Rendezvous

Those of you who have been reading this blog for some time know that we love to go to Ft. Buenaventura and partake of the fun frontier atmosphere and canoe on the lake. This year, we decided to stop by during the Mountain Man Rendezvous. They hold this every year on Easter weekend. The entire area looked like a white canvas tent city. They had people everywhere camping in tee pees and tents. The air smelled deliciously woodsy. You could smell the campfires mixed with some wood smoked meats and a particularly cedar wood smell. There was also the faint smell of gunpowder floating around on the breeze.

The people who attend go all out and dress the part. We saw numerous mountain men, Indians, trappers, and gentlemen and gentle ladies from the 1800's. They have games for the kids, a rifle shooting contest, tomahawk throwing contest, canoeing, and more. We were able to listen to an authentic banjo band. I watched some children playing on a rope swing they made and I also saw some little boys whittling. We really enjoyed taking in what life may have resembled on the frontier a hundred or more years ago.

They had lots of people peddling goods as well. They had leather goods, dresses, moccasins, pioneer children's toys and lots more. We didn't arrive very well prepared as we had never been before. We didn't leave ourselves near enough time and we came with no cash for some fun and frivolous purchases. Next year we plan to return more fully prepared for the fun!!