OK, when I started this endevour, I was determined that it would not be a training log or ride report as my daily activities just aren't that interesting. Instead, I aspire to entertain and inform in a more "general interest" mode, so I'm happy to continue with:
"WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION"
Catchy, huh?
Salida, Co. and the other small towns strung along the Arkansas River Valley are mostly compact and, being in the Valley, relatively flat in spite of the fact that the altitude is 7000-8000 feet. Salida and Buena Vista both have vibrant downtowns with whitewater parks, hiking and mountain biking within sight of their main drags in addition to funky bars, good restaurants, outdoor stores, bike shops, etc. In short, the layout makes these towns ideal for the use of bikes as transportation. The top shot is of one of the many clusters on cruisers and utility bikes that you see around town during festivities. It seems like almost everybody has a bike, some of which are shiny new Electras and many of which are cobbled up beaters with a lot of cargo capacity.The second photo is the rig of a boater named Kevin Jacobi who is travelling the state running Class V water (really hard stuff!), towing his kayak behind the bike (on platform pedals no less) to raise cancer awareness and to raise funds for American Whitewater. You can read more details in the link below, but he was quite a character. http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=118594
It is definitely a mountain bike scene and roadies criss-cross the state all summer, but that is recreation. This is transportation.
Salida has a population of about 6000 and has three bike shops that I know of.
JUST BECAUSE IT'S COLORADO..........
doesn't mean the culture is much different. Hey, they're just a little further upstream and share our agricultural roots. This is clearly demonstrated by the fresh mullet and the turkey legs. Hell, put 80 pounds and some ink on everybody and we could have been at Riverfest. Mullet boy is a pro boater who allowed his curly red locks to be shorn into a mullet on stage by a beginner barber as a fundraiser for American Whitewater. The turkey legs.....well, the turkey legs looked a little better before gnawing.
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