There is so much to do for a gay man here in the Palm Springs area! This page should give our gay visitors (and, for sure, also us who live here) much inspiration to go out there and do things. We have a lot of suggestions for what can be sound and healthy, bad and dangerous, interesting and exciting, free and expensive, moving and romantic, fun and hilarious.

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Balloon Above the Desert (776-5785): Greet the sun or bid it farewell as you drift in beautiful desert skies in one of the most peaceful experiences of a lifetime. While floating effortlessly in a colorful hot air balloon, you will view breathtaking vistas of some of the most picturesque landscapes in California. Vineyards, polo fields, world famous golf courses, and exotic orchards are just a few of the unbelievable sights you will experience. Your flight direction is determined by the breeze. In Palm Desert Dream Flights (321-5154): Sip champagne and drink in the views as you drift leisurely skyward aboard a colorful hot air balloon piloted by an informative and entertaining seasoned professional with a flawless safety record. Your flight will be one of the most memorable adventures of your life. There are both sunrise and sunset flights, floating over lush green golf courses and symmetrical farmlands with breathtaking views of the rugged Santa Rosa and San Jacinto mountains. In Rancho Mirage Fantasy Balloon Flights (568-0997): Float gracefully above the desert beauty and exquisite country clubs with a bird's eye view of the majestic patchwork panorama of the Coachella Valley below. Depending on where the wind blows you, you might enjoy the sights of PGA West, the Indio polo fields, the Salton Sea, ancient Lake Cahuilla, Banning Pass, the San Andreas Fault, all surrounded by the Santa Rosa, San Jacinto, and Little San Bernardino Mountains. In Palm Desert

The Moorten Botanical Garden Showplace & Cactus Nursery (327-6555) displays more than 3000 species of desert plants from around the world. The garden also serves as a bird sanctuary. It has nothing of the grandeur of the New York Botanical Gardens or those in Rio de Janeiro, London, or San Francisco, but in its own right it gives you, within a few steps, more desert vegetation experience than a hundred daylong hikes. To really see the whole garden, count on spending up to two hours there -- but you can march through it in 20 minutes if you feel rushed. In Palm Springs Not a public botanical garden at all, but your webmasters' poolside is adorned, like many poolsides herebouts, with a hibiscus that blooms when much of the country is dusted with the white powder. We took this picture of our blooming hibiscus right after the Boston Blizzard, on February 27, 1999. So to our dear Boston friends: Eat your heart out! (Or come out west and enjoy!) In Palm Springs

Although you can do almost anything in Palm Springs, there's one thing you shouldn't try: train spotting. You'd get very frustrated if you went down to the railroad tracks to watch the trains pass by while trying to spot an engine you never saw before, jotting down its serial number in your tattered notebook and then showing off to your buddies -- had they seen that particular engine, eh? Train spotting might have been fun in the twenties and thirties, maybe even forties and fifties, with trains passing by all the time; these days there are a few freight trains passing by Palm Springs train station each day but only two passenger trains, and they show up at 1 and 5 AM to boot! Instead, we invite you to the sport of car spotting, and that you can do right downtown, say at Tahquitz and Palm Canyon while sipping a cup of Starbucks coffee. You'll see many unusual cars; vintage car ownership is blossoming in the desert, and many are taken out for a ride now and then. But those cars is really not what you should focus in on; no, try to spot this fab car, a white 1995 (vintage as well) Hyundai Accent with the license plate GYMBRAT. Be the first one on your block to spot it, and then you'll also have seen Gymbrat, the Webmaster of www.hotman.com, your favorite web site. Give up your coffee and come over and say hello! Maybe he'll join you for your coffee or give you a ride. Notice the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) logo on his car? He was a member of that gay organization, but then came the election of 2000. The HRC endorsed over 30 congressional candidates just in Califonia, but our candidate Ron Oden, running against Republican congresswoman Mary Bono (Sonny Bono's widow), did NOT get the HRC nod. They preferred to ignore that he was one of the very few openly gay major party congressional candidates, and when they did that after earlier having endorsed the moderately gay-hostile Alfonse d'Amato over the superbly gay-friendly Dick Schumer in New York, Gymbrat diligently peeled off his HRC label. (Today, Dick Schumer is a successful U S Senator and Ron Oden is our Mayor, the only black gay Mayor in the country.)

The gay community is constantly giving to different charity causes, and since many years the AIDS support has been first and foremost. The Desert Aids Project (323-2118) and the Aids Assistance Program (AAP) are the two largest organizations in this area. Many events, big and small, serve as fundraisers for the all-important help to people with AIDS. But there are fundraisers for other causes as well, and here are a few examples of fun bar events that all help out in their own way: The Wreath Auction at Streetbar, PS (320-1266) in early December sees many elaborate wreath creations bring in good money. The wreaths are donated during the preceding weeks and are displayed at Streetbar until the auction. The Christmas Stocking Stuffing at Tool Shed Bar (320-3299) on a December evening is a gathering of wrapped Christmas gifts from its patrons for distribution to needy families in time for the holidays. The Toys for Tots at Streetbar, PS (320-1266) functions also in December in the same manner to spread happiness to kids who otherwise would not get much for Christmas. The joy the recipients of these gifts get is only superseded by the joy felt by the givers when they let some of their surplus do some real good.

College of the Desert (COD) (346-8041) serves as a stepping-stone into many four-year colleges and universities in the United States. COD is a comprehensive community college where students earn two-year Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees which transfer to four-year colleges and universities. COD has specific transfer agreements with the nearby University of California, Riverside and California State University, San Bernardino. Students can also earn occupational certificates in particular fields of study. There are short-term programs where students can gain skills in particular subjects leading to employment. COD offers over 60 degree programs and over 35 occupational certificate programs. In Palm Desert The satellite campus of California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB), Palm Desert Campus (341-2883) offers upper-division and graduate programs for the convenience of students living in the Coachella Valley and Morongo Basin. Admissions and financial aid information, registration, and academic advising are also available locally. The Palm Desert campus' classrooms and office are located at 37500 Cook Street, Palm Desert, with additional classrooms at the Palm Desert campus annex located on the College of the Desert property, 43500 Monterey Avenue, Palm desert. Call 341-2883 for information about the campus and its programs and courses. In Palm Desert Every year, adults like you make the decision to return to college to earn your education credential, undergraduate degree or graduate degree. The Coachella Valley campus of Chapman University (CUCVC) (341-8051) has been meeting the needs of adult students for over 40 years, offering high quality programs taught by academically rich and professionally accomplished faculty at convenient times and locations that allow you to pursue your career and education goals while juggling your busy schedule. A new term starts every 10 weeks! Plus, experience the Chapman difference -- individualized attention. Talk to our staff one-on-one and get the answers you need. No long lines. No treating you like a number. We are here to help you every step of the way from discussing and understanding your goals to class registration to academic advising and career counseling. For information, call 341-8051. In Palm Desert

First of all, you should know about Boots in Squares (328-6303 or EMAIL HERE or 327-8684 or EMAIL HERE), Palm Springs gay square dance club, which both hosts dances and teaches square dancing. The club is 50 members strong and is a member of the International Association of Gay Square Dance Clubs. It welcomes dancers from all over the world to its monthly club dances as well as to its regular Monday night classes. Three dance skill levels: Mainstream, Plus, and A-1. Starting on the first Monday of January each year, the club arranges weekly classes in all three skill levels: Plus level from 6:30 to 7:30 PM, Mainstream level from 7:30 to 9 PM, and A-1 level from 9 to 10 PM. Both the monthly dances and the weekly classes take place in the Cathedral City Senior Center. In addition, Boots in Squares performs publicly a few times a year, such as at Palm Springs Pride. Apart from the square dancing that is offered by Boots in Squares, there is dancing every night at Hunters Video Bar (323-0700) and Toucans Tiki Lounge (416-7584) and on selected nights at other gay bars, such as Ground Zero Bar (321-0031), Heaven (416-0950), and Sidewinders Bar (328-9919). Square dancing and traditional disco and country/western (and maybe even a menuet if you request it). The purpose of many of the big parties held here is just to let you dance the night away: what is the White Party if not dancing? OK -- so it's mainly dancing, let's put it that way. So, kick up your heels and enjoy!

