CA-AZ Trip, Days 6 & 7, Palm Springs

---

no photos for3-30 & 31-2013

They were going to Madera Canyon to shoot migrating birds before heading back to San Diego airport, and Barb and I left this part up to spontaneity. When originally setting our plans, Barb and I weren’t sure yet where to spend this last night. Barb wanted to stay in Palm Springs from where we would fly on Easter Monday, and enjoy the town; I suggested we leave the Joshua Tree option in the mix in case there were places we missed or must revisit for better light; or we could stay the extra night in Tucson for similar reasons. By the time we were checking out of the Best Western we decided to head back to Palm Springs and shoot the wind turbines we noted on our arrival.

We felt great arriving in Palm Springs, and that feeling constantly improved except for one bump in our stay in this beautiful town. We enjoyed the look and feel as we searched for our hotel, another BW on the main drag. When we finally spotted it we knew it was not to be the same ol’ drag. This place was meticulously manicured with a luscious landscape theme, and it had three stories with a wrap around porch on each floor. Our room was so convenient it should have been reserved for guests less capable of movement (at least we were more capable upon our arrival). Our parking spot was so perfect we decided not to leave this oasis and its walking-distance surrounds until we left for the airport. The pool and bar were right outside our door, and it was happy hour. How convenient. The bartender was great and he recommended a place for us to eat that was so good we went there twice.

The next morning we looked for the map they gave us when we checked in to see where to go for the complimentary breakfast. Breakfast was right outside our room, right next to the bar and pool. After the perfect breakfast we toured the town and even wandered into a casino. Barb had to take a picture of me with her phone to send it to many who would not believe I was in a casino (ask those “many” what that might mean). We visited every gallery and antique shop and eventually made our way back to the room. We planned on hanging out until happy hour, then walk over to our favorite restaurant, and who knows what else we’d have time for before turning in for an almost midday rise for our flight home. We had a slow hour and a half before the happy one so I setup the laptop to process some photos while we waited for the bartender to cut up some lemons and dish out some peanuts. Barb said she was just going down the street to buy some souvenirs and return a call to one of our daughters and would be right back. An hour later was getting close to that time when I was changing from a “Yeah, sure, she’ll be right back” attitude to one of concern for her delay. Just then I heard her cardkey fumble in the lock and jumped up to save her the trouble of trying again. She limped into the room with a fake Lucy Ricardo cry telling me she had fallen. After just days earlier successfully navigating the boulders and stream of Sabino Canyon, she tripped over that part of the curb that lowers at intersections in this calm springs town. I asked her if she was looking up making sure the helicopters could rescue her and she told me to get ice. She couldn’t even make it to the bar outside our room for happy hour, but insisted on walking to our favorite restaurant, normally a five-minute commitment. Let me drive? No. A cab? No, I can make it. She did, and back, too. Then it was into bed for her and trips to the ice machine for me. She went to sleep with the belief that she would rise with improvement, but rose in the morning without it.

A day of flying can be much improved from the normal grind if you get yourself on the needs-assistance list. That is, for the passenger who gets to ride the chauffer-pushed wheelchair. Her companion will need to maneuver twice the number of carryon luggage (with emphasis on the lug), and, at least in the city of brotherly love, also be the chauffer.

But we made it home and enjoyed every minute of this very special trip (no pun intended), spawning two wonderful friendships, and promising to do it all again somewhere else.

---