Revive & Drive: Utah Edition
Father-son cross-country run from Salt Lake City to Alabama. We flew out, bought a 390k-mile GMC 2500HD, brought it back to life, and drove it 1,900 miles home through the West.
Getting There
Outbound: Huntsville → Salt Lake City
Flew out of Huntsville with a connection through Atlanta, arriving Salt Lake City late evening / early morning.
Pre-Trip Checklist
Before wheels up
Join model-specific forums for advice
Post route on enthusiast forums for local help
Research tools and parts the car will need
Set up camera mounts and storage for documentation
Pack light, leave room for tools and parts (full kit on the gear page )
Check weather across all regions
Bookmark restoration shops along the route
The Day-by-Day
Arrival in Salt Lake City
Land at SLC late, grab luggage, rideshare to hotel
Check in, rest
If awake enough: walk Temple Square or grab a late dinner
Film a quick "Day 0" video about trip expectations
Vehicle Acquisition & Preparation
Meet seller, inspect and test drive, document issues, complete paperwork
Make prioritized list of needed parts and tools
Tool shopping (Harbor Freight): toolset, emergency supplies, lighting
Auto parts run: fluids, belts, hoses, filters, fuses, repair manual
Find a quiet area to work: fluids, belt/hose check, lights, urgent fixes
Sunset drive for first photos, dinner, "Day 1" video
Salt Flats & Final Prep
Early drive to Bonneville Salt Flats for sunrise photos and video
Test car performance, rinse salt off the undercarriage
Great Salt Lake State Park, lunch at a car-themed restaurant
Last supply run, finish maintenance, mark parts stores along the route
Pack the car, connect with local enthusiasts, film "what we bought" reveal
Salt Lake City to Moab
Film the "cold start" for YouTube
Drive to Moab (~4 hrs): stops in Helper (Mining Museum), Price (Prehistoric Museum), Green River (Powell Museum)
Take UT-128 scenic route into Moab
Note parts stores in Price and Green River, photo at "Hole N' The Rock"
Check in, evening drive, dinner, maintenance check, record impressions
Arches National Park
Enter park before sunrise: Park Avenue, Windows Section
Scenic drives, hike to Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch, picnic lunch
Optional: Eye of the Whale Arch (unpaved)
Evening: address issues, car wash, sunset time-lapse, optional Jeep tour
Through Monument Valley
Drone footage of departure (if available)
Scenic route: Monument Valley, Valley of the Gods, Four Corners, Gateway Auto Museum
Arrive Durango: check for car shows, walk downtown, maintenance check
Million Dollar Highway & Colorado Scenery
Drive the Million Dollar Highway (US-550): Coal Bank Pass, Molas Pass, Silverton, Red Mountain Pass, Bear Creek Falls, Ouray
Ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (2hr round trip)
Local food, coffee, Ouray County Museum
Return to Durango: review car performance, dinner, record segment
Durango to Albuquerque
Optional: Mesa Verde or Aztec Ruins
NM-44 through Chaco Canyon, stop at Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness
Arrive Albuquerque for sunset
Old Town, Sandia Peak tramway, Route 66 neon, local food, maintenance
Albuquerque to Oklahoma City via Route 66
Breaking Bad sites, Route 66 Auto Museum (Santa Rosa)
Tucumcari (Blue Swallow Motel), Glenrio Ghost Town
Amarillo: Cadillac Ranch, Big Texan
U-Drop Inn, Route 66 Museum (Clinton), Blue Whale of Catoosa, POPS 66, Heart of Route 66 Museum (Sapulpa)
Arrive OKC: Bricktown for dinner, check for car events, maintenance
Oklahoma City to Alabama
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Film the last "morning coffee / will it start?" video
Detour to Memphis (Beale Street, BBQ, Graceland optional), Ozark Mountains
Car wash, final checks, coordinate arrival
"Journey complete" photos, celebrate
Trail Snapshots
A few favorites from along the route.
Mountains at dusk
Wide open country
Roadside herd
Red Canyon
Emergency & Resource Map
Repair Shops by City
Red Line Restoration (SLC)
Moab Garage Co (Moab)
Durango Motor Company (Durango)
One Stop Automotive (Albuquerque)
Beck's Garage (OKC)
Car Shows & Groups
SLC: Cars & Coffee (Sat AM)
Moab: Clarks Car Quest Cruise Night
Durango: Four Corners Cruisers
Albuquerque: Duke City Classics
OKC: Coffee and Cars OKC
DIY Wrenching Spots
SLC hotel lots, Salt Lake CC weekends
Moab Rim Campark (covered area)
Durango: Schneider Park pavilions
Albuquerque: Sandia Peak lot
Amarillo airport long-term parking
OKC: Lake Hefner picnic areas
Nashville: Percy Warner Park pavilions
Backup: rest areas, truck stops, Walmart lots, pop-up canopy
The Series
Three episodes covering the run: late-night arrival in Salt Lake, then both halves of the road home in a 390k-mile truck.
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