Windy Wyoming

Thursday, August 17.  Saratoga, WY to Rawlins, WY.

 

Today's ride was less than 50 miles, and we were hoping for a little adventure.  This was our first full day of riding in Wyoming, and I was struck by how quickly the landscape changed once we left Colorado behind.  It struck me that we are NOT surrounded by the mountains anymore--they're just off to the right as we leave town.  Many of the hills actually look windswept--their tops look swooped.  There are a few flat-tops, too--I guess the geology here is different than Colorado.

 

We had breakfast at the Warm Springs Cafe in Saratoga.  The town was originally called Warm Springs, named for the hot spring right in the town.  The coolest temps found in the spring is about 102 degrees F; the warmest temps are over 120 degrees F.  The springs are open to the public, free of charge, 24/7.  Anyway, all that to say that the menu of the Warm Springs Cafe has a picture of the Scribner Stagecoach heading to Saratoga on a day sometime in the late 1860's, using the Overland Trail.  Not far from Saratoga, our road would actually intersect the Overland Trail--the ruts left by stagecoaches are still visible on the trail itself.  It's interesting to note that even though cars were being used in the east in the late 1800's, horses were the major mode of travel in the west.

 

We must have had a great tailwind to start, because I was really climbing hills with a vengeance in the first 20 miles.  As we came up to Walcott Junction, we turned left, and the tailwind became a crosswind.  It was also at this point that we got onto Interstate 80.  Climbing up the entrance ramp and merging with the traffic was an interesting exercise.  I've never really paid any attention to the shoulders on interstate highways, but we had at least an 8-foot shoulder for the entire 14 miles to Sinclair.  So far, so good.  The wind was really ramping up, and besides being buffeted by the 20+mph crosswinds, we had to watch out for the wind vortex that passing traffic would create.  In the first 30 minutes we were on I-80, we were passed by a hundred semis.  I didn't even try to count the "minor" traffic--those with less than 18 wheels.  A lot of the semis moved over to the far lane if they were able, which was nice of them--but I was sort of counting on the draft to help me up the hills today.  And it was loud.  The wind and the traffic noises assailed our ears incessantly, making communication between Matthew and I nearly impossible.  At one point, he was able to let me know that we'd take the first exit.  Right.  Don't want to miss the Sinclair exit; Su Casa Cafe is our planned lunch stop.  

 

After getting off at our exit (still sounds funny to me), we passed the Sinclair Oil Refinery just outside of town.  This is the fuel company that has the green dinosaur logo; a pretty familiar sight in the west.  The refinery is a loud place, too, btw.  We rolled past it and into Sinclair, found the cafe, and found that there was a wait.  We waited, though.  The cafe had been recommended by both our guide book and by a couple we met in Riverside.  And we weren't disappointed.  The cafe is small--4 booths, one table for two, and 4 bar stools--but the food is really good. 

 

After Sinclair, we only had 6 miles to go before we reached Rawlins, and fought the wind the entire way.  Once in town, we needed to find the post office to pick up our latest care packages.  Matthew got directions from a local, but right before we made the turn to the P.O., we noticed 4 bicycles, two with BOB trailers, parked outside a local restaurant.  We hardly got parked ourselves before Jess came out and struck up a conversation.  She knew who we were; they had met up with Chris, Bunny, Katie and Jordan, who told them we were just ahead of them.  We followed Jess into the restaurant and met Deanne, Melanie and Rob, the rest of the foursome.  Jess and Rob had met up with Melanie and Deanne in Kansas, and had been travelling together since.  They had also spent the night in Saratoga, and were planning to camp in Rawlins tonight.  We sat and talked with them as they finished lunch, then headed over to the Post Office.  We met up with them again later tonight, when we all stopped at the grocery store for supplies.  It's possible that we'll see them again as we all head west--they're not on a tight time schedule, but they will probably be riding bigger days than we are.  They will stay on the TransAm route, while we will pick up the Lewis and Clark trail after reaching Lolo.  If you're looking for another bicycle blog, check their's out at http://www.yesmomimwearingmyhelmet.com/.

 

Tomorrow we'll head to Lamont, maybe go all the way to Jeffrey City if things work out.  For the next few days the road between our stops will be increasingly more remote.  I'm looking forward to spending some time in Yellowstone, too.  The internet access will probably be sketchy, too--this may be our last blog for a few days.  Thanks to everyone who's sent us a care package--we feel loved.