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We have all read stories of families and friends loading up into the station wagon and hitting the open road. They usually have an important destination in mind with clear goals. Along the way, though, they inevitably realize that the trip was never really about the destination at all. It was about what they got to experience along the way. This summer I had the opportunity to load up into the Toyota Camry with two of my closest friends and hit the open road myself. Inspired by films like Thelma & Louise, The Fundamentals of Caring, and National Lampoon’s Vacation, I set out to actually experience the so-called “Great American Road Trip” for myself. On an epic ten-day trip spanning eight U.S. states, I visited stunning national parks, kitschy roadside attractions, and the finest motel rooms that can be bought on a budget. 

For the first leg of my journey, I traveled along the historic Route 66, stopping in iconic locations like The Big Texan, Cadillac Ranch, and Standing on a Corner in Winslow, Arizona. The route has almost become synonymous with the American road, and I was lucky enough to be traveling this route during its 100th anniversary. Everywhere I turned there seemed to be a new sign boasting about the beloved route and encouraging me to buy more merchandise to commemorate my time there.

After visiting Winslow, I turned the Camry away from Route 66 and went to possibly the most iconic place to visit on a road trip: the Grand Canyon. Let me tell you, this canyon was indeed grand. I knew that I needed to stop at the Grand Canyon, as so many road films and novels feature this stop. It was not until I was there that I really understood why it is such an iconic destination, though. I can only describe Grand Canyon National Park as awe-inspiring, and I encourage everyone to visit it for themselves. None of the creative depictions do the canyon an ounce of justice for how breathtaking it truly is, just as I cannot describe it accurately here.

As my time at the Grand Canyon unfortunately came to a close, I drove North through the Navajo Reservation towards Moab. There I saw some of the most stunning red-rock mountains I have ever seen. While the landscape was gorgeous, the communities that dotted the land were the most visibly impoverished areas I had ever seen. My time driving through the region was filled with somber reflection about the history that led to the story playing out in front of my eyes. At one point we stopped at a gas station that seemed to serve as the community hub of the area. That one building served as a gas station, laundry mat, post office, and pizza parlor. It was the only business in town. This trip revealed to me how differently poverty can look across the nation. Driving through so much of the United States was truly eye-opening in this respect. 

Eventually, I arrived at Moab, Utah. Here our destination was Dead Horse Point State Park. This was where the classic Thelma & Louise final scene was famously filmed. While we did not drive a convertible off the canyon, we did get some pictures in headscarves resembling Louise’s driving scarf. We also made an unexpected stop at Arches National Park, which was gorgeous in the fading sunlight of dusk. 

The next stop was Salt Lake City. Here we stopped at “the deepest pit in the world,” as The Fundamentals of Caring refers to it. It is a giant open-pit copper mine that the characters in the film visit for how depressing it sounds. I believe the pit lived up to the movie’s expectations quite well. We also visited the Great Salt Lake and the Mormon Temple in the city before finally turning our car back towards Conway. 

At this point, the ultimate goal was to make it back home. We stopped in Denver, Colorado and Wichita, Kansas to break up the driving. We finally made it back home on day ten, having traveled over 3,700 miles. The trip was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It was such an incredible opportunity to see so much of America and to share the experience with people I love. After all the spectacular landscapes and thrilling stops, I ended the trip realizing that it was never really about any of the destinations at all. It was about what I got to experience – and who I got to experience it with – along the way.

Brooke Smedley

Biology

Graduating 2027