Another hike on the South Lykken Trail. This will probably be our final foray into the mountains around Palm Springs this trip, with highs in the 90s forecast for the next few days. On the day we leave, the forecast high is 97° compared to a sunny 54° back home in Minneapolis.
Category: Living
‘Adobe Oasis’–3D-printed art installation
On today’s random bike ride, I stumbled upon this adobe art installation, part of this year’s Desert X exhibition. Interestingly, although mud is an ancient building material, this exhibit was created using a modern method: 3D printing. While adobe is a durable material in desert climates, with examples of buildings lasting millennia, this particular structure is temporary and will be removed in May.
Mastering the Araby, Berns, and Shannon trails
We retraced a loop we’d first walked a few days prior. Overnight high winds had stirred up fine particulate matter (we are in a desert), triggering an air quality alert and making the climbs a bit more challenging. Missing a city bus at the end, we summoned a Lyft to a hostelry where reviving beer and nachos awaited. A good day.
Where graffiti is encouraged
You just don’t see graffiti in Palm Springs, except here, on my cycle ride today. This is the site of a now-demolished fashion mall, an improvement and a monument to pragmatism, IMHO. A governing board oversees this site, applying just a few rules. Elsewhere, a call to the city’s graffiti-abatement hotline promptly summons a cleanup crew.
Exploring the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
Our Sunday walk included a stop at a brand new museum to learn about the Agua Caliente people who’ve lived here for thousands of years. The galleries took us through their origin story (which is as believable as any other) and up to today. It’s interesting to know they’re the biggest single landowner in Palm Springs, and a lot of properties here are built on their leased land.
Mastering the North Lykken Trail
Hiked the North Lykken Trail yet again. Each time it seems a little easier. We convinced ourselves we’d climbed the height of two Empire State Buildings, but our devices assured us it was less than one.
Desert plants: a puncturing hazard
A thorn, presumably from a desert plant clipping lying on the road, punctured my inner tube. I found the tiny hole in the tire, but I’d forgotten to include tire levers in the kit I’d brought from home. So, I walked the bike over to a bike shop. I left with a new tube (installed) and these very red tire levers.
They are alive
Went for a walk between rain showers. Outside the art museum we found another temporary Desert X installation, ‘Alive!’, a repurposed wind turbine blade. Behind it, you can see the permanent installation of architect Albert Frey’s Aluminaire House (America’s first all-metal house, originally shown at an exhibition in New York City in 1931). Later, in 1946, he designed the place where we’re staying.
New trails, new views: on top of the world
Hopped on a city bus to a trailhead then hiked Araby, Berns, and Shannon trails for the first time. Gentle climbs with plenty switchbacks, great loop with stunning panoramic views of the valley and mountains. We packed plenty of water in our daypack, carried by Dwight when he took this photo.
All shiny and new…
Rain today prompted us to clean our unit and run the laundry. The owners had remodeled this bathroom since we last stayed here; for some reason, a Madonna song from forty years ago (yikes) became my earworm as I cleaned the surfaces. I drew the line at removing some hard-water spots on the glass.