It is true, though, that there are still a good number of people who have never heard of Salida (pronounced suh-LIE-duh). Even many Coloradans pass by without stopping, though the town is only a short detour from the highway. They don't know what they're missing.
The whitewater folks, however, are in the know. In the summer , when the Arkansas River is racing, more than a dozen rafting and kayaking operators spring to life in Chaffee County . And every June, about 10,000 visitors triple Salida's population for the Blue Paddle FIBArk Whitewater Festival (``FIBArk" stands for First in Boating on the Arkansas River) . Arguably the country's top whitewater event, the fest draws the sport's stars, who come to race and trick out on the rushing waters. Depending on when you visit, you can experience rapids from a nothing Class I to a menacing Class V. Salida is but one of the stops along the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area , a 148-mile linear park of riverbanks and river.
Whitewater is center stage in the city-run kayakers' ``play park," officially the Arkansas River Whitewater Park and Greenway , where from bleachers set up for spectators you can watch those maniacs play in the rapids, roll upside-down over and over, and get water up their noses. (You can't tell me those plugs really work.)
Luckily one doesn't have to be a paddler to enjoy Salida's riches. My friend and I, who get white-knuckled even thinking about whitewater, merrily eliminated going down the stream. Instead, we cycled, strolled, shopped, dined, and generally made ourselves at home in this incredibly congenial town. We discovered that the abundance of friendly folks wasn't a show for the sake of commerce. Even the locals talk about how friendly the locals are, and many compare unpretentious Salida with snootier Colorado towns.
