As I was saying, the agent told us we can track our bags online through the American Airlines website.  OK, maybe later. Off to the bus stop to catch the Alamo shuttle bus to the rental place.  We could not do a one way rental directly, even though we were standing at the counter in front of the agent.  We had to stand there and call the 800 number and do it over the phone while the agent surfed the Internet or texted his girlfriend or what have you. Anyway, his ears picked up when Joe recited the reservation number out loud to him while he entered into his computer, and told us it would be 299 dollars. Of course Joe added the 13 dollar insurance and the 8 dollar iPass for the tolls.

Great.  On our way.  Stopped at McDonalds right outside the airport for a hamburger and coffee. as we walked across the parking lot, Joe said "you know, before we get too far down the road, we should  check the status of our bags ourselves, just in case.......in life, you should always trust but verify."

Online, it showed that indeed, Joe's bag was loaded on the flight to Dallas, but my bag did not show it ever leaving CHicago.  Odd.  Better get on the phone.  Finally contacted someone, and she discovered that after MY bag was loaded, it was subsequently pulled off the plane and was back in Chicago!  She recommended we go back to the airport and retrieve it, because there is no way the bag  would arrive in Rapid City at this point until later in the morning tomorrow.  Again, not an option.

Back to the airport we went, weaving through the heavy traffic, negotiating through the busses at the departure terminal.  I ran in, tried to explain to the agent I was here to pick up my bag, but to no avail!  I went up to a random American bag handler guy who kindly allowed me to walk into the back office where the bags are stored. I had to walk up and down isles of shelving holding all sorts of bags, and luckily found it!

Off to the curb, where Joe had to negotiate with the sister police officer to allow him to wait for me.  Threw the bag in, and off we went.

Gummy bears, thunderstorms, and an incredible double rainbow later, we are almost to Madison, Wisconsin.......

Now, we have to figure out how to get Joe's bag........