Greetings from the road, my dear Siestas! Well, to say that Keith Moore and I are having an adventure is our official understatement of the year. If you watched the SSBS wrap up (Tuesday’s post), you know that Keith and I have done something highly uncharacteristic: pulled out of our driveway in a large rented RV and hit the road with little more than an atlas and two rather sizable hounds.
My coworker, Sabrina, was going over my August calendar with me about a month ago and said, “You have a week of vacation coming up and you should take it. Beth, the rest of us take actual vacations. Some of us even take three weeks a year. Where could I make you and Keith some reservations?”
So I began to think and think and talk it over with my man. Ever since my surgery, I just haven’t been able to work my physical body into the ground like I used to. To tell you the truth, that’s a gift from God. He probably never meant for us to work as hard as I have worked in the last twenty years. This time, I knew I wanted real time off. But where? Keith’s spiritual gift is giving so I knew he’d give me any kind of vacation I wanted but there’s one little factor that grossly limits our choices: we want our two little buddies with us.
That’s when this wild idea hit us. My man has been trying to get me to do this RV thing for years but I couldn’t quite picture, for instance, washing and drying my big hair in it. Believe it or not, that was one of my lesser worries. My greater worries are not suitable for public conversation but as you can clearly conclude, I decided to try my best to overcome personal obstacles. Novices that we are, we’ve had moments of questioning our sanity (like, for instance, at night when we can’t actually sleep in it) but, overall (during daylight hours), we are having a blast! Keith will not let me drive but I am the world’s best map-reader and a sight-seeing enthusiast so we make a great pair.
I will just give you a few highlights (or low lights depending on how much you appreciate trivia) because I can’t stay on here very long. I’m only getting this opportunity because Keith hardly slept all night and has now finally fallen asleep and snoring loud enough, God love him, to rock the entire RV. I may need to take some Dramamine. (Did I spell that right?? Spell check is letting it pass but, for the life of me, I have never noticed the “drama” in Dramamine before. That I have not overdosed on it is a wonder.) Geli and Star are also staring a hole through me like, “Is this what we came here to do? Seriously? Just sit here in the RV? Do you know what kind of good smells there are out there right now??”
We drove over 10 hours on the very first day from Houston to Caprock Canyon State Park in north Texas. At half past midnight, we backed the RV into a space that, lo and behold, had a broken electrical outlet but we didn’t realize that was the problem. We thought either our RV was malfunctioning or, more likely, we were inept. We blessed the other campers by sleeping (all 4 hours) with the generator going. But when we were able to drink enough coffee to peel our eyelids off our eyeballs, these were a few of the scenes around us:
Can you believe that’s in TEXAS??? Absolutely breathtaking. We loved it so much. Then, yesterday we got back on the road and spent all day spying gorgeous countryside on our way out of the Lone Star State and into New Mexico. Geli and Star were in dog heaven. They love traveling this way and, as I tweeted yesterday, they suggested we buy this thing when we get home and drive around Houston in it. Finally, we understand their needs, they said. This was the scene behind us much of the day:
It’s a wonderful thing to have an I-phone on a road trip. At all times I can find the nearest Starbucks. I can also find charming restaurants. This was one of them yesterday.
Keith got a big old plate of beef enchiladas, New Mexico style, with red chili gravy that made your eyes water. I had a hamburger steak because Kimberly, our darling young waitress, said it was good. I had a hard time overlooking the sandwiches because the menu said all of them were made with homemade bread but I’d had enough sandwiches in the RV to let that dream go. As God would bless me, my hamburger steak came with a side of “Texas Toast” (thank you again, Texas!) that was, you guessed it, made out of HOMEMADE BREAD. It was two inches thick and grilled on both sides in butter. I could bawl about it but, of course, I’ve had only about six hours of sleep in two days. I’m telling you it was the Texas toast of my life right there in New Mexico. As we paid out, our waitress said, “Ma’am, can I ask you a question. Is there any chance your name is Beth?” Turns out her Daddy is the pastor of the First Baptist Church in that town. It was a delightful encounter and we thanked God for it.
We made it to our second destination about 9:00 PM last night and will be here one more night. I have on a jacket and I nearly froze to death last night. All my Houston home-girls hate me right this minute.
