After the plane incident, I needed a weekend to relax and clear my mind. Where better to do that than Oakridge, NC? I took the weekend to surround myself with friends and family, get much-need rest, and submerse myself in nature. I had the most fantastic time as Tyler, my boyfriend, showed me around the town which he grew up in. Oakridge is a small country town that is rapidly growing in size.
We took a hike through the woods behind his parent’s house. When Tyler was younger, he used to spend a lot of time exploring and playing out there. And I can’t blame him —the landscape is beautiful. On the edge of the woods stands a tiny cabin which was built in the 90’s for community kids to roam. However, now abandoned and locked up, it makes a wonderful area to just sit and chill.
The pups LOVED playing in the stream which gave us an excuse to dip our toes in as well. The sound of moving water can be so relaxing. There are tons of great walking trails in Oakridge like Owl’s Roost trail, Bald Eagle trail, and Lake Brandt Greenway. If you’re up for even more adventure, Hanging Rock is about 45 minutes away.
Of course Ollie had to roll around in the mud and get super dirty…. ?
Nature has tons of great health benefits and is very therapeutic. Being in fresh air, getting exercise, and positive energy is GOOD for you. So, get out there this Summer!!! Just make sure to apply sunscreen, stay hydrated, and check yourself for ticks after. Also stay away from poison oak and ivy. I wore long pants and sneakers just incase.
On the other hand… Who else agrees that puppy kisses are the best type of kisses?
[ctt template=”3″ link=”ve67S” via=”no” ]I love exploring my state! This little town has a rustic, country feel to it! http://bit.ly/2tp9zi9[/ctt]
Once a year, the town of Oakridge gathers for their annual 3-day event, Ridgefest! Up until this year I’ve never been able to go so was super excited to find out I could make it!! The celebration is held is Oak Ridge Town Park and close to a thousand people show up each night. The festival is filled with amusement rides, food, games, and live music. It’s safe to say that we had a spectacular time.
One thing you should know about us it that Tyler and I love live music. (I mean, who doesn’t?) We will always stop to support local artists and their talents. When we first got to the park, a singer was playing some country tunes. So, we sat back and listened to him for a bit.
I faced my fear of heights and rode the Ferris wheel at Ridgefest. Fair Ferris wheels especially scare me because they tend to be old and rickety. With my luck, I wouldn’t be surprised if it broke down while I was at the top or broke off and rolled away. But while we were up there, I was mostly distracted by the awesome view! Poor Tyler. I practically squeezed the life out of his hand though.
The night ended with a BANG! We enjoyed watching the bright colors and designs of the Ridgefest firework show ?
The ticks on the East Coast are the WORST! We went home in April to Boston for my sister’s wedding and my pup had 14 ticks on her after being outside for an hour. It was awful!! Other than the ticks, it looks like you had a great time! What a cute cabin!`
That looks so fun! I hope you had a great time! There is just so much to see in the US. I need to visit again soon 🙂
xx from Austria!
Theresa
This looks like a wonderful place to unwind and recover. I love that little cabin, even if you can’t go inside!
How FUN! I never visited Oakridge when I lived in NC but wish I had!
xoxo A
http://www.southernbelleintraining.com
What a fun trip! I’ve never actually been to North Carolina, but it’s high on my list because getting out into the woods looks so relaxing.
Awww, such great pictures! And I agree completely about doggie kisses–they are the best! Mud-soaked pups not so much though but it happens, right 🙂 At least everyone had a great time! And glad you faced your fears and rode on the ferris wheel–that’s always a great time in the summer!
This looks like such a relaxing way to spend a weekend! My folks are in NC, I wonder if they’d be up to trying this!
HI Carly. I’m so glad you enjoyed that weekend. I did want to give you a little background on the cabin you took pictures of. It actually belongs to Joyce and Ralph Biggs. Their son Brad and his wife own the house that backs up to our property. Joyce and Ralph own the property that the cabin sits on and is through the woods near our property. Joyce had that cabin built and brought in to keep all of her deceased mother’s precious memorables. I think that is so cool and sweet. Now you know the history. Joyce used to have a shop in Oak Ridge called Josie’s Boutique. Her and her husband live around the corner from us in Oak Ridge.
That’s an amazing story, Cindy! The cabin is so cute – and it was built for such a wonderful reason! Love it.
Sounds like such a fun trip! I love the little carnival they had set up. The best part about hiking with others is having a buddy to check for ticks. It’s been all over the news how bad they are this year and I’m a little hesitant to get out in the woods too much.
The cabin is so cute, stinks you couldn’t go inside. The carnival looks like it was a lot of fun, as I’m sure the whole weekend was!
awe this looks so fun! always nice to have a little getaway! I want to visit NC so badly!
This has adventure written all over! Sounds like an awesome trip.
Such a great adventure! That event seems amazing!
These pictures are so fun! It looks like you guys had such a blast – love the firework pics!!
haha the outdoors is SO not my thing but you make it sound relaxing! x
Wow! Love your pictures. Nothing like getting back to nature.
How fun that the bf got to show you around. Beautiful photos.
This looks so adorbs! I hate that we dont have anything like this in the UK! It makes me want to be over in the USA soo much more!!!!
It looks like you had an amazing time and I am sure the pictures are not doing enough justice to how beautiful oakridge really is!
http://www.nmdiaries.com
Looks like a fun getaway!
XOXO
mQs
http://www.shorelifeofm.blogspot.com
All your outdoor photos look so fun. Being in touch with nature can be so relaxing. The fireworks are beautiful too!
xo,
Stephanie
Diary of a Debutante
http://www.thediaryofadebutante.com