August 21-23, 2017 Total Eclipse Riverton, Wyoming

The total eclipse was awesome. Way cooler than I expected. Photos and descriptions don't do it justice, I am glad we came up here to see it.

 Sue and John, Sue and Pam, Martha, Sue blowing the eclipse horn during totality, Link- with part of a buffalo hide as a beard and white hair- he said strange things happen during the eclipse and who else, but Batman in his eclipse glasses. The eclipse horn became that since I blew it during totality. It is a bull's horn that I procured from one of the traders. If John has not taken it away from me before we get back to Fort Collins I will sandblast total eclipse horn on it.

 Eclipse viewers at the Rendezvous, and totality. I didn't take this photo of the eclipse. It was on the internet, taken near where we were. We had slight clouds, but it still looked magical. 

There were sunset colors 360 degree-all around during the eclipse. Pam and I sitting back to back making baskets in front of our shops. We have matching basket making material bags because Pam gave me one she made. It even has a pocket on the end for the needles. 

 Sue in the center doing the reel of the Virginia Reel with my partner Twister during the square dancing. They had square dancing for novices, a nice way to say we did not know what we were doing.  Sue and John on the left dancing a slow dance.

The kids dancing long after the adults stopped. John, Martha and Jimjim helped me take down my shop. The cabana went with them to Carbondale, it will eventually go back to Fort Collins. I hope I don't need it for a show anytime soon. John said it would not fit in the bus. 

Everyone went swimming after that- Chili Dog, Bailey, Martha and Jimjim. Martha, Jimjim and Chili dog riding in the inflatable kayak.

 Then ready to go. John stayed here with me, he didn't go with them.It was fun to see them. I spent the rest of the day in my inflatable kayak on the lake napping. I was exhausted after the fun filled weekend.

     Sunset on the lake. The next day was pretty lazy. When it got too hot we swam in the lake. We saw this frog in the lake. John thinks it is a leopard frog, says it looks just like the one he pithed in school.

A sliver moon setting tonight. The only people left here with us are Pam and Ralph. We played a fun game of cards with them tonight. We are waiting for a new propane detector for the bus to arrive UPS. The current one in the bus has been falsely alarming and shutting off the propane. 

                                               

August 18-20, 2017 Riverton, Wyoming

We are at the 1838 Rendezvous site for the eclipse in Riverton, Wyoming.

John has been helping set up the site for the eclipse event. He is marking the helicopter landing zone in case there is an emergency. I spent forever setting up my booth for the sale. John spent the rest of the day helping checking people in and getting them parked.

Sylvia and Jim in the popup camper arrived, they are also sharing Pam and Ralphs site with us. Some evening light in the foliage at the site.

People are starting to come and fill up the camp spots around the lake here.

 Spent the whole day at my booth and only sold a few things. People are still arriving. A photo of Pam's pine needle baskets in her booth. I met her two years ago at the art sale in Death Valley, she has been teaching me huge amounts about making pine needle baskets. Hers are amazing works of art. Ralph and Pam, Link- one of the other traders blowing a horn made from a bull's horn, Carol- one of the organizers of this event and John the head of security. He looks very fierce, I feel secure with him in charge.

This evening  they served bison spaghetti dinner. There were bison burgers for lunch. Many Strings and Company music -honky tonk western played in the evening. They were excellent. Our friends Martha and Jimjim from Carbondale arrived late Friday evening. John, Martha and Jimjim floated on the lake in their inflatable kayaks on the lake while I slaved in my hot booth all day. There was an Indian storyteller after the band, Riverton is in the middle of the Wind River Reservation. Then an astronomer told us about the eclipse and pointed out features in the night sky. 

These two young men are selling handmade leather goods, some made by their hands. They are part of a cute family with two more smaller children with red hair. They are all in  period dress. They come to the Rendezvous in July too every year. Slinger in his booth selling a variety of  handmade items and furs. Pam giving a pine needle basket demo, Carol  who is getting ready to give atlatl demonstrations. Atlatls are spear chuckers the native americans used before bows and arrows, Link is with her, he has large store of animal hides and rendezvous items. Rick is the organizer of this event, the nicest man ever. This event is raising money for the Rendezvous association.

The black powder gun demonstration.  This poor cow got loose in the rendezvous and tramped a couple of camps before security chased her off-scared to death.

There is a Candy Cannon every couple hours. The guys put black powder in it, then stuff wadding on top, then the candy. They light the fuse and boom, candy is shot into the air and the kids and it looks like a couple adults run to gather it. The music tonight was provided by Packin' the mail Music group. They said traditional country western, but it was more like bluegrass. Very good. We had another astronomer and Indian story teller after that.

John prepared a yummy pork roast and rice,  Frank, Doug and Martha made salad and we had dinner at Martha and Jimjim's camp. It is good to see them.

Sunset on the festivities last night.

August 16-17, 2017, Riverton, Wyoming

Two metal sculptures at the RV park in Rawlins last night at sunset. On the road to Riverton today. This is Sand Wash Road south of Riverton. Lots of wide open country.

We arrived at the 1838 Rendezvous site for the Eclipse event early today.  We are sharing a campsite with Pam and Ralph, a little crowded, but we have shade. This whole area will be packed this weekend. We are near the pond too.

Teepee's set up for the Eclipse event.  Part of our drive today went by the Oregon Trail and the Morman trail through Wyo.  In Riverton Reed's Hide and Metal, seems like an odd combination.

We went to Lander, Wyoming to sightsee. Downtown Lander and the cliffs over the Popo Agie river. 

In Sinks Canyon State park the river runs downhill and disappears into this cavern.

 And reappears 1/4 mile downstream in this lake filled with huge trout in what they call the Rise. Very interesting. Two pieces of eclipse art, an eclipse 2017 t-shirt, says Welcome to the dark side, a sunflower, a gumweed flower and it's sticky bud.

After Sinks Canyon we stopped at the Cowfish Brewery to taste the brews. some of the artwork from the brewery. Then stopped at this Indian art gallery/store. John with a buffalo out front and a Teepee. 

Inside the Indian Art Gallery are some amazing beaded pieces among other things a beaded  whole horse rigging, and a case of beaded moccasins. Amazing art work. Then we went back to Riverton, the Rendezvous City.

I dropped John off and went to these two museums in Riverton. The top photo is from the Wind River Heritage Center. There was a huge display of mounted local animals,an extensive collection of traps-including this man trap and 50 period-dressed wax figures of  notable westerners. I took a tour and all was explained to me. Very interesting.  The bottom photo is from the Riverton Museum which interprets the story of 20th century homesteaders who brought the town to life in 1906. It is housed in a historic church. I especially liked the double headed calf with an extra leg in the tail area. 

Sunset over the lake at the Rendezvous site tonight.