I had a couple fun city days in Palm Springs with a friend of a friend, seeing movies and going to the museum, but soon I was back in nature. Whenever I'm somewhere I was with Sharon at some point, I feel compelled to do what we did. I tried to find the same hot springs we went to in 2019. Maybe 20 years ago we took the aerial tram in Palm Springs, and went cross-country skiing in the middle of summer. (The pine cones were huge, at least a foot long). We went to the Anza-Borrego desert during a “hundred year bloom” and hiked Palm Canyon. We saw the desolation of Salton Sea and the drippy boulders of Joshua Tree. I did all these things in the last few days, except the tram. The tram was at capacity and there was a long line of cars. There was no bloom at Anza-Borrego, but I did see bighorn sheep.
I looked in vain for the same hotel we saw at Salton Sea Beach, but the the water has massively evaporated and the shoreline is several hundred feet further out. At that hotel, someone had made a sculpture of two skeletons in formal wear sitting at a table. Walking on the beach, something registered a different sensation. The sand didn't “sound” right. I picked up a handful and discovered the sand was actually millions of fish bones. Check out this article, and watch this excellent documentary, Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea.
I can't explain this impulse, and it's not as if I feel disappointed when it doesn't work out. It's just a reminder that everything is different, all the time. There's nothing more futile than trying to recreate a memory. Yet, this is the path I take. I'll have more memories to share in January when I get to Arizona. Sharing memories is probably a big part of it, actually.
Joshua Tree park is very busy this week. Lots of families having fun, scrambling on the boulders, rock climbers everywhere. I did a long hike up Mount Ryan and back to the campsite, stopping off at Hall of Horrors. Climbing boulders is something I'd love to do with my kids, but doing it alone just seems silly. I enjoyed watching families having a great time on the rocks.
I won't be alone for Thanksgiving. Step-sister Alison and husband Parke invited me to their house in Joshua Tree!