I’ll catch back up with you in the next day or two but I’ll leave you with the most surreal sight of the trip thus far. We purposely chose the scenic highways that looked like long ropes through ranch lands as broad as tongue could tell. Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado are all famous for those. We saw beautiful horses and tons of cattle and that was just in Texas. Once we crossed the first border, we hit New Mexico where the deer and the antelope play. And seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day. Home, home on the… Sorry, Siestas. I’m just overtired. To get back to my story, before we left Texas, we passed by a typical wide-open pasture with horses frolicking and manes flowing in the wind. Nothing unusual about that except that these were all miniature horses. The kind that would stand about as tall as my waist. No, not Shetlands. Miniatures. Like stuffed animals. In herds. I have never seen anything like it. We weren’t at a place where we could pull of the road with our big Daddy or I would have taken you a picture. It was the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen because everything else about the scene was absolutely normal. It was like the horses didn’t even know they were supposed to be taller than three feet. Suddenly, I pictured a remake of The Wizard of Oz set in Texas instead of Kansas. Pitch those red slippers, my little pretty! Put on some hot pink ropers and follow that yellow brick road, Girlfriend. You’re about to have the ride of your life.
These are the things that amuse me.
I’ve enjoyed saying hi to you, Siestas! My man just got up and, from the look of things, I better put on another pot of coffee. We love you. More than anything, we love loving Jesus with you. I am asking Him to refresh our souls and grant us some sweet revelation while we’re on this trip. I pray the same for you, Darling Things, whatever you may be doing right now. He can meet with us as easily while we fold clothes and wash dishes. It’s all about whether or not we ask Him for eyes to see.
I’ll talk to you soon!
Beth – i pray that y’all are having the best time! My husband would LOVE to be doing just what you are doing. He loves to travel. With no destination…
We are heading to Alamogorda, New Mexico in september for my husband to preach a revival. It is certainly beautiful country out there.
Thanks for sharing pictures and a good laugh or two.
Beth Herring
I can soooo follow you! It makes me feel normal to see subjects do the hokie pokie as we turn ourselves around! I’ve always wanted a road trip just to have a road trip and no real destination then stop at historical markers and do hysterical things and call it our Hysterical Road Trip! Oh yes! I am so there!
Bless your heart Beth!!! RV is not my kind of vacation. No! No! Not Ever!! The wall of that RV is too thin…you know…TOO THIN. A Boogie man can come through it with one single punch…Ah I am so very sorry. I would be waking up every 20 minutes. I need to overcome this fear of a boogie man and tiny weeny bathroom with tiny weeny shower!!! Beth, you are a good wife. I’ll see you next weekend at Rupp Arena.
So I forgot to ask when I first started reading and then responding to your blog … is this blog for dog lovers only? Can cat people add to your conversation? 🙂
I do love dogs, I just don’t own any, and have 3 cats. They are my joy at this time. I can not think of having a vacation and leaving my loves behind. Thankfully I do have live in cat-sitters in form of 2 teenagers, but I think that taking 3 cats RVing would be fun…right? I mean I couldn’t let them out, and their litterbox would soon make itself known, and leashes are not what my cats would care for, but what do you think?
I don’t believe that there would be pictures of happy animals watching the road pass, but surely having them as company would make our trip interesting.
Well on second thought, maybe I should just enjoy your posts with your little family and just leave my pets with their toys and blankets and let the world be discovered with faithful friends that love leashes, long walks and sights through the side window.
God Bless the Moore family on vacation, hope you got a laugh!
I have a special place in my heart for RVs. My hubby lived in one for four years while he was in undergrad before we got married…in the middle of a cow pasture! Seriously, when I would go visit…I would have to shooo (sp?) cows out of the way to go inside. His bed literally popped up so that he could store his stuff underneath. Right before we got married, he prompted the idea to me that we maybe could live in it…rent free, of course…for the first few years of our marriage. Can u imagine…I’d have to pop up the bed each morning to find my make-up! Sweetly (or maybe not so sweetly) I suggested we find a house to rent. We sold the RV right when we got married, and we lived off of our profits for a good little while, during the first years of his vet school. Enjoy your time in the RV…and maybe you won’t have to shoo any cows in your RV parks! Lots of love!