Offroad Rentals offers fun, self-guided tours on their quad vehicles in the sand of a large private desert area. They provide a variety of vehicles suited to the age and size of the individual, safety equipment, short instructional video, and hands-on instruction. The quads are relatively safe and simple to operate, and you will enjoy overviews of the ponds, wind mills, sand dunes and the Whitewater River for a great time. 4 miles west of Palm Springs on Highway 111

This is earthquake country, and as long as little or no property damage is inflicted and nobody gets hurt, then these sporadic shakes are by many regarded as quite interesting. Back in 1992 we had two huge ones, albeit at some distance, only three hours apart, and after those we shook every few minutes for months. Lately there has been a dearth of earthquakes, but once in a while we do get a humble, pathetic rattle. The place to go when this occurs is (where else?) Internet, where you can see a live seismograph showing the ongoing quake, and afterwards verify what happened on a map and with detailed data. The map shown below is the real thing (created by USGS/Caltech/UCSD/USGS/UCB/UNR), showing you the current earthquake situation right now, but you must go to Caltech's own website to be able to get detailed information about a specific quake. If you are lucky, your earthquake thrills may exceed your hump thrills that day.

There is a world outside Palm Springs, so whether you live here or are a tourist here, you may want to go gallivanting to other Meccas. (Speaking of which, we literally do have a Mecca right here in our midst, between Indio and Salton Sea, but that is listed under 'Deportations' rather than under 'Excursions'.) You can get out of here either in an organized group or, of course, on your own. For those of you who want to travel in a happy gay group and leave the details to others, there is the Rainbow Travel Club, which is an arm of the Desert Pride Center, PS (327-2313). The club started in May of 2004 to provide rock-bottom priced group travel opportunities for its members. At this writing in July 2004 the have had a 4-day trip to Grand Canyon and Sedona, and they have plans for Las Vegas, San Francisco, Napa Valley wine country, South America, France, Italy, Greece, and even a cruise. There are many organized gay bus trips that you can simply sign up for when you feel in the mood. The destinations are interesting and the bus ride is fun and an opportunity to meet new friends. This is just a sample of trips that take off with some regularity: Bullhead City, Arizona: Now and then, a bus leaves Tool Shed Bar (320-3299) and gets you in nice company to Bullhead City in Arizona, where you can enjoy gay bars, discos, and, across the river in Nevada, casinos. The bus returns to the Tool Shed a day or two later. Getty Museum in Los Angeles: Each year, the Prime Timers of the Desert (318-9798) arranges a daytrip by bus for art lovers and their admirers. You get a few hours for the art, which is never enough, but then, there will be another trip next year. San Diego Gay Pride: Toucans Tiki Lounge (416-7584) takes you there in late July on a very happy bus, and you will be back the same day. This is very convenient, unless you would like to extend the ambience of gay San Diego to a night of bars and hotel rooms, in which case you are out of luck. Beach Party in Santa Monica: A day on the wonderful beach, followed by a great dinner at a nearby restaurant, is arranged by Streetbar (320-1266) every year in August. The bus brings you back late, tanned, and filled. Rawhide: Bus trip for the adventurous leather crowd, arranged by Sidewinders Bar, CC (328-9919) in late August. The places we want to mention for you to go on your own need much more space. Of course, you will be your own road guide, so we must tell you in so many words how to get there. (As in all other existing travel guides we tell you exactly how to get there but not a word about how to get back...) Las Vegas (4 - 5 hours by car each way): Most people go to Las Vegas on the freeways (I-10 west to I-215 north to I-15 north to Las Vegas). We recommend a much nicer, 2-lane, fully paved, and a bit shorter road: From Palm Springs, go north on Indian Canyon Drive for some 13 miles until its end, where it hits highway 62. Turn right (north) on 62 and continue for some 35 miles until Adobe Road (traffic light) in Twentynine Palms. Fill gas for the desert crossing and then turn left (north) on Adobe and continue for some 2 miles until Amboy Road (traffic light). Turn right (east) on Amboy and continue for some 47 miles until its end, where it hits "National Trails Highway". Before that you'll have enjoyed going through white salt flats and seeing a black volcano cone to the left (you can actually go and climb it). Turn right (east) on "National Trails Highway" and continue for some 6 miles until Kelbaker Road (watch out for it). Turn left (north) on Kelbaker Road and continue for some 33 miles until Kelso (rail crossing). Before that you'll have enjoyed the enormous Kelso Sand Dunes on your left (you can drive up to them if you want). Turn right (east) on Kelso Cima Road and continue for some 19 miles along the rail tracks until Cima. In Cima, cross two train tracks and go straight ahead (Do NOT follow the I-15 sign to turn left onto Cima Road, NOT!), and continue on Morningstar Mine Road for some 15 miles until the end, where it hits Ivanpah Road. Turn left (north) on Ivanpah Road and continue for some 3 miles until the end, where it hits Nipton Road. Turn left (west) on Nipton Road and continue for some 4 miles until I-15. Turn right (north) on I-15 and fly into Las Vegas some 45 miles later. For Las Vegas you have a web site just like this one, and it will give you the gay bars, businesses, clubs & organizations, just what you need in that wild, exciting town. San Diego (2 - 3 hours by car each way): Most people go to San Diego on the freeways (I-10 west to State 60 west to I-215 south to I-15 south to San Diego). But to really enjoy the ride, you should instead go over the Santa Rosa Mountains on a beautiful, winding, fully paved road. From northern Palm Springs the mileage is the same (but OF COURSE it takes longer time than the freeway), and if you start from, say, Palm Desert or Indio, you will drive some 20 miles less each way. You start off from Palm Desert, going south on State 74 (the Palms to Pines Highway), which winds itself up the steep mountain side with better and better views of the valley behind. After 45 minutes you turn left (south) on State 371 -- clearly marked, but you have to look out for it. 30 minutes later, at the end of that road you turn right (west) on State 79. Another 30 minutes later you'll hit I-15, onto which you turn left (south) and fly into San Diego an hour later. A web site just like this one gives you everything you need to know about Gay San Diego for a happy visit. Idyllwild (an hour by car each way): Get away from the desert and breathe New Hampshire air for a fleeting moment. It is as easy as a one hour drive from Palm Springs. Go west, young man, on Highway 111 and onto Interstate 10 until you hit Banning, about 20 miles from your start. Get off at road 243, leading to Idyllwild. Follow it with care at first -- a right turn at an intersection is a bit obscure, and missing it lands you in prison at the end of the street. Soon the road starts climbing, offering great views, and slowly nature changes from real wild creosote bushes to real wild pine trees. It's about 25 miles from Banning to Idyllwild; don't stop when you think you are there -- it's another few miles until you are really there. It is an alpine village, with log cabin architecture and great peace, and its 5000 foot altitude makes it quite a change from Palm Springs. Do a little walk-around, maybe a meal at Cafe Idyllwild or whatnot, and when you are satisfied go back by completing the circle. Continue on the same road 243, which soon merges into highway 74 -- turn left at the intersection. The curvy road yields to a pampas-like terrain, and soon you forget that you are still quite high up. Well within an hour the road suddenly starts dropping, and you must stop at the first lookout, from where you have a fantastic view over the center part of the Coachella Valley with Palm Desert right below your feet. The road is now classic hairpins, nature changes back to desert, and then you are down in Palm Desert. The pictures you see here were taken by a longtime Idyllwild guy, who has a wonderful log cabin for you to stay in. (His website, www.jeffpalmer.com, has all the details.) But any way you spend your time up there you will have a wonderful visit.

