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Our goal at Trek Travel is to offer unforgettable experiences, provide exceptional hospitality, have fun, and inspire a passion for cycling and traveling. We are dedicated to the global explorers, the fun-loving risk takers, the road warriors, those who relish discovering new places, families who love traveling together, and all those who believe that the world is best explored by bike.

What We Value

Our dedication to providing unparalleled hospitality, crafting unforgettable moments, and consistently surpassing expectations drives us to excel in all we do. Explore the core values that define Trek Travel:

Be a Learn-It-All

Thinks beyond the current situation. Constantly strives for improvement. Has a strong desire to learn and grow personally and professionally. Welcomes new ideas. Is an excellent listener.

Get Stuff Done, Fast

Assumes responsibility. Develops and implements a plan. Sets high standards and holds others accountable. Works with a sense of urgency. Achieves excellent results.

You consistently deliver excellent work. You are a top performer and always assemble a top-notch team. You set high standards and never settle for mediocrity. You consistently surpass expectations.

Have a Fun, Sparkling Minibus

Fosters a positive work environment. Brings joy, motivation, and positive energy to others. Communicates openly, honestly, and clearly. Is adaptable and always has a backup plan. Offers assistance and proposes solutions.

WOW Through World-Class Hospitality

Ensures the success of internal and external customers. Creates extraordinary experiences. Delights every day. Recognizes and rewards.

Interested in Becoming a Guide?

Benefits of working at trek travel.

• Work with supportive coworkers
• Weekly Bike Rides
• Picnics and Celebrations
• 401(k) Plan
• Trek Discount
• Access to Trek Trails
• Downtown Madison on the lake
• Platinum Bicycle Friendly Business
• Career Growth Within Company
• BCycle Membership
• Industry Pro Deals
• Colleagues Worldwide
• Office Lunch Incentives
• Happy Hours
• Travel Worldwide
• Paid Time Off & Paid Holidays
• Volunteer Time Off

Job Openings

If a date is marked as Private, it is reserved for a private group.

Looking to travel with a small group or looking for a custom date? Call our trip consultants at 866-464-8735

What is the Difference?

Ultimate luxury:.

Savor some of the most spectacular, 5-star properties in the world. Exuding luxury and elegance, these one-of-a-kind accommodations offer the chance to rejuvenate at award-winning spas, dine at Michelin-starred restaurants, and more.

Enjoy luxurious accommodations handpicked for a refined experience. From signature spa treatments to delicious local cuisine, you’ll be more than provided for; you’ll be pampered.

These handpicked hotels provide relaxation and fun in a casual and comfortable environment. Delicious cuisine and great service mix perfectly for a memorable stay.

On select cycling vacations, you’ll stay at a mix of hotel levels, from Explorer to Luxury to Ultimate Luxury. Rest assured, no matter which level of hotel you’re at, our trip designers carefully select every accommodation.

Activity Level

Road : 1-3 hours of riding. Up to 25 mi (40 km). Up to 1,000 ft (300 m).

Gravel: 1-3 hours of riding. Up to 20 mi (35 km). Up to 1,000 ft (300 m).

Hiking: 1-3 hours of hiking. Up to 5 mi (8 km). Up to 1,000 ft (300 m).

Road : 2-4 hours of riding. 20-35 mi (35-60 km). Up to 2,500 ft (750 m).

Gravel: 2-4 hours of riding. 15-30 mi (25-45 km). Up to 2,000 ft (300 m).

Hiking: 2-4 hours of hiking. 4-8 mi (6-12 km). Up to 1,500 ft (450 m).

Road : 3-5 hours of riding. 25-55 mi (40-85 km). Up to 4,500 ft (1,500 m).

Gravel: 3-5 hours of riding. 20-40 mi (35-60 km). Up to 3,000 ft (900 m).

Hiking: 3-5 hours of hiking. 6-10 mi (9-16 km). Up to 2,000 ft (600 m).

Road : 4+ hours of riding. 40-70 mi (60-110 km). Up to 8,000 ft (2,400 m).

Gravel:  4+ hours of riding. 30-50 mi (45-80 km). Up to 4,000 ft (1,200 m).