Beth,
You are sooooooooo right we can praise the Lord no matter what we are doiing. How did you know I was doing two months of back laundry? Ha-ha, my washer has been down that long so there has been alot of praising arouund here. Thanks for always saying the right thing when I need to hear it. Have a wonderful time all of you in the RV. The girls are in doggy heaven are they not? Our man in driving heaven? You in look at that!!!!! Can not wait to hear more. Blessing and prayers to all of you.
P.S. my girls are saying can we…..can we…..so coooool, after seeing the pictures. They are so lucky to have cooool parents.
I am so very happy for all of you to be together and on vacation! I’m a roadie but never did the RV thing. Love the movie, though! Makes me laugh OUT LOUD.
Hope the stars are brilliant for you and the sunrises take your breath away. You deserve some Godstops. Tell Keith thank you for whisking you away, even if his driving leg gets so sore! I drove from middle Georgia to Nashville for a Deeper Still event…the scenic, nine hour drive, and I thought my leg was going to kill me!
Can I just tell you, Beth, that the munchkin horses almost made me die laughing?!?
ENJOY. Feel the love. Dance under the stars. Sing as if no one was listening but God. Life is an adventure when you are in God’s Hands. We all love you!
LOL @ the dogs! They looks so regal. I’m glad you’re taking a vacation! Can’t wait for fall bible study!
So funny! We live in south Florida where we are surrounded by people LIVING in RVs!!! I don’t know how they do it!
We are taking a quick family trip to Atlanta next week, so I join you in that prayer for refreshing and revelation!
Have a great time!!
Fun, fun, fun! I’ve been trying to get my man to rent an RV and go on a road trip with our fur children for years, and he won’t do it!! He needs prayer Siestas!
Have a great time Beth!
Love you much!
Dear Beth …
I don’t believe I have ever loved you more. Seriously …
Renee
Oh, My family and I LOVE to camp. We recently purchased a travel trailer and cannot wait to get on the road again, 😉
Your post made me chuckle out loud. Have fun!
Beth, thanks so much for sharing your adventures with us. I must tell you that we eat at the Brown Hotel every year. Lunch on our way to Red River and breakfast on our way home. Such good food!
Also, I enjoyed working on the Ruth Bible study during the travel. And I had such a good time in the Lord…and Naomi was our waitress one night there in Red River. I think God has such a sense of humor. That was His way of confirming what He was doing in my and my families lives. I really needed the Ruth study!
May God give you a time of refreshing. Blessings to you.
I’ll have to be honest and tell you that I didn’t read the entire blog… We have had company for two weeks and my body including my eyes is simply too tired. But I did enjoy the pictures… mostly the one of the dogs…What would we do without our pets… they give us a smile when we need it most.
Also, I’m doing your Revelation study with 14 ladies at church… wonderful study!!!
Until later…the Lord bless you both!
FUN!! Love the play by play and the pics. Hope y’all finally were able to start sleeping better at night! I think that would be weird/hard for me to sleep in that thing, too. Hope you’re truly relaxing and enjoying your vacation and getting yourself out of work mode while you’re vacationing! Praying for continued safe travels, much better sleep and for God to show y’all more beautiful and breath-taking scenery. Be safe and good to hear from you!
Mucho love!!
Missy in SC <3
If you travel to Northern New Mexico, The Shed is a great place to eat in Santa Fe….in the Southern part Jalisco
in Silver City is also very good. Both serve the New Mexico mexican food…with a fried egg on your enchiladas or hamburger if you dare….
Ok, so laughing out loud!!!! not so much in way of antics and your wonderful road trip… only that I too have rescued another Weim, and will have to do the same in order to vacation with both of my “furries” 🙂 LOL!!!! but the pic with Geli and Star is priceless!!!
Would be very much like Gehrig and Deuce!!! Haha!!!
have a wonderful sleep filled evening!!!!
Oh I hope you enjoy this! Two years ago we took 8 weeks in an RV (my first time!!) to see the sites. We left VA and headed to my birth state – TX – and then further west. We hit 15 National Parks and it was so fun! Our two girls loved it! Had to sell it on our return, but hoping to do more RVing again! Following the back roads and staying off the interstate was the best! Enjoy!!
