Wichita, KS to Socorro, NM

I am on a service committee for an organization at my school and we are trying to put the finishing touches on a service trip to Arizona. We split up the directions and I am responsible for the Wichita, KS to Socorro, NM leg of the trip. The leg is about 10.5 hours and I am looking for possible points of interest or rest areas where we could stop. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The route follow US 54 West, I 40 West, and I 25 South for most of the trip.

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There are two distinctly different possibilities for that segment. The first follows I-35 south to Oklahoma City, I-40 west to Albuquerque, and then I-25 south to Socorro. The highlights for stops going this way would include the Oklahoma City Memorial and Cadillac Ranch. The alternative route follows US-54 west out of Wichita, then US-400 between Mullinville and Dodge City, then US-56 to join I-25 in northern New Mexico. My two picks on these roads would be the town of Greensburg KS which was totally destroyed by a tornado a couple of years ago and is rebuilding itself as a 'green' city, and Santa Fe NM one of America's oldest cities with a great art culture and the Plaza of the Governors.

AZBuck