07.11.15 – Covered wagon ride, Pitchfork Western Fondue restaurant and Dancing Indians –

Saturday, July 11, 2015 – There were probably 20 events on today’s schedule for the Rendezvous. Since I haven’t explained what their Rendezvous is, I will do that now!

This is about the original Rendezvous: The first Green River Rendezvous in our area was held in 1833. The cry “Meet me on the Green!” was a reminder and a reassurance to trappers, who spent isolated winters gathering beaver pelts, and to traders, who traveled many miles on hazardous trails. Mountain men, explorers and Indians all gathered “below the Green” to barter, sell, and swipe items such as skins, pelts, guns, trinkets and necessary provisions for the coming winter. The Rendezvous lasted anywhere from a few days to several months and was a time for trappers to cash in hard-earned furs, renew acquaintances with old friends, tell tall tales, and celebrate another year of survival with plenty of rowdy fun.

The modern day Rendezvous is a four day festival, always held the second full weekend in July where we are reminded about the lives of those in this area in the past. Lots of wonderful foods to taste. The skills needed by a true Mountain Man are demonstrated. Indians show their heritage in dance. The street is closed down for a bit for street dancing. You can even see beaver skinning – which we, of course, passed on! Rodeos are held every night, there is a parade through the town, original clothing is worn, a pageant is held (which we’ll go to) tomorrow. I’ll share more about the pageant with pictures once we’ve experienced it.

We walked all throughout the town looking at the vendors ware and I proudly say I didn’t buy anything. Down the main street came a covered wagon drawn by two horses. The man offered us a ride and we hopped on. We rode through the town a bit enjoying the ride.

We had heard of the Pitchfork Western Fondue restaurant in Pinedale and decided to eat there this evening. It’s all outdoors where you sit on picnic tables under big tents. They cook your meat on a big pitch fork to your liking and deliver it to your table. You are also served homemade potato chips, fruit salad, lettuce salad, baked potato and your choice dipping sauces for your meat. Dessert was lemon bars or brownie and they were the best! It was a neat experience and we left quite full! We left the Pitchfork Western Fondue place to go back to the park in town where a Native American Drum and Dance Performance brought lots of folks out to sit in the small amphitheater and on a grassy hill. They individually performed several traditional and contemporary versions of Indian dance. Their costumes were quite colorful and some had bell like things on them that rang when they danced. After they performed they invited everyone to join them in a circle and do a simple Indian dance with them!

That’s it for our Friday adventure. Saturday will be a resting day while I do some RVillage work. We may possibly check out a nearby river to do some fly fishing! Sunday, after church we’re going to the Rendezvous pageant which I am very much looking forward to.