by Amanda Barnard | Jul 3, 2020 | Everything Else, Jeeps on the Rock
We are leaving for a jeep adventure trip soon! Our first stop will still be in Texas. When you live on one side of Texas and you need to another state on the opposite side of the state, you will still be in the same state.
ARE WE IN THE SAME COUNTRY?
Traveling across Texas is like traveling to another country. We take a family vacation every year and for about 10 years now, it has been to Georgia. When entering Texas via I-20W, the first mile marker is 635. So to travel to other side of the state, it will take many hours or days depending on your excursion habits.
I love to travel. I blame my parents. We navigated through much of the eastern half of the United States during my younger years. But I haven’t seen much of the west.
I am fortunate enough to have seen so many things that other people only dream about, but yet there is still so much to experience. For this exploit, we will venture across Texas to New Mexico, where we will visit family.
FAMILY IS EVERYTHING
Then we will shoot up through the edge of Arizona – a state I haven’t been to yet. But I’ll take what I can get. Then to our stop at Moab, Utah – also another state I haven’t been to.
We will remain in Utah for several days, where we will meet up with some friends and venture out for some trail running and rock-crawling in our jeeps! It is going to be SO FUN!
After that, Brad and I will make a couple of day pit stop in Colorado, on our way home, for a few more trails.
I am super excited, because our goals include several Jeep Badge of Honor Trails. Do you know about this program? If not, you should look into it!
I hope you decide to follow along and check out some of these adventures with us!
by Amanda Barnard | Oct 28, 2019 | Family, Jeeps on the Rock
Our anniversary is October 24th. For the past couple of years, I have tried to be intentional about taking a little time off of work for us to spend a little time together. I have really been wanting to go to Walt Disney World for last few years, around this time of year.
During this time every year is the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot. I want to try food from everywhere. Most is sure not to be keto-approved, but it isn’t something we would do every anniversary.
Many of you may or may not know, but back in May we bought a jeep. So this year, I got a bright Idea to go to Disney. After watching many videos on YouTube and Brad showing me even more.
But this isn’t Disney like you may have thought. There was no food from around the world, unless you count Mexican. Also there was no Mickey, Minnie, or any of the rest of the gang.
We ventured off to Disney, Oklahoma, where there is alot of off-roading fun for us in our Jeep! With trails, rocks, and water the area did not disappoint. It also gave us the opportunity to see what the Rubicon was capable of.
We have done a few modifications to our Jeep, completely on a tight budget. Thankfully, though, we did mod. I’m sure we could have done several things without any alterations from stock.
More elaboration on the trip later, but for now….. click here for a sneak peaks….
This site may contain affiliate links which may be monetized at no cost to you, For instance, if you link through to Amazon, I may get a kick back for it, but it will in no way change the original cost of any item. So if you happen to shop through my links, thanks in advance for your support! ~Amanda
by Amanda Barnard | Oct 7, 2019 | Everything Else, Jeeps on the Rock
So now what? We have a Jeep and there are so many adventures to take! Our maiden voyage = NEW MEXICO!
Our original plan was a trip to Colorado, but some health issues stood in the way. Brad, nor I had ever been to New Mexico and after much research (mostly on Brad’s part), we found this to be attainable.
After much mapping was accomplished, this just the type of venture Brad had always wanted to take. While I had much input for each night’s destination, it took effort from us both.
We talked out the possibilities, along with the current life factors, and started planning. Most of our adventure was to include some off-roading in the Jeep.
There is so much to see in the beauty of all that God has created. I know many people who enjoy traveling the world. I have had the opportunity to travel outside of the United States, but I have always been of the mind-set that there is so much right here in our own back yard, that most of us will live our lifetimes and never witness a fraction. This excursion covered 2300 miles in less than a week and, yes we were fortunate to experience many places, we still missed so much.
DAY 1
Expeditions are always fun with friends, so our first day of travel included an airport stop, then on to Midland, Texas for some sleep. The land in West Texas is extremely flat. My travels had not taken me that far West, so this was new terrain. As far as the eye, could see…. flat land, oil, and gas.
DAY 2
On to New Mexico! Day 2 included a visit to Roswell, New Mexico – the home of an alien crash and the former, Walker Air Force Base. Then on to Socorro, New Mexico for some sleep because the next day would be a busy one. I found “District 2”, but Katniss Everdeen was no where to be found.
DAY 3
Every day was given to early rising and late nights and day 3 would be no exception. But the enjoyment of this day would not disappoint! Our first stop was to the VLA – Very Large Array. Then on to the Quebradas Back Country Byway for some off-roading. We did make a mini stop at the road to Box Canyon, where we realized our gas wouldn’t hold out to explore here. So we shall save it for another trip, maybe after we are able to get our rooftop tent, because this area is jam-packed full of things to do.
DAY 4
After all the previous day had to offer, this is the day we woke up in Alamogordo, New Mexico. I want to stop here and make mention that we have a cluster of amazing National Parks in the United 
States. As I have already mentioned, our own garden has so much to offer! Our first stop was WhiteSands National Monument. Today would include lunch in at L&J Cafe in El Paso, Texas for some authentic Mexican food and to see where the United States and Mexico meet. After an interesting trek from 92 degrees to 62 degrees, over the mountains, we would find our way back to NM and land In Carlsbad, for the night.
