There is a deep need in all of us to remember the past and not let it die. This country was formed with the intent that all men (women too) are free, no matter what there social status, creed, or religion, and shortly color was added. This is a proud heritage, and it is up to us, the people that live today to pass on what our fathers and their fathers before them knew.  We have choose to do this by learning the skills, customs, dress, and ways of a person living between 1790 and 1840. This is the golden years of the Fur trade industry, and many a man hoped to make it rich on the pelts of Beaver, Mink, Bobcat and others. At the end of the trapping season and before the winter storms set in these Mountain men as they where called would meet at pre arraigned locations called rendezvous where they could sell there furs, buy the supplies they needed, fix there equipment, get news of the outside world, see old friends and much more. Many of the mountain men would challenge others to compete and demonstrate there skills with there various tools, among these competitions where target shooting, the use of a tomahawk and knife, but many more where possible. When the spring came the rendezvous would break up, the supply trains would head east and the Mountain men would head back to the mountains. This is a time that many have forgotten about and might die completely if not for reenactors. Now we gather as they did years ago, not to trade or furs we have trapped, but for the camaraderie and yes, there will always be some competitions. But all in all it is a great way to meet friends and see old ones, camp and in general have a good time.

As for me and my compatriots there are many reasons, please allow me to list some of the things in our lives that have taught us what we know, who we are and even a few coincidences that form a strong bond then can not be broke. Many of us where Boy Scouts and learned the values of our great nation and the skills needed to survive, in scouting 4 of us where honored by being selected into the Order of the Arrow, this taught us a better understanding of the American Indian, His ways, his love of the land and the ways of nature. But the strangest coincidence by far is after we started to feel this brotherhood between us we learned of another thing our families had in common. In 1942, Ernest Loy and Milton Littke where captured on the Bataan peninsula on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. So you see, our companionship was destined to be, and our values today come from good stock, bother out fathers and our nations