I live in Japan right now but once I was on my way to Wyoming on a shaft driven four cylinder yamaha.  The u-joint on the shaft decided to go bye bye between the sand hills of Nebraska and Casper.  I was stuck for eight days in Casper while Eric and Megan put me up and Sport Wheel mailed the part to me from Minnesota.  If you ride old Japanese stuff, Sport Wheel is your friend.  If your 1978 piece of Japanese engineering decides to send a part the way of the dodo, call them.  Parts in three days or so.  A magically endless scrap yard to keep old things running forever.  I didn't make it to the Tetons (French for.....).  Ran out of time, but did get to go camping and trout fishing in the Buckhorn Mountains with two new friends while waiting on parts to arrive. The day we got back the mailman arrived with the Universal Joint.  I was on the road to Colorado by 6pm. Thanks Eric and Megan for the bed and the garage.   Here is a sweeping generalization based on Megan and Eric and many other people I have met during travels.  Most Americans are good people.  My time on the road alone has brought me to this overgeneralization.   My optimism compels me to stick to the theory.  The TV would have you believe otherwise, so don't watch it.  Just talk to the people around you.  People who have known hard times help other people in hard times.  Lets keep that up.