Twice a year, in conjunction with the White Party (at Easter) and with the Gay Pride Celebration (on first weekend in November), we have the Arenas Road Street Festival. It is a gay party, with entertainment at least every hour, and music, and a dance floor, and tons of booths selling all the stuff that traditionally belongs in a gay flea market. Saturday and Sunday all day long. In Palm Springs The Palm Springs Village Fest takes place on Thursday nights. From around 5 o'clock in the evening, southbound traffic through the heart of Palm Springs becomes quite disturbed, if not to say unhappy, because Palm Canyon Drive is sealed off from cars for a stretch of half a mile. In place of the cars, canvas booths and display tables are erected, lighting is wired, and wares are put on display. For some four hours hundreds or thousands of people mingle in the street, listening to live music, browsing for food, arts, crafts, antiques, and they also look for familiar -- and new -- faces in the crowd. Mixed in with all the vacationing families, for whom this is a "must do", is a considerable gay contingent -- you're bound to meet some of your friends there. Then, at 10 or so, it all starts to pack up, and the traffic will be allowed back. In Palm Springs The College of the Desert's Street Fair is a great place to find holiday presents, birthday and anniversary gifts, and one-of-a-kind favors. It is located on the beautiful College of the Desert campus, surrounded by date palms and mountain vistas. Over 300 vendors offer you farmers market, food court, arts & crafts, clothing and accessories, new and used items, unique gifts, gourmet goodies, home decoration items, and gifts for any occasion. Saturday and Sunday mornings. In Palm Desert The latest weekly flea market to open up is the Cathedral City Marketfair which is held on Saturdays from 9 AM to 4 PM on the Civic Center Town Square. In Cathedral City We want to mention two monthly flea markets, but we have to tell you that they are somewhat iffy. The First Friday is named by its timing, namely the first Friday night of each month from 4 to 9 PM, and it is held on North Palm Canyon Drive from Amado to Tachevah. No traffic is affected, because the stands are placed on the sidewalks and much of the business takes place in the store nextby. Your webmaster lives in the north part of town and has never seen a manifestation of this market since it started in 2002. The flags for it continue to fly from the lightpoles, so something must be going on. In Palm Springs And a Gay Swap Meet is held in and around Ground Zero Bar, CC (321-0031) on the third Saturday of the month from noon to 5 PM. That is where you should find it, but it has been arranged in earlier years at both the Villa and at the Desert Palms Resort, which may be good to know. In Cathedral City

Just as in the major cities around the country we now have a Gay Community Center here in Palm Springs. On December 8, 2002, the Desert Pride Center (327-2313) celebrated its Grand Opening at its first location, which soon proved to be far too small. A year later the Center moved to its current location, upstairs at 611 South Palm Canyon Drive, right in the Sun Center. It is open six days a week: Monday to Friday from 1 to 9 PM, and on Saturdays from 8 AM to 5 PM. It is a non-profit organization (with IRS tax exempt status) with social, cultural, and educational activities in all directions: Social, cultural, and educational programs Classes Workshops Club activities Financial and estate planning Adoption education Information and referrals Community referrals Tourist information Community bulletin board Library and archives Community wellness programs Medical and mental health referrals Prevention and education Sexually transmitted disease education 12-step meetings ... and more You don't have be a member of the Desert Pride Center to take part in its activities (but you may want to be a member anyway). Many gay clubs and organizations have meetings at the Center, such as: A.I.D.S. Theatre Company American Veterans for Equal Rights Club 300 Crystal Meth Anonymous Desert Dyners Desert Winds Freedom Band Gay Men's Discussion Group Gay Spiritual Circle Greater P S Pride Great Outdoors Jews in the Desert Living with HIV in Recovery (an AA group) Minglez Off Center Theatre Group P S Front Runners and Walkers P S Boyz of Leather P S Leather Order of the Desert (PSLOD) P S Pozabilities Stonewall Democrats Transgendered Outreach Support Group There are also language classes, such as 'Beginning Spanish' and 'Basic American Sign Language', and lectures on philosophy, aging, religion, and blood pressure screening. And on and on. Go to the Desert Pride Center's website!

You get a measure of the gay presence in our little towns (remember that there are well below 200,000 people here) by looking at the flora of gay rags: We have 5 (FIVE!) magazines, and they are all eminently viable. One could think that five would be a bit repetitious ("How much gay stuff is there to report?"), but each has its niche, its style, its readers. All are free for the picking, mostly inside gay establishments, but some are starting to be found in no-money vending machines in the streets. Obviously, there is no total nudity portrayed. (Shall we say "yet"?) Advertising pays the costs of the magazines, and there is usually much more ads than text content. Don't let that scare you - there is plenty to read in most of the rags, and the ads are not boring. 2004 The first magazine we'll discuss is Mega-Scene (327-5178), with the look and feel of a newspaper. It has excellent writing and good reporting, and does not shy away from controversy. Most events in which gay men like you might be interested get at least a perfunctory notice. Mega-Scene has been around since the beginning of time, under the stewardship of Bob Hoven, who occasionally 2000 makes an appearance as the Royal Duchess Ingeborg of Lapland of the Cosmic Court. The paper falls apart in two sections: the first contains local and world gay news stories, and the second is devoted to arts and entertainment. In the first section, Bob Hoven writes the lead editorial and also a secondary "Final Comment". We also find letters to the editor, notices of events, past and future, interspersed with jokes for comic relief, also a gossip section written by Bob Hoven, and several regular columnists cover mind & body, spirit, tax, law, gardening, and home design. In the second section you'll find everything related to entertainment, but also spillovers of the general event notices in the first section, plus astrology and classified ads (mostly "Social Groups"), and finally a few pages covering the scene in Las Vegas. 2004 The Bottom Line (323-0552) is the Palm Springs coffee table magazine, suitable for the most pretentious gay or gay-friendly environments. Like Mega-Scene, it has been around for many years, since 1980 if we are correct. It changed hands some years 2000 ago, and its mission, according to its former owner, was to be "devoted to the positive image of the gay community". That meant a feel-good magazine, something that gets quite a bit monotonous in the long run. Right at the start of the new regime, the Bottom Line became much different, with opinions that at times were quite frank and, shall we say, controversial. Today, as the elegant magazine is has become, it has lost most of those sharp claws in deference to its full-color, full-page advertisers, but it does have a plethora of interesting articles. This is a magazine that you can easily spend some time enjoying. Let's flip through a random issue: we find an editorial, letters to the editor, gossip columns, party reviews, events of gay interest, local and world news, celebrity profiles, social issues, film events, eat & drink, book reviews, art, fitness, psychology, dear Abby, health, sex, a day-by-day calendar, horoscope. And, of course, ads of all kinds (cars and beds and houses) which pay the bills. There are no classified ads at all. 2004 The Bottom Line is immaculately "clean" since the day in the late 90's, when it spun off its leather and bar scenes and its classified ads, all that dirty fun, into a new sister publication named Pulp (323-0552). At the time of its inception, it began as a poor little black-and-white 2000 information booklet, hastily put together, containing classified ads and a description of our gay bars and not much more. However, just like its older sister, it has grown over time and it now quite a magazine in its own right. It is distictly less elegant than the Bottom Line, but its place is, after all, not on a coffee table. Don't worry, though: Pulp is no porn or even very sexy, and much of the content would be perfectly appropriate for the Bottom Line. Most of the writing consists of practical advice articles, where to find what on Internet, psychology oriented stuff, gossip, recent celebrity quotes, dear Abby, book and CD reviews, all this naturally from a gay vantage point. There are also news briefs, party pictures, and a huge selection of classified ads (like a small Frontiers magazine). Finally, a daily calendar, lists of special events, museums and other attractions, and social organizations, a crossword puzzle, horoscopes, and comic strips. A few pages are devoted to the Inland Empire. Pulp has some but not overwhelmingly much general advertising. And the gay bars are nowhere to be found! 2004 While all the other gay magazines appear every other week, the Desert Daily Guide (320-3237) hits the street every week like clockwork, and it is the most practical of all the gay magazines. Its claim to fame ever since its inception in 1994 is its daily calendar, detailing every minute happening in the gay community, with a 2000 natural emphasis on the bars. In the beginning it was printed on thick, cardboard-like paper, so could never stay folded. Those clumsy days are over, but a drink spilling over its sturdy paper would still be taken in stride. The Desert Daily Guide is mainly an advertising medium, and it does pack'em in. Mostly local ads for your daily needs (haircuts, hardware, eats), and its classified section has everything from houses for a lifetime to escorts for an hour. As for reading material (except the day-by-day, hour-by-hour listing of events), it is sparse. An editorial by the owner, Mike Luke, a dear Abby, a leather column, a cooking recipe, a set of party pictures, a cartoon, a few lists (bars in Palm Springs, Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, Palm Springs resorts, restaurants, organizations and community services), and that's it. This is a practical tool, not literature. 2004 The fifth gay magazine here in Palm Springs is actually shared with San Diego, and that is Buzz (324-8299). One would think that San Diego would overwhelm Palm Springs in content; not so. Yes, a few pages more, but not a whole lot, so it is fully justified to include Buzz in our list of local gay magazines. It is almost exclusively given to the fun in life. One section is devoted to each location, and then there are health & fitness, entertainment, columns, and trash. The Palm Springs section has a club calendar (list of scheduled events in the bars), buzz pix (smiling faces in the bars), buzzin' (gossip not only about the bars), and sundry reviews and interviews (restaurants, people, etc.), and a small number of classified ads. The entertainment section covers music, stage, film, books, and fashion. The columns section has one item for seniors, a dear Abby, horoscopes, and, (wow!) celebrity birthdays. The trash section? We leave you guessing. Here is table with summary information about our five local gay magazines. For this, we used only one single issue of each (the ones you see depicted above, dated around Labor Day 2004), and naturally the page numbers will vary from issue to issue. Magazine Frequency Size Pages Ad pages Text pages Bottom Line Biweekly 8-1/2 x 11" 144 83 61 Buzz Biweekly 8-1/2 x 11" 92 48 44 Desert Daily Guide Weekly 7 x 8-1/2" 100 75 25 Mega-Scene Biweekly 11 x 14" 68 37 31 Pulp Biweekly 8-1/2 x 11" 72 33 39 Let's also mention another freebie, the Desert Post Weekly. It is not a gay magazine, but it is very gay-friendly and fun to read. It looks like nothing, but it is a little Village Voice in the desert.