Hiking: 4+ hours of hiking. 7-15 mi (11-24 km). Up to 4,000 ft (1,200 m).

What are your trip styles?

Classic - reserve:.

Savor the finer things as you relax in luxurious 5-star accommodations and wine, dine, and ride in some of the most unforgettable destinations around the world.

Classic - Signature:

Explore beautiful destinations by bike, enjoy extra inclusions, savor delicious local cuisine, and enjoy the perfect mix of accommodations.

Classic - Discovor:

Enjoy a casual cycling vacation with fantastic routes and comfortable accommodations.

Train like the pros in some of their favorite riding destinations.

See the pros in action at the biggest cycling events of the year.

Cross Country:

Tackle an epic adventure that takes you point-to-point across mountains, countryside, and more.

Self-Guided

Enjoy a bike tour on your schedule with just your chosen travel companions.

Single Occupancy

Sometimes it’s more convenient and comfortable to have your own room while on vacation. We understand and that’s why we offer a Single Occupancy option. The additional price guarantees a private room all to yourself

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The world’s #1 decking brand is coming to Little Rock, Arkansas. Connect with us about future career opportunities. Learn more.

A CAREER YOU CAN BE PROUD OF

The work you put in, the ideas you bring, the rewards you earn – it’s all worth the effort when you’ve got pride in what you create. We feel it as an industry leader, and you will too.

BENEFITS YOU CAN BELIEVE IN

Target-based bonuses, generous health, vision & dental, hefty 401k match, deep employee discounts.

Whether you’re looking for a manufacturing job in Fernley, Nevada, or an engineering career in Winchester, Virginia, we’re looking to fill a wide range of roles at each of our locations.

redefining the decking industry and outdoor living.

1,700+ PEOPLE

working together every day toward a common goal.

ONE COMPANY

driven to innovate and overcome any obstacle.

ANNIE EVERETT was looking for a change and a challenge.

After building her Trex expertise in our customer experience center, she worked with her manager to carve a new path. Today, as a Knowledge and Performance Specialist, she helps her team members build their confidence and reach their potential. Her favorite part of her work is helping people get better at their jobs. Thanks, Annie. Our business is better with you here.

INSIDE THE COMPANY REDEFINING OUTDOOR LIVING

It takes the best to build the best. Step behind the scenes and discover what sets Trex and our employees apart.

http://www.ticmrf.com/54-1910453 This link leads to the machine-readable files that are made available in response to the federal Transparency in Coverage Rule and includes negotiated service rates and out-of-network allowed amounts between health plans and healthcare providers. The machine-readable files are formatted to allow researchers, regulators, and application developers to more easily access and analyze data.

Jobs for Students: What’s a Career Trek?

Explore your career interests, build professional connections with industry experts, and learn more about internships and full-time jobs with career trek programs at Shorelight universities.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work at a Silicon Valley startup, a major New York financial firm, or a Hollywood studio? By taking a career trek with your university’s career services team, you can go on a field trip to companies just like these and see in person how they operate. In addition to getting a “day in the life” glimpse at how these types of companies work, you’ll also get the chance to explore jobs for students, network with industry professionals, and learn more about your chosen industry in a real-world setting.

Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of career treks for international students.

What Is a Career Trek?

Career treks allow students to travel to different cities or countries to visit companies and organizations in person. Think of it as a professional field trip: You’ll meet employees, take guided workspace tours, hear presentations, and participate in Q&A sessions with different organizational representatives. Along the way, you’ll connect with industry experts, gain a first-hand understanding of workplace culture, observe day-to-day operations, and more. Career treks also offer insights into which skills are needed to perform specific roles and how development projects work, and they showcase jobs for students (especially potential internship and full-time job opportunities). 

During the pandemic, many career treks shifted online, and in some cases may still be offered virtually. 

No matter the format, career treks provide an engaging platform to network with professionals in a setting that’s both low pressure and well organized. It gives you the opportunity to market your strengths to employers while learning about job openings, application requirements, and hiring timelines.

