Our Spring Trip

Began on Saturday May 12. Connor and I made it to St.Paul,just in time to see Macalester Graduates lining up to the tune of Bagpipes. We loaded up all of Kira's belongings from her dorm room and started on our way to Collegeville, MN to watch the finals of the Conference track meet at ST. JOHNS college. After that, we drove to Willmar,MN and spent the night. Started out for Rapid at 8:00 on Mother's day. Windy, HOT and Dry conditions met us as we hit I-90. Prairie Home Companion on the radio and we were set until....KADOKA. Just outside of Kadoka, at the 1880 town, the spedometer plummets to ZERO, then fluctuates between Zero and 180 mph. YIKES. As the RPMs hit 6,7,then 8, I slow her down and pull into the 1880 TOWN, where there is no help available. Cool off the vehicle and think. What could this be??? Transmission? Hmmm. We got back on the road, called my brother-in-law in Rapid and got his advice to put 'er in third gear and ride her into Rapid (about 90 miles) that way. We made it, two hours later, hot and very tired. The temperatures were in the low 90's and the vehicle was strained. Alas, we got Gramma, went to Sue and Bob's and had a great, mother's day dinner. Come to find, we had a relay that went bad, and it took about $140 bucks to fix. Could have been a lot worse! (like it could have happened before MURDO or even at PUKWANA).