The English Maximalista

Last month, my lovely husband pulled one of his Mr Maximalista surprises on me, by whisking me away for a cheeky weekend in the mountains.

What with one thing or another, we’ve been busy recently, so his suggestion came as a welcome relief to take a break from reality by heading West for a couple of days.

We have driven through Salida, Colorado, a few times when en route to elsewhere; only once before did we actually make a pitstop there. On that particular occasion, we grabbed a bite to eat for lunch at 50 Burger, a popular joint so called because it’s on Route 50, which is the main thoroughfare through town.

After that, we drove around the charming, quintessentially American downtown area before heading back home. 

This was last Summer. We decided there and then to return for a proper visit, to check the place out more thoroughly. There was a lot to pique our interest. And thus, six months later, we were back.

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Driving around this pretty little town, we clearly saw that it is in varying stages of gentrification, which is quite a hopeful sight considering how other towns of similar size in the mountains seem to be dying a sad, slow death. (Victor, Colorado, springs to mind.)

In addition to the fixer-uppers that have been fixed-up in Salida, we observed that lots of brand new condominiums and apartment buildings were going up as well. Another optimistic sight was how the downtown shopping area seems to be thriving; it was veritably hopping in the middle of the off-season, which is when we were there.

There are lots of charming shops with a fair share of art galleries and secondhand shops (right up my alley!), interspersed with a wide variety of restaurants: burgers, pizza, Mexican, Thai, Italian, and quite a few breweries with eateries attached. Not to mention the usual selection of fast food chains. Quite impressive for such a small town.

The Arkansas river runs along the edge of town, and there is a flourishing river walk that proved to be a popular destination for families, couples with dogs, cyclists, and jolly old perambulators such as myself and Mr M.

There is the requisite park as well, filled with more of the above. It is a very family-friendly kind of place. Laid back. Relaxed. Comfortable. Lots of athleisure and Birkenstock’s.

We tried some excellent local IPAs at The Boathouse, then took a short walk along the riverfront to the High Side Bar & Grille, where we dined on the patio. It was late afternoon, still light out, with lots of pedestrian traffic ambling around, which was fun to casually watch.

I ordered another IPA, along with what was THE most delicious portobello ciabatta sandwich, served with garlic oil fries. ZOMG, totally worth driving all the way back to Salida simply to eat those fries! 

The band started up at 6pm, just as we finished our supper. So we slowly strolled along the paved banks of the Arkansas river, the sound of a Rush cover song following us as we held hands, savoring the unseasonably warm mountain evening.

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Mr Maximalista and I were in Salida for — let’s be honest — the thrifting opportunities, book shops, and breweries. I had a little mental shopping list of things I was looking out for, and didn’t go crazy whilst we were there.

For instance, I spotted a brass Tiffany & Co carriage clock for only $40, but I’m proud to say I put it back — it was engraved with corporate logos, otherwise it would have come home with me!

This book shop [in the picture below] was more of a secondhand knick-knack shop, but I spotted that they had an old Richie Havens album displayed in the front window. It was a happy reminder of the time I saw him live in concert at the Woodstock Opera House: there were literally only 8 people in the audience, but instead of calling off the concert, he brought everyone up to the stage, where he graciously continued the show, and gave us a very personable and amazing acoustic performance. 

Richie Havens was incredibly talented. I was saddened to hear when he passed away in 2013, at the age of 72.

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There aren’t too many accommodation options in Salida, although I suspect that will not always be the case, at the rate this community is growing.

Currently, though, the options consist mostly of motor lodges, motels, and inns. For the sake of one evening, I wasn’t going to grumble. Besides, with the backdrop of those mountains, what was there to grumble about?

We ended up staying at the Days Inn. NOT one of my favourite destination flop houses, but needs must, so I wasn’t being fussy. And while it wasn’t the Four Seasons, I have to say that the Days Inn was very clean, had been recently updated, and I felt safe there.

Even if you’re not intending to spend a night in Salida, I would definitely encourage you to spend a day there. (Breckenridge is about an hour up the road, if you require swankier digs and a more upmarket vibe.)

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The roads around Salida alone are worth driving down, because the 360 degree views of the Rockies are breathtaking. The “banana belt” of the Upper Ark River Valley truly is the heart of the Rockies.

I took photos as we drove along — don’t worry, Mr M was behind the wheel — but my snapshots simply do not do it justice.

Anyone who has visited the region will understand what I mean. And if you haven’t been, trust me, you should visit. (Run, don’t walk!) You can thank me later. 

These mountains are simply spectacular. We drove up to Salida from Colorado Springs via Route 24 to 285. The roads were completely clear and dry (March was the warmest we have had on record), although the mountain tops were white.

I wish I had the words to describe the scenery to you. But I don’t, so all I will say is this: I am so incredibly lucky to live here.

Lots of love,

M xo