A Short Trip: In Which Our Author Learns Something

I recently had the opportunity to visit Palm Springs. My husband was attending a convention there, and I was able to tag along with him. Everyone told me that the only thing in Palm Springs was golf, a sport I've never played before. But I found the city and its environs to be beautiful and full of things to do.

One of the things I love about travel is the chance to learn new about new things. Palm Springs was full of learning opportunities. The only other desert I've ever been to was the Klein Karoo, and while I got to pet a cheetah and ride and ostrich, there was not a lot of explanation about the desert ecosystem. So, in Palm Springs I learned about oases, plant and animal survival, and human habitation of desert and oasis locations.

I hiked in two of the oasis canyons surrounding Palm Springs, and also in several of the locals in Joshua Tree. I was particularly struck by how what qualified as an oasis did not always meet my preconceived notions. In Palm Canyon, the lush palm trees and flowing stream were exactly what I expected an oasis to look like. In the valley it was cool, moist and lush. However, in Tahquitz Canyon, while there was somewhat more vegetation than the surrounding desert, the plants were desert plants, with a minimal amount of green and no tall trees to shade the hike. This second type of oasis seems to be more common at least in the Colorado desert, as up at Joshua Tree, Hidden Valley, which was supposed to be such a lush location that cattle farmers kept their herds here, was equally dry looking to my eyes.

The palm trees in Palm Springs are called Fan Palms. They grow a small fruit that tastes a lot like a date. I got to sample the fruit, and also learned that Palms are not trees at all, but members of the grass family! The Joshua Trees are also related to grasses and palms. Other plants native to the desert were interesting too. For example, the Creosote bush is in most deserts in the Americas, but is different in each desert, including the number of chromosomes it has. I also learned which plants were used for food and medicine by the local Native Americans, discovering that the Cahuilla people ate a lot of ground meals. I got to try mesquite flour and found it to be very tasty. I may purchase some for use in baking, since it is high in protein and fiber.

I was surprised at the number of humming birds in Palm Springs. They were in every garden area I visited. I even got to see a male showing off to a female - he flew high and then dive bombed the bush she was in over and over again. The noise of his decent was a high pitched buzzing.

Overall, my trip to Palm Springs was active and educational. I enjoyed my time there and hope I get the chance to go back to hike in more of the canyons and discover more about life in the desert.