More than just a car review
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” What is a quote like this doing in a car column? Well, I took the 2025 Lexus RX500h on such a journey. The destination was Green Bay’s legendary Lambeau Field, which would play a secondary role as part of a once-in-a-lifetime bucket list trip. Along with me in the RX500h was my dad, for an epic father-son bucket list journey that involved healing from grief and rebuilding a bond. But this requires a bit of a backstory.
Michael Simari | Car and Driver
The profound impact of loss
Growing up, our household was a big fan of the Cincinnati Bengals. My dad passed that on to me. Through the years, my passion grew as my dad’s passion for the sport faded. There was a good reason, though.
My mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s shortly after my dad had retired. Now, his focus was on taking care of her. Football or anything else was not a priority. As my mom’s illness got worse, it impacted my dad and the rest of my family deeply. Priorities shifted. Trips were delayed. Things were put on the back burner. The thing about Alzheimer’s is that it impacts your entire family. Deeply. Profoundly. Slowly, as mom faded away and eventually passed away, I knew I had to be there more than ever for my dad.
As fate would have it, an opportunity presented itself that would allow us to go on a father-son trip to the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field. Getting dad there would be the challenge. Not so much logistically, but just getting him to agree to go.
Our chariot awaits
As an auto journalist, my dad is always interested in what I’m driving each week. Although not a car guy, he appreciates new vehicles, so it was neat to procure one of my testers for this special trip. For this 500-mile, 7 ½-hour journey from Cincinnati to Green Bay, we would take the 2025 Lexus RX 500h.
Michael Simari | Car and Driver
This Lexus was loaded with the F-Sport Design trim, which is new for this model year. It seemed ideal for such a trip as it was a high-performance hybrid. While it had ample power at 366 combined horsepower, the hybrid platform allowed for fewer stops to refuel. All told, with all the driving we did, we stopped three total times to refuel at a cost of around $40 per fill-up. The front leather-clad seats were incredibly comfortable for me, with my lousy back, and my dad and his 80-year-old frame. However, what was most appreciated was the easy-to-use technology. The seats were also heated and cooled, should we need them.
Trying to find common ground on music would prove to be futile for our generational differences, so we found sports talk radio as the common landing spot. The 14-inch touchscreen was beautiful and displayed my Apple CarPlay perfectly. With my iPhone hooked up, I was able to take calls or receive texts without having to be on the phone. My dad found that to be pretty cool. The Lexus interface is intuitive and one of my favorite systems in the industry.
The drive home
After a disappointing performance by the visiting team against the Packers, we headed home. Once again, we could enjoy all the niceties this luxury SUV offered, but most importantly, this gave us a chance to bond as father and son. While we didn’t discuss mom, she was very much there in that Lexus with us the entire trip. I told my dad that he needs to try to take more trips. He admitted it was hard and he was still adjusting to life without her.
That hit hard. I couldn’t imagine the loneliness, sadness, and even the guilt he would feel. Even though we had an amazing trip, this was a big first step in his grieving process. I was so thankful to be along on this journey with him.
Michael Simari | Car and Driver
Carrying on
While the Lexus RX500 was a wonderful ride for our journey, it was just a vessel along the way. The destination may have been a wonderful trip to Lambeau Field, but it was the journey along the way in that Lexus that made it truly memorable. Bucket list item checked off.
During our drive time to and from Green Bay, the cabin was sometimes filled with silence, where I’m sure pensive thoughts were happening. Sometimes it was filled with small talk. But taking that journey was what meant the most. Enjoying the small talk. The discussions on the sports talk shows. My dad needed this. I needed this. Sure, it was truly an extraordinary time for a football fanatic like myself to experience a legendary field, but it was much more than that. Getting this experience, helping my dad through the grieving process, and building our father-son bond were what mattered most.
Albert Camus said, “Sometimes carrying on, just carrying on, is a superhuman achievement.” To read more about this journey, check out the full travel story on TravelHost.
About the author
Jimmy Dinsmore
Contributing Writer, Autoblog