Woke up to Gold Medal Park, Guthrie Theater and Mill City Museum in a snow globe. A perfect day to stay in, ride an exercycle, and start packing for our annual snowbird trip. New this year: we've arranged for bikes, so I'll be gathering our helmets, locks, and some tools.
Plants drippered, fridge tipped, bags packed. Ready for an early morning departure. (The Vikings stadium roof is visible through the far window, glowing blue. The lighting is dynamic; for example, during the Christmas season it features a candy cane design.)
It was 65° warmer at Palm Springs PSP than when we left Minneapolis/St. Paul MSP this morning. This is cool for Palm Springs but it heats up next week. Here, we're walking from the arrival gate to baggage claim.
It never rains in Southern California... but today a welcome shower promises a colorful desert bloom in the coming weeks. Undeterred, we picked up bicycles that will be our companions for the next few weeks. For the first two weeks, we also have an EV (the learning curve on charging is proving interesting!). The local bus service complements our transportation options, and of course, we can always walk.
A rose graced our lunch table today at the Palm Springs Art Museum between exploring two galleries. A morning highlight was a James Turrell installation whose work I first encountered on Naoshima Island, Japan, and whose outdoor installation at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis I only recently discovered. After lunch, I smiled at a piece by artist John Dickinson, which "takes care of any pomposity" a room might possess.
A morning lecture on the Bauhaus school and its demise under National Socialism offered a stark warning about politically dictated aesthetics. This is especially relevant now, as our Administration insists on architectural styles for federal buildings reminiscent of those mandated by Germany's 1930s leadership.
On our Sunday morning walk, snow-dusted Mount San Jacinto while it was 70 degrees in the valley. We passed a large residential lot in a quiet neighborhood, overflowing with exuberant sculptures crafted from found objects by the homeowner. The bright colors and fanciful shapes stood in stark contrast to the understated elegance of Twin Palms, the Frank Sinatra house, just a block away.
Contrails painted the sky as we hiked a trail in Joshua Tree National Park.
The PowerPoint slide flashed a title we weren't expecting: "Working in Tranquility: Landscapes, Interiors and the Modernist Corporate Campus." We'd walked into the wrong lecture. But we shrugged, deciding to stay and see where it led. Later, we had lunch at Blackbook, shown here, where I enjoy spotting the occasional straight couple who've wandered in by mistake. Some flee, some stay and relax, others stay and cling closer.
Hiked a loop formed from three trails, ascending through desert landscapes and descending into canyons where water sources support thriving California fan palms. The land we walked on belongs to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians which maintains the land and charges a small entry fee.
Dwight went for a jog, I went for a bicycle meander, stopping for coffee and picking up groceries along the way. After yesterday's somewhat arduous hilly hike, this felt like a rest day.
We hiked the exact same loop we did a couple days ago. We love this loop, over the years we've hiked it several times. It seemed less strenuous than a couple days ago, as our bodies acclimate. Here, we're close to the finish line at Palm Canyon, an oft-photographed spot.
Walked over to the Annenberg Theater in downtown Palm Springs for a concert with jazz singer, Dianne Reeves. We first saw her in Minneapolis at Orchestra Hall, maybe 15 years ago, and we often play her music at home. She has evolved well over the years: more innovative, more energy, and more of an edge, including a political message to hold onto our humanity.
Drove across the Coachella Valley to a ridge trail with lovely 360° views looking across the valley. Initially, we hiked directly on the San Andreas Fault. Here, we're looking down at a line of native California fan palms owing their existence to groundwater pushed up by the collision of the tectonic plates.
On my cycle ride, stopped to watch workers preparing to move the 17-ton blonde bombshell less than 100 feet. The combined legal and moving fees are reportedly around $1 million. I was only three years old when 'The Seven Year Itch' first pushed back on the conservative mores of 1950s America.
On our final Indian Canyons hike before we give up the car (and easy access to the trailheads) we spotted a line of prison inmates carrying rakes, soon to perform fire mitigation. The training may ease their reintegration into society, possibly including joining a fire department. Meanwhile, we hope they're receiving fair compensation.
Walked back from an off-airport Avis location after returning our car, a significant savings over terminal pickup and dropoff. We liked the car (a Kia Niro EV) and would happily own a smaller version of it if we didn't have many years left on our 2017 Honda Fit. For the next few weeks we're walking and cycling, and using city buses, Lyft, and a cable car.
During my cycle ride, I popped into Albertsons Supermarket for fruit and saw a lot of fresh California produce. It'll be two or three months before Minnesota field-grown options start showing up in Minneapolis.
