I had so much planned and so much excitement about finally meeting my family — but a single email at 7:42 AM on December 15th, 2025 took all of it away in a blink. I felt devastated, not because of the cancellation charges, but because the certainty of life went for a toss real fast.
It was the last week of 2025 though, and we had just finished a critical launch at work. Taking an unplanned PTO wouldn’t be too big of a deal. So the hunt began — Arizona, California, Colorado — and finally, with some luck and friends’ positioning, I decided to give Albuquerque, NM a chance. Sounds crazy to even visualize driving solo from the PNW to almost the US-Mexico border, but that was exactly the point. An adventure I’d never do on a regular day. A 4000+ mile road trip it was.
Day 0
Due to my earlier travel plans, I had dental appointments scheduled right before — didn’t want to waste the routine checkups I’d already paid for. So even if I wanted to leave early, I couldn’t. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise — it helped lower the number of variables I was trying to control right before the trip.
I finished the appointment with my jaws still numb, quickly wrapped up work, and started at around 5 PM to cross Snoqualmie Pass as soon as possible. I’d never driven on roads with obvious snow before, so it was concerning — even though the road cameras showed clear conditions. The idea of mountain weather changing fast kept playing in my head. I took a breath, closed my eyes, packed the snow essentials — radial chains, a torch, a lighter, a foldable shovel — and started my clean blue mica sedan.
The weather held up. No snow through Snoqualmie Pass, though it rained quite a bit. That alone boosted my confidence for the next 3-4 hours to my first stop at Kennewick, WA.
Refueled, ate a nice veggie-filled hot Chinese meal, and checked into the hotel. The next day was supposed to be long — Logan, UT by evening, and three new episodes of Stranger Things waiting.
Day 1
Woke up around 8. The hotel had breakfast. Excited initially, but the food wasn’t great — except for the fresh waffles I got to cook myself, which with coffee gave me enough fuel to start the long drive.
Not much to do on the road, so I kept driving in the excitement of reaching my friend’s place for Stranger Things and hot mutton biriyani.
I’d gotten into a habit of finding pit stops each morning — famous places, coffee spots, anything worth a detour. AI chatbots and subreddits were surprisingly helpful. A few posts suggested Twin Falls and Shoshone Falls on the way to Logan for stunning landscapes — and they were right.
I.B. Perrine Bridge was a highlight — the only man-made structure in the US where BASE jumping (Building, Antenna, Span, Earth) is allowed year-round without a permit. Just standing there watching people jump was surreal. I think I found the first thing I could tattoo on my body. Something to consider.
Shoshone Falls — where the Snake River thunders 212 feet over a rocky ledge, higher than Niagara Falls. There wasn’t enough water to beat the competition that day, but the sight was truly picturesque.
By then I realized the time had shifted an hour, so I was already running late and my friends were hungry. Started driving a little over the limit on the 80 MPH roads.
Reached Logan about an hour late. Washed up, grabbed a plate full of biriyani with a big screen glaring “N”, and we started Stranger Things. Both the food and the episodes were really good.
Checked into the hotel still unsure about the next day’s route — Arizona or Denver? I fell asleep before my brain could finish the research.
Day 2
Woke up late at around 9, supposed to be up at 7. Made some quick calculations — Denver it is, for the next two days.
There were snow predictions on I-70, which passes through some high elevation points. So without further delay I started around 10 — one of the longest solo drives I’d do on this trip, more than 550 miles. My friend at Logan handed me biriyani leftovers, which meant I didn’t need a big lunch stop. Gas station breaks, stretch legs, refuel Fifi (my car), keep moving.
The drive was beautiful. Well-maintained I-70, gorgeous landscapes on both sides — much more enjoyable than I’d imagined.
Around sunset, still 2-3 hours out, I stopped in Grand Junction for coffee and locked in a place to stay overnight. Yes, that late. I don’t blame you if you think that’s a bit insane.
Entered the long straight stretch of I-70 into Denver — mountains gliding just beside me, invisible in the dark but unmistakably massive. Kept full focus on the snow-expected road. The bigger 4WDs and seasoned snow-tire folks had no such concerns.
Reached Denver, changed clothes, found an Applebee’s open at 10:30 PM, ate warm chicken pasta, and rested.
Day 3
Woke up early — didn’t want to miss the city. Grabbed breakfast at a well-rated local spot (genuinely tasty) and headed to explore downtown Denver.
First stop: the Colorado State Capitol — gold-etched dome against a clean blue sky, some of the best shots in my phone’s gallery.
I love exploring new cities through their history, so I looked for walking tours on Airbnb — found one. Learned why Denver is called the Mile High City, walked through Larimer Square, saw the giant clock tower, and got the story behind the golden dome. Deserves its own post — too much good detail to squeeze in here.
Finished the tour in the afternoon and headed to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science — fascinating.
Ended the day with some very good ramen, then met an old colleague for coffee and churros. We talked about everything, which is rare to find. Then came back to rest.
No snow yet — but predictions said a smaller snowfall before sunrise.
Couldn’t resist going back out. It was the last week of the year and downtown Denver would have beautiful holiday decor. Stepped out, drove back, and ran into one of my closest colleagues — a family man who’s hard to pin down but made time that night. In-person conversations with him are always worth it. You’ll know if you’re reading this :)
One of the best days of the trip.
Day 4
More to come…