Don’t believe it when people say the South has the most hospitable people. It’s a lie. The most generous, most welcoming people live in Helena, Montana.

Robin Shropshire and her husband Shaheen found out that Jenn and I were in Montana and immediately invited us to stay at their place. Correction: at their gorgeous home built on a mountain that overlooks the city of Helena. So, when the choice was Walmart or Robin, Robin won, hands down.

But first we stopped at a truck stop for dinner and Robin met us there. She was accosted by an angry man named JR who didn’t appreciate that Jenn and I had parked next to him. Sort of next to him. Actually, not next to him at all. She argued with him and preserved our right to park. I’m pretty sure law school is in Robin’s future.

After a great evening hanging out with Robin and Shaheen and a fantastic breakfast this morning (I’m telling you, hospitality abounds!), Jenn and I got ready to leave, which meant I had to back down their driveway. The moment I’ve been dreading, and I have to do it in front of people.

God has a great sense of humor because my car wouldn’t start. Like, nothing. No lights, no clicking, dead. Apparently getting me on the road takes a damn village – AAA headed our way, Shaheen jumped the battery, Robin tried to guide me down the driveway, Jenn eventually had to take over and drive me out, and now I’m meeting some of Helena’s kind mechanics.

This guy is replacing my car’s battery. Germans, WHY put a battery under a seat? Is it payback for WWII? You lost. Move on and quit being so passive-aggressive.

Another guy who was exceptionally tall replaced the fan in my camper, though he didn’t fit in the camper. It was like watching a giraffe try to fit into a port-a-john. A really nice giraffe in a really cute port-a-john.

Now I’m back on the road, heading to Kalispell to pick up my cousin Bev from the airport and to see how many more things on my car and camper can die. Reporting live from Trixi’s Antler Saloon in Ovando, Montana. It looks exactly like you think it does.