Praying for your safe travels and a beautiful trip that refreshes your very soul.
Beth,
So glad you are vacationing and in an RV too!! My husband and I would like to do that sometime as I think just being on the road together, traveling along is a wonderful time to visit with each other plus take in all God’s Beauty at the same time!!! I think it is so special of the Lord to make the simplest things so wonderful!! We just need to search for Him in these times. Love you so much and I am so excited to see you in Oct. and to top it off it will be my birthday, what a gift to see and hear you speak! Have a wonderful road trip!
Eileen
Seems so fun! I’m glad you’re having a great time! I’ve been seeing your tweets… I love hearing about yalls adventure 🙂
Beth so glad you got a few days of time well spent with 3 of your flavorite loves,now you need a Vacation,RIGHT glad you had fun.
Loved your post, and I am a camper too! My husband and I bought a samll camper 3 years ago and we have loved it. We take our dog too and sometimes our grown children and grandchildren. See you next week in Lexington, can’t wait to hear what the Lord will say to me through you!!
You are such a blessing to me.
Your trip sounds fantastic! Glad you are enjoying it and maybe once you get home you can get some much needed rest. 🙂
Enjoy our state of NM it really is beautiful. BTW way to vacation Keith style….love it!
Hello Beth,
This is my first contact with you and your ministry. I have watched you for years on Life Today. I recently got your new book “So Long Insecurity”. All I have to say is that I have been so blessed by reading it, thank you! For me it explains so many things that I had no words for.
I am at the part where prayer and confession must be made. I have not found the time yet, but I am sure I will be doing it soon. I feel like I am getting my life and heart back–a strange and yet freeing feeling.
Thank you again for letting God use you to bless me and many others.
My dear sister–please be on guard against the enemy–you are doing what the Father wants and that makes satan angry protect your heart, mind and soul from him.
As we say in spanish–te amo (love you0
Debbie Westbrook
from Tennessee
Sweet siestas, I have a prayer requst. One of the women killed in Afghanistan was the daughter of a minister here in the US. Please pray for their family and the congregation he ministers to. Thank you.
Pam
Pam,
Thank you! We must keep all of their families in our prayers. We also need to pray for those who did the killings. I pray God changes their hearts!
Shannon
Sounds wonderful and thank you so much for taking the time to ‘bring us along’. I just went back for a class reunion in S. Dakota. The first thing that hit me was the great smelling fresh pine air, and it was dry (I now live in Florida). . . so yes, I can smell dry!
You painted such a clear picture of your travels, I could even smell the sagebrush! (Which also smells good to a Florida siesta) Happy Trails to you and the group!
what fun!!!! Star and geli have the best seats in the “house” You four should love this adventure… RV is a whole new language….the people are so fun and always share their latest storage ideas, multi-use equipment, etc….and shopping in the rv stores is an experience….so many interesting people populating this beautiful country…so many tasty treats too! Amanda and Melissa gave you the best advice too…. every so often an indulgent evening at a hotel is a true lifesaver….it will extend the joy of rv-ing indefinitely!!!!! I think it is even listed in the instruction manual!!!! Oh yeah, Keith will love the multiple instruction manuals!!! What fun!!!
What a fun vacation, with such hilarious detail! But I have to say what stood out to me the most as a nurse was Keith’s snoring. If I may be medical for a minute, snoring can be accompanied by sleep apnea, a very dangerous condition. Both my husband and I have sleep apnea, and both of us wear c-paps at night. A cpap is just a mask that constantly blows air into your nose/mouth all night. My husband adjusted to his in about a month, it took me about 6 months. But sooooo worth it! Risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, are all greatly reduced if you wear a cpap. And, the increase in energy during the day is amazing. You have to have a sleep study, usually a couple of nights. Your dr. can order one. My husband and I look pretty funny at night, but we think its worth it.
Oh, what fun!!! I am SO GLAD you and Keith are getting away for a little while. Honestly, I was starting to wonder if you ever took a vacation!!! 🙂 I hope that the past few days have been re-invigorating and refreshing for both of you. Have a great week!