What to Expect at a Career Trek

The start of a career trek usually includes a tour of the company you are visiting and an overview of the general workflow and communication channels. You may learn more about the structure or hierarchy of the team, overall work environment, and business operations procedures. There may be small breakout groups for specific roles and departments, lunch and learn sessions, and time for Q&A with different representatives across the organization.  

Many Shorelight universities offer career trek programs that enable students to directly connect with employers in the US. Here are just a few examples. 

Auburn University

At Auburn University ’s recent virtual career trek, students spoke with representatives from CNN, Macmillan Publishing, and Major League Baseball. Auburn alumni joined the trek to share their journeys from Auburn to their current roles. 

The virtual event was organized in one-hour time slots. The first segment began with a Zoom call featuring five executive producers and senior business editors in CNN’s Atlanta and New York City offices, speaking with students about how the news industry operates. The second, with Macmillan Publishing, focused on how to make the most of the university’s career resources and what it takes to excel in the publishing industry. Company representatives also spoke about potential jobs for students at their respective organizations, including internships and full-time roles.

Gonzaga University

Career treks at Gonzaga University are offered in multiple locations in the US, including Los Angeles, New York, Portland, Seattle, Silicon Valley, Spokane, and more. Students get to interact and learn from professionals at leading organizations, including Adidas, Amazon, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Boeing, Google, Meta, and many others. 

Gonzaga also provides a career trek in London, giving students an international perspective from companies such as Salesforce and Splunk. 

University at Buffalo

A recent two-day career trek to New York City with the University at Buffalo ’s School of Architecture and Planning included visits to high-end housing projects, water and energy conservation projects, and One World Trade Center, the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex. Students learned from industry experts about regional transportation planning and participated in an alumni-led Career Conversations networking event to discuss how major firms in the industry operate and recruit graduates. 

University of the Pacific 

The Tiger Trek program at the University of the Pacific is offered twice a semester at no cost. Students gain an inside look into the operations of companies such as LinkedIn, Netflix, Roku, and more. In the most recent trek to Bloomberg in San Francisco, employees spoke about their job roles, Bloomberg’s work culture, the hiring process, and jobs for students, including available internships and externships .

University of Wyoming 

The College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Wyoming organizes three- to four-day career treks for 14 selected students. Activities include company site visits, networking events with industry experts and alumni, and opportunities to learn about engineering and applied science in a real-world setting. Students also visit organizations such as Apple, AutoDesk, Baker Hughes, Google, NASA, and more.

How to Prepare for a Career Trek

Career trek programs may vary based on your university’s policies, alumni connections, and resources. The itinerary of each trek may differ from previous ones, offering different experiences suited for your degree and overall career development. By preparing for a career trek ahead of time, you can make the most of your experience.

Before you begin a career trek, your university will share the details and itinerary in advance. You’ll find out about the specific locations, program duration, accommodations and meals, daily schedule, and the companies you are going to visit. 

To prepare for a career trek:

Research the companies you are going to visit — Getting to know the companies in advance gives you a better understanding of their culture, operations, and overall management. You can also prepare a list of questions beforehand to ask a representative if you get the chance.

Choose appropriate attire for your trek — Check with your advisor about a dress code. If there isn’t one, business casual attire is recommended as the most appropriate for a professional setting. Checking the weather forecast of the area you will be visiting can also help you decide what to wear and whether you should take an umbrella, jacket, etc. 

Have copies of your updated resume — Remember to bring your resume and portfolio with you in case you have the chance to share them with a potential employer. Your resume should include your most recent achievements and contact information, so hiring managers can get in touch if they want further information or to schedule an interview.

A career trek can provide a wider perspective on the job market, inform you about jobs for students, and help you realistically plan your career pathway. Once you complete a career trek, you can work on building a career development plan where you can identify and progress toward your career goals. 

What Happens After the Career Trek?

After your career trek, you can use the information you learned to reevaluate your career plan and compare your current skills and academic background with industry standards. Figure out how you can meet the requirements of your potential employer and ways to set yourself apart from other candidates. 

