(This was a great event. See the "Epilogue" and President Fetzer's letter below)
Join us for a "Rustic Reunion" in the Badland Cliffs of Eastern Utah!
May 26 - May 29, 2004
Wednesday - Saturday
(Note: Monday, May 31, is Memorial Day)
Click here for more info: note and picture from Lee Nelson, web links, etc.
What - A fun get-together of a bunch of former missionaries of the South German Mission. This will be a casual campout type reunion. Bring your sleeping bags, tents, RV, ATV, horse(s) or whatever. This is some of the most beautiful camping country in Utah.
When - We'll probably meet at Lee Nelson's home, 401 West Maple, Mapleton, Utah 84664, on Wednesday morning, May 26, around 9:00am and caravan up to the campground. We'll return on Saturday. Of course, you can come or leave earlier or later.
What to do - Activities are wide open - horseback riding, hiking, flying (we'll probably have one or two powered parachutes there), exploring (lots of petroglyphs and pictographs in the area), reading, or just hanging out rekindling memories and friendships. Evenings around the campfire. Spouses are invited; some are coming and some are not - either way is fine. Bring memorabilia, pictures, etc. We'll have a slide projector and an RV generator available. For those interested, Lee Nelson will give us guided trail rides which will include at least one of Butch Cassidy's old hideouts.
Food - We anticipate having dinners (Wed, Thu, Fri) and breakfasts (Thu, Fri, Sat) together. Lunches would be on your own. Count on $100 per person for the together meals and some other expenses. We'll need a count and money a week or two before the trip. Send money and names to Lee Nelson at the address above. By the way, just for comparison purposes, Lee has commercially guided many tours into this country where the cost was $895 per person.
Directions - For those coming earlier or later, the directions are pretty simple. Take Highway 6 southeast out of Spanish Fork past Price to Wellington. Turn left (north) at the Walker's Chevron truck stop where there is also a sign indicating the turnoff to Nine Mile Canyon. Check your odometer and follow Nine Mile Canyon Road for exactly 44 miles. We'll be camping where Dry Creek Canyon joins with Nine Mile Canyon. Part of the drive will be on graded dirt road. There are some BLM restroom facilities in the area. We'll be near a stream for horses
and there is potable water about 1/4 mile away- but bring some water containers for drinking.5/16/04 Note: Potable water may not be available. Bring what you need for drinking. Stream should be fine for washing and cleaning.
Map - Click here for a map of the area with the route and location highlighted. Depending on your browser, you should be able to zoom in or out on the map by clicking in the lower right corner. Or you can right-click anywhere on the map, click on "Save Picture As", and download the image on to your computer. The map is a portion of the Topographic Recreational Map of Utah which is available in most service stations.
Miscellaneous - We have seven horses so far, but could use some more. Some cautions apply. Call Lee if you think you can help out here.
Updates - We'll update this site periodically. Call or email Kent Price (see below) with any additions, changes, questions or comments for this page.
Participants and status so far (updated 5/16/04):
President & Sister Gardner - home: 801-295-4617, 5/19/04: Doctor has recommended against their making the trip. Still hoping but probably not.
Kent Aland - home: 308-254-5563, cell: 308-249-2079, kaland@charter.net , definitely in
Jim & Lynn Backman - home: 801-572-2776, work: 801-422-2221, jamesbackman@comcast.net , Thu. Fri. Sat.
Ross Boundy - 206-842-1144, ross.boundy@cojk.com , definitely in
Bryce Bryner - 435-637-4920, bryceb@emerytelcom.net ,definitely in
Winn & Linda Egan - home: 801-484-9111, work: 801-422-7680, winn_egan@byu.edu , very likely
Bill Giauque - home: 801-374-1916, work: 801-422-2409, william_giauque@byu.edu , daughter graduates on Thursday; may come Friday and/or Saturday but unlikely.
Dennis Heiner - home: 847-784-0565, cell: 847-452-5381, dgheiner@wernerco.com , definitely in, will arrive Thursday
Joe Hillam - home: 435-734-9128, cell: 435-279-6700, hillam@xmission.com , Friday only.
