The race started early in the morning. The moon was still up. The sun was slowly climbing up its way on the horizon. It was a beautiful day. Then the next hour and 12 minutes was a slow uphill battle over 3.7 miles (6km), gaining 2,000 feet in elevation. Slowly moving past the sign that […]
Colorful Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve
Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve sits on the northern edge of the Coachella Valley in the Indio Hills, just a few minutes away from Palm Springs. Wildflowers A couple of weekends ago I ventured out to look for the first signs of wildflowers. I wasn’t disappointed. When I arrived I stopped at the ranger station and […]
Araby Trail: wildflowers, and a storm brewing
It’s not a secret that Araby Trail is my favorite hiking trail in Palm Springs. I use it as a workout trail, a show-my-friends-the-town-from-above trail, get-out-of-the-house-trail, and just-enjoy-the-outdoors trail. Today I wanted to see whether the recent severe rain falls (that closed several of the man streets in Palm Springs) did any damage to the […]
Revisiting Mt San Jacinto
I get to look at Mt San Jacinto from my front porch in Palm Springs. It is one of my favorite things to do when I am out there on weekends: brew some fresh coffee and sip it while marveling at “my” mountains. Mt San Jacinto Mt San Jacinto stands 10,834 feet above sea level, […]
Wandering Inspiration
Whitewater Preserve, a place for hiking, resting, and inspiration. The trails around the ranger station exhibit famous quotes written on rocks.
10 Things To Do in and around Palm Springs this Fall 2018
It’s October! And this means life comes steadily back to Palm Springs as the heat leaves and temperatures fall below 100F again. Music, art, weirdness flocks back into the Coachella and Yucca Valleys. There is so much to do in the desert during the cooler fall days. The big question is which event will you choose […]
A short weekend in Joshua Tree National Park & Palm Springs off the beaten track
A friend asked me recently to give her some tips on what to see and do between Joshua Tree National Park and Palm Springs during a short weekend. She is the kind of friend who looks for the things to do that are just a little off the beaten track. She has never been, so […]
Palm Springs – Old Las Palmas Neighborhood
I almost bought a condo in the Old Las Palmas neighborhood in Palm Springs last year and if I then knew what I now know I may have gone through with it… I could have been neighbors to the stars. Granted, most of the stars that lived in Palm Springs in the 50s, 60s, and […]
Desert X – Mirage in Palm Springs
Doug Aitken’s MIRAGE is an art installation in Palm Springs. It’s part of the Desert X biennial exhibition in the Coachella Valley. Desert X first took place in the spring of 2017. Artists were invited to create installations that reflect the unique landscape of the desert. A 2019 exhibition is planned to open in February […]
The Palm Springs Tram Road Challenge or the World’s Toughest 6K
This race was not for the faint-hearted. What sounds like a fun way to start a Saturday, a 6k run or walk, is still kicking my butt more than 30 hours later. One Word: Uphill The Palm Springs Tram Road Challenge is an uphill 3.7-mile race with an almost 2,000 feet elevation gain. It’s your […]
My favorite hike in Palm Springs – Araby Trail
Now that it’s finally fall again and a little cooler in the desert, I can hop back on my “work-out” trails here in Palm Springs. My favorite trail starts right behind Vons Supermarket off Highway 111. I refer to it as Araby Trail, but I noticed that the All Trails App calls it Goat Trails. […]
Fall Bucket List – the Hiking and Exploring Edition
I never quite know what to say when people ask me about my favorite season. Summer brings fun days at the beach, winter brings cold nights in front of the fire-place. A margarita on the patio or a hot chocolate to warm my hands? When it really comes down, my favorite seasons are spring and […]