S3, E2: When Shirley is named "Mother of the Year," she decides to take the whole family, by bus, to the award dinner in Sacramento. Shirley decides to drive the scenic route so that the children can see the countryside. The scenic route proves to be a road to disaster. Besides awful roads and bad diner food, the group loses all their money. While still heading for Sacramento, the bus is stopped by Deputy Haynie for speeding. Shirley refuses to pay the ticket because she believes it was a speed trap. Haynie hauls the family off to see Judge McElwreath, a man who is as crooked as the deputy! The judge keeps adding fine upon fine when he learns that Shirley is the mother of the famous Partridge Family. But the Judge finally backs down and dismisses the case when he learns that Shirley is also the Mother of the Year. His decision is not based on admiration, but the fear that no woman in town will vote for him if he fines a woman who has received such an honor. The bedraggled family depart from their ordeal and race to Sacramento just in time for Shirley to receive the well-earned Mother of the Year award.