Jessica
Hey RV Travelers,
I am ready for some more ramblings! Hope you are having a ball!
Hugs and blesesings,
Mary
Hey Siesta Mama Beth, thanks for the update on your travels!:) Some adventures for you and Keith for sure!:) RV camping is it’s own world of fun:) My in-laws love to go camping, and we have been all over East TN and to the beach!-love that beach!:) Now, we have 6mo old baby girl with us! I’m sure I’m great entertainment trying to keep her clean while camping. I will pray for you both. I have prayed for you that you would have the best time together as a couple and that you would be blessed by the people you meet:):) Will pray for ya’ll Siesta Mama Beth!:) Btw, loved the pictures too!
So very glad you and your hubby and 2 dogs are off on an adventurer you deserve it so much. Your post was just what I needed I laughed so much. Be lucky you have your RV and not having to tent it now there’s an experience. I love the scenery and we have made that trip as well and it’s breathtaking. Praying you get a bit more sleep or you’ll need another vacation after your vacation. Praying for a safe trip and some serious bonding time with your man.
Love you
Sarah
Funny, dear Beth! You have been in my stomping grounds in CO and we traversed to YOURS! We drove to Calgary and saw our dear friends of near 20 years–drove to beautiful Banff, Glacier National Park and on our way home, we drove through Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons at sunset. They are as beautiful as you have described.
3000 miles later and this ol’ girl is tired–a deliriously happy, tired. Love you! Holly
Oh Beth – enjoy the blessings of cool air! Even the tunnels in downtown Htown are hot today! How was Houston ever populated before the advent of A/C?
I hope you have a wonderful vacation!!
Have you seen the Robin Williams movie, RV? It will tickle your funny bone, especially after this trip!
Caprock Canyon is one of my favorite places in the world. I hiked from down in the canyon basin to the rim with my daughter and her family. Breath taking beauty right in the middle of flat lands. Don’t you know God had fun creating that little surprise for us?
Have fun and enjoy the rest of your adventure.
Carole
Mamma Beth, could you please post the RV license plate number so my siesta’s won’t have a wreck looking to see if your man might be driving and you and your dogs looking out the window. Or, a bumber sticker that says Honk if you love Mamma Beth. Thank you. 🙂
It sounds like fun to me. Hope to hear more soon.
How fun, Beth…
My only RV memory goes back to Passion in 2000 or so…in Memphis..Shelby Farms…yes, in the rain!!!
I learned that Houston was the RV rental capitol of the country and so they had to caravan these RV’s for Passion so all the speakers would have somewhere to stay during Passion…
My now husband was one of the drivers…I only got to ride home on the RV with a group of 7 awesome folks…as I had to go to DC for a few days before Passion. BUT on the way home, we made chocolate souffle on the moving RV…I too was a novice and was making coffee and didn’t know you had to slip the carafe over the lip…Soooo…at the first turn, the coffee went flying…luckily I had a portable coffee maker once I broke the one on board… Then we cleaned that up…he too did not permit me to drive…
How fun to embark on such a fun adventure…we have talked about the thought of an RV trip several times…but haven’t quite done it…I can’t wait to share with him your blog!!!
Have a great time!!!
Blessings,
Meredith
PS Joe White wants me to ask you something when you get a minute…
I would love to take a trip like that!,
I watch you every Wed morning on WHME
God Bless, Pam, South Bend IN
P.S. The RV capital of the world is Elkhart In
When our family went camping several years ago, a couple across the way had brought their pet rat to camp with them! Perhaps that’s why I’ve never been since. : )
What a “hoot” !!! I can NOT imagine you being so brave as to try this having never done it before. We planned for years to be full time RVers and even sold our 4 bedroom, 3 bath house and moved into an apartment to get used to a small space. And, THEN hit the road(of course we’ve RV’d for several years and pretty much worked out some of the bugs. What an adventure we’ve had(5yrs worth)even driving on the ALCAN 3 times to visit our daughter/family who were living there with the Air Force. I just got through reading my journals out loud to my husband that I’d written, what a laugh we got. Some or our “boo boos”!! Now we are settled in our daughter’s drive-way(for the past 4 yrs)as I get continued Ovarian Cancer treatment, JUST happened this is where we were when I was diagnosis. The Lord came before us and planned it all, surgery, treatment and now clinical trial. I am still a survivor. We are still hoping to get back “On The Road AGain”….when I get the all clear. By the way, I’ve been involved in 3 of your Bible stuies AND gone to three seminars with my daughter And, part of the Scripture memory group who came to Houston…you even took time to pray for me. Soooo, I pray for you two and the rest of your trip. You will look back on this and have some good laughs… What a way to bond!!! Happy Trails! MH
Beth, I just love you-you are so real and it helps me so much to have someone say the things we all think. I love listening to you and reading what you write. Oh, and now I am on twitter and that picture of the spider was-GRAND!! Thanks for writing and now you have inspired me to go do my summer Bible Study “Stepping Up.”