It is hard to believe, but in the beginning of the 90's this rapidly growing gay community did not have its own Gay Pride. It started in the mid-90's with a parade in May, not on Palm Canyon Drive, oh no, but on Mesquite Avenue, from somewhere near Gene Autry Trail all the way to Demuth Park, a distance of almost a mile, and there were literally hundreds of onlookers. The end of the parade was the festival grounds in the park, and in spite of it charging no entrance fee it was surrounded by thick tarp to prevent any minors from looking inside. It was fun, and it was hot, and the shirts were off, and we were free, just as free as our brothers in West Hollywood and San Diego and New York, finally. It did not take many years before we were on Palm Canyon, however, and now we were there in the much more temperate November. The festival was conveniently located on "our" Arenas Road block. When we soon grew out of that site the festival moved diagonally across Calle Encilia to the empty grass field there of late White Party Tea Dance fame. Now that was a huge space, that lasted exactly two years until it was too small, and again we had to move, now to the Angels Stadium in Sunrise Park. "Too big and too far away" was the howl, and this website helped in the howling. We soon bit our tongue, because the current space is not too big at all and the mile distance from the parade has not hampered any attendance. Where do we move when the stadium is not enough? The Greater Palm Springs Pride is scheduled on the first weekend in November, which means that if there is an election it is usually a couple of days away. The parade is packed with candidate "floats" (convertible cars) and many booths feature the candidates themselves. It is now a big weekend, noticed by the Desert Sun newspaper on its first page (which was not always the case), only outspaced by the concurrent, all important Golf Cart Parade in Palm Desert, that is the big headline grabber. On Sunday, the festival always packs the stadium to capacity, often with long lines to get in, while Saturday is the much better day to be there, because you can move around freely. The Sunday parade used to march from south to north, making it impossible to photograph well into the sun. Somebody finally noticed, and it was no big hassle to turn it around, and now the parade is a great spectacle also on film - only that the weather should be warmer than in 2003, with its long-sleeved flannel shirts. Isn't it nice always to have something to complain about? The estimated number of onlookers always seems exaggerated (how about 30,000!), but there are indeed several thousand of both us and them coming out for the parade. Except Mayor Kleindienst in 2003, and he lost the election two days later. The gay parade is an important event! We give you our own photographic reports of the Pride festivities of selected years on this website, only we wish we had started doing that back in the Demuth Park era. Well, we wish we had had Internet then, too. For those of us who have stamina enough to take two contiguous weekends of incessant celebration, we have the Palm Springs Leather Pride on the weekend immediately following the Greater Palm Springs Pride. Of course real men have such stamina and strength, and if there ever are any real men it's the leathermen. So Palm Springs Leather Order of the Desert (PSLOD) (272-5553) arranges all sorts of taxing events, centered around Barracks Bar (321-9688). Of course, other bars and venues also play along with the leathermen, and much of the activities are done in the form of home assignments. Contact PSLOD for details.

Palm Springs is acknowledged as one of the premier golf resort capitals in the world. Here are 73 of the golf courses in the vicinity of Palm Springs - all you have to do is choose: In Bermuda Dunes: Bermuda Dunes Country Club In Cathedral City: Cathedral Canyon Country Club, Date Palm Country Club, Desert Princess Country Club, Outdoor Resorts / RV Resort and Country Club In Desert Hot Springs: Desert Crest Country Club, Desert Dunes Country Club, Hidden Springs Country Club, Mission Lakes Country Club, Sands RV Country Club In Indian Wells: Desert Horizons Country Club, Eldorado Country Club, Golf Resort at Indian Wells, Indian Wells Country Club, The Vintage Golf Center In Indio: Heritage Palms Golf Course, Indio Municipal Golf Club, The Plantation, President's Club at Indian Palms, Rancho Casa Blanca Country Club In La Quinta: The Club at PGA West, Indian Springs Golf Course, La Quinta Country Club, La Quinta Resort & Club, Palm Royale Country Club, PGA West Resort, The Quarry at La Quinta, Rancho La Quinta Country Club, The Tradition In Palm Desert: Avondale Golf Club, Bighorn Golf Club, Chaparral Country Club, Del Webb's Sun City Palm Desert Golf Club, Desert Falls Country Club, Desert Willow Golf Course, Emerald Desert Country Club, The Golf Center at Palm Desert, Indian Ridge Country Club, Ironwood Country Club, The Lakes Country Club, Marrkesh Country Club, Marriott's Desert Springs Resort, Monterey Country Club, Oasis Country Club, Palm Desert Country Club, Palm Desert Greens Golf & Tennis Club, Palm Desert Resort Country Club, Palm Valley Country Club, Portola Country Club, Santa Rosa Country Club, Shadow Mountain Country Club, Suncrest Country Club, Woodhaven Country Club In Palm Springs: Canyon Country Club, Canyon South Course, Mesquite Golf & Country Club, O'Donnell Golf Club, Palm Springs Country Club, Seven Lakes Country Club, Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort, Tommy Jacobs Bel Air Greens In Rancho Mirage: The Club at Morningside, Desert Island Golf & Country Club, Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Las Palmas Country Club, Rancho Mirage Country Club, The Springs Club, Sunrise Country Club, Tamarisk Country Club, Thunderbird Country Club, Westin Mission Hills Resort In Thousand Palms: Ivey Ranch Country Club, Tri-Palms Estate Country Club To choose where to play is indeed difficult, and to choose right is impossible! How about joining our gay Stonewall Golfers (318-1328 or EMAIL HERE) and then go with the flow? This golf club includes all levels of players, from beginners to Tigers. They play at least twice a month at local golf courses and also schedule golf dates at golf courses elsewhere in southern California. A autumn fundraising tournament, called "Pride on the Links", raises money for worthy causes, such as Gay Associated Youth (GAY) (776-1744) and the Desert Pride Center (327-2313). There are two annual gay or gay-friendly golf tournaments of note: The Rainbow Challenge Golf Tournament on Memorial Day Weekend in late May, and the Charity Golf Tournament on Gay Pride Weekend in early November. Of course, the Stonewall Golfers have all the details.