If any of the businesses you visited aligned with your interests, consider following up with the firm’s hiring representatives. If you do not have access to their contact details, you can speak to your career counselors or get in touch with the company’s human resources office to learn more about their organization’s goals, recruitment process, and career openings. Try to keep your follow-up message respectful, short, and to the point!  

Once your career trek is complete, remember to apply your learnings within the classroom to enhance your learning experience and build the skills and knowledge to begin your career successfully. Shorelight’s Career Premium program provides additional courses and certifications, coaching and mentorship, and professional projects for you to enhance your skills and credentials and gain real-world experiences during your studies. Start working toward your dream job today!

Shorelight can help you succeed in your career search >

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Yale PhD Students Visit Boehringer Ingelheim in Ridgefield, CT

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On-site company visits (known as Job Treks) are exciting for us at Yale’s Office of Career Strategy (OCS). These events provide a platform for graduate students and postdocs to meet with employers and gain a deeper understanding of various industries and companies. Our past Job Treks have typically consisted of site tours, company overviews, discussions with employees about career diversity, and networking sessions.

On Wednesday March 27, a group of Yale PhD students boarded a bus at 12:30 PM for a one-hour journey to Boehringer Ingelheim (BI). Upon arrival, we were greeted by staff members who were eager to introduce us to the workings of their organization. The afternoon began with presentations from the Director of Scientific Excellence and Engagement and the Director of Strategic Research Relationships. They provided us with insights into the company’s mission, its cutting-edge research activities, and the diverse products they develop. These talks were enlightening and offered us a clear picture of potential career paths at Boehringer Ingelheim.

The diverse range of career paths at BI reflects its status as a global leader in pharmaceutical and healthcare product development, each encompassing a variety of specializations. There are opportunities ranging from clinical development, where teams work on creating and testing new drugs, to more specialized roles dealing with diseases such as cancer, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. There are also positions in fields like pulmonary fibrosis, immunology, and diabetes management, which involve both research and the application of new treatments.

Following the introductions, we transitioned into the career panel session, which have been integral to the success of past OCS Job Treks. The panel included a range of speakers such as a postdoctoral fellow who discussed the BI postdoctoral program, and executive directors, associate directors, principal scientists, and other leaders from various departments including Cancer Immunology, Immunology and Respiratory Diseases, Cardiometabolic Diseases, Computational Biology, and External Alternative CMC Development. Each panelist shared details about their roles, their career journeys, and the opportunities and challenges they face in their fields. This session was particularly valuable as it allowed Yale PhD students to ask direct questions and receive advice relevant to their own career interests.

BI is heavily invested in innovation, opening up career opportunities in research and development, aiming at scientific breakthroughs and the implementation of new healthcare solutions. The company values interdisciplinary collaboration and partnership, which creates roles in corporate management, regulatory affairs, and various support services that ensure the company’s smooth operation and compliance with health regulations.

Visit the OCS STEM PhD Pathways website for more information on career pathways! This OCS job trek was led by McDougal Career Fellows in Yale’s Office of Career Strategy , Oluwatobi Oso (PhD candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) and AJ Simon (PhD candidate in Radiology and Biomedical Imaging).

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Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from ‘Star Trek’ boldly goes home after twisting voyage

By the associated press - | apr 19, 2024.

The first model of the USS Enterprise is displayed at Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

DALLAS (AP) — The first model of the USS Enterprise — used in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series — has boldly gone back home, returning to creator Gene Roddenberry’s son decades after it went missing.

The model’s disappearance sometime in the 1970s had become the subject of lore, so it caused a stir when it popped up on eBay last fall. The sellers quickly took it down, and then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions to authenticate it. Last weekend, the auction house facilitated the model’s return.

Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, said he’s thrilled to have the model that had graced the desk of his father, who died in 1991 at age 70.

“This is not going home to adorn my shelves,” Roddenberry said. “This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”

Heritage’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said the auction house was contacted by people who said they’d discovered it a storage unit, and when it was brought into their Beverly Hills office, he and a colleague “instantly knew that it was the real thing.”

They reached out to Roddenberry, who said he appreciates that everyone involved agreed returning the model was the right thing to do. He wouldn’t go into details on the agreement reached but said “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.”

