Westward Bound Take VI

Our first Colorado destination was Salida. Here is what was in our backyard at our camping spot for the three nights we stayed in Salida.

And our front yard... Just looking at the pictures, makes me long to see it again. Such beautiful creations fill my spirit with thankfulness and awe for such a magnificent God.

And guess how much camping fees were: $0. Of course, we were a little weary at first about leaving things at a "free" campground. It turns out, everyone we met there was so friendly and most were boaters. As a matter of fact, we met some sponsored boaters (Jackson brand) there, and Johnny met a boater from Kentucky that he ended up paddling with later at another town. Nothing was stolen and there was less noise than at any of the paid "camping resorts" we've stayed at. I think the things people fear and make judgements about are mostly due to perceptions. I'll talk more about this when we get over to another town.

Salida, CO, is a small town with lots of simplistic charm. The downtown area...I loved it. I am hard to impress--boutiques and restaurants, not my cup of tea! While they did have such, every store that I went in had clothes that were exactly how I want to dress-simplistic and outdoor friendly (but cute). Trust me, there just aren't any in North Mississippi. They had "one of a kind" furniture stores and lots of folk/multimedia art stores. The culture is very laid back, with nature sports being valued and promoted. Bike lanes and racks, boats, and hiking trails were in abundance!

And in the heart of downtown--a whitewater park! You can tube or boat...for free if you have your own gear. Jackson was determined he wanted to go down it the first time in "his" boat. I was proud of JG for being willing to go down on his paddle board. He generally likes to go in the ducky first to make sure it is all "safe." There were a few large rapids but no consequences (dangerous rocks) to be concerned about if you flipped. I stayed dry because that water was FREEZING, numbing cold.

At 6 years old, this little dude can paddle a boat. He said he is ready to learn to roll and have a regular kayak (not a sit-on top)! Again, you all know I love these behind shots. My heart skips a beat when looking at my babies. They are growing up too quickly, but I am trying to cherish every single moment in the meantime!

And to sit and look at pictures like this-of a son looking at his daddy (who happens to be a legendary dad)...I tell you, life is good.

And they are off! They would put in the river downtown and would paddle all the way to our camp ground and get out. The boys LOVED it! They did this everyday we were there.