There is an abundance of both desert hiking and mountain hiking around Palm Springs. You owe it to yourself to join the Great Outdoors of Palm Springs (Roger at 416-2673), which is the Palm Springs chapter of the largest gay outdoor recreational organization in the West. Its outings include hiking, overnight camping, houseboating, trails training and mountain climbing - and also pool parties. It also does some things indoors, like monthly bowling and monthly board games. If you prefer to hike on your own, please click here for a our special Hiking Trails page right on this site.

Whenever you hike in the desert or on the hillsides surrounding our towns you may suddenly encounter an equestrian party or a solitary rider. More or less wherever there is a hiking trail it is also used as a bridal path, and a sense of the real Wild West is easily obtained in these parts. Experience a few quiet hours of "getting away from it all" on over 150 miles of convenient riding trails that provide both solitude and breathtaking beauty. In Palm Springs and in close proximity to the Agua Caliente Indian Canyons, Smoke Tree Stables offers guided rides by the hour or for the entire day. A couple of other places for horsing around: Ivey Ranch Equestrian Center in Thousand Palms, and Shadow Valley Equestrian Park in Palm Desert. A guided 20-minute tour of picturesque Long Valley aboard tethered sure-footed mules is offered at stables right behind the upper station of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The tour winds through stately pines while the guides explain the various flora and fauna. If you have your horse and feel like making an extended excursion, the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, 60 miles south of Indio, offers plenty of riding paths in fascinating nature. The Vern Whitaker Horse Camp offer great overnight facilities for both horse and rider. Then there is always Bareback Riding, but that is a horse of an entirely different color -- you can read all about it if you click here

Centuries ago, ancestors of the Agua Caliente Cahuilla Indians settled in the Palm Springs area. They developed complex communities in the Palm, Murray, Andreas, Tahquitz, and Chino Canyons. With abundant water supply, and plant and animal life, the Cahuilla Indians thrived. They grew crops of melons, squash, beans and corn, gathered plants and seeds for food, medicines and basketweaving, and hunted animals. Today, remains of Cahuilla society like rock art, housepits and foundations, irrigation ditches, dams, reservoirs, trails, and food preparation areas still exist in the canyons. The Agua Caliente Indians were industrious and creative with a reputation for independence, integrity and peace. They believed this productive land of their ancestors would always be theirs. However, in 1876 the U S Federal Government deeded in trust to the Agua Caliente people 32,000 acres to be used as their homeland. Some 6,700 acres lie within the Palm Springs city limits, and the remaining sections fan out across the desert and mountains in a checkerboard pattern. Palm Canyon is 15 miles long and one of the great beauty spots in western North America. A moderately graded, paved foot path winds down into the canyon for picnicking near the stream, meditating, exploring, hiking, or horseback riding. Andreas Canyon beckons the desert-weary traveler to its lush oasis with the contrasting greens of the maginificant fan palms and more than 150 species of plants within a half-mile radius. A favorite scenic foot trail leads through the canyon, where the tranquil setting is excellent for photography, bird-watching or a picnic at one of the tables along the trail. Murray Canyon has foot and equestrian trails leading to beautiful recreational areas among the many palm trees. Lucky visitors may catch a glimpse of Big Horn sheep, wild ponies, Least Bells Vireo birds or other wild animals. Less visited, this canyon has its own secluded beauty.

The history of the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians is portrayed in the Cabazon Cultural Museum. In Indio Featuring a Native American art gallery and authentic trading post, Cabot's Old Indian Pueblo Museum is a Hopi-styled structure painstakingly crafted over a 20-year period. In Desert Hot Springs An early country store and service station at the Clark's Auto/Truck Stop Museum features more than 200 service station signs, postcards of historic Route 99 from Canada to Mexico, and advertising memorabilia. In Indio Coachella Valley Museum and Cultural Center features the handiwork and artistry of those native to the Coachella Valley. In Indio Over 6,000,000 innocents perished in the Holocaust, and the Desert Holocaust Memorial is a devastating reminder of that horrible episode in history that happened only a little more than 50 years ago. Located within the Civic Center Park in Palm Desert, The Desert Holocaust Memorial features seven towering bronze figures surrounded by cobblestone and lighting influenced by that at the Auschwitz Extermination Camp. In Palm Desert Dedicated to the life of the famous commander of the US 3rd Army, who miraculously rescued the Americans trapped in Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, the General George Patton Memorial Museum does proud justice to one of the greatest military leaders in American history. 30 miles east of Indio The Jude E Poynter Golf Museum is dedicated to the Coachella Valley's most popular sport. In Palm Desert The L.A. Cave presents one-of-a-kind mineral specimens, including fluorescent minerals, jewelry, gems, fossils, books, and antiques. In Palm Springs La Quinta Historical Society Museum is housed in the oldest commercial building (1937) in the city, and features Cahuilla Indian artifacts, photographs of famous visitors, and movie memorabilia. In La Quinta Palm Desert Historical Society Museum is located in the city's first fire station, built in 1949. The museum presently features a 1973 fully restored fire engine, pictorial displays, and historical video. In Palm Desert The Palm Springs Air Museum is the legendary home of some of the greatest flying fighting machiones of WW II. At any given time you will find a Hellcat, P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt, B-25 Mitchell, and the most majestic bomber of all... a B-17 Flying Fortress. Robert Pond's collection is truly amazing, and on every other Saturday the roaring sound of those mighty engines are heard throughout Palm Springs as one of them revs up for a dramatic fly-over. In Palm Springs The Palm Springs Desert Museum features contemporary and Western American art, culture, natural history, the Annenberg Theater, basketry by the indigenous Cahuilla Indians, dioramas illustrating local flora and fauna, and even a wing devoted to Death Valley! In Palm Springs The Richard & Annette Bloch Cancer Survivor Park was established as a celebration of life and hope, featuring eight life-size figures by Mexican sculptor Victor Salmones passing through a maze depicting cancer treatments, and several inspirational stages on a walk ending with a water feature in meditative surroundings. In Rancho Mirage Over 200 really big sculptures are on display in Sculpture Land, a 20 acre park. It features the work of contemporary artists from around the world. In La Quinta During the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Palm Springs in April 1998, 4000 engraved bricks were used to build the walkways leading into the Village Green Heritage Center. The center is dedicated to those hardy pioneers who first settled the area. There are four museums in the Village Green Heritage Center: The McCallum Adobe, Miss Cornelia White's House, Ruddy's General Store Museum, and the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum and Information Center. In Palm Springs Built in 1885, the home of the Palm Springs Historical Society is also the first pioneer home built in Palm Springs. Containing the personal memorabilia of Pearl McCallum McManus, the McCallum Adobe provides a fascinating portal into the frontier days of Palm Springs. Alongside Palm Springs' first telephone, her bibles are still here in Miss Cornelia White's House, this famous abode built in 1894 of railroad ties. Featuring 6000 unused items, Ruddy's General Store Museum seems as if it was transported from the sidewalk of the Yellow Brick Road. In fact, if you had seen the premier of the Wizard of Oz in 1939, you would have found yourself buying your dry goods that day in a store exactly like this. The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum and Information Center features artifacts, jewelry, music, and photographs of the indigenous Cahuilla Indians. You should make a point to poke your head in and pay your respects. After all, these guys were here first...

