Looking for Ideas/Rant about New Jersey Turnpike/Car Got Demons

[rob.luhrs@sitescape.com (Robert Luhrs)]

Rather Long... as a warning  :)

	So, Driving home to VA from MA, on the New Jersey 
Turnpike, all of a sudden, at about 70-75mph, transmission jumps 
out of 5th gear.  Hmm.. rev match, put it back in.. fine for a while, 
then pops back out.  Stop, get gas, start driving again, does it again, 
I get it back in gear, then it starts stumbling.. then the radio starts 
turning itself on and off, I go to 4th, it stumbles there too, I pull over, 
as I come to a stop, the car dies.  I turn on the hazards.. the 
indicator light in the dash comes on and blinks along with the 
hazards button light.. amazingly, the outside blinkers do NOT blink.. 
but the radio turns on and off as the hazards button light blinks.  I try 
restarting, nothing at all.. I hear the fuel pump, but nothing else..
	 Car sits for a while waiting for tow truck. after 90 minutes I 
idly try starting the car, starts right up... hmm.. still 180 miles to go.. 
think I'll just take the tow truck.. turn it off.  Things I checked :  All 
the belts were still in place.. no leaking from anything.. wires to 
starter/alternator/etc dry (was running A/C, condensation may have 
shorted something and then dried just sitting there).  Tow truck tows 
car off of next exit, I try starting again.. fails miserably(tries to 
turnover, fails, I don't try again.)
So, any thoughts on the transimission popping out of gear?  And 
things to check for the stumbling issue?

<Rant Mode on> AAA is NOT allowed to tow you on the turnpike, so 
you have to get towed by one of their proprietary tow truck 
companies off of the turnpike in the shortest distance possible, then 
call AAA, then get it towed.  Though the one good thing of the night.. 
AAA allowed me to use both mine and my friends AAA Plus account 
to have the car towed 180 miles for free. <rant mode off>

Thanks for any/all help.. car is an 88 16v.
Rob Luhrs