Sometimes your tank is just empty. I can remember the three-week trips that Chris and I used to take before we had children. I would return to work four twelve-hour night shifts after three solid weeks on the go. I could get away with that as a twenty and thirty-year-old, but now, in my fifties, I’m not so sure.

Today’s post will confirm my quirkiness to many of you. It won’t be filled with pictures, and the adventure is much more suburban. I’m not going to combine it with tomorrow’s post for two reasons. 1 – I hope to have plenty of pictures to share tomorrow, and 2 – I may have to combine the next two day’s posts for lack of cell service tonight.

With the temps in the 100s, we decided to take a full day of R&R. We stayed a second night in the Apache Motel. This is an older motel in Moab that served us well. I don’t want to exaggerate, so I will go conservative when I say that Maddie has slept twenty-plus hours over the last day and a half that we were in the room. If I had my “old folks” bed, I’m sure that I would have slept that long as well. Between the knot in my back and my shoulders being on fire when I try to sleep on my side, I have been up and down during our time here.

For supper last night, Maddie walked over to Milt’s Stop and Eat. This is an old-school diner in town. I went for the Western BBQ Cheeseburger and fries with a Peanut Butter Shake. This is the first ice cream that I have had since October or November of last year. Maddie got an Elk Burger and fries.

A friend of mine, Kevin, likes to rate food on a five-point scale. We have adopted his rating system, so each time we eat at a new place, we give the food a rating. We always say that “Whole numbers are for rookies.” The staff members at church that regularly go out to eat after our staff meetings on Wednesday know that I am somewhat of a hard-nosed judge. Rarely do I give food a 4.1 or higher.

I’d like to start with the fries. I don’t want to go out on a limb and say that these were the best fries that I have ever eaten, but honestly, I can’t think of a time when I had French Fries that were better than these. They were cut differently…thicker than a chip, but thinner than say a crinkle-cut fry. This caused them to curl somewhat as they cooked. They easily make it into my Top Five fries list. I would rate them a 4.6. Brandon, Chad, and Marty will have to read this twice to believe it. Chad could have eaten these without condiments…they were that good.

Keith, if you read this, I would say that you would like the pulled pork that topped my cheeseburger. If you are in the area in September, try this sandwich. My Western BBQ Cheeseburger was great. With a touch more BBQ sauce, it would have been better, but I’m not sure it could have got a rating higher than a 4.4. I only ate half of my sandwich. I plan to heat the other half up for breakfast before we head out to Arches National Park. I’m looking forward to it for sure.

Finally, my first ice cream in months. Yes, I resisted the urge to stop by a DQ to get a Butterfinger Blizzard on the drive out. I know that peanut butter milkshakes aren’t for everyone. Milt’s had twenty-one shake flavor choices. It was a tossup between Oreo and peanut butter. The shake was great, but compared to the rest of my supper, this was by far my least favorite. It gets a 3.3. If it hadn’t melted so much on Maddie’s walk back to the motel, I may have bumped it up to 3.4, but because of the failed attempt to fully mix the peanut butter with the ice cream, I can’t go higher than that.

Maddie gave her burger and fries a 4.6. She said that the burger could have had a little more seasoning. We are both quirky. Overall, we enjoyed our supper.

Today will be full of driving. I don’t want to share all of our plans, that’s what tomorrow’s post is for. I hope that you are enjoying the pictures and my musings. Thanks for the prayers!

Matthew 11:28-30 ²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

The rest that I spoke of earlier is great. Sometimes we just need to sit back and relax, but the rest that Jesus speaks of above is totally different. I promise that the rest that I have enjoyed over the last day and a half will be gone before we set camp up tonight. There will be none left. The rest that Jesus offers us is eternal. I’m struggling right now. I want to type a sermon, but no one wants to read that.

The rest that Jesus offers gives us true peace no matter the circumstance that we are in. He gives a peace that transcends all understanding. I pray that you take time to rest when you are tired, but know that Jesus offers true rest for the weary and burdened. If you don’t know Him, I’d love to share more about Him with you.

Because He Calls, Old Climbing Dad