Salida, Colorado: Part One - Anatomy of A Mountain Town - Mike Harvey - Badfish SUP and River Surfboards

These are the folks that make Salida ebb and flow. Mike Harvey is a white water kayaker, river surfer, white water park designer and the co-founder of Badfish SUP and River Surfboards in Salida. In the 90s, the Arkansas River was already known for its world class white water - up river and down river from Salida, but as the Arkansas flowed through downtown Salida it was featureless and riddled with chunks of concrete, rebar, and utility poles. Drawn by the white water in the area, Mike moved to Salida in the mid 90s, and he had a vision to clean up and shape Salida’s downtown river corridor. In 1999, he and Fred Lowry, the owner of a local excavating company, started construction on a feature in the river for kayakers to play on. That sent ripples that changed Salida forever. Fast forward to today and the Arkansas River through downtown Salida is a gathering place for locals and tourists. Kid’s yip and holler as they float feet first down river, next to rafts, kayaks and stand up paddle boards. The river has become the gathering place - for everyone - that Mike had always dreamed of.

 

In 2007 Mike and longtime friend Zack Hughes started designing a board specifically designed to surf standing waves in mountain rivers. Badfish SUP and River Surfboards was born and a new way to experience water in the mountains was created.

 

Mike’s love for all things water really shines in the episode. He wanted to live in the mountains and chase his passion, so he built a world and created a business to not only sustain his family but enrich his community.

 

Full Zen Ahead