Another Camp Story

 

 

Written by

Conni Berns

March 8, 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My grandfather had spent much of his life researching, buying and selling oriental rugs.  he had traveled extensively in the east and brought rugs for sale to Germany before the war. Even in Cincinnati our home was hung with many colorful rugs(they were not to be stepped on) with designs in reds and browns of richest hues.  Opa loved to spend hours designing squares of woven cloth out of skeins of yarn.  We had cotton of all kinds, wool, and the colors were incredibly beautiful.  He worked the patterns so that borders wove around the edges, and then handed the squares to Oma to sew together.  Soon we had rugs on the floor, and carpeting down the hall steps, all three stairways.  Grandmother was the crochet and knit expert, but Grandfather wove the rugs and planned the rugs. 

Oma taught me to crochet when I was young, and to knit.  It became a tradition that for a holiday or birthday my favorite doll would have a new surprise hat or  dress.  And Oma Covered up with a very soft multicolored blanket when she rested, that she had crocheted.  She told me the story of that blanket, and the rebirth it had.  It started as a pair of pants for Tyll when he was a baby, and as he grew she added bits of yarn from other garments(he was a chubby boy).  She once unravelled it, and widened it. This continued until he no longer needed it, so she made herself a blanket, and when she went to rest she could recall all the sweet times with him.

In Eagle Bay we often have times for crafts.  We will make time for drawing, knitting, crocheting, or even playing games.  Of course this means we are not dancing, which does not happen often, but it does happen.  Anneliese loved to spend time teaching her students how to crochet, and encourage them to go to the Old Forge Hardware store to chose some yarn and crochet a scarf or hat.  She often had supplies right in a buffet in the dining room.  She kept ping pong equipment, cards, darts, writing supplies, artist paints, watercolors, and crayons.  She kept a lot of books in the cabin for students, since she always insisted on a one hour quiet time after lunch.  It was interesting how your mind becomes creative without the noise of a TV or radio playing, and quiet time each day, so that you can draw or write down what you are learning, instead of being distracted before anything sinks into your mind.

Each student was asked to sit after each class and write down the combinations, and talk about the class so that we could record what we had done to take home with us a copy of the work.  We would even learn dances that we would perform at home later, inspired by the beauty and atmosphere of the woods.  After a few days we would be in the rhythm of the classes and building our strength and stamina, so that we felt a jump in our abilities.  It was with a great reluctance that we then felt the end of our stay nearing.  That is why many students stayed two or more weeks, and  enjoyed it all the more.

There have been a lot of renovations made to the area.  There is now a beautiful bike path the two miles from Eagle Bay to Inlet, where the shops, the Inlet Hardware, the Tennis Courts, the $3 Movie Theatre, the Screamin Eagle Pizza, Petals and Pedals, the Churches, the gift shops, and the Northern Lights Ice Cream Shop- Oh Yes and the Bakery is.  On that path, which runs alongside Route 28, is also the start of trails up Black Bear Mountain and Rocky Mountain, both of which have a moderately good view of the lakes.  The best view of the lakes in the area is from the top of Bald Mountain.  The Trailhead has been renamed Rondax Mountain, and is on Rondax Road, right off of Route 28 between Old Forge and Eagle Bay.  One of our special field trips is to take the chair lift up MaCauley Mountain, and see the view from there.  Our closest hike, Eagle Cliff is a great one, but not as much of a climb- and can be done in about 20 minutes.  Anneliese often added a boat ride from Old Forge along the lakes(first through fourth) for those campers who wanted to spend some time on the water.  It would be fun for some sailors or fishermen to rent boats and explore the area.  There are lakes and rivers for canoeing and kayaking, as well as tubing and waterskiing.

Old Forge offers the Water Safari which is a type of smaller version of King’s Island.  They have slides and water amusements.  There is a mini-car racing track, too.  They have a summer circus and a wild west where you can pan for gold.  Anneliese never took the campers there, though.  We were always too busy dancing and performing.  The Water Safari is an all day event.  One thing we did often do is drive to Blue Mountain Lake and visit the Museum there, because of its historic value and its interesting exhibits.  From diaramas to refurbished railroad cars it has just about everything Adirondack.  It tells the history of the Great Camps and the Hermits, the Indians and the high society.  The Story of Timber and the Olympics are all part of the area.  One summer we went to Font Ticonderoga, and another we panned for garnets at the garnet mine.  In all the years we have been in that area I don’t believe we have run out of ideas and always come home thinking,  “Next year we really should do that….”