Jme Braun
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
For Jo and Dan Petty, it’s clear they were meant to break down in Reliance, SD and be ‘stuck’ in Gregory for ten days. The Petty couple, who reside in Woodstock, GA, also claim residence to a twenty-seven foot Airstream called Gracie. Thanks to Gracie, which the Petty’s purchased in 2022, they have traveled across the country having adventures, and impacting lives in a way that would make most politicians jealous. On this particular road trip, the Pettys ‘plan’ was to cross the state of South Dakota and spend a few days visiting Ellsworth Airforce Base, Custer, and Sturgis. That was to be followed by a stop in North Dakota, completing the Pettys’ travels through all 48 continuous states in Gracie. Those plans were quickly scrapped on August 1, when a tire on Gracie became extraordinarily hot, causing the Pettys to pull over in Reliance. An axle had broken and only an authorized Dexter dealer would be able to replace it. Phone calls were made to dealers in the area, but no one was answering that late Saturday afternoon.