My experience with the alternator dying was that the battery drained down and the car stumbled, the battery light came on. Kept the car going a little longer, the alternator kicked back in and juice came back and things were fine again. It did that 2 to 3 times and totally dead. The parts stores can check that for you if you can risk being stranded in between. If I were you I wouldl take along one of those portable jumper battery, if you have or can borrow one. That was what I did to get my son's car home from Dallas to Rowlett last year.