Keeping a tight camp

What you say? Coming to Bridger for twenty to thirty years is no excuse to get lazy with our camp, clothes, accouterments, or set-up.
“How come he does not have to follow the rules?” It’s a good question…. and we all know the answer…. there is no excuse!

Wouldn’t we all rather have participants who do all they can to improve the event rather than people who are constantly looking for ways around the rules and forcing exceptions?

So just what is a tight camp? It’s a lot of work to go to a pre-1840’s rendezvous, to relive history, only to bring a whole bunch of gear to camp, most of which never gets used. Let’s see, you set up the one pole tent slightly larger than the Taj-Mahal, bring your own fire barrel, haul 50 lbs. of iron ware for the fire, lug the five plunder boxes of clothes and dishes and cooking/eating utensils and the three or four coolers of beer, pop, fruit salad, cheese balls, salad dressing, and a kitchen cupboard, bed frame etc. all of which are packed into a trailer which you had to purchase and license just to carry all that gear so you could go relive history for two or three nights… yah hoo!
That is a whole lot of work to go through just to get it wrong. So ask yourself, “Why go to all that work if my camp and its depiction is not even close to an historical interpretation?”

In this scenario it is no wonder we are going through growing pains. Did you know or do you remember reading that you have 30 feet square for your camp? The stake is the center of your camp. This space should include fly ropes, shower, porta john tent etc. Come on! Shower? But its wrapped in canvas… you don’t say? So can I wrap my motor home in canvas… come on!!

I hope you have some thoughts on what I am talking about when we mention “tight camp”. This year we will be enforcing the 30-foot rule. What that means is this “No more than one inhabitable structure per camp” No more “I’ll just throw in with you”.
If you have a zipper or screen in your canvas please don’t set it up. You will be asked to take it down.

Let all work together to give a correct historical interpretation.

A challenge met is a reward earned.
Segundo

Again this year modern shower facilities are provided for the 2010 Fort Bridger Rendezvous. The Fort Bridger Rendezvous Association has contracted with Royal Restrooms from Park City Utah. The Royal Restrooms eight-stall shower unit contains two shower areas, one for the men and one for the women. Each shower area is furnished with a double sink and four shower stalls. Royal Restrooms provide individuals with the comfort of home with clean showers featuring; Individual private dressing area, hand soap and paper products, air conditioning or heat and low level outdoor lighting and stylish décor.

The shower trailer is located in the Tin Tipi area by the old shower house. The showers will open starting at 7am to 10:00pm each day Friday to Monday the cost is $7.00 per shower.

More information found here:

http://fortbridgerrendezvous.net/?page_id=420

“An Invitation from the Fort Bridger State Historic site has been extended to all FBRA association members and their friends”.

Linda Byers and the Fort Bridger Historical association have asked for our assistance in helping to restore the old stockade.

The Fort Bridger Rendezvous use’s this stockade for many of the demo’s that we see during the rendezvous. It would be only fair that we take this time to give back to the Fort for what it has allowed us to do.

This party is under the direction of the State and the Fort Bridger Historical society.

The work party dates are June 8 – 15, 2010.

You say you can’t spend that many days helping even if you can only help out only 1 day that would be great. It will take as many of you as we can get to accomplish what is needed in repairs.

Contact: Park Superintendant Linda Byers @ 307-782-3842.

And let her know that you will be there to help out.

If you attend please take some pictures and we will post them on our web site.

Please help support your Rendezvous Board of directors by lending a helping hand to this project.

Thank you for your support

FBRA

Welcome to our new site!  Here you will find all the info you need for the Fort Bridger Rendezvous.