Maddalena said the model vanished in the 1970s after Gene Roddenberry loaned it to makers of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released in 1979.

“No one knew what happened to it,” Rod Roddenberry said.

The 3-foot (0.91-meter) model of the USS Enterprise was used in the show’s original pilot episode as well as the opening credits of the resulting TV series, and was the prototype for the 11-foot (3-meter) version featured in the series’ episodes. The larger model is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

The original “Star Trek” television series, which aired in the late 1960s, kicked off an ever-expanding multiverse of cultural phenomena, with TV and movie spinoffs and conventions where a fanbase of zealous and devoted Trekkies can’t get enough of memorabilia.

This USS Enterprise model would easily sell for more than $1 million at auction, but really “it’s priceless,” Maddalena said.

“It could sell for any amount and I wouldn’t be surprised because of what it is,” he said. “It is truly a cultural icon.”

Roddenberry, who was just a young boy when the model went missing, said he has spotty memories of it, “almost a deja vu.” He said it wasn’t something he’d thought much about until people began contacting him after it appeared on eBay.

“I don’t think I really, fully comprehended at first that this was the first Enterprise ever created,” he said.

He said he has no idea if there was something nefarious behind the disappearance all those decades ago or if it was just mistakenly lost, but it would be interesting to find out more about what happened.

“This piece is incredibly important and it has its own story and this would be a great piece of the story,” Roddenberry said.

Thankfully, he said, the discovery has cleared up one rumor: That it was destroyed because as a young boy, he’d thrown it into a pool.

“Finally I’m vindicated after all these years,” he said with a laugh.

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Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from ‘Star Trek’ boldly goes home after twisting voyage

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Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, left, and Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, shake hands over the recently recovered first model of the USS Enterprise on Saturday in Los Angeles. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

DALLAS — The first model of the USS Enterprise — used in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series — has boldly gone back home, returning to creator Gene Roddenberry’s son decades after it went missing.

The model’s disappearance sometime in the 1970s had become the subject of lore, so it caused a stir when it popped up on eBay last fall. The sellers quickly took it down, and then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions to authenticate it. Last weekend, the auction house facilitated the model’s return.

Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, said he’s thrilled to have the model that had graced the desk of his father, who died in 1991 at age 70.

“This is not going home to adorn my shelves,” Roddenberry said. “This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”

Heritage’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said the auction house was contacted by people who said they’d discovered it a storage unit, and when it was brought into their Beverly Hills office, he and a colleague “instantly knew that it was the real thing.”

They reached out to Roddenberry, who said he appreciates that everyone involved agreed returning the model was the right thing to do. He wouldn’t go into details on the agreement reached but said “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.”

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Star trek: ds9’s jake sisko joining starfleet was never going to happen.

Jake Sisko could have repeated Wesley Crusher's TNG arc in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but Jake's Starfleet Academy career was never a possibility.

• Jake Sisko's choice to become a writer over joining Starfleet Academy was a deliberate and refreshing departure from fandom expectations.
• Nog's surprising path to becoming a Starfleet officer subverted viewer expectations and added depth to DS9's storytelling.
• By exploring Jake's career as a writer, DS9 was able to delve into new aspects of life in the Federation, enriching the show's narrative.

There was never a serious chance of Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton) joining Starfleet Academy in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , and an episode from season 2 proves it. As the young son of the widowed Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), Jake Sisko was set up as DS9 's answer to Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) from Star Trek: The Next Generation . However, Jake took a very different path to Wesley in DS9 , choosing a career as a writer and journalist over a place at Starfleet Academy. During DS9 's Dominion War arc, Jake's career gave Star Trek the opportunity to explore new aspects of life in the Federation .

One of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's smartest decisions was to put Nog (Aron Eisenberg) on the path to becoming a Starfleet officer instead of Jake. It subverted audience expectations of both DS9 's Ferengi characters and the character of Jake Sisko. DS9 put a full-stop on the question of Jake Sisko applying to Starfleet Academy in the season 2 episode "Shadowplay", written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe. In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion , Robert Hewitt Wolfe explained why Jake's decision about Starfleet Academy fit perfectly into the three plots that comprise season 2's "Shadowplay" :

" They're all about the unreality of appearances. Everyone would think Jake would want to be a Starfleet guy, but he doesn't. You'd think Bareil was on the station to see Kira, but the truth is that Quark lured him there. And then there's the girl, who seems real, but isn't ."

