” and “How’d you do that?”
After a hiatus from the gore, I decided this year would be a good time to repeat the experience–maybe I’d even do it better. Unfortunately, however, our stores just don’t provide the realism. Where to go?
Lucky for me, my friend Chris took me to the ultimate Halloween costume resource. It’s located in the Mt. Tam Watershed. The place is a bit tricky to find, however: you have to drive out to Woodacre, then mountain bike up to the San Geronimo Road, then snake through a pygmy forest to the Pine Mountain Road. At night, of course.
For ambience, there are howling coyotes. On the Paradigm trail you ride along a sloughing cliff, dodging tree-falls every hundred feet. It’s enough to make one turn back. But not the hardened costume seeker. Slogging up the to the Green Hill summit, one finally finds the Paranickel Halloween emporium. You’re there!
As a reminder, store hours are long after dark so you have to make the trip with your own lights. Charge those batteries!
The makeup kits are incredibly realistic. The merchandise is free. Just follow the Marin guys down the trail like you know what you’re doing. They have the goods set out on the sharp rocks and snags along the trail. Find one, dive for it, try to grab it with your teeth.
I chose the “cheek slash” sharp root kit. Simple application—get some speed, be distracted; it’s quick!
Voila! I was prepared for Halloween.
(Another ride that culminated at Marin General Hospital.)
