.308 Norma
Member
I just want to do a little lamenting. We just received notice that our Portneuf Mountain Man Rendezvous, which is coming up this weekend, is obviously dying. They sent us a letter saying there will be no food vendor(s) there, no raffle, no entry fee to shoot, and no prizes. Yet there will be a $25.00 camping fee regardless of whether you camp in a tent or “tin tepee. “
The Portneuf Rendezvous used to be the largest in the state, and because it’s been held just a couple of miles down the road from us for years, it’s the one that got my wife and I interested in rendezvous and black powder shooting.
To add insult to injury, 2 years ago my wife and I went to the Bridger Rendezvous over at Fort Bridger, Wyoming and thought it was one of the most awesome events we’d ever attended – 20,000+ people over 3 days, hundreds of shooters, bagpipe bands, Native American Dancers, several Dutch Oven and other eateries, and probably 50 vendors. Yet, when I spoke later with a friend who followed the rendezvous circuit for years, he said even the mighty Bridger Rendezvous “isn’t half what it used to be.” So I guess they’re all dying.
I know – times change. And societies change for a number of reasons, not the least of which is older folks dying off. But dang it! I’m one of those older folks, and I still like black powder smoke, tomahawk throws, candy cannons, buckskins, Dutch oven cooking, and sharing a little sippin’ whisky with other like-minded folks by the campfire as the sun drops behind Old Tom.
The Portneuf Rendezvous used to be the largest in the state, and because it’s been held just a couple of miles down the road from us for years, it’s the one that got my wife and I interested in rendezvous and black powder shooting.
To add insult to injury, 2 years ago my wife and I went to the Bridger Rendezvous over at Fort Bridger, Wyoming and thought it was one of the most awesome events we’d ever attended – 20,000+ people over 3 days, hundreds of shooters, bagpipe bands, Native American Dancers, several Dutch Oven and other eateries, and probably 50 vendors. Yet, when I spoke later with a friend who followed the rendezvous circuit for years, he said even the mighty Bridger Rendezvous “isn’t half what it used to be.” So I guess they’re all dying.
I know – times change. And societies change for a number of reasons, not the least of which is older folks dying off. But dang it! I’m one of those older folks, and I still like black powder smoke, tomahawk throws, candy cannons, buckskins, Dutch oven cooking, and sharing a little sippin’ whisky with other like-minded folks by the campfire as the sun drops behind Old Tom.