Going Going, Back Back

In the past 6 months I have been lucky enough to visit California twice.

Once was to visit Cinda with she was working in Sacramento. We busted out of there right quick and hustled to Wine Country. It was a delightful little trip where much wine was consumed and fun and frolicking was had by all. Look! So carefree!

This past trip-to Palm Desert-was work related. It was a successful trip, but work related so it shockingly entailed a lot of work. We did stay at a stunning resort, one where I managed to get lost on an almost daily basis. I’d wind up walking in circles on the sprawling grounds, wetting my finger and trying to find the direction of the wind. Except I don’t really know what any of that means so it usually ended with me flagging down a member of the staff and asking for a ride via golf cart to wherever I was going. They had such pity in their eyes as they indulged me. The resort was very beautiful despite the challenges to a person like me:

We did have some free time our final day and my coworker, E, and I decided to do some exploring. Neither one of is drives, but E is a bit more comfortable behind the wheel or conversely, I am more terrified of driving. It has now been more than two years since I have been behind the wheel and I would happily make it more. We printed out directions and decided to head to Palm Canyon Drive, the main drag in Palm Springs.

We headed on our way, invigorated by our sense of direction and willingness to push ourselves outside of our boundaries. (Okay, maybe that was just me.) We slowly begin climbing what seems to be a bit of a mountain. “No big deal”, we think. “It will end soon”, I think. And we keeping climbing…and climbing more. There are no guard rails and we are looking down the side of a mountain with steep drop offs.

E is white knuckling it. I am dealing with sweaty palms and a case of church giggles. At one point I peered out the window to admire the view and got that churny pre-throw up feeling. We kept on thinking if we forged ahead we would come over a hill and paradise would await us.

It did not. Instead we turned down a dirt road and were greeted by this:

This asshole dog was waiting in the middle of the road to greet us, as if to say “You bitches are lost”. He did not move. He did not bark. He just judged.

So we finally gave up, turned around and consulted the GPS. Apparently there are two Palm Canyon Drives. We were on the wrong one. Clearly.

We once again braved the side of the mountain. E was our steadfast navigator. I made us stop and take a picture:

It was beautiful. We made it out alive. We finally made it to Palm Springs and it was disappointing. The ride there, the very roundabout ride, was the best part. I bought E a necklace to thank her for not killing us. I am a changed woman after staring in to death’s eyes.

The end.