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Klondike Musing


OldGreyEagle

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SO this past weekend was the Districts Klondike Derby (Feb 19 2011)

 

The theme was oddly enough, the Klondike Gold Rush. I was asked by the Committee running things to run a station as Pierre Aloyius DuMonde, the Voyageur turned Mountain Man charactor I do as an re-enactor.

 

So, I was wearing my deekskin trousers, buckskin shirt, Capote and tuque. I have a rabbit fur covered possibles bag as the trousers have no pockets (period correct) and I havent gotten the knack for storiing things in my sash.

 

two youth wanted to know what type of fur the bag was made of and when I said rabbit, they said they had never felt rabbit and wanted to know if they could touch it. What floored me was not that they asked, everyone was pretty well mannered, but that they had never touched rabbit fur was astounding. Just how cocooned are youth? I know I shouldnt be surprised by the lack of "Outdoor experiences" that todays youth enjoy, but to be excited to touch rabbit fur?, it is just troubling

 

Good thing I didnt take my fox skin hat/cape

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Outside of rural areas, why would you think they would have ever touched rabbit fur?

 

Most city & suburban kids wouldn't be allowed to have rabbits. Nor would they normally go hunting, on average. Petting zoos are rare (plus not "cool" for older kids). Tracking and trailing is not a contemporary Scouting skill.

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I think I live in a fairly cosmopolitan area, and I know over 5 kids who have rabbits as pets, they stay in the indoor cage

 

Ok, so maybe its been awhile since I was anything close to a youth, but I remember the local hot girls wearing shorty rabbit fur coats, is that passe as well?

 

Guess it is, explains another thing that happened during the Klondike. At the awards presentation, one of the adults came up and asked me if I knew the movie "Jeremiah Johnson" and he said I looked like I just stepped out of it. I was thrilled, I mean Robert Redford as Jerimiah Johnson was pretty much my vision of a mountain man.

 

Then the guys keeps talking (never good) said I looked just like the charactor Chris "Bear Claw" Lapp in my outfit. I thanked him weakly and moved over to a corner to cry

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I live in the Chicago area, and most of the nature centers around have animal pelts as part of their exhibits.

 

But then, there are many folks that refuse to get even that close to the "outdoors" with, or without, their kids.

 

That is why Scouting is often the only hope of ever getting some kids out interacting with nature!

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