Dean Hughes - home: 435-657-1024, dthughes@qwest.net , Friday only
Darrell Krueger - wkrueger@luminet.net , definitely in
Jeff Marchant - home: 435-586-4307, work: 435-586-8613, cell: 435-327-2929, cbs@netutah.com , Friday only
Lee Nelson - 801-489-8129, authorleenelson@msn.com , definitely in.
Kent and Keena Price - home: 801-768-2608, cell: 801-554-0015, khprice@aol.com , definitely in
Bill Watkins - work: 714-763-2155, theonlybill@earthlink.net - definitely in.
Craig Wentz - home: 801-766-1412, work: 801-323-5000, craig.wentz@chrisjen.com , Friday and possibly Saturday.
Jon & Merilyn Wright - home: 435-752-9767, cell: 435-512-8840, jonwright@aol.com , definitely in
The following have had schedule conflicts arise and can't make it. All send their regrets. We're including them below in case anyone would like to contact them.
Brent Bateman - home: 801-484-4141, cell: 801-949-8969, brentbateman@comcast.net
Dick Cardall - home: 925-937-1519, work: 925-933-1875, cell: 925-997-4119, rcardall@aol.com
Bob Ludlow - 209-577-6659, rludlow@pacbell.net
Don Oldham; 801-853-5000, doldham@dtint.com
Click here for a summary of participants by day
Rustic Reunion - Epilogue
What a great time we all had. Four days of beautiful hiking, horseback riding, flying (J), reminiscing, sharing lives and spiritual experiences, eating, and even sleeping at the mountain top indian altar...
Our thanks to Lee Nelson and others (Carla and Phil Randolph for cooking, John Skinner for more horses) who put it all together.
We were all disappointed that Presidents Gardner and Fetzer could not be with us. Both wanted to come and sent their regrets and best wishes. President Fetzer also sent a letter reprinted below.
Don't forget that Win Egan has volunteered to collect our pictures and put them on CDs for all. If you haven't sent your digital pictures to him yet, please do so.
Win Egan
1409 West 110 North
Pleasant Grove, UT 84062-3554
801-356-5296
I'll leave our original announcement including participants, phone numbers and email addresses on this page for the time being in case anyone wants to contact anyone else. Let me know if you have any further comments or suggestions.
Again, it was a great reunion. Thanks to you all. It was great to see you.
Kent Price
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President Fetzer's letter:
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Salzseestadt, den 14. Mai, 04
An die Sueddeutschen Missionare
Vermittels Bruder Lee Nelson
Leiter der Wildwestzusammenkunft
Liebe Brueder, Liebe Schwestern!
Ich bedanke mich, Teilnehmer Ihres grossen Cowboyabenteuer eingeladen zu sein. Da meine Gesundheitsbeschwerden machen es mir unmoeglich Ihrer engeren Freundschaft zu geniessen, darf ich nicht erscheinen.
Da ich seit Kindheit O-Beinig bin passe ich sehr gut am Pferde und waehrend meiner juengeren Jahren hatte ich grosse Freude beim Pferdrennen.
Ich finde es sehr lobenswert, das Bruder Lee Ihnen diese grossartige Erfahrung so Preiswert zur Verfuegung stellt. Mir ist dieser Wuestenflaeche Utahs ganz unbekannt. Ich beneide Sie Alle.
Ich schlage Ihnen vor, diese kleinen Gedichte auswendig zu lernen: Die Dichter sind mir unbekannt.
"Im wunderschoenen Monat Mai,
Da alle Knospern Sprangen,
Da ist in meinem Herzen auch,
Die Liebe aufgegangen."
"Dass will ich mir schreiben ins Herz und Sinn,
Dass ich nich fuer mich auf Erden bin.
Dass ich die Liebe von der ich leb'
Liebend an Andere weiter geb."
Ich wuensche Ihnen Allen viel Freude bei dieser aussergewoehnlichen Unternehmung!
Ihr Bruder im Bunde
/s/
Praes. John K. Fetzer
