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.

10
Days
~1,900
Miles
5
States
390K
Starting Miles

Flight Details

Outbound: Huntsville → Salt Lake City

Depart: Huntsville, AL (HSV) · Fri, Jun 13 · 6:13 PM Layover: Atlanta, GA (ATL) · 2h 25m Arrive: Salt Lake City, UT (SLC) · Sat, Jun 14 · 12:48 AM Airline: Delta (DL5205, DL0453)

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

Day
1
Sat, Jun 14

Arrival in Salt Lake City

  • Land at SLC at 12:48 AM, 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
Day
2
SLC

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
Day
3
SLC

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
Day
4
SLC → Moab

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
Day
5
Moab

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
Day
6
Moab → Durango

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
Day
7
Durango

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
Day
8
Durango → ABQ

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
Day
9
ABQ → OKC

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
Day
10
OKC → AL

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

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.

Episode 1 · Arrival

Dead tired. A few winks then on to adventure.
Episode 2 · The Road, Part 1

Utah to Alabama: Can a Truck with 390k Miles Go 1,900 Miles? Pt. 1
Episode 3 · The Road, Part 2

Utah to Alabama: Can a Truck with 390k Miles Go 1,900 Miles? Pt. 2

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