UN BAR FUMEUR?

I woke up to the pitter-patter of rain upon the tent. It was not coming down too hard, but it was surely showering. Packing up camp in the downpour was not ideal, but it was unavoidable. After packing everything into Kaitlynn's car, we made our way to civilization. The clouds covered the Tetons, and it was a crazy sight. We were on the same level as the clouds. Our first stop in Jackson was a coffee spot. I got a double-shot espresso and was very disappointed. We swung by the bike shop to see if my Masi was ready yet. The tire had not arrived yet, and deliveries typically come later in the day. To kill time, we made our way to the laundry mat. 

As much as I love cleaning my clothes in the sink/bathtub/campsite spout, this was much more manageable. I snacked and wrote while the laundry was washing. My meal was hummus, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers. When the laundry was done, we attempted to start Kaitlynn's car. While turning the keys, a repetitive clicking rang loudly. Two guys opposite us in the parking lot jumped out of the car and came to our aid. Believe it or not, one of the guys was a car mechanic. We popped the hood, and he gave us a free diagnosis. The issue was clearly due to battery corrosion. The guy explained everything we needed to know about the subject. Ultimately, he suggested getting a new battery as soon as possible. 

We mapped out the nearest autobody shop and headed to our destination. It took no longer than twenty minutes to pop that new battery in, and it was reasonably priced. Now it was time to get my bike. Boy, was that bike beautiful! I got a new back tire and aero bars installed. We unpacked the car and made room for Masi. When everything was packed up, we hit the road. The drive to Rock Springs was full of forest and beautiful views. It took about three hours to reach the fifth most populated town in Wyoming. 

During the drive, I occupied myself with writing and some sightseeing. After checking into the hotel, we unpacked all my gear. I reassembled my bike and stashed it in the hotel. After a much-needed shower, we found a Mexican restaurant close by. My meal was a burrito bowl with barbacoa, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, black beans, rice, and jalapenos. After dinner, we headed to the bar next to our hotel. This was the first bar I had discovered that allowed indoor smoking. It also had rows and rows of gambling machines. Locals littered the bar and interacted with us as we joined them at the bar.

After a few drinks, a man sitting near us ordered the bar a round of drinks. We started to chat, and he asked for a ride to his semi-truck just down the street. His plead was that he just won a substantial amount of money and had a bum hip. Walking was not the wisest in his opinion. After all the kindness that I have received during my travels, it was impossible to say no. I walked Kaitlynn back to the motel and returned to meet my new friend. We drove half a mile down the road to a truck stop. He showed me his vintage rig, and we chatted about various things. He was a cool dude. We exchanged contacts, and he said if I had any issues on the road, he has numerous connections all over the country. It was quite exciting to make my first trucker friend. I returned to the motel and slept like a baby.