Thanks for all the replies, really top-quality stuff. I must express some disappointment, however, with some of the responses. In my opinion, some of these responses are raising the "straw-man fallacy." I interpret that phrase to mean that you are 1) conveniently ignoring the specific fact pattern set out in thorough detail above, much of which undermines your position and 2) knocking down arguments that haven't been raised by anybody, and then 3) declaring total victory because you can't be changed from your own set of facts.
That depends on the street.
Again, the fact pattern that I raised at the beginning of this thread sets out that it is a very wide street that accommodates motorists and cyclists such that it doesn't seem necessary for a bicycle to operate illegally on a sidewalk. The post about potentially getting run-over I thought was a good one. That particularly stretch of sidewalk is interrupted by side streets leading to commercial and industrial businesses. Motorists trying to enter or exit those roads may also be surprised to see a BSO cycling on a sidewalk.
You have to use your head and decide how and if you want to ride on each street and make the decision based on that street, not the average of all streets.
Given the facts above, it continues to be my opinion that the safer option would be for the salmon to operate with the flow of traffic. The salmon-ing BSO will confuse motorists not expecting to see BSO heading north in the south-bound lane. The other problem is that creates a situation (as described) where there are two bicycles heading north on opposite parts of the road. Motorists in either direction seeing two bicycles will likely be confused in what way to give the requisite 3 feet.
Driveways are a primary (and, one would hope, obvious) reason that, in many places that allow bicycle use on a sidewalk, it's still illegal to do so where a building directly abuts the sidewalk.
Again, this municipality has a blanket ban on all vehicles - including cyclists - from the sidewalk. It doesn't matter if they are operating contra-flow or not. You can scoff at that all you want, but if you're going to be picking and choosing what areas to follow the law, and which areas you're not, you may be creating a dangerous situation for yourself and others. As was stated above, cyclists aren't above the law.
A lot of 'experienced' cyclists think their skill makes them above the law
There's a spot where I cross a parking lot, jump the curb, go down a small hill and get on the MUP.
That's great, I'm not sure I see the connection though. I personally detour-ed myself by at least 2.5 miles every day for a month last November in order to avoid several obstacles posed by a highway interchange that cuts through my municipality. We all do what we can to be safe.