MichelleI always love it when I find a great boondocking (free) campsite. About 20 miles North of Salida, CO there are multiple forest service roads with hundreds of free campsites. We ended up in a large area surrounded by trees but treeless in the middle. I managed to snag a great spot under a couple of tall pines that provided afternoon shade. Only 2 other folks were camped in this huge area, so it felt comfortable and not crowded. I liked it so much I stayed for 2 weeks. Just down the road was a trailhead for Browns Creek Trail. Rather strange since there was no creek on the trail! It was beautiful though with views of the distant mountains. It was steep right from the start and I only made it about ¾ of a mile which was 500 feet of elevation gain. The trail started at 8800 ft and I turned around at 9300 ft. These 62 year old lungs are not in as good a shape as they used to be and this elevation is tough. I felt proud of myself though for doing that much at that elevation!
I took one day and drove into Salida, CO. I had read it was an artist type community and the downtown area was historic like many of the other towns in the Arkansas Valley. Population in Salida is around 6,000 full time residents so I wasn’t expecting anything spectacular. Boy was I in for a surprise. In the summer, Salida blocks off one of the main streets to create a pedestrian only area. It allows restaurants to put up tents and tables outside. There is a very large Riverside Park next to the Arkansas River that flows right past downtown. The park has many large shade trees, an amphitheater, a playground, and their famous Riverside walk/park. Some years ago, the town dedicated tax dollars to create the most wonderful riverside playground. On the northern part of the river, they created an area for whitewater kayakers to practice their skills. Further South, there is an area with a large deep wave that allows surfers to try their luck… most used short boogie board type things. It was so fun to watch them trying to stay up on the boards and ride back and forth across the wave. There was a line of people even during the week and the rules allowed a one-minute ride per person. This worked really well so people didn’t have to wait long to get back on the water. All along the town side of the river was a paved walkway and big boulders extending out into the river. This allowed people to sit or stand in the water without being too deep or getting swept away. There were a couple of places with shallower sandy beach areas with calm water for kids. On the north end of town, the walkway linked to other trails in the area. Most of Colorado’s trail systems allow Hikers, Bikers, and Horses. It makes for busy trails! It was a hot day, so I sat in the shade on a boulder and put my feet in the river to keep cool! Aaahhh! There is nothing more peaceful than the sound of rushing water, and the feel of sun and breezes on the skin! 😊
Unfortunately, my blissful state was to be interrupted by grief at putting down my beloved Jasper. Jasper was 19.5 years old and had the typical hyperthyroidism and renal disease that old cats get. Jasper was getting sick more frequently and had several bad days that spanned the weekend (no vets open on the weekend in a small town). I was able to get him into Animal Care Center in Poncha Springs where Dr. Wendy found his liver was barely functioning. Jasper had stopped eating and drinking, so she recommended I start feeding him every hour with a giant syringe to hopefully arrest the liver failure. I spent all that day doing just that but as the day wore on, I could tell Jasper was getting weaker and sicker.
August 22nd, I made the decision to have him put down rather than making him suffer through force feedings. By this time, he could hardly stand up anyway. I can’t say enough about Dr. Wendy and her team. They were so reassuring and compassionate! I was able to hold Jasper as he quietly went to sleep and crossed that Rainbow Bridge. I told him to go find his pal Gus, and they could romp and play together!
Misty and I went home alone and started the grieving process together. Misty was very bonded to Jasper, and she searched for him on and off over the next week. We started some new routines and kept old ones, eventually coming through it together. Everything I learned about cats, I learned because of Jasper and his ‘ExJasperating’ ways. Those who’ve known us a long time know I could write a book just on stories about Jasper! RIP Jasper!
After all that I needed a respite, so we moved to Salida RV Resort very close to downtown. It was so helpful. To be around other people and be near the river was healing. This was a very large RV park and surprisingly quiet most of the time.
Although I had a lot of down time, there were a few things I wanted to see and do before leaving the area. One was a trip to Monarch Pass where you can take a gondola ride up to the top of Monarch Mountain. WOW! The view from the top was spectacular and although windy it wasn’t too cold. Mountains as far as you can see! There is an observation area with Adirondack chairs to relax and take in the views. The gondolas were tiny little things. Fully enclosed with space for 4 people sitting very tight together. I had one all to myself in my favorite color – Green! It was such a fun little trip.
My other day trip was into the mountains to see a preserved ghost town called St. Elmo that was founded in 1880. Very old and historic, the buildings are being refurbished one by one. This was a sizable gold and silver mining town with a population of 2,000. However, the mining industry was waning and by 1922 the railroad shut down. Most of the inhabitants moved to other areas seeking gold and silver elsewhere. This town lies at almost 10,000 ft high, and the drive getting there was gorgeous!
I spent another day in town by the river and having lunch at a restaurant overlooking the water. I took a long walk on one of the paved trails in town before spending time watching the surfers on the river. This happened to be a Saturday so many people were enjoying the water. Lots of inner tubes, rafts, kayaks, etc. as well as kids with life jackets just floating down in the water. It made me want to try it myself! Maybe on my next visit to Salida! Misty and I continued down the road after picking up Jasper’s ashes. He’ll still get to travel with us! Despite the hardship, this was my favorite area in Colorado. I can’t wait to come back!
