Saturday, July 16, 2011. Our last day and everything is going to fall in to place. We checked out of the Renaissance and headed for South Bend Indiana to drop off the Rental Suburban and pick up our nice new fixed Suburban. My wife had paid the bill electronically because the place was closed on Saturday. Everything was fine until about 150 miles east of South Bend when I felt the first of many transmission slips. The shop must have know I was coming because it got me just far enough away to keep me going. We struggled with my new transmission all the way home. Some times I could get it up to 65 MPH other times I struggled to maintain 55 MPH. My RPM's were red lined most of the time. I had to cross the Appalachians in second gear and I guess it took four extra hours and $200 more in fuel. Live and learn right? At least my grip on the wheel was good because it was another white knuckle ride all the way home.
We had a great trip. It was full of excitement and wonder. I hope the kids who were not as familiar with wilderness camping learned something and took away with them a love of the wilderness. We are already planning our next trip. It was nice to get home and see Laura.