Rene Auberjonois’ Star Trek: Enterprise Appearance Contained A Massive DS9 Callback

Ds9’s jake sisko in starfleet was never a serious consideration.

There's a matter-of-fact way to how Jake Sisko's Starfleet Academy aspirations - or lack thereof - are dealt with in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . This suggests that there was never an intention to redo Wesley Crusher's Starfleet journey . In fact, the character outline for Jake Sisko in DS9 's 1992 writer's bible makes no mention of Jake wanting to follow in his father's footsteps. In fact, it references the death of Jennifer Sisko (Felecia M. Bell) and how it's inspired Jake to dream " of going to live on Earth " because " he knows that his mom would still be alive if they did not live in space ".

This is in sharp contrast to Wesley Crusher who, despite the tragic death of his father Lt. Commander Jack Crusher, still wanted to pursue a career in Starfleet. Jake's disinterest in Starfleet is sensitively handled in "Shadowplay", as he gets a job working with Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) who encourages the young man to speak to his father. Jake's discussion with his father is beautifully understated, and never becomes emotionally overwrought. The whole issue is touchingly resolved by Sisko asking his son to " Find something you love, then do it the best you can. "

Chief O'Brien reveals to Jake that he gave up a potential career as a talented cello player to join Starfleet, a nod to his cello playing in Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Jake Sisko In Starfleet Could Never Have Bettered Wesley Crusher’s Star Trek: TNG Arc

Jake Sisko joining Starfleet Academy would only have been a carbon copy of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's Wesley Crusher arc . Star Trek: Deep Space Nine never wanted to repeat TNG 's past glories, and always pushed the franchise in new directions. If Jake had joined Starfleet Academy two things would have happened; either he would have grown disillusioned like Wesley in "Journey's End", or he would have become an exceptional officer like his father. Neither of these potential stories are dramatically interesting, so it's a relief that DS9 chose to make Jake a writer instead.

By making Jake Sisko a writer, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine could explore the place of literature and journalism in the Federation, something that had rarely been explored before. Indeed, the loss of one Star Trek kid from Starfleet Academy allowed another to fly. Nog's Starfleet career told the story of what happens when, unlike Jake or Wesley, nobody expects you to succeed. This meant that the reward of Nog's Star Trek: Deep Space Nine story was far richer than it would have been if Jake Sisko had followed his expected path.

All episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine are streaming now on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse. The series also had several overarching plots that would develop over the course of the isolated episodes, with four films released in tandem with the series to further some of these story elements.

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Picture This

George takei 'lost freedom' some 80 years ago – now he's written that story for kids.

Samantha Balaban

George Takei was just 4 years old when when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066:

"I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of War, and the Military Commanders... to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate Military Commander may determine, from which any or all persons may be excluded..."

It was Feb. 19, 1942. Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor two months earlier; For looking like the enemy, Japanese and Japanese American people in the U.S. were now considered "enemy combatants" and the executive order authorized the government to forcibly remove approximately 125,000 people from their homes and relocate them to prison camps around the country.

Book Reviews

George takei recalls time in an american internment camp in 'they called us enemy'.

Star Trek actor George Takei has written about this time in his life before — once in an autobiography, then in a graphic memoir, and now in his new children's book, My Lost Freedom.

It's about the years he and his mom, dad, brother and baby sister spent in a string of prison camps: swampy Camp Rohwer in Arkansas, desolate Tule Lake in northern California. But first, they were taken from their home, driven to the Santa Anita racetrack and forced to live in horse stalls while the camps were being built.

"The horse stalls were pungent," Takei remembers, "overwhelming with the stench of horse manure. The air was full of flies, buzzing. My mother, I remember, kept mumbling 'So humiliating. So humiliating.'"

He says, "Michelle's drawing really captured the degradation our family was reduced to."

