Stopped at a service plaza, car running fine. Shut car off. Chatted with a couple admirers. Sat for about 20 miutes. Now starter won't crank, or even click. First time in 9 years of ownership this has happened. A relay maybe? I need ideas! Thanks!

If the starter won't crank & you're not getting the fuel pump prime sound either, it's likely the fuel pump relay. Just had that happen to me on the way back from Okteenerfest. Check to see if you hear the fuel pump prime sound before you turn the key to crank.

You could try shorting the yellow wire terminal on the starter to the primary cable using a quarter or a screwdriver.
If it cranks the problem isn't the starter,
and with the ignition on you should be able to get it running.

I'm definitely getting the sound of the fuel pump priming. I'm going to see if I can short the terminal on the starter. Unfortunately it's dead flat here so coast-starting isn't an option.

Update: it just started with the key after about an hour of sitting. Sounds a little cranky but otherwise OK. I'm going to push on and see what happens.

Hot start ? At 9 years the grounds possibly can use a good cleaning. Same problem and it worked for me.

Typical heat soak. Plan on replacing the starter with a quality remanufactured or new unit in the near future. Although some folks don't like it, adding a "hot start relay" might be a good idea, too.

The Cap'n

Another possibility which just happened to me....same symptoms, turned out it was the battery cut off. It was corroded inside. Check it if you have one.

Replacing the tranny ground strap with a new one helps quite a bit.

Even though it may look good, over time it gets so corroded at a microscopic level that is does not move enough current to start the car.

I have also run a dedicated ground strap from the battery to the lower bolt on the starter, but I removed that once I put in a NEW tranny ground strap.

A new starter is also in order, shod be good for another 40 years.

I went through two rebuilt starters from the local parts place and found the quality of the rebuild so poor that they both lasted less than a year before failing.
I did not, and won't, put in the hot start relay because I believe it is just masking the underlying issue.

For me, I brought my OEM starter to a local place that rebuilds electrical motors and starters.
They wanted to sell me yet another rebuilt unit and I expalined what happened with the two previous units.
They agreed that the quality has become an issue and they rebuilt my OEm my starter.
Was about 100 bucks and it works great.
They also had the right type of cable for the tranny strap...

When I finally replaced both of those, I have not had any issues since.

With the heak soak issue and Rich's suggestion to replace the groundstrap. JEGS/Summit has them quite cheap BTW.

However, it could also indicate a failing ignition switch. Mine acted like that when it started to die.

Thanks, guys. I made it all the way to Boston without shutting the car off although since I've been here, it's started OK. I replaced the ground straps not long after I got the car so I think it probably was heat soak. I think every stop on the way back to Ohio will have to be either 5 minutes or one hour.