Django can be easily adapted to write static pages using the template api and writing to a file. Works well for me.
Exactly good sir, that is a great way to go :)
I use nanoc (http://nanoc.ws/). It's written in Ruby - but it's quite powerful yet so very simple to use.
I've split hair over jekyll/octopress configuration until I stumbled upon this nimble beauty... haven't looked back since.
Give nanoc a try.
I had the same feeling when I was using pelican as well. I have switched my personal site over to blogofile:
http://www.blogofile.com/
Much simpler and better documentation in my opinion.
Do you know any other static page generators, simpler and preferably in Python as well? Or should I just get over the first impression and go with the pelican?