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 | Mar 9, 2020 | Family
Whenever my mom walked into her house, she would always say, “home again, home again, jiggity, jig, jig!” She enjoyed her home. It didn’t matter how far she might wander, this was her safe haven.
I have come to appreciate the same. We returned a few days ago from our annual family vacation. As many of you may already know, we take a yearly excursion to the ONE MARRIAGE CONFERENCE at FreeChapel, in Gainesville, Georgia.
Our family takes this time to reconnect with one another. This year we had 11 adults, 2 toddlers, and one 3-month old all under one roof! Y’all may call it chaos, we call it family (and FUN).
It comes complete with it’s challenges, but tell me another tribe that doesn’t.
I adore my clan AND I cherish the time we spend together! But just like Dorothy said, in The Wizard of Oz, “there’s no place like home!”
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!
