Did you know... #20, Part 4-The Decker Gang, 2000 - (Part 4 of 4)
After our Hole In The Wall adventure, all of us Decker Gang members wanted to do another Cowboy/Indian Reenactment again. Guts and Tab researched and found Authentic The Oregon Trail, which included The Mormon Trail, The Outlaw and Indian Trail and The Pony Express Ride.
Two years later we all came back again and became cowboys again. During our 5- day ride, we were “attacked” by several Indians and “held up” by the Outlaws. We all used our firearms (pistols) loaded up with real blanks.
One night while sleeping, we were ambushed! We all went outside and started shooting at the Indians, who were hiding behind the boulders. It was awesome to see flashing lights and hear loud sounds from our guns. That night the gunfight lasted 30- 45 minutes. We all had a hard time sleeping, knowing the Indians might attack us again during the night.
During the 5-days, we visited the mining town of South Pass City and the Mormon Hand Cart trail. We also stopped at a saloon in Atlantic City.
At the end of our Oregon Trail, the Indians and the Decker Gang had a peace pipe, gathering on the ground, and ate dinner together.
Photo: Tab standing next to Trail Boss interpreting what he said. Tab was great by helping interpret.
All of us but Doc returned back for another adventure and we had a new and seasoned cowboy named Richard Raponi. Doc retired and we missed him.
Three photos:
1) Casino riding his horse into the river
2) Wild pointing his gun
3) Moonshine standing by his horse Richard Raponi Wild Moonshine known as Casino
Photo: all 7 cowboys standing in the line. Here we cowboys came!
Three photos:
1) Tab on his white horse
2) Guts holding the gun with his right hand and clipping the hammer of the gun with his left hand
3) Butch on his horse Tab Guts Butch John standing in the front of his horse by the post saying Oregon Trail Bison
Two big posters:
1) a cowboy with a cigarette in his mouth holding a small can of red paint in his left hand and brush in his right hand on the magazine saying .44 Western
2) a cowboy’s hat fell back from his head after he stood up and fired his gun with his right hand and his left hand was stabbed with a knife at a poker table
Tab’s grandfather was a western writer for the Pulp magazines from 1929 to 1951.
Photo: Tab pointed his gun at Guts while Guts stabbed Tab’s left hand at a table with cards scattered around.
Tab wanted to reenact his grandfather’s poster. So Guts stabbed his knife in Tab’s left hand and called him a cheater.
Photo: Guts, Moonshine, Casino and Wild at the table playing poker. We cowboys loved to play poker but we didn’t let Tab join us.
Photo: We lined up in the front of the saloon pointed our guns at you. “Private Party! Don’t come in!”
Two photos:
1) Guts on the left side and Tab on the right side, both looking at the strong box on the ground
2) After shooting to open the strong box, they saw what was in the strong box. They were sitting behind a tent.
Guts and Tab broke out the strong box filled with dynamites, playing cards, gold bars, gold nuggets and dark purple pouch (Royal Crown) filled with real $1 coins. Tab paid everyone with gold nuggets and paper money. So it was time for a little poker game.
Two photos:
1) Casino riding on his horse looking
2) Bison and Tab looking at the camera while trying to scalp one of the Indians Casino on his horse was looking for Indians. Bison and Tab scalped a wounded Indian.
Photo: all wranglers and cowboys either standing or sitting in the front of a large tent Decker Gang and our friends
Two photos:
1) a cook preparing a meal on the camp fire
2) Guts, Moonshine and Tab laying on the ground waiting for lunch Oh, it smelled so good! Time for our lunch
Photo: Guts holding Tab from falling after being shot with an arrow
We wanted to do a surprise skit at the Indians’ Peace Treaty. As we walked closer to them, Tab bent over groaning and showing the arrow to my cowboy team and saying the Indians had wounded him. The Indians and the Trail Boss were very shocked and then laughed about our skit.
Two photos:
1) 4 Indians held Butch captive and there was a smile on Butch’s face
2) all Indians and cowboys getting together – some were wounded and Tab being scalped Why was Butch smiling? Pow Pow meeting to halt the war
Photo: 5 Indians sitting on the ground and waiting Indians were getting ready for the Peace Treaty but they said, “Where are the Decker Gang?”
Two pictures:
1) 1 Indian kneeling and another Indian eating from a plate
2) Indian looking up with a puzzled face
Getting together for a meal “Where is the deer meat?”
Two photos:
1) a sign saying “19 Cowboys Bathing Cattle drives typically lasted three months, so cowboys often bathed at the end of the trail before heading into a cow town to celebrate.” Quoted from True West Archives
2) 4 cowboys taking bath in the river Quoted from the archive Old picture of the cowboys taking a bath in the river
Photo: 5 cowboys of ours in the river splashing water on themselves Damn, that water was very cold but good enough to bathe. We finally took a bath. Just kidding.
Photo: Guts holding his horse’s head with a smile on his face
If you recalled seeing the movie, “City Slickers,” Mitch (Bill Crystal) brought a calf home after his cattle drive, Guts wanted to bring his horse home.
Photo: black/white photo of Tab leaning on the doorway of an old log cabin with his right arm resting on his left arm
Tab was imitating his favorite American cowboy, John Wayne standing in the doorway in his best western movie called “The Searchers.”
Photo: at the sunset with gorgeous colors of different shades orange colors in the background and silhouette of a horse and a cowboy on the ground holding the rein to the horse
We all had a fabulous time re-living in this old and Wild West fantasies. We now have vivid Cowboys/Outlaws/Indians memories that will live with us forever.
We want to thank you for reviewing our blogs and hope you enjoy reading them.
Happy Trails, until we all meet again.
Best Wishes for Peace and Joy at this Holiday Season and a Happy New Year of Health, Happiness and Prosperity
Adios from the Decker Gang Tab, Guts, Moonshine, Butch, Wild, Bison, Casino, Richard and Doc
Special notes:
Tab had really clever ideas of how to make the strong box filled with playing cards, dynamites, gold bars, paper money and a deep purple bag (from Crown Royal) filled with real $1 gold coins used for tips at the end of the adventure.
Again Tab was clever about getting things for us cowboys to give as gifts to the Indians to offer peace.
Photo: Honey Dove standing behind an old log cabin wearing western gear with her left leg on a bench
Tab and Guts wish to thank Honey Dove for her help with editing those blogs