Listening to music is something everybody does and does well. Making music is a pastime for the talented few. But fear not - the talented few have somewhere to go right here in town. If you are among the gay talented few (or want to help the talented few) this is where your home is: Desert Winds Freedom Band (202-1549 or EMAIL HERE). What a glorious name for our gay marching band! These gay and gay-friendly musicians organized themselves in 2001, and welcome new instrumentalists and support personnel. They need your talent, and you will have a wonderful time rehearsing Thursday nights at 7:30 PM in the Palm Regency Clubhouse in Palm Springs and appearing in public when it really counts.

Joshua Tree National Park's 794,000 acres span the transition between the Mojave and Colorado deserts of Southers California. Proclaimed a National Monument in 1936 and a Biosphere Reserve in 1984, Joshua Tree was designated a National Park in 1994. The area possesses a rich human history and a pristine natural environment. Two deserts, two large ecosystems whose characteristics are determined primarily by elevation, the Colorado Desert encompasses the eastern part of the park and features natural gardens of creosote bush, ocotillo, and cholla cactus. The higher, moister, and slightly cooler Mojave Desert is the special habitat of the Joshua tree. Joshua tree forests occur in the western half of the park, which also includes some of the most interesting geologic displays found in California's deserts. In addition, five fan palm oases dot the part, indicating those few areas where water occurs naturally and where wildlife abounds. South entrance 30 miles east of Indio The deeply weathered summit of Mount San Jacinto stands 10,804 feet above sea level, and is the highest point in the San Jacinto range and second highest in Southern California. The mountain's magnificent granite peaks, subalpine forests, and fern-bordered mountain meadows offer a unique opportunity to explore and enjoy a scenic, high-country wilderness area. Most of the Mount San Jacinto State Park is a designated wilderness area, enjoyed by hikers and backpackers. Near the town of Idyllwild the park offers two drive-in campgrounds. There is a state park visitor center in the Mountain Station of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway telpher, and in Long Valley, a short walk from the station, you will find the Long Valley Ranger Station, a picnick area, a ski center, a self-guiding nature trail, and the Desert View Trail offering panoramas of the High Country. You can also enter the hiking trail system from this point. West of Palm Springs The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park encompasses some of the most diverse desert landscape in the world. It includes elevations from 8,000 feet to below sea level, together with the plants and animals characteristic of these ecological zones. The park has a rich arhaeological heritage, and nearly every surface of this arid land yields evidence of past human inhabitants. There are seven distinct geographic and geologic areas in the over 600,000 acres of this the largest state park in California: Anza, Blair Valley, Borrego Badlands, Bow Willow, Fish Creek, Santa Rosa, and Tamarisk Grove. Among the things to do in this park we have Auto Touring (plenty of paved roads, and more unpaved roads suitable for 4x4 vehicles), Biking and Mountain Biking (500 miles of biking roads and trails), Hiking and Packpacking (hundreds of miles of marked trails), Camping, Wildlife Viewing and Birdwatching (particularly in Coyote Canyon), and Horse Riding and Packing (Vern Whitaker Horse Camp). 60 miles south of Indio

Joshua Tree National Park's 794,000 acres span the transition between the Mojave and Colorado deserts of Southers California. Proclaimed a National Monument in 1936 and a Biosphere Reserve in 1984, Joshua Tree was designated a National Park in 1994. The area possesses a rich human history and a pristine natural environment. Two deserts, two large ecosystems whose characteristics are determined primarily by elevation, the Colorado Desert encompasses the eastern part of the park and features natural gardens of creosote bush, ocotillo, and cholla cactus. The higher, moister, and slightly cooler Mojave Desert is the special habitat of the Joshua tree. Joshua tree forests occur in the western half of the park, which also includes some of the most interesting geologic displays found in California's deserts. In addition, five fan palm oases dot the part, indicating those few areas where water occurs naturally and where wildlife abounds. South entrance 30 miles east of Indio The deeply weathered summit of Mount San Jacinto stands 10,804 feet above sea level, and is the highest point in the San Jacinto range and second highest in Southern California. The mountain's magnificent granite peaks, subalpine forests, and fern-bordered mountain meadows offer a unique opportunity to explore and enjoy a scenic, high-country wilderness area. Most of the Mount San Jacinto State Park is a designated wilderness area, enjoyed by hikers and backpackers. Near the town of Idyllwild the park offers two drive-in campgrounds. There is a state park visitor center in the Mountain Station of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway telpher, and in Long Valley, a short walk from the station, you will find the Long Valley Ranger Station, a picnick area, a ski center, a self-guiding nature trail, and the Desert View Trail offering panoramas of the High Country. You can also enter the hiking trail system from this point. West of Palm Springs The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park encompasses some of the most diverse desert landscape in the world. It includes elevations from 8,000 feet to below sea level, together with the plants and animals characteristic of these ecological zones. The park has a rich arhaeological heritage, and nearly every surface of this arid land yields evidence of past human inhabitants. There are seven distinct geographic and geologic areas in the over 600,000 acres of this the largest state park in California: Anza, Blair Valley, Borrego Badlands, Bow Willow, Fish Creek, Santa Rosa, and Tamarisk Grove. Among the things to do in this park we have Auto Touring (plenty of paved roads, and more unpaved roads suitable for 4x4 vehicles), Biking and Mountain Biking (500 miles of biking roads and trails), Hiking and Packpacking (hundreds of miles of marked trails), Camping, Wildlife Viewing and Birdwatching (particularly in Coyote Canyon), and Horse Riding and Packing (Vern Whitaker Horse Camp). 60 miles south of Indio

Palm Springs is not New York, London, or Milano - we don't have a Metropolitan, a Covent Garden, or a Scala. We don't have a light local opera ensemble like Los Angeles. We don't have a building named The Opera, even if used only during a short summer season, like Santa Fe. But we can still enjoy opera, both as productions and on concert stage. There is one place where we can enjoy a real operatic production and that is the McCallum Theatre (340-ARTS). Most years they offer great performances by top-ranked on-the-road opera companies, but you have to be alert, because they usually stay for only one evening. In Palm Desert Opera in concert is a bit easier to find. McCallum has them, and the Annenberg Theater (325-4490 or EMAIL HERE) has them. And then we have the annual Opera in the Park, a no-charge, picnic blanket type of performance in a Palm Springs park (in 2004 it is Sunrise Park) on a mid-April Sunday afternoon (in 2004 it is on April 18), a wonderful way to bring great opera arias to the masses (and you'll se that there are masses of people who love opera here). An ingenious RV parks under the trees and the side opens up and the roof lifts up and there are hinges and steps and rolling floors, and voila, you have an opera stage with singers and orchestra and soundsystem. Food is vended, information is tabled, art is shown, and umbrellas are rented. All this, plus the preparation work, is handled by Palm Springs Opera Guild (325-6107 or EMAIL HERE), and it is a delightful experience at a time of year when the weather is just right. In Palm Springs

