Saturday, September 4, 2010

Rahn-day-vooh

Today we are going to Ft. Bridger to attend one of the biggest, and oldest Mountain man Rendezvous' in the United States. I have been to Rendezvous from Wyoming to Nevada, but have never been to this one. They say that there can be as many as 5000 lodges, and on any given day, upwards of 15,000 people attending. I am going as a "Flatlander". That is someone not dressed in period dress, and just coming to see the sights. I might even try to get someone to "teach" me how to throw a knife and tomahawk. :o) (For those who don't know me, I have been participating in competitions for over 20 years.) I am going to leave this post as a draft until I return later today, then I'll post my impressions. Until later. Stick
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Well, after going to this Rendezvous, I can at least say I've been, but I probably won't go again without taking someone who hasn't been, but wants to go. There weren't 15,000 people there. There was 30,000, or more! (that number came from the gate people who were trying to keep count, and since it cost $4.00 a head for a flatlander to get in, they will know for sure.) It was just TOO big! Probably 300 traders, and more tin teepees (trailers and campers) and lodges (primitive teepees or tents) to count. We ate lunch there, and had to wait almost an hour just to get served. There were a lot of food vendors, but there were long lines at every place.
By the time we circled MOST of the traders, we were beat. I didn't even want to go find the knife and hawk area. We packed it in and went home. Give me the Spring Mountain Freetrappers, or the Anasazi Rendezvous' any day. I'm glad I saw it--once.

Deflated, but not defeated. Stick.

4 comments:

Delirious said...

Well, now you know. :) The ones you attend are probably a little more serious about the hobby, and not as commercial anyway.

Anonymous said...

Remember, I told you that it was so commercially organized that I didnt want to go back there...after seeing some of the items saying "made in china", I decided that the "Bridger" rondi was a farce...come on down and we will go to the one in LV,Nevada in November (I think)...lonehawk

Inklings said...

If you guys go to another one and there is a guy selling beads, "The Bead Guy" and his name is Steve, that is our friend and Dee Ice's former ranger. And his wife's sister is a movie star. :0)

Mr. Giggles said...

Still sounds like fun....