Heading west out of St. Louis, the landscape shifted to rolling green prairie, mile after mile of open skies, and the occasional roadside attraction. For a moment, it felt like we’d stepped into The Wizard of Oz—minus the yellow brick road, but with plenty of wind. And only 500 miles to go!
Our first stop was Abilene, Kansas, a small town packed with history. We snapped a quick photo of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s boyhood home and wandered past the Old Alamo Saloon, where Wild Bill Hickok once served as marshal.
Eisenhower Presidential Library
The Lebold Mansion, with its Italian-style architecture and Kansas-quarried limestone, looked like something straight out of an Addams Family episode.
Kansas is full of quirky roadside attractions, and we leaned in. From the world’s largest belt buckle to a giant stirrup, “Jesus of the Wheat,” and even the massive Van Gogh easel, we found plenty to make us laugh—and occasionally scratch our heads. Caitlin even spotted her first dust devil (of what would be many). 😂
Rolling further west, we stopped in Oakley to see a larger-than-life bronze statue of Buffalo Bill, honoring a legendary figure whose fame was forged on the plains nearby.
First Glimpses of Denver: REI, Mountains, and Pizza
After crossing the Colorado border, we rolled into Denver in true Marc-and-Caitlin style: uick browse of the massive REI flagship, a climb up Lookout Mountain to Buffalo Bill’s gravesite, and finishing the day with a massive pizza in Golden.
From prairie roads to presidential history and small-town oddities, the first full day of westward travel reminded us why road trips are never just about the miles.