There and Back Again
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Link to video: 2025 Cross-Country Road Trip
Road trip 2025 started earlier than planned. We needed to escape Arizona’s relentless heat—which had lingered above 110º for three weeks—by heading to Taos, NM, for a refreshing break. While the Taos natives were sweating it out at 85 º, we were enjoying the 25+ cooler temps. Taos never fails to charm us with its relaxed atmosphere, vibrant art scene, renowned skiing, breathtaking scenery, and deep-rooted Native American heritage. This, plus the many excellent restaurants and craft breweries, is what keeps us coming back. Along the way, we stopped in Santa Fe at the Loretto Chapel for a look at the famous mystery staircase. (Click on the link for the fascinating story of this miracle staircase.)
Colorado
After spending four restful, cool days in Taos, we continued our road trip on our original schedule. Our next destination was La Junta, Colorado, a small town primarily recognized for its agricultural industry, railroad junction, and historical significance as part of the Santa Fe Trail. The town features two hotels situated adjacent to active railroad tracks, where train conductors routinely sound their whistles as they pass by the hotels, both day and night. Being a busy railroad, there was not much sleep to be had here! Thankfully, we were only spending one night here. You might assume that any town with a Hilton hotel is a good place to visit, but we’ve discovered that’s not always the case!
Iowa – Trekkies Paradise
We couldn’t wait to get out of La Junta, so we hit the road early the next morning. Our next destination was Topeka, Kansas. Endless corn and soy fields dominate the flat landscape as far as the eye can see in all directions. As our itinerary included several other destinations of greater interest, Kansas served primarily as a transitional stop on our journey.
Iowa offered better scenery with rolling hills and more visible farms, though corn and soy fields remained common. We skipped the “Bridges of Madison County” to stay on route and went straight to Riverside, the town famously linked to the movie, Star Trek IV, as the future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk. Riverside has embraced this legacy with a Star Trek museum, a large Starship Enterprise model, and a bronze Captain Kirk statue. Visiting this town was an enjoyable experience, and we enthusiastically suggest it to any Trekkies traveling nearby.
Wisconsin
We took a rest from our trip for 10 days in the Wisconsin Dells. While there, we caught up with Pete’s brother and sister-in-law, took a drive to Elkhart Lake to see a race at Road America, and later enjoyed an IndyCar race at the Milwaukee Mile. Pete’s brother lives in the charming town of Mauston, where he took us to some excellent restaurants (Hi-Steaks Bar & Grill and Log Cabin Deli are now our favorites), and we spent some quality time together hiking, enjoying driveway beers, and basking in gorgeous weather. No tornadoes this time!!
The Milwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile IndyCar race was truly thrilling. Armed with pit passes, we explored the garage and pit area, hoping to meet race car drivers who might sign autographs or pose for photos. Although we didn’t get to interact with many drivers up close, Lori had the chance to connect with her favorite driver, Colton Herta. He welcomed us with genuine warmth and was happy to fulfil our requests. Thank you, Colton, for an unforgettable encounter. We’re really going to miss you now that you’re leaving IndyCar, but we sincerely hope you have great success in F2 and, one day, F1. In fact, all 3 Andretti drivers were very friendly and happy to interact with us.
Watkins Glen, NY
After finishing the race, we set off for Massachusetts, our final stop. Our journey was delayed by a two-hour traffic jam in Chicago, which meant we had to spend the night in Cleveland. The next day, we visited Watkins Glen, NY, to see the famous racetrack—something we never managed to do when we lived nearby in Massachusetts. Although no events were happening at the time, the gate guard kindly let us in to look around. A couple of cars were running test laps, but nothing particularly thrilling was going on. We snapped some photos at the gate before heading into the town of Watkins Glen for lunch. It’s a charming town that wholeheartedly celebrates the racetrack and the many visitors it attracts. It was time to wrap up a fun day and head to our hometown of Adams, Massachusetts.
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