This week we are off for spring break. It is a much-needed break for students as well as teachers. It is so hard to believe that we only have about 30 days left of school upon our return from the break!
I’ve heard many students mentioning varying locations they will be visiting far from home over the break; but maybe you’re doing more of a “staycation” and want to stick closer to home. Make sure to take advantage of the many natural resources we have around Atlanta. There is so much to do, but you just have to get up and go do it! Its easy to talk yourself out of it and think you have too much to do around the house, but once you get there you’ll be so glad you did!
There is so much to see in our area and I will only mention a few. You most likely know about these places but many times we just drive right by them and say…”One day…” I will start with the beautiful Lake Lanier that offers many types of water activities. It might be a little chilly to go swimming right now as the water temperature is 71 degrees, but you can definitely get out and go kayaking, boating, fishing, and camping. There are many campgrounds available. One that is always a big favorite is Old Federal Campground and Day Use Park. If anything just go have a picnic and take walk by the water!
Another fun day trip is to head north up to Tallullah Gorge in Clayton, Georgia. It’s only about a 90 minute drive from Atlanta. Tallulah Gorge State Park offers over 15 miles of fantastic hiking trails, ranging in difficulty from easy to extremely difficult. You will need to arrive early at the park’s interpretive center to request a gorge floor permit. They limit permits to 100 a day. The passes are not available on dam release days so you will need to check the schedule before you make the drive up.
Now if you want to make a few days stay in the Clayton area you can always go camping at Black Rock Mountain Campground. Take a load off after you’ve hiked and enjoy 42 camping tent sites or stay in 1 of the 10 cabins that are offered. You can enjoy the Blue Ridge Mountains, four hiking trails, hiking around the lake, several waterfalls, and the forest. This is a very popular sight so you might want to try to make reservations before you go!
Now let me say if I am camping there are several items that I always take with me. First off, if you want to shower, you most likely will use a public bathroom with shower house. For the most part they are usually, pretty clean. I always wear sandals when showering, but just to be safe I use Melaleuca Oil. I add 20-25 drops in a small glass spray bottle and fill the rest with water. After I towel off, I spritz it on my feet and shoes to help cleanse and protect my toes and keep nails looking healthy.
Being outdoors, and exposed to the sun for hours at a time, can sometimes result in lip burns. The minute I get back to camp I put 1 drop of Melalueca oil and my lips to help promote healthy immune function. This is the best treatment I have ever found! Melaleuca oil can also be used for dry scalp. Add a few drops to your regular shampoo and this will help support healthy hair follicles! One last thing you might like Melaleuca oil for is for skin irritation. If you have a break out that pops up, put a drop on it and watch it help skin imperfections!
Another item that is a must have when outdoors and I’ve learned to never leave home without when I am camping is lavender oil. Lavender is the best oil to put on a any skin irritations. It immediately soothes the sight and it makes skin feel better. If you have anything that itches put a few drops on and you will be amazed! It’s all natural and has no side effects! It smells great too!!
I will be heading further north this week. I am off to explore a few campgrounds in Virginia. We are planning on heading up the Blue Ridge Parkway and taking a few detours along the way. I will be able to report back about my excursions next week. We found some interesting campgrounds and some beautiful scenery to check out. We plan to stock the cooler and let the road take us where it will. We will be doing some hiking, biking and fishing!
I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing, spring break!
Naturally, Lisa