Lyft to North Lykken trailhead, then walked one-way: steep ascent, less steep descent, valley floor walk, steep ascent, steepest descent to downtown Palm Springs. Lunch at Blackbook, dishevelled walk home along city streets past other tourists carrying little shopping bags. In 1915, Carl Lykken, from Grand Forks, ND, installed the first telephone in Palm Springs. Apparently he also liked to hike.
Patio view from our rental. Today's cooler, cloudier weather made for a more dramatic sunset. Third time renting this spot. And yes, it's Sausage Saturday with sausage and cabbage for dinner, then a movie with a break for ice cream (actually frozen cashew milk). Yum.
Our Sunday morning walk was anchored by homes that once belonged to Cary Grant, Bob Hope, and Steve McQueen. Here, we're peering over a gate for a glimpse of Cary Grant's former Palm Springs home.
This is the only photo I took today, which reminds me, the "David Hockney: Perspective Should Be Reversed" exhibit we saw in Honolulu last year, is now in Palm Springs. We'll be giving that a second look. The lounging pool in the photo is just below our rental.
Lyft to the trailhead, then hiked up the South Lykken Trail. Layers of rock, leaning at precarious angles, provided a striking contrast with the occasional view of the more orderly grid of Palm Springs, 1,000 feet below. After almost 3 hours, we descended toward Downtown and a beer and a shared sandwich at Blackbook.
Cycled down to Moorten Botanical Garden. Of course, Wednesday is the one day of the week it's closed. Continued our bike ride, then got haircuts and did the weekly laundry.
On a walk through the neighborhood, one of Liberace's former homes. My mother insisted he wasn't gay. This home is not proof, it's just consistent with his schtick. His schtick isn't proof, either, but, yes, he was in the closet. Kinda sad for all of us.
While making random turns down streets that were new to me, discovered this scene of celebs who once had homes in Palm Springs. The developer of this building site had decided to have fun until construction begins. The mountains in the distance are topped with last night's fresh snow while down in the valley it was warm enough to wear shorts while riding my bicycle.
A Jaguar EV, ordered via Lyft for $8, dropped us at the North Lykken trailhead. Tee shirt and shorts were perfect for the climb. In the distance, a wind farm powered homes and EVs. California's progress is inspiring and will transcend the current administration in Washington: EV sales hit roughly 25% in both 2023 and 2024. California's leadership, from pioneering unleaded gas to banning smoking in bars, continues.
Various street art pieces determined our Sunday morning walk route. Along the way, we stopped at the city swimming pool so Dwight could stick a hand in the water, finding it pleasantly warm. He'll return another day to swim laps.
Cycled to 'Unsui (Mirror)' one of nine 'Desert X' temporary installations across the Coachella Valley. The clouds' appearance shifted as I moved, thanks to small, pivoted mirrors. The support poles are also mirrored. 'Unsui' is Japanese for 'clouds and water' which describes Zen monks who've achieved enlightenment. At a more literal level, the art piece seems to depict rain: from this angle the clouds suggest a storm.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
At the Palm Springs Art Museum, walked around a retrospective of David Hockney prints. In this gallery, I caught an actual gallery patron (with hat), seated, looking at individual flower prints Hockney created on an iPad. On the opposite wall, a wall-sized print depicts the artist (with cap), seated, looking at the same flower prints.
Cycled down to Moorten Botanical Garden, a family-owned institution since 1938. Their extensive collection showcases plants from deserts worldwide. Dwight's City Gardener Blog will likely feature some of his photos along with background information. Click through for the link.
At the peak of the heat, the sun will dip behind the mountains, bringing a marked and comfortable temperature drop. A long, pleasant dusk follows, perfect for sitting outside. Until then, I'll stretch out on the couch and read a novel.
Took the bike for a final spin while Dwight cycled to the pool for laps. Renting bikes is expensive--it would've been cheaper to buy bikes--so I posted a call for help on Reddit and received many helpful responses. One person offered to lend us his two Treks for a reasonable fee. After checking his previous posts and seeing his good karma rating, we agreed. The proceeds went to his wife's nursing education fund.
On our walk, Desert House, commissioned from architect Richard Neutra in 1946 by department store magnate Edgar J. Kaufmann. The LA Times lists it as one of the ten most important homes in the LA area (stretching it geographically). Kaufmann also commissioned Fallingwater from Frank Lloyd Wright, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. While Desert House was being built, Kaufmann stayed in the much more modest Villa Hermosa, where we're staying.