Microblog

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.