[ A view of the Arkansas river, here a shallow stream perhaps thirty feet wide. It’s bordered by large rocks on either side, then by trees in a variety of shades from summer green to bright aspen yellow. Peeking between the trees, far upstream, is the peak of a snow-capped mountain. ]
I hadda run up to Salida anyways, so I figured I might as well make a trip of it.
Y’all, Salida is GORGEOUS.
It has a beautiful riverwalk, as seen above. It has a vibrant downtown, thick with little artsy shops, local restaurants, and amusing tourist traps. The downtown is surrounded by blocks of small, beautiful houses, shaded by big, tall trees, & often featuring deer-mown lawns. I would love to live there.
…not ever gonna be able to afford it, but I can visit.
[ A narrow stream splashes through a tumble of rocks; a footbridge is just visible in the background. ]
Every time I visited the riverwalk over the summer, there were dozens of people in the water, splashing around, floating, enjoying the river. I figured someone nearby must be renting out life jackets, because so many people wore them.
Nah. Town just loans em out free.
[ A standing sign, of the sort seen in most any national park, bears the words ‘life jacket loaner station’, along with safety tips and a map of the river. Dozens of life jackets, in all sizes, hang from hooks on either side of the sign. ]
I even found hidden treasure during my wanderings through town!
[ Behind a wooden barrel, tucked in next to an ornate doorway, sits treasure indeed: a break in the concrete wall, mended by being neatly filled with lego bricks. ]
… I could really get to like Salida.
