Our Thanksgiving campout started great.  Thursday's traditional meal cooked in dutch ovens turned out perfect.  The weather was cool but sunny.  We had the entire campground to ourselves.  It was awesome.

  Friday morning it was about 15 degrees F.  It's time like these when you find out the status of your 5 year old battery.  You guessed it.  The van would not start.  I placed some charcoal in aluminum foil under the engine to try to warm it up a bit.  Then we decided to push start it.  Like a dummy I had parked on a slight hill so we had to go up before anything was going to happen.  We unloaded as much as we could and my wife and I pushed while my 10 year old son maneuvered the steering wheel.  He really enjoyed his first time driving.  We pushed a few hundred yards across flat land until we reached a big downhill section.  I got in, popped the clutch and we were off and running.

  The van made it the 20 miles home, but it would not go into gear.  I matched the revs and we were able to get by OK.  First gear is impossible, 2-3-4 are tough to engage unless the revs are exact.  With the clutch depressed, it sounds like marbles are rolling around in a can.  With the engine off I can get it in any gear.  I definitely broke something.  I guess I'll probably park it until spring and put in a clutch kit.  Are there any other things to replace at the same time that I should ask of Santa?

  My sons have a good moral to the story.  They really thought it was a fun adventure but they suggest that next time we park downhill.

  Clint