Post by bsimon615 on Aug 25, 2018 11:03:21 GMT -6
As many now know, we will not have lodge type rooms available to us at the White Horse Retreat Camp for the 2018 Deep South Star Gaze. So what do we have and what are our other options?
What is available at White Horse? Bunk beds in bunk houses (bring your own bedding to put on their good mattresses). This would be most similar to what we had at Percy Quin State Park between 1983 and 2004, but really better. Certainly better bathroom facilities and the beds and springs are not noisy and "springy" like they were at Percy Quin. The sleeping arrangements are light years better than they were at Camp Ruth Lee (2005 thru 2008). The bunk house are pretty much equivalent to what was available in the cottages at the Feliciana Retreat Center.
In addition there are discounts for staying multiple nights. If you stay 5 nights your bunk rate is $25.00 per night, if you stay 3 or 4 nights your rate is $30.00 per night, and you will pay $35 per night if you stay just 1 or 2 nights. So for someone in the cottages last year at FRC for 5 nights you paid $180 for lodging, and at White Horse you will pay $125, a savings of $55.00.
At White Horse the bunk house are in different areas with different capacities in each area. All bunk beds are triple bunks. Most will want to stay on the lower bunks and I will try to arrange things so that will happen. However in some cases, depending upon how many registrants we have wanting bunks, we may have to put two people in the same triple. BUT, this will only be for families and probably only because a child would rather be in a higher bed anyway, kids being kids.
Layout of the bunk houses -
In the main building behind the large dining hall/assembly room there is a bunk house with 3 triples plus a loft that can house a total of 15 people, 9 if all bunk beds are occupied and 6 in the loft. I envision use of this "bunk house" by a couple of the guys who both bring their kids who hang out together.
In the separate bunkhouse which has two sections with a bathroom in the middle (bathroom has 3 private showers, 3 private toilet stalls, and 3 wash basins) there are 7 triple bunks on each side, so a capacity of 21 on each side or 42 for the building. If each bunk bed has just one person in a bottom bunk, we can get a total of 14 into this building and if all bunks are occupied, as many as 42 <<<<<but that will not happen.
In another bunk area adjacent to the Game Room there are two bunk areas that sleep 15 each (triple occupancy) or if just one per bunk, 5 in each of the two separate areas. I can see using one of these as a "Women Only" bunk house.
There is another smaller bunk room with 2 triples, if just 1 per triple, it will house 2 people. It has a toilet and 1 wash basin. Anyone here would have to go to the separate "bath house".
Finally there is another bunk area that I will call the "Barn Dorm". It can sleep a total of 27 if fully occupied, or 9 people if just one person in each "triple". It has a bathroom with 1 shower, 1 toilet and 3 wash basins.
So, in summary, if we have just 1 person in each triple, we have a bunk capacity of 38 people, if 2 per each triple - 76 and if 3 per each triple - 114.
As some will be in rv's, campers and tents and a few will elect to stay off-site, I know we have the capacity to handle our usual registration. As some with spouses or kids will have 2 per bunk, I see no problem with the possibility of not having enough bunk space.
For those who want privacy and elect to stay off-site - check out the Magnolia Inn which is in Columbia, MS, about 20 minutes and 14 miles away.
Barry
What is available at White Horse? Bunk beds in bunk houses (bring your own bedding to put on their good mattresses). This would be most similar to what we had at Percy Quin State Park between 1983 and 2004, but really better. Certainly better bathroom facilities and the beds and springs are not noisy and "springy" like they were at Percy Quin. The sleeping arrangements are light years better than they were at Camp Ruth Lee (2005 thru 2008). The bunk house are pretty much equivalent to what was available in the cottages at the Feliciana Retreat Center.
In addition there are discounts for staying multiple nights. If you stay 5 nights your bunk rate is $25.00 per night, if you stay 3 or 4 nights your rate is $30.00 per night, and you will pay $35 per night if you stay just 1 or 2 nights. So for someone in the cottages last year at FRC for 5 nights you paid $180 for lodging, and at White Horse you will pay $125, a savings of $55.00.
At White Horse the bunk house are in different areas with different capacities in each area. All bunk beds are triple bunks. Most will want to stay on the lower bunks and I will try to arrange things so that will happen. However in some cases, depending upon how many registrants we have wanting bunks, we may have to put two people in the same triple. BUT, this will only be for families and probably only because a child would rather be in a higher bed anyway, kids being kids.
Layout of the bunk houses -
In the main building behind the large dining hall/assembly room there is a bunk house with 3 triples plus a loft that can house a total of 15 people, 9 if all bunk beds are occupied and 6 in the loft. I envision use of this "bunk house" by a couple of the guys who both bring their kids who hang out together.
In the separate bunkhouse which has two sections with a bathroom in the middle (bathroom has 3 private showers, 3 private toilet stalls, and 3 wash basins) there are 7 triple bunks on each side, so a capacity of 21 on each side or 42 for the building. If each bunk bed has just one person in a bottom bunk, we can get a total of 14 into this building and if all bunks are occupied, as many as 42 <<<<<but that will not happen.
In another bunk area adjacent to the Game Room there are two bunk areas that sleep 15 each (triple occupancy) or if just one per bunk, 5 in each of the two separate areas. I can see using one of these as a "Women Only" bunk house.
There is another smaller bunk room with 2 triples, if just 1 per triple, it will house 2 people. It has a toilet and 1 wash basin. Anyone here would have to go to the separate "bath house".
Finally there is another bunk area that I will call the "Barn Dorm". It can sleep a total of 27 if fully occupied, or 9 people if just one person in each "triple". It has a bathroom with 1 shower, 1 toilet and 3 wash basins.
So, in summary, if we have just 1 person in each triple, we have a bunk capacity of 38 people, if 2 per each triple - 76 and if 3 per each triple - 114.
As some will be in rv's, campers and tents and a few will elect to stay off-site, I know we have the capacity to handle our usual registration. As some with spouses or kids will have 2 per bunk, I see no problem with the possibility of not having enough bunk space.
For those who want privacy and elect to stay off-site - check out the Magnolia Inn which is in Columbia, MS, about 20 minutes and 14 miles away.
Barry