Get involved in local politics, gay guys! Our community has finally started to vote, and right from the start it has worked wonders. Instead af us lying down playing dead under the feet of the gay-hating forces (which we have here albeit subdued), we are now voting. (This applies to most of our towns, but this story focuses on Palm Springs since your webmaster is located there.) It started with the special election in 2002, when the mayor was on the brink of creating a ruling conservative troika in a special election. We saw to it that Deyna Hodges, a long-time liberal (if that is not a dirty word these days) friend of the people (such as us), got the crucial City Council seat and saved the day. That campaign was also a triumph for this website. Printouts of our campaign page (which we removed after the election) were shown over and over on the local ABC TV Channel 3 news reports. The press (including Bob Hoven in his local gay rag Mega-Scene) said that our page was a "vicious attack", which it was only if you did not read it. On election night our page was shown on screen to Deyna Hodges with the comment that it had compared her opponent Mike McCulloch to Osama bin Laden, which of course made her express disdain. If our pamphlet had said that, disdain would have been appropriate. But it did not say that at all. We heard rumors after the election that McCulloch had distributed our page as a pamphlet in his church, complaining that he was likened to bin Laden, and the people found him to be a weak cry-baby and refused to vote for him. You can read all this here. The gay community came out again in the city election in 2003 and elected Ron Oden to be the first ever gay, black mayor in America, and also elected two gay (one male, one female) members of the City Council, making up a gay majority. They very properly represent the people in Palm Springs. By the way, Deyna Hodges did not run again for health reasons, and you guess who won her seat? Mike McCulloch (and he is not at all spitting sulphur as we all had thought a year earlier). Read up on all our City Councils here and then attend a meeting or two. But in any regional elections that include areas outside our immediate area, we are represented by nobody. Our representation in the California Assembly and Senate is openly homophobic, and Mary Bono is not carrying our torch in Congress although some try to say that she does. So, you should really get politically involved! We have two local gay political organizations, one of which (or both, to feel safe) you may want to join. One is the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club (320-5787 or EMAIL HERE), a chapter of the national gay Stonewall Democratic Federation, and they meet monthly on the second Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM in the Desert Pride Center (327-2313). The other organization is the local chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans (778-8894 or 328-9581 or EMAIL HERE), and they meet for dinner once a month on the third Friday at 6:30 PM at the Rock Garden Cafe (327-8840).

If pumping makes you think of bike tires or barbells, this form of pumping is not what you are looking for. Here we are talking of pumping up cock, balls, and nips. Guys in the Palm Springs area are as eagerly seeking majestic endowments as anywhere else, in fact more so, since the opportunities to display the result is so much more prevalent in our balmy weather. We are not going to discuss here whether the resulting sizes are permanent or not (some are and some are not); but right after your pumping session it is likely that your cock is an inch or more longer and thicker, your ballsack is mightily bigger, and your nipples are invitingly rigid. Although most guys do pumping all by themselves, some like to do it together. There is no formal pumping club hereabouts, but you may want to join an MSN internet group for Palm Springs Pumpers to meet other guys who are into vacuum pumping, some also into silicone injections, saline infusion, and electric stimulation. Ever since 2002, two Pump Weekends are arranged each year, in the Spring and the Fall, in the Palm Springs area, with locals and visitors pumping together in the sun during the days and showing off the results at a nearby gay bar at night. You can get all the details (dates, schedules, registration) on Palm Springs Pumpers (EMAIL HERE) website.

As you may know already (or can easily find out on our Maps and Lodging page) we have more than 30 (yes, THIRTY PLUS) gay resorts in our midst, packed with guests who want an ADVENTURE. Some of them go out at night to find it, but many have found that their own resort can be adventure enough. Why not join them there and become part of their adventure? There are all kinds of policies in this matter, and there are all kinds of devious ways of getting around those policies, not to be outlined here. Some resorts are wide open, fenced in or not: just come in and join. Some resorts are tightly locked, and you need a clearance from the FBI to get in. Most fall somewhere in between. And then again, some resorts welcome you for a daily fee: money talks. It is often quite different if you want to get in "to be around the pool" in the daytime or if you want to get in for heavy trysting in the wee hours. The rewards can be similar, but the ambience is definitely way different. Word of mouth is usually the best way to know where to go, where the boys are, where the action is. Lacking such a mouth you could read up on the resorts on their web sites (get to those via our Maps and Lodging page), and then call those you find interesting: if you sound nice, chances are that you'll be told not only how to get in but also if it's really worth it. To get into a hot resort at night, just go there and see what happens. In the Warm Sands there are so many hotels wall-to-wall that you should be able to get into at least one if you are persistent and sneaky. You know the rewards waiting inside.

Rodeos are integral functions of the American west, and you can visit or take part in rodeos all the time. There are even gay rodeos, and occasionally we have a rodeo right here in the Palm Springs area. Not every year, mind you, but a gay rodeo was held in Palm Springs in October of 2001, and in earlier years gay rodeos were held in Indio with the social arrangements in Palm Springs. For those interested there is a local gay rodeo club here in the valley. The Greater Palm Springs Chapter (862-5546) is one of several gay rodeo chapters in the state of California. All chapters are organized under the Golden State Gay Rodeo Association (GSGRA), which is then governed by the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA). The Greater Palm Springs Chapter is a non-profit charitable and social organization that provides various support for the gay community. In addition to being a charitable organization, the Greater Palm Springs Chapter strides to promote the sport of rodeo and foster country western lifestyles in the gay community. GSGRA/GPSC members enjoy the fellowship of numerous social, recreational, and educational activities. Not to forget, meeting new people with similar interests. Membership is not restricted, and all are welcome to join. Current membership consists of experienced individuals that have horses, and individuals with nothing more than a desire to learn. Those individuals with a desire to compete may do so at any of the various rodeos. So, whatever your experience, come on out - we would like to meet and talk to you. If you have any questions, just grab one of us and ask.

Most moving around in the Palm Springs area these days is done by car, but, wherever you are, remember that this is not San Francisco, and a walk or even a run does not tax your strength very much. The reward from moving about on your own feet is not only the wellbeing of your body but also the amount of details you take in, the people you meet -- and the appetite you get. For serious walking there are plenty of trails in the surroundings, and for that we refer you to the "Hiking" section, where you will find a gay club organized with this in mind. While you can, and should, venture out by yourself at any time, we have a gay club in town for those runners and walkers who want company. The Palm Springs Front Runners & Walkers (318-8809 or EMAIL HERE) welcomes walkers and runners of all ability levels, whether beginner or accomplished. Their daily walks and runs are non-competitive and promote health, fitness and friendship in a welcoming social atmosphere. All runs and walks meet in the parking lot next to the Mizell Senior Center, and the course includes a 3- or 5-mile run and a 2-, 3-, or 4-mile walk through scenic golf courses! On the Gay Pride weekend this club arranges the 5K Run and Walk event with the proceeds going to a good local charity. The club also holds many social events, such as monthly potlucks and movie nights, hikes, bike rides, and theme parties. Also theater outings, bus rides to museums and TV program tapings. If you are a visitor here, just show up -- you don't have to be a member. In Palm Springs The 5K Run and Walk in November is not the only occasion when you can walk in an organized group and do good not only to yourself but to others as well. The other, even more well-known walking event is the annual AIDS Walk, which talkes place at different times across the whole country. In the desert it is on a Sunday morning in March or April (March 21 in 2004), and its route varies from year to year (start in Sunrise Park in 2004, with registration from 7:30 AM and kick-off at 9:30 AM). It is arranged by the Desert Aids Project (323-2118), which is the beneficiary of the proceeds from the walk. Everybody walks; some 2000 participants. Your webmaster found himself next to Betty Ford one year and various mayors and councilmembers other years. There are many people with aids in our midst, and they all need all the help we can give.

