Change of Plans!

One of the things that I'm loving about this trip is that I can spontaneously chase unexpected sites, take side trips, veer off the beaten track, or simply change my mind about where to go and when to get there. This morning, Wednesday, I woke with a blinding headache. I tried to keep myself well hydrated yesterday and I forced myself to drink water even when i wasn't thirsty, but I guess it still wasn't enough. I chugged half a bottle of gatorade that was on my nightstand and put on my sunglasses to darken the bright sun.

My plan for today was to drive on to Phoenix and maybe kick around Scottsdale, then find a hotel. However, I found myself in no mood for another four-hour desert drive, so what to do? There wasn't much to do in 29 Palms, except maybe count the 29 palms, so I checked my map for other options. Aha! Palm Springs was not too far--about an hour-- and I thought it might be fun to check out the storied desert resort town. I pointed the car in that direction and waited for the ibuprofen to kick in, which it thankfully did while I was enroute.

The drive took me by a massive wind farm that I recognized as a place Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman drove by in the movie Rain Man. The sky got progressively darker and smokier though as I drove. There are some big wildfires burning in San Bernadino, and that is putting a lot of particulate in the air. Not great for the lungs, nor the views, but the sunset should be pretty spectacular.

I hit town about noon. As I expected it was hot, hot, hot. 107 degrees. I could feel my sinuses drying up instantaneously. It was also surrounded by spectacular mountains that seemed to climb endlessly skyward. Not a lot of people out and about in the intense noonday sun, but I guess that was to be expected. I searched for a place for lunch. A little bar and grill called "Pinnochio's" seemed about right so I popped in. I guess with a name like that, they can't lie to you and tell the three day old fish is fresh? Anyway, I had the BEST caesar salad I've had in a long time.

I searched google to learn more about the city and maybe figure out what to do and see. Apparently, Palm Springs was somewhat of a Mecca for old hollywood royalty in the 40's, 50's and 60's. The major film studios wrote something into their actors' contracts called "The Two Hour Rule." Basically, it forbade actors from travelling more than two hours away from the studio while a film was in production, in case they needed to be called back for a re-shoot. Palm Springs was at the sweet spot, just two hours from L.A., so it became a popular getaway for film industry personnel. Sinatra and the ratpack also spent a fair amount of time here. It was also the main residence for Bob Hope and his wife Dolores.

Another thing P.S. is famous for is mid-century architecture. I love the style and ...wow! The city delivered. The homes are long and low-slung, with shallow-peaked roofs. Many of them feature front doors and trim accents in bright 50's colors. Even the town's municipal buildings were built to fit in with the style. New construction still tries to reflect the earlier look, so everything fits together harmoniously. I went to the visitors' center to see if they had a map of architectural highlights and I hit the jackpot. They gave me a map with over 100 recommended buildings and homes to check out. Unfortunately the map was confusing and many of said houses were behind high fences and hedges. Still, just driving around the ritzy neighborhoods and seeing the inventive landscaping and home designs was a delight. And it kept me in the car with the a/c pumping, so that was a definite plus.

Palms Springs has a pretty active gay scene too, including a lot of retired couples with bucks. I'm not one for clubbing these days, but I did enjoy the little gay shopping district and visited the local Gaymart. Tee hee. I thought that was a pretty clever name :)

For my night I booked into Motel 6 because it was too hot to camp. They have a pool which, predictably, was as warm as the bath I usually draw at night, but the a/c in the hotel room seems to be keeping up with the heat (now 110 degrees). All in all, a fun and spontaneous day. Tomorrow I'll stop procrastinating and get my butt to Phoenix as planned. I have a very special person to meet at the airport and I do not want to be late!