Midwest Road Trip, August 15-21, 2012
Jane and I took a road trip to visit relatives in the midwest.
Our plan was to drive to somewhere near the Illinois-Indiana border on Wednesday, August 15. At about 11 am, we stopped at the New Stanton service area on the Pennsylvania turnpike. After using the facilities, we moved the car over to the gas pumps, gassed up and when I started up, the car died every time I took my foot off the gas. It was not drivable. By using the brake and gas pedals simultaneously, I moved the car away from the pumps. Then we called our insurance company for roadside assistance. The last thing you want to hear when 300 miles from home is “all agents are busy, please hold.” In any case, after looking up dealerships with our GPS and much phone calling, we found a Toyota dealer that was willing to look at the car that afternoon. (Kudos to Doug at Bob Massie Toyota!). We got the tow (thanks Miles) and after about seven hours down time we were back on the road. Turns out our problem was a sticking idle air control valve.
We drove until almost midnight and stayed near Dayton, Ohio. The next morning we got an early start and made it to Jane’s aunt Mary Margaret and uncle Cal’s in Rose Hill, Illinois, almost as planned, a little before noon. Still running a little behind, we made it to Ed’s cousin David’s place near St. Louis, Missouri in early evening, where David and Vicki hosted a dinner party for us and as many of Ed’s St. Louis relatives as could make it. A great time was had by all!
Friday, we headed to our daughter Amy’s in Madison, Wisconsin. Along the way, we stopped to visit Jane’s aunt Nina and uncle Roy in Mount Olive, Illinois. They treated us to a nice lunch on Route 66 before we continued to Amy’s.
We spent Friday evening, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday breakfast with Amy, then headed home Monday and arrived about 5 pm Tuesday. Highlights of the visit with Amy included a Phillies-Brewers game Saturday evening and a Champagne brunch cruise on Lake Mendota Sunday afternoon. The cruise was supposed to include all the Champagne you could drink, but they ran out. Not our fault!