Salida Showdown

Salida Colorado is quintessentially mountain. There's the Arkansas River running though it, a bar with the requisite Harley riders in it overlooking the river, kayakers surfing a wave right under the bar windows, everything painted bright colors, and dogs. The town conflict, I feel, is over dogs. Everyone has one. There's the design painted on the water trough planter to evidence that. There's "first aid" bowls of water left out by the merchants. But on the other hand, there's the nasty signs about dog doo. Did you know it endangers your children's lives? For that reason, along with others, I am sure, no dogs are allowed in the park. I made sure to take Daisy on the wrong side of the tracks to do her duty. I am not part of any commie plot to inflict the young of Salida with my dog's germs!

Just north of Salida is Mount Princeton Hot Springs, with three options: hot pool, swimming pool, or creekside pools. Oh yeh, and the superslide. We woke up our day there, and it was good, but still not as good as Challis.

How many pools is enough?

 

Here at Hot Sulphur Springs Colorado, they have 24. I started out thinking I was going to soak in every one of them. I discovered that 24 is too many. After 9 pools I was rubber. They ranged in temp from the low 90's to hotter than hell and in size from a one person pool to a family of 20 pool.

The pools are built on the side of a hill, capturing natural healing mineral waters and lots of scenery. Aside from the springs, not much is happening in this town in the Rockies. We could not find an RV place. There was a little Wildlife Park next to the pools, but all the places except the camp host were taken. We drove into the small town, and I stopped to ask the sheriff where we could spend the night. There was nothing but US Forest Service parks about 20 miles away, and I wasn't sure we would want to drive after soaking.

I walked in and visited with the state trooper, who asked a local while I reviewed the FBI's ten most wanted posters. He said we could stay in a rest area ten miles down the road. Meanwhile, Carl was outside talking to the lady trooper who suggested we just become the park hosts next to the hot springs for the night.

What a deal. We even had electricity since we were the hosts. We made up our own rules. No rowdy behavior after 10 pm, no more than 5 dogs per site (it looked like one of the sites might have too many), definitely no cats, and we were off duty if anyone should ask.

Daisy had a great time hunting for things that were moving in the lush grasses. All is well in Hot Sulphur Springs Colorado.