DAY 5
Today a visit to Carlsbad Caverns was on the agenda, then we would start the journey home. 
Before we ventured the path to the caverns, we made a pit stop, just in time to see some Bighorns at the entrance up on the ridge. The caverns have many tour opportunities, but we chose the self-guided. But who knew a course that is set to take 1-1.5hrs, would turn into more than 4. Anyone remember Gilligan’s Island and the “3 hour tour“? lol
DAY 6
At the conclusion of the massive miles traveled, we found our way home to the sweetest babies and our precious children, who spouted the perception of abandonment, as cell phone service was completely, non-existent for hours on end and sketchy at best, even at our sleeping quarters.
REFLECTION
Even more now, I recognize the vastness of the beauty around me. Living off the grid (for a short time and as long as I could take my kids and grand babies), wouldn’t be so bad. Traveling is still always fascinating and I am certainly looking forward to foray the next endeavor.
Check out the first video of our West Texas/Southeast New Mexico Adventure and stay tuned for more adventures!
by Amanda Barnard | Oct 5, 2019 | Family, Jeeps on the Rock
Ok maybe that is a little extreme, but hear me out and be sure to read the disclaimer at the end of this post.
After 16 years of marriage, Brad and I still are complete opposites.
They say, “opposites attract”, but who knew it would be so extreme?!
POLAR OPPOSITES
We are as different as day and night.
I also know this is well said, but if you only knew the realities of the statement.
Back many moons ago, there was a song that Amy Grant sang, called Good For Me.
The lyrics are full of antithetical personalities, yet the title gives hope that love can evolve.
When you are this differing, personalities clash like gasoline and matches.
However, Psalms 133:1-2 says, “How good and pleasant it is to dwell together in unity.
For harmony is as precious as sacred scented oil!” If only we would apply the Word more, lol.
NO COMMONALITIES
Brad and I have very few things in common.
Like almost none.
Our first passion is to love God, so there definitely is hope for us.
We also dearly love our family – especially our kids and grandbabies!
I mean, who is crazy enough to take a non-negotiable, family vacation half way across the United States, with 11 adults, a toddler, a baby, AND counting?!
Yes that would be us!
So definitely we have that in common.
Don’t judge, but we also enjoy being marksmen. (This involves guns and shooting them, so if this offends you, just move on,)
Although we should spend more time and make this more of a priority, unfortunately it isn’t as possible as we would like.
THEN CAME THE JEEP
So then came the Jeep.
Brad actually was on board way before I was, but the more we talked about it,
I could see the picture of what could be.
Our Jeep is just simply fun!
We know alot of people who ride Harley-Davidson‘s and Brad had one, back in the day (before me).
But neither of us are interested, because we both feel like, being in the Jeep is more “together”.
As we conversed more and more about the Jeep, the Lord started showing me people that we could love, thanks to having the Jeep.
All the while having something we could enjoy together, pretty much on a daily basis.
Every person who calls themselves a Christian (remember – “Christian” means to be a Christ-follower) is supposed to be a minister.
We are called to love God and love people.
Thus we have become – Jeeps On The Rock. The Rock is Jesus!
We hope to share a little Jeep-building, off-roading, trail-riding, and eventually some overlanding videos through Jeeps On The Rock.
Why don’t you tag along to see where the next 16 years (and the many, many more) takes us?
We hope to see you out on the trail!
Disclaimer: The answer to the original question is NO! A Jeep cannot save a marriage anymore than a having a baby can. Marriage simply takes work! Blessings! ~Amanda
by Amanda Barnard | Oct 4, 2019 | Everything Else, Jeeps on the Rock
Brad said he had once heard the acronym for JEEP was – J(Just) E(empty) E(every) P(pocket). I have made it my personal mission for this to not be truth in our case. When we bought our Jeep in May of this year, we immediately started planning some modifications.
Part of the purpose for the mods were to eventually take the Jeep on some adventures. Some of which included getting muddy, trail riding, do some rock crawling, and eventually some overlanding. We discussed in detail some options of the mods, but money was still – as it is with anyone – a hard, core factor.
Brad really likes personal customer service, so he is the one that wants to find a store to get just that. I’m the one that prefers to shop online. He went to 4 Wheel Parts, which is online, but they have several store locations. In order to get the personable, customer service that he was looking for, he went to a local store for several items on our list and because they were having a sale. Then some other parts we ordered from Extreme Terrain.
That being said, I am the realist, and therefore know, while there are good sales out there; some sales are just not worth the hassle. I’m just going to say, it was a good thing that Brad was in charge of ordering and retrieving the pieces. A considerable amount of the pieces took, what seemed to be, an eternity. (Ok there is a little exaggeration there, but no order should take months.)
I am over it now, and there are a few more things we would like to do to the Jeep, but we are very happy with what we have so far!
