Day 41: Affordable Housing Day

July 16, 2022 in Saratoga, Wyoming

Unsurprisingly, I can't actually sleep in until 8 am anymore! I did make it until 7 though.

I ended up getting out of bed around 7:30, and getting ready for the day. I figured I'd be able to go get a coffee before we had to settle in for our morning discussions, which is just what I had hoped for.

I went back to the sandwich shop I had worked in for a few hours yesterday and got the Honeybuzz coffee again. I also got a really healthy bagel sandwich with a bunch of greens. I'm sure my body thanked me, but I really wish I had gotten some bacon and cheese.

On the way back to the host, I made a quick stop at the post office to send Jonathan some souvenirs and a postcard to Nani and Buckie.

During our affordable housing curriculum, we watched a Rocky Mountain PBS video, had a discussion about who is affected by the affordable housing crisis, and did some small-group research. After our discussion, I finished my leftover quesadilla from last night–– still delicious!

The pastor of the church we are staying in arranged for a local Forest Ranger-type person to come in and teach us about the local Wyoming birds after lunch. To be entirely honest, I was not looking forward to it at all, but it ended up being fantastic! Everyone was joking around with the ranger, and I actually am now a Wyoming bird expert.

Once the bird presentation had ended, a few friends and I walked downtown to go thrift shopping and have ice cream. Despite being a really small town, there are some really cool shopping spots, and the ice cream parlor makes a mean affogato.

I also finally got a flannel! I've been looking for an extra layer for a couple of weeks. We found it in an antique store run by an Indigenous man who used to collect deer antlers for a living. The store had a ton of Indigenous art, jewelry, and clothes which was incredibly fascinating.

We made it back just in time for dinner. Lauren, the Bike and Build communication and outreach director who is with the team to drive the van for ten days, cooked! It was a curry, and the fresh vegetables and delicious spices made for one of my favorite dinners on the trip.

We also had a Town Hall style team meeting, which was pretty short and casual.

After dinner and the meeting this evening, most of us headed to some local hot springs. I was picturing something like the geysers in Yellowstone, but as it turns out, it was much more like a pool that just happened to have a slimy floor.

At least I assume it had a slimy floor, it was far too hot for me to find out! I did take an excellent shower though, so it was at least worth the trip.

I ended up walking the mile back by myself as the sun set because my teammates wanted to stay for longer, and I was getting pretty sleepy.

Tomorrow is a super short ride, only 42 miles! I'm riding with my friend Corbett, and I'm really looking forward to knocking this one down. Until tomorrow!