Laundromats & Campgrounds

Hi Puzzlers,

Evening Rendezvous Puzzle item #



Yesterday I had to do laundry at the Laundromat! My beloved 10 year old washer refused to spin my clothes and left them soaking in a ton of water. It seems to me that many of today’s products are being built intentionally not to last. The first washing machine I ever bought was a used 20 year old machine and it worked great for several years. I replaced it because it looked dated, not because it broke down. For all I know it’s still working! Thankfully White Mountain Puzzles continually strives to improve the quality of our puzzles. Ok enough of the rant and rave where was I? Oh yes, the Laundromat. Glen Ellis Campground has a wonderful state-of-the-art Laundromat where you preload a card with a dollar amount and then swipe it through the washers and dryers to activate them, eliminating the need for change. It’s very cool! Doing laundry at the campground brought back a plethora of camping memories.

During the 80’s I camped every weekend with my friends in the summer. Rain or shine it didn’t matter. The ten of us were like a well oiled machine, packing and preparing for our trips within an hour. We had a special spot we would go to that we nick-named the Ponderosa. We got to it by wading waist deep through the river while toting our gear in a canoe or by holding it above our heads. Within a half hour all the tents were assembled, the fire had been lit, extra wood was neatly piled nearby and the kitchen area was up and running. Next, as was custom, we all dove off the riverbank into the freezing water below. Once we started to turn blue we would come out and warm ourselves by the fire and have a beverage. It was so relaxing to just sit there and talk. No cell phones, iPods or any electronics to disturb us, just the sound of the river gushing by and the radio playing softly in the background. During the day we would take hikes and explore the surrounding wilderness, never venturing back into civilization until we had to. These weekend trips relaxed our minds, invigorated our souls and connected us to nature. I believe many people have these same feelings and that is why camping is so popular.

Records indicate the first “organized” American camp was the Gunnery Camp located in Washington, Connecticut. It was founded by Frederick W. Gunn and his wife Abigail. The Gunns who operated a home school for boys decided in 1861 to take the entire school on a two-week trip. I n order to reach the camp site the boys had to hike in and then set up camp. The students spent their time fishing, boating and trapping. This tradition continued for twelve years.

In 1874 the first girl’s camp was founded in Philadelphia by the YWCA (Young Women’s Christian Association). It was a summer boarding and vacation house geared towards "tired young women wearing out their lives in an almost endless drudgery for wages that admit no thought of rest or recreation."

By the 1920’s most American’s lives had changed considerably. Homes had electricity and indoor plumbing, and our connection to the great outdoors had diminished with the Industrial Revolution. The invention of the automobile coupled with the establishment of national parks and America’s desire to get away from its industrial life sparked a new interest in recreational camping.

Today campgrounds and RV resorts can be found throughout the United States, and in other countries throughout the world. To me, camping will always help mankind find its way back to nature and the great outdoors. It gives people memories that will last a lifetime.

Happy Puzzling!