Burning Question….
Beth, I would love to know where you got the pink top that you wore layered with another in your last video! I need a shopping tip here. lol
I am a teacher in a high school and would like to find something to layer under some of my tops. Something like you wore would be perfect!
Have a great time on your trip. I can totally relate to taking the dogs. Just got home from a week vacation myself and missed my dog terribly. No one loves here like I do. She is a german short hair named Birdie.
Beth, you have got me rolling! (with tears to boot!) You are a hoot, and I grow to love you more every time I read or hear what God has given you to say. Have a WONDERFUL vacation!
Beth,
Just had to tell you…my Mom and Step-Dad just sold their house in Heber Springs, AR and have gone FULL TIME Rving…they are having a blast. They have been up in Minnesota for most of the summer, wearing jackets I might add, and they are loving it. They just left there in order to make me, their daughter, happy because I just dropped off my baby girl at Auburn University and it is a good 8 hours from home. So to make me feel better, they have gotten them a RV slip right there on the Auburn University campus and they are going to be available just “in case” my baby girl gets homesick:) Is that wonderful Grandparents or what?? My mom and I read the blog together and we LOVED the stories of your adventures!
Much love,
Stacy Featherston
Searcy, AR
I am so delighted that you are doing the RV thing, and praying too, it will be a joy for you both, once you get used to all the work…hooking up and unhooking…making sure the holding tanks are in good shape. We’ve done this for 30 years, going from a 13 ft. Mobile Traveler – 3 motorhomes later and now we’ve graduated up to a “Big Boy” a 38 ft. Country Coach. Let me give you a big hint: if the black water begins to smell, get these pop-in’s that are in little gelatin bags and that will hold you on “swamp gas” until you are able to dump. They will save you alot of misery if you are mid-trip between camp-sites and dump-stations. Believe me. Also, go the state Hwy’s as much as possible, rather than the Interstates. Just because you will see so much more “life” that way…and get an up close and personal feel. We cheer you on! Our last trip was 8 weeks long, now that we are retired and we were able to have it be a missions trip as we worked on a Pastoral Retirement Home for a couple who have served the LORD in the Pastorate for more than 30 years. We parked our RV behind their retirement home located in South Dakota, and worked with them for 12 days in rewiring the whole home, and demo-ing the basement in preparation for new Master Bedroom, en suite bath and family TV room. Afterwards, we got to go tour Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monument and the Black Hills…just amazing country. Then we went on to Yellowstone through Cody, Wyo. and walked all the way down to the foot of Yellowstone Falls. It was quite a big hike, but so worth the beauty. From there, the Grand Tetons, and then your beloved Jackson Hole, Wyo. What a trip! Praying you will love your trip too, you so deserve this precious time together, you and your man.
Lovingly in the LORD,
Pam H.
Buena Park, CA.
Short of not sleeping well, it sounds like you are enjoying God’s beautiful scenery. Can’t see that beautiful landscape from an airplane, huh? I have a built in Starbucks radar. My kids tell me that I can find a Starbucks ANYWHERE!
I have spent a fair amount of time in a motorhome,RV, 5th wheel, travel trailer. I have actually lived in two different travel trailers.You name it, I’ve probably spent time there.
Your dogs are so cute! I love how they seem to be interested in the scenery outside the windows.
Well, Beth, I truly hope that you have some memorable times in your RV. It is good to try new things and who knows? Maybe you have just found your vacation home…
Kels