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Show wild west i h JSf cCiT - Modern mountain men George Whetton, Lionel Evans and Eugene Briscoe it v rj (U.S. Air Force Photos by Doug James) all from Hill AFB, (l-r-). step into the past when they revive the 19th century spirit of fur trading. o illj v n n ' lnielJS UFD Dim By Chris Baierschmidt . ft By weekday, George Whetton shoots pictures and develops prints for the base contracted photo lab. By weekend, he trades his camera for a black-powdrifle and steps h back into the century. Mr. Whetton, like fellow base employees Eugene Briscoe and Lionel Evans, are 20th century mountain men. Lured by the outdoors and fascinated by the legends of Kit Carson and James Bridger, the ' three regularly don buckskins and tote their, rifles to shoots and rendezvous held all over the er mid-19t- V.K, ! I ' - - , , V Inter-mounta- y in West. - : y - J-- ; -- J Eugene Briscoe, or "Chips" to his buckskinning compatriots, exrifle for a changed his rifle in 1969 when he stopped by the annual Golden Spike shoot. He loved it. "There's the fun of it, the color .22-calib- black-powd- of W " H ( ' ' ;. Getting ready Eugene Briscoe cleans the barrel of his guns used by 19th century mountain men. black-powd- er rifle, reminiscent of the er er it," the electrical engineer said. "Everybody's into something." Mr. Whetton, nicknamed "Just George," said the rendezvous the authentic rendezvous sponsored by mountain men groups draw people from all walks of life. He has met some who live the era all year round to the "doctor, lawyer and Indian chief" who are the weekend warriors of the fur trade revival. The lot of them, he said, spend their time in the past chewing the fat about the past, trading for bigger and better trinkets, shooting or getting together for a good time like the days of yore. Utah historian Fred R. Gowans writes that rendezvous originated out of necessity in 1825, evolving into social occasions for the men n i7 if Fyj c U"iri dl 5 im (si Ogden ALC Public Affairs Office ' 1 IT o IrQDUUS ireDei who made a living out of trading beaver pelts. The rendezvous, along with the lifestyle, died around 1840 when silk became the vogue for fashionable evening hats. A rebirth came during the next century when city and country dwellers found it was just plain fun to go out and play like their ancestors. Now, there are enough rendezvous and shoots held to keep a person busy every weekend all summer. Mr. Evans, or "Mabooshoenine" by his Shoshone name, takes his wife and any number of their eight children along on weekend trips. If Mr. Evans had his way he'd have been a real mountain man 100 years ago and not a 20th century member of the Ogden Valley Muzzlers. "It's the era, the charisma, the clothing," said the quality assurance inspector for the Inspector General Office. "I can't explain it. Once you get started, there's no turning back." Mr. Briscoe also finds it an absorbing family affair, especially at the more authentic rendezvous where wearing tennis shoes would be certain eviction. His wife, "Lady Chips," is just as enthusiastic and wears her suit of period clothes along with her buckskinning husband. Mr. Whetton compares the fascination with any friendly kind of ob: session. "I've known few to leave once they got started. Most keep building and building up their enjoyment. It gets so you can't stop," t he said. |