It sounds to me like you need a new throttle cable.
But, it could be even more simple than that! With the temps being what they
are, and the fact that it's stuck wide open, i'd say its not broken but
frozen. Get a can of PB Blaster, Lock De-Icer, Or WD40 (Each would provide a
unique set of properties, and i'm not sure which would work best or in what
order to combine) and soak the crap out of the throttle cable where it
enters the engine compartment.
Climb under the clambshell and soak the crap out of it up there too.

If that doesn't fix it, i'm guessing it needs to be replaced. It's really an
easy job and a pretty cheap part, but if the temps are terrible letting a
shop deal with it may be wise.

I'd open the engine bay and see that the throttle on the throttle body is
infact stuck open. It might have gotten hung up there somehow, the spring
might be missing, etc. I think the problem will likely be obvious.

-Craig
'85GL turned WESTY
With a fresh throttle cable.

On Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 4:41 PM, Christopher Gronski <gronski@gmail.com>wrote:

> I started my van after stopping at the Wal-Mart at W Overland and
> Millwaukee
> in Boise Idaho and the throttlle stays wide openbouncing off the redline.
> Pressing the accelerator has no effect.I removedthe pedal and played ith
> the
> lever, again nothing.
>
> It's pretty damn cold in Boise and I don't have my Bently so I don't
> evenknow where to start. Anyone know a reputable shop in Boise?
>