It is amazing that once I know what the name of the part is, how much easier it is to locate a replacement

. I called the local dealer just to see how badly they'd overcharge; their price is $49, while online the typical price is ~$28. Even with shipping the price is considerably lower. And now I even have a link to another good parts site.
From reading the replies and following links, it looks like this hose tends to be a problem on this car. As I said in my first post, the hose on my car had mostly disintegrated. What would cause this, and is there any way to prevent it from happening again?
I really do appreciate all of your assistance. It is great to have a forum like this one where anyone can turn for help!