Day Four and Five (08.26.09-08.27.09) While in Indio, Dave and I had his parents' vacant vacation house to crash at. Really, it was the entire reason that Indio was even a destination - or the motivation for the road trip initially. It was so much better than a hotel, not just because it was free, but because it proved to be the perfect escape after a long day of driving, exploring, and generally wearing ourselves out.
The house gave us space and time to ourselves. We had a pool, which we each took advantage of to relax in at the end of the day. But probably why memories of the house (and pool specifically) stick with me, is because it was the only part of the trip where we actually did nothing - in the best sense of the word. I'd be swimming while Dave was on his laptop, Dave would be in the house while I sat out by the pool, I'd be going through my souvenirs inside while Dave swam, etc.
It was the perfect way to decompress and try to register what we had just done that day. I remember saying to Dave several times that I'm not going to be able to process the entire trip until we actually get back because everything is so new and we just keep adding to the list. It was no surprise that the house proved the perfect location to play catch up and ponder about a little bit of everything. The evenings by the pool allowed me to at least wrap my head around what we'd seen that afternoon, and for a moment, slow things down.
I remember the drive back from the Aerial Tramway and because we had a bit of distance to cover to get back to Indio, we went in search of a Walmart so that I could buy a swimsuit and maybe something that said 'Indio' on it - we ended up in La Quinta but found a Walmart anyway. The next night we ended up eating at a restaurant in Indio shaped like a castle with mini-TVs at each station - the combination of the beer, castle theme, and ridiculous TV shows seemed to create a campy mix of awesome.
This edit, Nightswimming, is specifically about those relaxed evenings by the pool and the downplayed evenings that we spent driving back to the house or around Indio itself. While not an epic destination perhaps, the trip wouldn't have been what it was without this time to recollect, to swim, to enjoy the cooler evenings and desert air, and to simply remind ourselves exactly where we were.
Day Four (08.26.09) Walking around outside of the Mountain Station of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Dave and I stumbled onto a raccoon digging through the trash. He'd dive in and come out with a cup or napkin and head back in again. It was a quick sighting, but it was entertaining to stumble upon.
This is just a mini-edit in comparison to the others that I've made for Indio Outio, but the brief encounter seemed worth including and sharing.
Day Four (08.26.09) We were losing sunlight as we made the exit for Palm Springs. As you enter the city, a short distance after leaving the interstate, the first thing you notice is a giant Palm Springs Aerial Tramway sign. It seemed like the easiest thing to find, although after noticing there were no tram cars we realized (obviously) that we needed to head further up into the mountains.
The incline of the drive didn't seem that bad at first, but you quickly realize just how far up you really are when you see the valley become more prominent behind you. As we pulled into the parking lot of the Valley Station of the Aerial Tramway it was clearly printed above the door of the building that we were already 2600ft. above sea level. Just walking up to the door of the building felt like a funhouse because of the steep and misleading incline.
We bought our tickets and were quickly ushered into the loading area. It was soon after that that we found ourselves slowly rotating in one of the famous cable cars, surrounded by jagged rocks and steep embankments, heading from the floor of the Coachella valley up to the Mountain Station of the San Jacinto Peak (8500ft. above sea level).
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway seemed enticing just from what I'd read online before the trip, but to see it and experience it in person felt ethereal.
It was so quiet, everyone seemed content to gaze and whisper to the person they were with. The light breeze from the open windows further reinforced a connection with the expansive and awe-inspiring views. It's difficult to explain, but easy to recognize, that the scale and beauty of something like this is challenging to process. I was very much in the moment.
While the footage I shot is a great memento, something like this is meant to be witnessed - the visual reality suddenly makes you feel so small. The atmosphere, ambiance, and even the shift in temperature as our altitude rose, seem essential in completing my memory. It was so much more than just a pretty picture.
By the time we reached the top and had something to eat it was dark. Patches of city light filled the valley, and from our perch we could see the lights trail all the way down to Indio. If our goal of taking an unforgettable road trip wasn't yet fulfilled, here we were quite literally on top of the world.
