Palm Springs

Palm Springs is only 15 miles from the casino where we are so we drove the car over there to explore it.  This used to be a real hot spot for celebrities, but not so much any more.  Palm Springs has long been considered California's ultimate desert playground for the gay and lesbian traveler.  The visitor center had a whole rack of brochures specifically for the LGBT community.  There are gay-owned bistros and restaurants and world-renowned LGBT events.  There are 25 gay and lesbian resorts and inns here.  Some are women only, some are men only, and many are clothing optional.

It's not a big city.  We parked and walked up and down the main drive, it was very beautiful and there were several very nice restaurants and gift shops.  Celebrity stars are inlaid all along the sidewalks on both sides of the street.

Downtown Palm Springs

Downtown Palm Springs

We found a statue of Lucille Ball.  There should also be Sonny Bono and Gene Autry here, and probably some others but we did not find them.

I Love Lucy

One of the many celebrity stars.

Outside of town is the largest wind farm I have ever seen.  There were thousands of them!  There is a tour available for about $35.  Maybe next time. 

Wind Farm

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway was tempting.  This has the world's largest rotating Tram cars

 and travels up over two and one half miles in just 10 minutes to Mt. San Jacinto State Park, elevation 8,516 feet.  We went to look and seriously considered it, but when we heard it was only 35 degrees up there and very windy and there was snow, and it would have been a one hour wait, we decided we would save the $70 it would have cost us to go up there.  Maybe next time.

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

This is the parking lot.  The tram takes you up 2.5 miles to
the top of the farthest back mountain in the picture
elevation 8,516.

So, we headed back to the casino, only about 10 miles from the Tram.  About two miles into it the traffic just stopped!  OMG, we were stuck in that traffic for TWO HOURS.  There were no exits.  Most people were patient, but we saw no less than ten cars pull over to the bushes for a potty stop.  Some people try to move up in line by passing on the right shoulder which lead to some horn honking and gesturing by the law abiding drivers.

This is why we go potty before we leave.

Finally, we got onto the frontage road that goes to the casino, but that, too, was backed up. 

This lady pulled over to feed and water her horse.

As I'm blogging this, we can see the I-10 freeway in the distance, it has not improved, and we've been back for over two hours.  We learned traffic was backed up for 22 miles.  So glad we weren't in it any more than we were.