Best ONW ever

[mrbortlein]

Though I've only been to 4 Old Northwest Rendezvous; this year was the best by far. After talking to several campers that have been doing this for many years they agreed that this year was the best ONW in a long time. My wife and I were so impressed with Caesar Creek Pioneer Village that we are considering becoming members of their association. Dave Pitney (The Box Maker) and his staff ran a great event. If you haven't been to the ONW before or in a long time, you need to go. If not the 2012, make the 2013 when we are back at Caesars Creek. The event falls right after the Spring shoot at Friendship. Save a few vacation days, cut short other camping trips; whatever your camping situation. The ONW is a must attend rendezvous and it needs to be treated as such.
mrbortlein

 

[ohio ramrod]

Ah yes , The "feeding of the poor" took place each evening after the ice run.Every evening the "poor starving Children" received two scoops of "cold porrige " The kids prefered the chocolate but the adults split between the maple and honey and strwawberry.Rain to start but good weather to finish. The hot showers and flush toliets will bring back many. :hmm:

 

[Keb]

I guess I'm getting crotchety in my old age. I didn't like the site.
I think a state park is a poor place to hold a national rondyvoo. The shooting area was limited only allowing a small place to shoot. Archery & rifle/smoothbore ranges shared space. There was no way to keep the public out since a public hiking trail crossed right through the "camp". The public could have walked right into any of the ranges if they didn't happen to be paying attention to where they were going.

This is my humble opinion only. I think we have lost sight of why we rondyvoo. The rondyvoo staff & Caesar Creek staff only seemed to have one concern. Make some money to repair the cabins. Come on. It's a good cause if you are a Caesar Creek member but I don't believe it's worthy of a national rondyvoo. As for me, I'll not attend another NRLHF rendezvous held in a public place. I do not care to entertain the public nor do I rely on them to make a few dollars. They aren't worth the trouble.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Keb, we all have our personal likes and dislikes. I for one in the past would never attend a Rendezvous held in conjunction with craft shows or simular events. But the simple fact is we need to get the word out to the "flatlanders" that we exist and recruit more people or our "sport" will die. It interesting that I sold enough ( chairs,wash racks,table,and brazer) to people wanting to get into buckskinning at this years old northwest to cover my costs. While I agree the ranges could have been better I know of three families that came through and are now getting involved in our "games". With out reaching these new families our sport willdie as us oldtimers die!

 

[Keb]

I sold stuff too. Made pretty good money, in fact but everything I sold was to rondyvooers. (Is that a word?)
I'm not against new people. I'm against having a rondyvoo in a public or state park where anyone can waltz in camp any time they please. At least the gates at a rondyvoo on private ground can be somewhat controlled.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I agree that you need control of gates and especially the "walking trails" that are near or even on the ranges. I have attended many rendezvous held at parks that had good gate and safety control.As well as some that had NO control over people wondering around.The worst was at a pow wow/rendezvous on private ground where they did not block off the trails that were on the rifle range and had kids wondering behind the targets! This shut down the shooting but not before we got a big time scare. It is the organization not the locaton that makes for problems. :idunno: I'll be at the Oak Ridge festival this coming weekend which will have a lot of flatlanders but also good safety measures in place. :hmm:

 

[mrbortlein]

When I read in the program that they were going to allow visitors down on the range I thought LAWSUIT. But I think Bob and his help did a good job keeping things safe. Keb, I know you sold things because my wife bought the bow from you that was a lefty turned righty. She really likes the arrow that came with it. I think she'd like a few more of those.
mrbortlein

 

[Keb]

I'm glad she is happy with it and hope she has many years of good shooting. I am making arrows to take to the Midwest. I'll have turkey fletched viburnum & cane shafts all with self nocks & field points.

 

[mrbortlein]

she was a little less happy when I picked up the bow and shot a pattern of 3 arrows within a 2 inch radius and a fourth arrow 2 inches above the others. :wink:
mrbortlein