The View From My Beer
A very local can of 8516 IPA while sitting at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. It just happens to be 8516 feet above sea level. What a coincidence!
Palm Springs
Day four of Jenny’s seven-day visit to California. After a very hectic few days, we decided to spend the day with a ore sedate visit to Palm Springs after enjoying a nice long sleep-in. Palm Springs is the “date capital” of the U.S., produces over 80% of the nation’s dates, and has more pools per capita than any other city in the United States. The city is also a haven for “snowbirds” who triple its population during winter months, and was a popular destination for Hollywood stars in the 1930s.
Our Day
We made the 150km drive to Palm Springs, visiting the Aerial Tramway, a quick drive through town, and then a stop near some of the windmills bfore returning to Irvine.
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
First up was a ride up the majestic Palms Springs Tramway. The Palm Springs Tramway is the world’s largest rotating aerial tramway, transporting riders over 4 km up the cliffs of Chino Canyon in about 10 minutes. It was built with the help of helicopters, and since 2000, the 80-person cars have had a rotating floor for 360-degree views as they travel from the desert floor to the alpine wilderness of Mt. San Jacinto State Park. The elevation at the top is 2,596 metres (8,516 feet). For comparison, Australia tallest mountain (Mt Kosciuszko) rises to an elevation is only 2,228 metres.
Windmills
Next, we decided to get a closer look at the windmills for which Palm Springs is famous. I have travelled past these manay times on my way to/from Palm Springs, but had never really bothered to get up real close to them. The Palm Springs windmills are a symbol of renewable energy, with the area being home to the oldest wind farm in the United States. The wind farm has around 2,700 turbines, some reaching 150 metres tall, and can generate enough energy to power approximately 300,000 homes annually.
