The Decline of the Rendezvous?

[Katahdin]

We grew up on Danial Boon and Davy Crochett,,now were all starting to think about what we will say to the Great Bushway so we can get into the Big Rondezvous..The new crew will text and short spell everything!!!!! Face it fellas,, we are the last of the Greater Generation,sad but true.

 

[jamesthomas]

We grew up on Danial Boon and Davy Crochett,,now were all starting to think about what we will say to the Great Bushway so we can get into the Big Rondezvous..The new crew will text and short spell everything!!!!! Face it fellas,, we are the last of the Greater Generation,sad but true.

Unfortunately I believe you are right, Also (and I may be wrong) but a lot of the "shoots, Rondezvous, Etc. are in the Northern areas and out West, a lot of the regulars have moved to better Climates but the Shoots, Trade Fairs, Et-Al. have not moved There are not a lot of folks who can justify a 800 to 1000 mile long trip anymore and the hotel fees that go with it.

 

[coloradoclyde]

As long as they sell more period stuff and not just trinkets and junk I'll be happy. The guys who setup the trade tents at my local fair had great stuff back about 20 years ago. But as the years passed it has become a trinket flea market with not much associated with buckskinners, mountain men, or rondey type items. Very dissapointing.

Yep! we are in the same boat Buddy.

 

[tenngun]

"Buffalo gone Bill Tyler, soon I be gone too'...'Could a seen it coming, a heap of fat meat can't shine forever"
So many today have to have a computer chip in it to be interested in it; The idea of self relince is dying fast.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Beaver will shine again! :grin:

 

[Luke MacGillie]

Beaver will shine again! :grin:

I sure hope so! Perhaps this DiCaprio movie will give the hobby the shot in the arm it needs

 

[pargent]

Just how can a shooting enthusiast not know about events in their field or area , WTF please explain ! .Yes old people die etc. and all the venders worth buying anything off have web sites who would have thought , so who cares it's not a shopping trip ,go forth you timid ones and eat, camp ,dress , party and shoot like back in the day . Want to bring back the glory days then the, first thing you have to do is harden the fock up and turn up .Easy fix hey

 

[pargent]

Oldest couple in my group is 85&84 and the youngest is 23 months old .

 

[Keb]

go forth you timid ones and eat, camp ,dress , party and shoot like back in the day. Want to bring back the glory days then the, first thing you have to do is harden the fock up and turn up .Easy fix hey

You know, some people just can't party like it's 1994 any more no matter how much they would like to. I'm a firm believer in if it ain't fun, don't do it. It ain't so much fun if you can't participate like when you were 45 now that you are 65.

 

[Cosmoline]

I think there's a certain amount of unnecessary pessimism here, though there are obvious problems. I'm at the range every other weekend and there's almost always someone with a smoke pole there, or a BPCR. Black powder seems to be kicking along fine. But the subculture that evolved around rendezvous may be another matter. I haven't been to one since I was a kid, and if I'm being honest I'm leery of direct involvement. I find there's a certain accepted vision, based on customs and pop culture inspiration from the post war period (the aforementioned Crockett and Boone). Anything outside that realm is apparently not considered part of the mix. So while I'm fascinated by the 18th century and historical recreation, I would not look to a rendezvous to deliver much insight. Maybe it's my own prejudice, but I'm not the only one who views the sport this way. Looking around at other declining hobbies, I can see a similar set of issues. CAS/SASS for example. I think the solution is to rethink the purpose of these events. If you want people to come, bring the focus back on interactive living history rather than on propping up a subculture or hobby. But certainly something isn't working right if even gun nuts like myself who actually own and shoot flintlocks are wary of the organized events.

 

[necchi]

Today I took a some time to walk through the Big Muddy River Rendezvous in Winona, MN.

The Big Muddy is now history. This year was the last time.

I know Roy and his wife and many of the folks that have gone to that event for years,,

For me it never was a decent "Rendezvous",, it was just a fiscal event and show/social for flatlanders.

There are still and will be for many years other local rendezvous experience for those of us that participate in these events.

 

[drissel]

I started going to Rendezvous back in the '70s, and the '80s, life took over for awhile and now starting to attend them again, it seems that they are starting to get larger again. The internet has taken over a lot of the need of only resupplying at Rendezvous, but still nice to go and not worry about shipping charges, but I understand that a vendor can't bring their entire store with them to camp. I try to patronize those that do, even if they have to charge more, as you don't need to pay shipping charges. I also see more blanket traders as the little guy is trying to pay for his trip to camp. I still plan on going to many more and will avoid those vendors that sell flea market trash.

 

[Rick Boylan]

I think the thing that is harming CAS/SASS is the loose attitude towards what is considered period correct clothing and gear. They also allow many modifications to their guns that make them into race guns. Many people starting out in CAS get frustrated that so many are gamers and speed shooters. It's hard to keep up with the arms war going on and the cost of such.

I'm a member of the National Congress of Old West Shootists (NCOWS). NCOWS main purpose is to be as close to period as possible. We don't allow modifications to our guns that weren't available in the pre-1899 period. No clothing that wasn't available in the period either. We are not about speed but about living history, good people, and taking our time and hitting the target. We use small targets at good distances so you have to aim.

Sorry for going off topic, but I wanted to show that SASS isn't the only game in town.

Thank you for your attention.