Cabin Fever.

Even with so much to do at the house I still got a bad case of wanderlust and decided to "sallyforth" heading south.  I first filled up at Oaklawn before heading south into Lutherville, then taking the Lutherville Rd towards Gay.  I continued into Manchester and then stopped at a store to get a snack, soda, and use the bathroom.  Afterwards, I got to thinking and  I checked my saddle bags; sure enough!  I had the hammock packed.  I was camping out this night.  I kept heading southward until Columbus and then stopped at the Burger King where the old train station use to be to use the Wi-Fi and get an idea where some camping can be had.  I found a listing for Blanton Creek Park off of Lick Skillet that listed some primitive camp site.  With the sun getting dangerously low in the west I quickly headed toward my destination.  I found it but the sun had already set and the twilight had turned to dusk.  As a matter of fact the site managers were fixing to close the gates when I roared up but allowed me in.

This park, which is run by Georgia Power, has some nice amenities and is mainly for RV campers with access to Lake Harding.    There are a few tent sites but no primitive sites.  I paid for a tent site and headed in, the manager told me that there was only one other tent camper in the area.  The tent sites are a crushed gravel pad with a fire ring, grill, picnic table and a 20 amp outlet.  They are located on a peninsula with the lake on three sides.  The original site I was assigned was in front and right under a security light.  Nope.

Knowing that I was going to get out early in the morning I moved my camp inward away from the light.  I found two trees to my liking, put up the hammock and then I realize that I was without a sleeping bag or blanket.  Ok, I have an undershirt, t-shirt, sweatshirt, and hoodie, that should be enough.  I turned in.

Within the hour I realize that it wasn't going to be enough.  The temperature was fastly plummeting to 50 deg and even using the rain fly to try and keep warm I wasn't.  I took a trip to the bathroom and it had a heater in there that was keeping it warm.  I stayed in there until I warmed up, headed back to the hammock, laid down, got about 40 winks and then I had to retreat to the bathroom again to warm up.

This cycle was repeated numerous times throughout the night.

Finally, at 05:30 I broke camp, loaded up Pork Chop, and pushed it away from the other campers.  When I was where I believed I wouldn't disturb them I fired Pork Chop and then away I went.

IT WAS COLD!

I was hoping that at Antioch some of the stores would be open but no such luck.  I had to travel back down to Goat Rock Rd before I found one.  I got some coffee, a sausage biscuit and awaited for the morning sun.  Around 7:30 I was Columbus bound again to the nearest Micky D for some more coffee and to await it to warm up.  Couple of parks I want to check out while I am down this way but I'm not sure if I'll stay out another night or not.  If I do, a blanket is in order.