Great American Crawl: White Rabbit’s Day-by-Day Dirt Diaries

Great American Crawl: White Rabbit’s Day-by-Day Dirt Diaries

 

Before the Dust: Wrench-Till-Dawn and Westward Bound

Moab / Colorado 2025 wasn’t just a trip—it was a mission. Ten days. One father and son kicking off the journey, with the girls flying in mid-way to complete the chaos. I’m Chase (your guide and the one with the tools and the duct tape), and my son Keegan was on camera duty, content wizardry, and occasional bolt-fetching. My wife Heidi, our 6-year-old daughter Blakelyn, and Keegan’s girlfriend Morgan joined the madness once the trails were warmed up.

Before we even left the garage, we were wrenching like mad scientists on a deadline. The Steer Smarts Yeti XD tie rods, drag links, and track bars went in first—beefy, precise, and absolutely critical.  Fun fact and amazing customer service, after I installed and posted a pic on Instagram, Steer Smarts noticed it and sent me a DM suggestion of what to tweak for better performance!  Now that's care for your customers!

Then came the real magic: the Summit Machine long-arm kit, built faster than a pizza delivery and installed by Chris Willey at Complete OffRoad during two brutal all-nighters. The guy doesn’t sleep—he fabricates dreams.

With the rig ready, we pointed the Ram 2500 White Rabbit hauler due west and hit the highway. Moab, here we come.

Day One – Poison Spider Shake-Down Run

No easing in. No warm-up lap. We rolled into Moab with just enough sleep to remember where 4-LO is and went straight to Poison Spider Mesa. This trail doesn’t mess around—rated a 7 on the oh-crap scale, with ledges, slickrock climbs, and plenty of opportunity to break something right out of the gate.

We didn’t.

The Steer Smarts Yeti XD steering setup + Summit Machine long-arm kit = chef’s kiss. Zero bump-steer, max flex, and a ride smoother than a desert sunset. Chris Willey, you’re a wizard.

Day Two – Top of the World, Top of Our Game

Next up: the bucket-list climb to Top of the World. We linked up with the awesome crew from @happyjeepmiles  and tackled 20 miles of epic slickrock, cliffside shelf roads, and finally that overlook shot—Instagram gold and trail-cred combined.

At the top, we swapped trail stories, shared tools, and cracked a few cold ones. New friends, shared struggles, and the undeniable truth: the off-road family is massive, and absolutely rabid in the best way.

Day Three – Steel Bender and the Nine-Rated Side Hustle

The Great American Crawl officially kicked off and so did the carnage.

We tackled Steel Bender, a solid 7-rated Moab classic, then added an optional 8/9-rated obstacle loop—because we don’t do “easy.”

And then it happened.

SNAP. Broken AntiRock connector arm. (my own stupidity as I didn't check that the bolt was tight)  Insert mad emoji here 

HISS. Rear brake line severed.

BANG. EVO suspension bracket weld ripped clean off.

But we limped out thanks to trail hero @warninglitz, a vice grip, and a bit of stubbornness. Lucky for us, our Airbnb had a garage. We wrenched 'til 6:30 p.m. with tools flying and music cranked—and yes, @happyjeepmiles showed up again to help. We still made our dinner reservation at Sunset Grill, because priorities.

Day Four – Sand Flats Safe Mode & Grandpa’s Garage Afterparty

Originally planned to hit Moab Rim, but our brake line situation said, “Nope.”

Instead, we shook things down at Sand Flats Recreation Area—Fins & Things, Baby Lion’s Back, and some mellow flex-testing. Passed with flying colors.

Nighttime brought the legendary Grandpa’s Garage party with Rockstar Garage, Mickey Thompson, Motobilt, and more. Jeep royalty everywhere. We talked shop, swapped stories, and somehow walked away with a $200 Motobilt gift card. Not a bad day in “safe mode.”

Day Five – Family Wheels In

Time to make this a full-blown family adventure. Heidi, Blakelyn (age 6 and tougher than most adults), and Morgan joined us for the back half of the trip. White Rabbit went full family-wheeling mode.

Day Six – Seven Mile Rim & Hell’s Revenge with the Crew

We started with Seven Mile Rim—a great “let’s warm up the family” trail with big views and smooth pacing. Then we graduated to Hell’s Revenge—because nothing says “family bonding” like slickrock bowls and Jeep-eating hot tubs.

Blakelyn laughed through the whole thing. Heidi held her breath at least four times. Morgan? She’s hooked now, I think?

Moab Mayhem Recap: What We Learned

Trail Breakdown:

  • Poison Spider – 7/10: Legendary for a reason. Great test trail.
  • Top of the World – 6/10: Easy-moderate with the best views in Moab.
  • Steel Bender – 7–9/10: Choose your own adventure. We chose violence.
  • Sand Flats Fun Runs – 4–5/10: Family-friendly and recovery-worthy.

Hell’s Revenge – 6–7/10: Iconic. Bowl-worthy. Bucket-list stuff.

Gear Recap:

  • Steer Smarts Yeti XD: Took every hit. Handled like it was built for Moab. Oh wait—it was.
  • Summit Machine Long-Arm Kit: This thing flexes like a yoga pro on protein powder.
  • EVO Bracket (RIP): Gone but not forgotten.
  • RockJock Anti Rocks are the best hands down, just don't forget to tighten everything!  
  • King Shocks Honestly make a huge difference in sucking up the rough terrain and navigating massive flex situations.  GAME CHANGER

Trail Tips:

  • Never underestimate a vice grip or trail angel.
  • Bring spare everything.
  • Find a crew. Trail family makes all the difference.
  • Wrench late, eat well: Cactus Jack’s breakfast burritos, Moab Brewery’s Juicy Johnny IPA, Blue Pig BBQ, and Sunset Grill steaks with a view.

What the Great American Crawl Reminded Us

Broken parts, trail dust, busted welds, new friends, cold drinks, and a few “we made it” hugs—that’s the real currency of off-road life.

This trip wasn’t perfect. It was better.

Next up: Telluride & Ouray’s alpine passes. Colorado is calling. Blog #2 drops soon.

Own your time. Own your rabbit.

Follow the trail. Burn the map.

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