From the Stevens Point Journal April 21, 2007:

Out There: Look out for Robert Redford at Point's Trivia

Thousands of people are going to be secluded in their homes for 54 hours this weekend, sleeping on floors and chairs, eating hoards of stocked-up food supplies.

It's not a power outage. It's "Trivia 38: Trivia Returns." The 38th annual University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point contest started Friday and ends at midnight Sunday. Trivia questions are asked over the university radio station, and teams rack up points for bragging rights.

Almost 500 teams, some from as far away as Europe and many from central Wisconsin, are competing.

I've worked Trivia weekend for a few years, and that includes this year.

Dwight Quaschnick, Port Edwards, has hosted a team since 1994.

The team's name? The Great and Powerful Bobloki.

Yes, he spelled Bobloki. Those details can mean the difference between points and no points.

"I would have Bobloki talk to you, but he's a cat," Dwight said.

The team always gets its name from a member's pet.

Another team (if they told me their name, I forgot. Not remembering a simple fact like that could get me banned from participation) said they were going to kidnap me for the weekend so I could really experience what the contest was like.

Dan and Maggie Muleski host the team every year. I had stopped by their house in 2005, when I visited five teams -- at all hours -- during the weekend. They were my last stop Sunday afternoon as the contest was entering its last hours.

If you've never participated in Trivia, chances are you know someone who has. Most will welcome anyone, anytime.

If you answer a question -- and get the team some points -- all the better. Bonus: According to veteran players, the answer to the first question every year is Robert Redford.

Out There is a Tuesday through Saturday column. For more, go to forums.wisconsinrapidstribune.com and click on the Out There link. Send your Out There ideas to Deb Cleworth at deb.cleworth@cwnews.net or call 715/422-6730.