Hamburg State Park, GA
Our Camp Site
The Sun Sets Creating this Serene Scene
The Oglethorpe Astronomical Association (OAA) of Savannah, GA was sponsoring an "astronomy program" at Hamburg State Park, near Mitchell, GA. Since I am a member of the OAA, this offered the perfect excuse for Beth Ann and I to go camping. We left Savannah around 1:30pm, Friday. About three and a half hours later we were registering and settling in to our campsite, site #30. It was a nice, somewhat private site, overlooking the lake. We rested for a while, and then ate supper.
Around twilight, Beth Ann and I rode to the ball field to set up my 4-inch refractor for the astronomy program. Other OAA members were also setting up their equipment. The sky was clear, but it was cold and damp.
Over 40 people showed up for the Friday night program. You could hear the oooohs and ahhhhhs from astonished visitors seeing objects through a telescope for the first time. After several hours, the crowd dissipated. Beth Ann and I returned to the camper. With temperatures in the 30's, we turned on a small electric heater located under the dining table, and then went to sleep.
We woke up Saturday morning to a comfortably warm camper. The little electric heater did its job. We noticed that there was considerable condensation on the tent material inside the bed area. This was due to the cold temperature outside meeting the tent canvas with the warmer temperature inside. Something will have to be done to minimize or eliminate this problem.
We ate breakfast and roamed around the campground. After lunch, we visited the park's historic, functioning, grist mill to see how corn meal was made in the early 1900's.
Beth Ann purchased a dozen bags of corn meal to make corn bread, corn muffins, and to give to a few friends.
We later rode to the ball field to visit some of the OAA members that were "roughing it." Those that chose to camp on the ball field had no hookups. Telescopes were still set up from the previous evening.
We left the ball field and decided to drive in to nearby Sandersville. We browsed through a flea market before returning to the State Park. We then walked around the campsites, relaxed, and then ate supper.
As night approached, I went to the observing field to help with the OAA observing program. Beth Ann decided to stay in the camper even though it was not as cold and humid as the previous night.
Over 30 people showed up for the Saturday night program. Clear skies prevailed, and everyone had a great time. As the crowds thinned, I returned to the camper for a good nights sleep.
Sunday morning arrived. We got up, ate breakfast, and relaxed. Around noon, Beth Ann prepared lunch, while I prepped the camper for our voyage home. As we were leaving, we emptied the black and gray water tanks at the dump site.
We made it home safely around 4pm. We backed the camper in to the driveway and unpacked. We will definitely return to this very nice and peaceful State Park in the future.
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