How can I describe the Ft. Bridger Mountain Man Rondezvous? For an entire weekend, thousands of devoted Rondezvous attendees flock to the historic Fort Bridger, most of them camping in surrounding fields in RV's, tents, and many many teepees. To get into the fort (which is set up to resemble how it looked long ago, with trading booths everywhere), you have to dress up in 'time period clothing'. The actual time period of the mountain man era is loosely interpreted, so any costume from before cars were invented are pretty much acceptable. So, as you walk through the fort, you see many men dressed up as mountain men, complete with leather attire, moccasins, rifle, and fur hat. You also see Indian attire (even some loin cloths, yuk), women dressed up in Civil War era hoop skirts and parasols, tradional pioneer clothing, coyboy duds, pirate outfits, Scottish kilts, and Revolutionary War outfits. It's really quite entertaining to see everybody's costumes.
Everybody likes to walk around the fort feeling like they are being transported back in time, shopping at the trading booths (which only sell things which might have been sold back then -- e.g. knives, guns, clothes, furs, leathers, pottery, etc), and watching shows such as bagpipe playing, Indian dancing, cannon shoots, etc. On Sunday morning, about 700 people dressed up in their costumes, entered the fort and sat in a grassy field, and congregated for the annual LDS Rondezvous Sacrament service, which is held by the priesthood holders of several nearby wards. There is a microphone set up, and after the hymns, prayers, and passing of the sacrament, there is a testimony meeting, which is always interesting. We usually hear some very nice, heartfelt testimonies, but there are always the "I know the Rondezvous is true...(sniff, sniff)" type testimonies mixed in with them.
This year, all of Clint's family (except for one brother-in-law who had to work) attended, along with an aunt and uncle and some cousins, totalling 22 people. We slept in 3 RV's and 2 tents.
One of the above mentioned teepees scattered throughout the campground:
A horse and wagon "taxi" that would take people to the fort if they didn't want to walk (that's my sister-in-law Kayleen):
That's my mountain man, wearing his family's Scottish kilt:
Clint's sister, Sheena:
Clint's sister, Josie:
Little Tays (self-dubbed 'the Mountain Boy'):
Sweet little Susana, Tayson's cousin (about 20 months old):
Cute little Chloe and Eli, Tayson's cousins (born on the same day, about 17 months old):
Clint's cousin, Dillon:
This is my authentic mountain woman attire, complete with black crocs, red pajama pants, pioneer skirt, polo shirt, gray hoodie, and straw hat:
Josie and me:
Our little family slept in our tent, which means Brennen had to endure the dreaded Moses basket one final time:
Brennen spent much of his time playing around in his pack n' play:
WAGON FUN....
Clint's sister, DaNeill, pulling little Chloe and Brennen around:
Brennen, Susana, Chloe, and Eli:
All five of the McKeachnie grandchildren (number 6 is on the way -- not from me):
Tayson and Susana goofing off:
2 comments:
A very sexy mountain woman. It's a good look for you ;)
Testimony meeting can be so...... interesting...
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