Salida, ColoradoJune 10 through 13 2006: We are in Pueblo West Campground N38° 20.522 W104° 43.097'. Pueblo West Campground is located on US-50 about 5-miles west of I-25. It is totally gravel with huge pull-thru sites (trees are limited); 50-amps, water and sewer, $20 per-night 719-547-9887. This is a combination campground and equestrian facility. We are taking day trips to a wide variety of places from our campground in Pueblo. Today we are going to visit Solida, Colorado located on US-50 on the way to Monarch Pass. As we make our way west on US-50 from Pueblo we pass Canon City, Skyline Drive, Royal Gorge and Parkdale as we follow the Arkansas River to the interior of Colorado and Monarch Pass. When following US-50 west to Salida and Monarch Pass you are following the Arkansas River toward the Continental Divide. Geologic events millions upon millions of years ago created an uplift in this area. In otherwords molten rock deep within the earth's crust pushed its way toward the surface causing the earth's crust to bulge and actually tear apart. When these forces actually make their way to the surface we have volcanos with lava flow. When they just push up but do not burst through the surface the intruding liquid rock just creates a bulge. In this area it does not look like the liquid magma actually made its way to the surface before it cooled. What this geologic action leaves behind is a layer of relatively soft sedimentary rock on top of that very hard igneous rock that has cooled. Of course the sedimentary rock that was pushed up can now be seen in unusual layers stacked in all sorts of positions that are certainly not "normal". Igneous Rock formation east of Salida, Colorado
In this picture we have igneous rock. It is part of the molten rock that caused the bulge that is today know as the Rocky Mountains. This rock cooled before reaching the surface. It is on the surface now because the soft sedimentary rock that was on top if it when it cooled has eroded away. There is a different view around each turn.
View from US-50 east of Salida, Colorado
Looking toward the Continental Divide from US-50 east of Salida.
View from US-50 east of Salida, Colorado
View from US-50 east of Salida, Colorado
The ride up to Salida is absolutely filled with one spectacular view after the other. This is the Arkansas River east of Salida, Colorado with one of the snow capped mountains on the Continental Divide in the distance. View from US-50 east of Salida, Colorado
This view is looking west toward the towering mountains on the Continental Divide.
Sedimentary Rock formation east of Salida, Colorado
This picture is showing the exposed layers of sedimentary rock that have been torqued and cracked during the uplift process that created the Rocky Mountains.
Sedimentary Rock formation east of Salida, Colorado
Even without formal geological training the untrained eye can see where tremendous forces were at work torquing and tilting these sedimentary rock formations as liquid magma from deep within the core of the earth pushed its way toward the surface.
Sedimentary Rock formation east of Salida, Colorado
Sedimentary Rock formation east of Salida, Colorado
This sedimentary rock formation has been forced up to the point that it broke. At the top of this hogback you can see where one layer has actually falled down where the fracture occurred.
Hostoric Downtown Salida, Colorado
We stopped in Salida to eat lunch but struck out in a place Joyce chose. Everything that could go wrong did. It was an experience we can only laugh about.
Victorian buildings from the glory days in the 1880's
Salida must have seen its glory days in 1886 since that date is prominently displayed on the city's finer buildings. Salida has a charming downtown area, billes as the largest historical downtown district in Colorado. There are blocks of Victorian buildings with some interesting restaurants, art galleries, fufu boutiques, outdoor sports stores, and an assortment of other shopd for those into the sport of "shopping". Today the most prominent business in Salida appears to be tourism, consisting of skiing at Monarch ski area, whitewater rafting, kayaking and outfitting, particularly on the Arkansas River. Impressive willow tree in Solida, Colorado
Joyce spotted this beautiful weeping willow in Salida. We thought it unusual since we are around 8,000 feet in altitude. The white trunks are aspin. We just didn't think of weeping willow as a mountain tree.
Other Travel Adventures in this area that you may enjoy include: Victor & Cripple Creek two old gold mining towns Click here for some Colorado travellogsUntil next time remember how good life is. More Colorado AdventuresAdventures by State ** More 2006 Travel Adventures
Mike & Joyce Hendrix
Mike & Joyce Hendrix who we are We hope you liked this page. If you do you might be interested in some of our other Travel Adventures: Mike & Joyce Hendrix's home page Travel Adventures by Year ** Travel Adventures by State ** Plants ** Marine-Boats ** Geology ** Exciting Drives ** Cute Signs ** RV Subjects ** Miscellaneous Subjects
We would love to hear from you......just put "info" in the place of "FAKE" in this address: FAKE@travellogs.us Until next time remember how good life is.
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