Longtime camper reflects on changes

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August 21, 2008

By ALVIN REINER The Press Republican Thu Aug 21, 2008, 12:00 AM EDT

NORTH HUDSON -- Though no official records are kept, Brenda Carmer may well be the grand dame of New York state campgrounds.

She has come to Sharp Bridge Campground in North Hudson for more than 75 years and has camped in virtually all of the others.

"Home is where I am at the moment," said Brenda, who lives year-round in her cramped but highly efficient mobile domicile, which she refers to as the "Tin Hut," in which every square inch of space is fully utilized.

Brenda is not completely alone in her journeys, as she has Tucker, her muscular, affectionate feline who has been her faithful traveling companion for the past seven years.

Brenda laments the changes that have taken place over the 76 years since she first came to Sharp Bridge Campground with her parents in 1932.

"In the old days, the campsites had the names of the families that stayed there, not the numbers that they have today. It was very personal. If there were not enough campsites to go around during the busy weekends, you shared yours with another family."

Brenda places a wooden sign at her site that says, "Brenda's Place."

Initially, water at Sharp Bridge was obtained from a spring, which was gravity fed and always available.

"Now with improvements' such as electricity with a pump," she sarcastically pointed out, "if there is no power, there is no water."

Brenda is also concerned that there is no undergrowth of young trees to eventually replace the stately pines that dominate the landscape.

She spoke with affection about the former outhouse, which she considered "well built and well maintained for 72 years."

She said they put electricity in the men's facility first, as they needed to shave.

Another change has been the clientele; in the 1970s, Brenda said, the "older people" didn't come as much, and the new campers would stay a night or two, climb a mountain, go out to eat and then be gone.

"It's not just this place that's changed; it's the Adirondacks."

One of her favorite locales around Sharp Bridge was an outcropping called Sunset Rock. Brenda and other youngsters would take great enjoyment going up there and screaming -- of course, this would cause concern for the campers below.

"There's an ambiance about this place, the sloping ground, the river. My mother would just let me go off and thought nothing of it. I could go fishing or whatever."

State Department of Environmental Conservation spokesman David Winchell told Brenda, "We're very happy that for 76 years you have come here. The DEC is pleased to have you keep coming back."

Nick McKay, an operations supervisor from Ray Brook, presented Brenda with a certificate for a week of free camping.

Tim Boyle, Sharp Bridge facilities manager for the past 10 years, considers Brenda family and often shares meals with her.

"Brenda is Sharp Bridge," he says with affection.