Ted and Robin are surprised to run into Barney when they volunteer at a homeless shelter on Thanksgiving. Lily is on the brink of freaking out when she goes to Thanksgiving dinner at her future in-laws house.

Marshall is all set to celebrate his beloved Fiero hitting the 200,000 mile mark but it stops. While the gang sits in the mechanic's garage and waits to hear what will happen to the vehicle they think about times gone by that they have spent together in the car. We also get the story of how Ted met Marshall.

Ted (to prove he's not a milquetoast) and Barney (to impress Robin) pick a fight with a group of guys sitting in the gang's favorite booth at MacLaren's.

Barney freaks out when Marshall bequeaths a "slap bet" slap to Ted and Robin. Meanwhile, Lily's estranged father shows up for Thanksgiving.

While on a trip to Minnesota, Ted and Barney try anything to make Marshall laugh. Marshall runs into an old nemesis from high school.

After celebrating New Year's Eve, Marshall visits his father's graveside to carry on their tradition of tailgating. Meanwhile, Barney and Ted open a bar called "Puzzles," and Robin is forced to fill in for an inebriated news anchor.