EVANSTON — For the Asay family, the Bear River Rendezvous is a labor of love, cultivated over its entire 30-year existence.

“I didn’t realize quite what I married into,” Evanston’s Gary Hodson said jokingly.

He married into the Asay family in 2001, and has been helping out with the rendezvous ever since. Hodson’s tour of the Mountain Man Skills Run course provided both some insight into what types of skills participants must demonstrate and an opportunity to chat with members of the extended Asay family. 

The rendezvous was held Friday-Sunday, Aug. 25-27. On Saturday afternoon, the trails along the back of the Bear River State Park served as both the skills course and an Asay family receiving line. Men and women of all ages trudged through the vegetation-shrouded trail as they donned pre-1840s garb and carried authentic weapons and supplies. 

Scott Sidwell was hard at work at the trap-setting stop. Bernard Asay, Hodson’s father-in-law, oversaw the primitive shoot. Brad Asay manned the archery portion. Brad said he typically attends both the Bear River and the Fort Bridger Rendezvous.

“I work hard here,” he said, “and [I] play hard there.”

He has served as booshway of the rendezvous multiple times, as has his wife, Audrey. 

Brad and Gary joked about “mountain man rules” that allowed competitors to take the tomahawk throw and knife stick rules quite literally. This resulted in participants throwing a tomahawk without worrying about hitting a target and running toward a target to pierce it directly instead of throwing a knife.

Both men were in agreement that the rules did allow for such an interpretation, and chuckled at the ingenuity of the few competitors who had shaved valuable seconds from their time by doing so. 

The men seemed delighted to discuss the course and the rendezvous in general.

“Sometimes people act scared to talk to us here because they think we’re crazy folks playing dress up,” Hodson said, “but we’re all friendly, caring people having fun for a few days.”

For Darlene Adkins of Billings, Montana, the Bear River Rendezvous has become a treasured annual event. Adkins works at a bank and spends her days seated in front of a computer. She said she would much rather spend her time otherwise engaged. 

Adkins said she loves the Bear River Rendezvous in particular. In fact, this event and another in Riverton are her two favorites that she and her husband attend. She said she loves the people and the demonstrations.

“I learn something new every time I come, and the people are like family,” she said.

The Adkins’ booth was a popular one, with children flocking to purchase water birds — bird-shaped whistles filled with water that sound like songbirds. Other wares included dream catchers crafted from dogwood and leather goods.

One of Darlene’s favorite pastimes is working at the traditional loom she recently purchased and has learned to use through first-hand lessons and self-teaching with the help of the weavers’ guild. She jumped at the chance to demonstrate her newfound skill. 

“It’s like meditation,” she said. “It allows me to forget about everything else and just focus on using my hands and creating something.” 

The rendezvous weekend provided an opportunity for participants from near and far to transport themselves to a bygone era, if only for a while. For some, like the skills course participants, it was a chance to show their mountain man mettle. For others, it was a respite from technology and workday demands. For many, it was a family reunion, in more ways than one.