SALT LAKE CITY — A group of Germans rolled through Utah this week driving a vehicle you probably don't see every day - Model T cars!
With gas prices the way they are, taking a road trip is not something many people are doing this summer. But this group says taking a road trip from New York to San Francisco has been on their bucket list for a long time.
Reiner Wilhelm is the chapter President of the "Model-T Ford Club of America" in the Stutgart region, which covers everywhere from Bavaria and Austria.
Wilhelm originally planned this adventure in 2020, but then COVID hit.
"We had to defer it two times," he explained. "And so, this year we made it. We got the cars, prepared them for a week, and then we got on the road."
The group bought the cars in Pennsylvania and spent a week preparing them before they set out.
"In my mind, it's a once in a lifetime event. And so, you do this only once," Wilhelm said.
The group tries to avoid Interstates, so that means they've been taking their journey nice and slow, taking advantage of the time by seeing sights across America.
Their journey has taken them to Niagara Falls, The Great Lakes, The Henry Ford Museum, and now here in Salt Lake City. The cars have ten gallon tanks, which will get them about 150 miles at a time.
"And the United States are beautiful," Wilhelm remarked. "Every state has its own landscape. Its real fantastic for us."
As with any vehicle, sometimes they break. But the group has taken repairs in stride.
"The most incredible experience is that we've made it so far," Wilhelm said with a laugh.
This weekend, they will head to the Bonneville Salt Flats, then over to Nevadas and into San Fransisco.
One they get to California, they'll fly home and ship their cars back to Germany with memories of a trip that will last a lifetime.
