The Desert Sun

Why would I want to go spend a day in Palm Springs in the middle of July? That's a good question, and it leads back to what Baseball Road Trips have evolved in to: because it's an adventure. If I have proven anything this season is that the unconventional is now conventional. I've shown that stereotypes are just that, and that I'm willing to push the limits in the name of baseball. Yesterday in Palm Springs was exactly that and it etched an indelible mark on this season. Like so many Baseball Road Trips before it, the game was the focus, but for the rest of the day, the world was at my feet and fingertips.

Palm Springs evokes images of a posh desert community catering to movie stars and the rich and famous. It is an image of swimming pools, golf courses, and ritzy restaurants. Heck, a few weeks ago, President Obama and his family were in town looking at winter homes for their post-White House life. It's hard to believe that in the nine months I have lived down here, I have not driven the hour out to the desert to see this place for myself. So, I planned out a day that culminated in seeing the summer collegiate league team at Palm Springs Stadium. I was excited to head out on this adventure.

After driving into the desert, I unloaded my bike for my citywide loop around the city. As I have come to realize this year, biking is a great way to really see the community and interact with the urban scene of the city. I parked my car at the ballpark, which is centrally located in Palm Springs, and left from there. My 14-mile loop took me through downtown, past a couple golf courses, weaved through mid-century architecture neighborhoods populated by Snowbirds, past desert landscapes, and along the Gene Autry trail by the airport.

Aside from the fact that when I finished, it was already 105 degrees, it was a fantastic bike ride. Palm Springs is laid out with really wide streets and it seems like biking is a real option to the people who live there. Granted, during the summer, biking may be inconvenient. However, during the winter, when the weather is still a balmy 80 degrees, I'm sure the biking is even better. In mid-July, biking was like being in a slow-cooker as the day wore on. I was really sweaty, but very satisfied with the ride.

I learned my lesson from the Dodgers game a few weeks ago and planned out a relaxing cool down after a bike ride. Right next to the ballpark is a public swimming pool that I took advantage of. For five dollars, I soaked in the refreshing 81-degree outdoor pool. There was no uncomfortable grubbiness after that experience, and I was refreshed and rejuvenated for the rest of the day's events. Gosh, I sure wish that there was something similar to that at Dodger Stadium!

My next stop was the Palm Springs Air Museum. This museum is located at the Palm Springs Airport and specializes in displaying flight-ready World War II aircraft. It is split into three separate hangars that hold airplanes from the Atlantic theater, Pacific theater, and the museum's marquee B-17 Flying Fortress. While I am a real history nut and loved every single airplane that was there, the experience in the B-17 was totally worth the price of admission, and, I dare venture to say, my trip to Palm Springs.

You could actually tour the B-17 with a volunteer tour guide from the museum. While on the tour, our first stop was the flight deck of the B-17, my tour guide reveals to me that he flew 34 combat missions in a B-17 over Germany during the War. Think of it this way: American daylight bombing raids in B-17's had a 40% casualty rate. Standing in front of me was a man that flew 34 of those missions. Bottom line: The tour was only supposed to take 20 minutes, but I ended up standing on the flight deck of a B-17 talking with this real hero for two hours.

Folks, these daylight bombing raids were over the heart of the Third Reich, and standing before me was a man who lived to tell about it. The heroism of this man and all of those associated with him are undeniable and truly profound. I think it is also significant that this man, who had to be in his 80's, was still willing to climb in and out of a cramped bomber to tell the story of what it was really like. There was a display at the museum about his story and career, but actually talking and listening to him about flying the B-17 was fascinating and incredible.

After the museum, I made my way to my next planned stop, which was two craft breweries on the edge of town. It seems now that almost every Baseball Road Trip involves a visit to one of these types of establishments. I do this because I love to sample beers from different places, and also to really get a sense of community. Unlike a bar, craft breweries are locally-owned and are reflective of the communities they reside in. You also get to meet people who support this local endeavor and are there not to get drunk, but rather to enjoy local flavor. The beer was good at both, but my first stop at Coachella Valley Brewing Company was more enjoyable, in my opinion. I had a good conversation with the brewer there and with a few of the patrons about Palm Springs.

My final stop was the baseball game at Palm Springs Stadium. Originally the Spring Training home of the Angels, Palm Springs Stadium now hosts collegiate league baseball throughout the year. For the summer, it is the home of the Palm Springs Power, who were hosting the High Desert Heat. The park itself is rather small and reminds me of UC Riverside's park, in a way. It doesn't break any ground in terms of design, but the misters that lined the aisleways between the seating sections were fantastic relief to the brutal heat.

For such a small stadium, it does have a lot of history. It is owned by the City of Palm Springs and was the first home for the Angels during Spring Training. The original owner of the Angels, Entertainer Gene Autry, took great pride in this and kept the Angels in Palm Springs until the early 1990's when the eventually moved to Tempe. It has seen some great talent go through, and you could see just how enticing of a location a Spring Training home could be in Palm Springs.

It got me thinking, considering how exclusive of a destination Palm Springs is and the allure that surrounds it, why don't the Angels have a Spring Training exhibition game here? I mean, the Cubs always have an exhibition in Las Vegas at Cashman Field, so why couldn't the Angels do something similar?

As you can tell, it was a very long day with a whole lot of fun stuff. I had foreseen it being a whirlwind adventure, but not to this degree. I'm definitely going back to Palm Springs for the California Winter League next January, so I'm hoping that I will become even more familiar with the city.

It's a big week coming up. My Baseball Road Trip counterpart who accompanied me back in March for the Cactus League road trip is coming down to SoCal on Friday to do the 66ers-Angels weekend swing. She accepted my offer of tickets, bike, and train fare, and we'll be going to both those games together. I'm so looking forward to finally getting to share this awesome routine with someone and introducing them to an activity that has become so dear to me.

So, until Friday...

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)