Michelle is Michelle Lee, the illustrator — and researcher — for the book. Lee relied heavily on Takei's text and his excellent memory, but it was the research that both agree really brought the art to life.

"I'm telling it from the perspective of a senior citizen," Takei, 87, laughs. "I really had to wring my brains to try to remember some of the details."

So Takei took Lee to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, where he is a member of the board. They had lunch in Little Tokyo, got to know each other, met with the educational director, and looked at the exhibits. Then Lee started digging into the archives.

Movie Interviews

From 'star trek' to lgbt spokesman, what it takes 'to be takei'.

"I looked for primary sources that showed what life was like because I feel like that humanizes it a lot more," Lee explains. She found some color photographs taken by Bill Manbo, who had smuggled his camera into the internment camp at Heart Mountain in Wyoming. "While I was painting the book, I tried as much to depict George and his family just going about their lives under these really difficult circumstances."

Takei says he was impressed with how Lee managed to capture his parents: his father, the reluctant leader and his mother, a fashion icon in her hats and furs. "This has been the first time that I've had to depict real people," Lee adds.

To get a feel for 1940s fashion, Lee says she looked at old Sears catalogues. "What are people wearing? All the men are wearing suits. What kind of colors were clothes back then."

But a lot of information has also been lost — Lee wasn't able to see, for example, where Takei and his family lived in Arkansas because the barracks at Camp Rohwer have been torn down — there's a museum there now. "I didn't actually come across too many photos of the interior of the barracks," says Lee. "The ones I did come across were very staged."

She did, however, find the original floor plans for the barracks at Jerome Camp, also in Arkansas. "I actually printed the floorplan out and then built up a little model just to see what the space was actually like," Lee says. "I think it just emphasized how small of a space this is that whole families were crammed into."

One illustration in the book shows the work that Takei's mother put in to make that barrack — no more than tar paper and boards stuck together — a home.

"She gathered rags and tore them up into strips and braided them into rugs so that we would be stepping on something warm," Takei remembers. She found army surplus fabrics and sewed curtains for the windows. She took plant branches that had fallen off the nearby trees and made decorative sculptures. She asked a friendly neighbor to build a table and chairs.

"You drew the home that my mother made out of that raw space, Takei tells Lee. "That was wonderful."

Michelle Lee painted the art for My Lost Freedom using watercolor, gouache and colored pencils. Most of the illustrations have a very warm palette, but ever-present are the barbed wire fences and the guard towers. "There's a lot of fencing and bars," Lee explains. "That was kind of the motif that I was using throughout the book... A lot of vertical and horizontal patterns to kind of emphasize just how overbearing it was."

Takei says one of his favorite drawings in the book is a scene of him and his brother, Henry, playing by a culvert.

Asian American And Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2022

George takei got reparations. he says they 'strengthen the integrity of america'.

"Camp Rohwer was a strange and magical place," Takei writes. "We'd never seen trees rising out of murky waters or such colorful butterflies. Our block was surrounded by a drainage ditch, home to tiny, wiggly black fishies. I scooped them up into a jar.

One morning they had funny bumps. Then they lost their tails and their legs popped out. They turned into frogs!"

"They're just two children among many children who were imprisoned at these camps," says Lee, "and to them, perhaps, aspects of being there were just fun." The illustration depicts both childlike wonder and — still, always — a sense of foreboding. Butterflies fly around a barbed wire fence. A bright sun shines on large, dark swamp trees. Kids play in the shadow of a guard tower.

"There's so much that you tell in that one picture," says Takei. "That's the art."

"So many of your memories are of how perceptive you are to things that are going on around you," adds Lee, "but also still approaching things from a child's perspective."

Even though the events in My Lost Freedom took place more than 80 years ago, illustrator Michelle Lee and author George Takei say the story is still very relevant today.

"These themes of displacement and uprooting of communities from one place to another — these are things that are constantly happening," says Lee. Because of war and because of political decisions ... those themes aren't uncommon. They're universal."

Takei agrees. "People need to know the lessons and learn that lesson and apply it to hard times today. And we hope that a lot of people get the book and read it to their children or read it to other children and act on it."

He's done his job, he says, now the readers have their job.

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