Day 6: Saratoga to Baroil, WY – 81 miles
After a solid night’s sleep on a comfortable mattress, I got an early start from Brandon & Sam’s in Saratoga. They recommended I stop at the bakery, so I picked up some delicious pastries on my way out of town for a mid morning snack. Between Saratoga and Wolcott, I had to be driven half way through a 12-mile construction zone (wy law), which almost made up for the time I lost picking my way down the grooved pavement through the other half of the construction zone.
The 15 mile stretch on I-80 to Rawlins was actually pleasant- due to the wide, well-paved shoulder separated from traffic by a rumble strip, I actually felt safer there than on the 2-lane hwy north of Rawlins.
As I reached Lamont/Baroil early this afternoon, I considered pressing on, but winds were picking up and I wasn’t sure if I could make the 34 miles to Jeffrey City before thunderstorms rolled in. I decided Baroil was far enough, and lazily rolled into the most barren little oil town I could imagine. About 10 minutes after setting up my tent in the town park and spreading my gear out all over the picnic shelter, a lady from the town hall stopped by and invited me to use the kitchen and spend the night on the futon at the church. So here I am, warm and dry, glad I am not fighting these now-howling winds on the road north. So grateful for the Baroil community church’s hospitality (judging from the notes on the whiteboard, I’m not the first cyclist to have stayed here!)
