Bikes of Salida

The town of Salida is our summer vacation home away from home. It's kind of like Mayberry with a cool alternative sports vibe. While Salida is at about 7000' above sea level and stands in the shadows of the 14,000+' Collegiate range, the town is in the Arkansas River Valley and is relatively flat. When you combine a community of fit, outdoor-loving folks, flat terrain, and picture perfect weather for much of the year, the result is a huge community of bike riders. Most of these folks wouldn't necessarily call themselves cyclists, though there are plenty of serious mountain bikers and road cyclists around. Most of the riders you see have just hopped on the bike to go across town, run an errand or grab a beer down by the river, and I'm charmed and sometimes amused by some of the rigs I see.

Most folks are just going about their business.

In addition to Shriners in midget cars and on fez-wearing mules, the FIBArk Parade had plenty of bikes of various types, including this foil festooned wheelie-popping cargo bike guy. I dig the sports coat.

Pony up, there, pardner, and sing me a lively one.

This cowboy has got on his go-to-town duds. "Hello, ladies..."

"Yeah, it looks like I'm going to need to trade the sidecar for that 2-seat trailer...."

These pimped out cargo rigs had more than the average level of bling.

More "show" than "go", but ride-ready.

The rig of this slalom kayak racer gets the "JBar Utility Award" for managing to transport himself, his boat and gear, AND his shuttle driver on the bike.

The vast majority of Salida bikes are simple cruisers and a busy night will see downtown bike racks full and bikes piled against any available wall and sign post. In fact, I feel like a poseur on my road bike and in my kit when among the "real" bike riders in flip-flops and shorts. It's kind of like showing up to a tractor pull in a Miata.