Move to Idaho - Day One

Long over due update!

We are stopped at the Radisson in Bismarck, ND after four long days of various trials, numerous laughs, lots of wildlife (both alive and dead), and many, many prayers. Thanks for all who are praying for us and remembering us in our travels.

Day One:
Left Waukegan, IL around 9:45 and headed to the Penske place to have the car tow-dolly hooked up and the car loaded. I remembered that we still hadn't paid Jennifer's library fine for a book she had 'lost'. We will find it I am sure in Idaho! So I left Grammy with the truck and zipped over to Warren-Newport to pay the fine and do one last check on the internet for our first stop of the night. While walking into the library I remember that I didn't grab the 'last things to load' from the house. Panic set in for a minute because I was sure I had given out ALL of my house keys. I eventually listened to my very intelligent daughter (VID) and found one and was able to zip back to 324 S. Orchard and grab our passports, birth certificates, and other IMPORTANT documents! Praise God that He brought it to my rememberance BEFORE we were in North Dakota!!! Yes, I praise YOU Lord!!

Head back to Penske and get the car loaded on the truck and took a good long (very long!) look at the load we would be hauling and said several more prayers!! We are finally on the road, well at least for 5 miles. Note to driver: Check Tow-Dolly and load after first 5 miles and EVERY 50 miles thereafter.
Huh??? I asked the service man at Penske, "Is this for real? EVERY 50 miles!?!?" I explained how far we were driving and the time factor to stop every 50 miles on a 1800 mile trip and he finally said we would only need to do that on the first day. <>

We stopped after 12 miles or so and everything is fine.
We headed up into Wisconsin stopping at the Pine Cone Restaurant in Madison for one last Eclair and Apple Fritter. Diet will start when we eventually arrive in Idaho! For anyone who has ever gone to Wisconsin Dells with me you will understand my affection with the Pine Cone. Think homemade baked goods meeting Paul Bunyan in both size and flavor. Yum!! I think Grammy enjoyed it too although she may be hating us by the end of this trip. Took her three days to finish one cinnamon roll! I wish I had thought to take more pictures. Kendra, I am not!

We stopped at a rest area outside of Eau Claire, WI and Jennifer noticed that the display on the dash was flashing Low Coolant Level** and there were a couple of warning lights staying on after I turned off the engine. (Backtrack here: I am not tall in stature and in order to see the display have to pull myself up to the top of the steering wheel since the column does not adjust. I cannot see the display while driving unless I lean way forward!) SO... I turned the truck back on and look more closely and try to figure out if this in something to be concerned about. After several different possibilities are considered I finally determined the display should have gone out and the warning lights should NOT stay on. So, I call Penske and describe the problem and ask for advice. "Where are you?" the man asks me. Uh, in Wisconsin. "Can you tell me the mile number?" You can fill in the blanks for the remainder of the conversation I am sure. Eventually, the Penske SOS team sends Edgar out to take a look. Edgar reports that it should be fine to drive it appears there is a faulty sensor and since it is such a new truck (only had 91 miles on it when we picked it up) there may be some kinks to work out. He recommended we head on to Eau Claire or Minneapolis and call Penske to take it to there mechanic in the morning. Penske calls back and tells us to stop in Eau Claire and take it to the service center there and NOT go on to MN. I was planning on stopping in Minneapolis to take Jennifer to the Mall of America so thought it would be much better to push on. However, it is THEIR truck.

We found a room at Days Inn - West in Eau Claire and eventually turned in for the day... It was a looonnngggg day at that. What I am leaving out is the 'Road Closed mishap', the 'Wimpy-wimpy-wimpy' giggles and all the other in betweens that would make this post another 5 pages. SO that wraps up day one. Praise God for His faithfulness because He did see us through!!!