We, Zeb and Soapy Smith Duck, convinced mom to get in the car and head to Salida, Colorado. Approaching Salida, we first saw a tower.   It is a smokestack from a smelter.   A truck just drove past.   There is a lot of dust now.

Smelter Smokestack by dusty road

Smelting is a way to separate metal from its native ore, using heat.   This smelter smokestack is 365 feet tall.   The famous Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy is 179 feet tall.   The Colorado State Capitol Building is 272 feet tall.   This smokestack is taller, but shorter than the Washington Monument which is 555 feet tall.   This smokestack was placed on the National Register of Historic Places January 11, 1976.   This shovel is from the mining days also.

Old shovel previously used. We could not even reach the bottom.

This building and equipment were also used in mining.

Used in previous mining operations

Salida, like many towns in Colorado,  was first settled by miners.   They found gold, silver, copper and iron ore.   The Arkansas River is important to Salida today, as it was years ago.   We visited the Riverside Park and Riverwalk.

Arkansas River

There is an outdoor climbing wall here.

Our first climbing wall

We ducks are climbing the wall, but it is hard for us.  We waited here to see a performance, but nothing was scheduled for the day we visited.

We are waiting, but no performance today

Near the river, we noticed the Boathouse Restaurant on the left.

Arkansas River

Too bad we already ate, but next time we will know to wait and eat here.  Isn’t this a great location?   Here is an old, historic caboose.

Caboose formerly used in Salida

Caboose 0576 was built in the late 1880s.   Donated to the City of Salida by Terry Gill and his family, this caboose was purchased at auction by his grandfather after World War II, when the narrow gauge railroad operations shut down in Salida.   For years, the caboose was in his backyard and used as the kids clubhouse.   This caboose was used for years on trains running through Salida.   Looking down main street, we liked the old brick buildings and the mountains behind the town.

Main street in Salida, Colorado

We visited so many unusual shops.   This antique shop has a great window display.

Great window display

We did do too much shopping at the Dragonfly Shop, but it made the humans smile.   A corner shop, with a large parking lot, featured these metal horses.

Metal Horses

Nearby we tried sitting on some street art.

Street art. Decorated by Colorado Traveling Ducks

This is an interesting animal, but we small ducks did not want to sit on it.

He is looking at us and we are scared. Humans?

The humans said we would be safe next to the animal.   Guess they were right, we are still together and not stepped on.   The Arkansas River is beautiful and many humans want to travel and play on the river.   Riverboat Works is the place to get boats.

Riverboat Works

There are so many kinds and such bright colors for the boats.  Sometimes we wish we were humans and could buy a river boat.   Our last view of Salida’s Arkansas River.

Arkansas River

We definitely want to return to Salida, Colorado.