Today was a real - gas!

Remember the number 17. And the last message on this post is the important one. We left Spring Green after trying to find some propane. Turn right at x and left at y - we found the propane tank but no one there. Apparently they do not open on Mondays! So sorry to be there on a Monday. Several gas stations later we have no luck again - in towns we are told, turn at x and right at y and you will find propane. No such luck. Then at Ace Hardware in who knows where they say, "yes we can help you". They hook us up and then say "our equipment is not working"! The turn right at y and right again at X and down several miles to find the gas station. We find the gas station turning right at X and left at y, and they put in 2 pounds - we have a capacity of 10 pounds. At least we have propane. Rip has a couple of naps during the day and I take over driving. I am driving on nap number 2 and after 20 minutes the cruise control stops working; I push the gas petal and nothing happens. There is something wrong with our van &*(P^(. I can't believe it. I pull over to the side of the road and I notice - the gas level is lower than the lowest RED area!~!!! We are in the middle or no where. We coast to an exit to Buffalo, North Dakota. It says 3 miles to the nearest gas station! Lucky us - we land, sputtering and limping in front of a beautiful home and Rip goes to the door. The owner, Stephanie, is lovely and drives him 3 miles to get gas and back again. We go back to Buffalo, population 201, to the only business there, a gas station and garage and we are on our way. Oh yes, on the highway past the exit for Buffalo, we are 17 miles from the nearest gas station down the road. Lucky us, today was in fact a real gas!