Once there was only desert. But in 1905 poorly built irrigation controls along the Colorado River burst and for a year the whole river flowed into the desert and created a 40 mile long and 13 mile wide (and 30 feet deep) lake. Its surface is 228 feet below sea level. Over time it became a wonderful recreation area, with resorts and whole residential villages on its shores. Since it is the lowest point around, water from rain and from irrigation keeps flowing there, carrying tons of nutrients with it. Mother Nature needs thousands of years to balance things, and this lake is new! So there is a constant fight between the natural elements, fish, algae, birds (and people), resulting in strange smells and sights at times. Promotions say that there are 1400 campsites by the lake, and that a million visitors come there each year. One wonders. A sight not just for beauty but more for contemplation of what man has wrought: creating a lake and then trying to maintain it, with very mixed results. Read an informed essay on the Salton Sea by someone who really understands it. 20 miles southeast of Indio

Well, what constitutes a sex club? Does a properly established gay resort with lots of sex going on qualify? If they do, two such sex clubs come to mind. One of them, Cathedral City Boys Club (CCBC) (324-1350), is a gay resort that happily accepts 12-hour visitors for a fee. It is a large place, two acres in size, and is a happy combination of pool, jacuzzi, green lawns, deck chairs, the works, for sun and relaxation, and a steamroom, a sauna, and a nicely laid out secluded walk where you can make intimate friends with whomever happens to be there. You get a locker for your clothes so you can be naked and grabbable. Always open. You will have a great time. In Cathedral City The other one, Camp Palm Springs (320-5984 or 322-2267), is also a full-fledged gay resort, although it is far smaller in size that the CCBC. It also has ample facilities for men to do what men do best, and it has a gorgeous, huge shell-shaped spa, in which guys often get so very friendly that the hot water foams. Again for a daypass fee. In Palm Springs Both of these resort clubs are recommended for a visit. Much less officially, the Vista Grande (322-2404) gay resort could be regarded as a distinct possibility, although it costs nothing and you have no "rights" there. If you look acceptable and behave pleasantly, you may find yourself in one of the pools or the waterfalls or the spa in the midst of wild sex before you know it. If you happen to play with a registered guest you'll wind up in his room, of course. But always remember that you are not a customer, so behave accordingly. In Palm Springs If you don't regard a resort as sufficiently to-the-point, then there is Palm Springs Jacks (EMAIL HERE) which is a private social organization of friendly guys who enjoy jacking off together. The club holds gatherings and special events in the Palm Springs area. Their members are short, tall, hairy, smooth, thin to buff, young ones, not so young ones, and hung ones too! They are a healthy bunch, in-shape, height and weight proportionate, clean, youthful, funloving, lovable, personable, and all around nice guys that enjoy safe fun. Exploring masturbation with others is their focus. There are a lot of ways that men masturbate, and this group is dedicated to exploring and sharing themselves on this erotic journey. But how about the old-fashioned sex clubs, the raunchy, dirty, sleazy ones, where you just grabbed a victim and ate him alive? We have had three of them in recent memory, with shorter and shorter life-spans. The Club Palm Springs, an old-fashioned bath house in Cathedral City, lasted for many years until it died in 1999, the Gravel Pit in Cathedral City lasted a few years, and the King of Hearts in Palm Springs lasted a few weeks. Why did they go under? It is hard to tell without being a psychologist and historian, but it probably has to do with changing times and changing attitudes. These clubs belonged to a time when man-to-man sex was something that did not exist in society. Now, in a community of almost 50% gay people, and most of them openly so, opportunities are available everywhere, just as they are for straight people. The bars, the resorts, Warm Sands, the supermarkets, the streets, everywhere - if you are on the prowl you'll find, so why hide in a secret, hidden cove?

The Coachella Valley sings! You owe it to the world and to your gay community to sing in our own gay men's chorus (if you have the voice for it, that is...): Caballeros, Palm Springs Gay Men's Chorus (318-7044), a member of the Gay and Lesbian Chorus Association. They have been singing since 1999 and give half a dozen concerts a year these days. There are auditions a few times a year, don't be shy -- go thee and show'em how good you are! If you do not feel that you have the vocal cords for the chords of a first-class chorus, then you are karaoke material. Some of the gay bars offer karaoke singing on a frequent basis, and you will know after your first performance if you want to continue letting them enjoy your talent. Should you decide against it, the desert is the best place for singing in solitude -- go out there and sing your heart out. You can easily spot anyone getting within the range of a high C from you well in advance. So, don't suppress those feisty notes that want out!

Yes, you can ski, living in Palm Springs. Not in downtown, where it snows only once in ten years and even then the snow is gone by 11 AM. But with a little foresight, yes, you can ski. If you take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway telpher to the top, you can cross-country ski through majestic evergreens. For the beginner, a machine packed and marked trail is available, and the State Wilderness offers more challenging terrain for the experienced winter enthusiast. You don't even have to bring your own equipment - the Adventure Center, located a short distance from the bottom of the cement path walk behind the Mountain Station of the telpher, offers cross-country ski and snowshoe equipment for rental. It is open Thursdays through Sundays from the first deep snow in winter until mid-April, snow conditions permitting. For downhill skiing you drive for an hour to Big Bear Mountain for good skiing: 12 lifts help you to try out 34 different trails of altogether 18 miles in length (the longest run is 2 miles), all between 7000 and 9000 feet in altitude. There are 30% beginners slopes, 40% intermediate, and 30% advanced. The area is getting as much as 100 inches of snow on average per year but has snowmaking machines to help Mother Nature when needed. More ambitious skiers like yourself may want to join the Saga Ski Club (770-1094 or EMAIL HERE). Palm Springs has an outreach group of the Los Angeles ski and snowboarding club for gay men, offering social gettogethers in the Palm Springs area and frequent ski trips at discount prices to winter sport destinations that include Lake Tahoe, Utah, Colorado (The Gay Ski Week in Aspen, YES!!), and even Switzerland. (The club members also do camping trips, group parties, theatre events, horseback riding, as long as those do not interfere with the skiing.)

Here you find a selection of spiritual meetings that are not religion-oriented. The section Religious Organizations will tell you where to go for religious support. Meditation Group (416-7822 or 416-0326): Silent sitting and walking meditation in the Virpassana (=Insight) Buddhist tradition. Open to all. No fees or donations. Thursdays from 5:15 to 6:30 PM. Self-help materials available for beginners. Stergios Tower Building, Desert Regional Medical Center. In Palm Springs Jacob Glass (323-4441 or EMAIL HERE) is a dynamic, funny and insightsful speaker, writer, and spiritual coach. He has lectured with best-selling author Marianne Williamson to full houses and was a keynote speaker at the 20th Anniversary Conference of A Course in Miracles in Santa Barbara. "You are invited to soften your heart as you enter these gates. Black, white, old, young, gay, or straight, you are valuable and welcome here." He lectures on Tuesdays at 7 PM at P S Spiritual Enrichment Center (323-5447), A United Church of Religious Science at 2100 Racquet Club Road. In Palm Springs Is there a better place to spend an hour on Sunday morning than at Bill Edelen's Seminar? We believe not. It is a place for un-dogma spirituality, as far from the un-thinking of the churches as you can get. It makes you think, reflect, laugh, feel your mind fly. Exchange thoughts with other self-thinking people and leave with a smile (he tells jokes, too). Sunday mornings at 10 at the Palm Springs Tennis Club at 701 Baristo Road -- as far west as you can go. See you there once, see you there always. In Palm Springs Healing Souls Purpose (327-3866): No charge, donation, NAJA. Center of Positive Living (360-4048) meets at the Cathedral City Library (328-4262) on Sundays at 10 AM. In Cathedral City

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is one of the largest double-reversible passenger-carrying telphers in the world. The trip to the top, at an elevation of 8,516 feet, in one of the two enclosed 80-passenger cars, is 2_1/2 miles and is travelled in 14 minutes. The ascent brings you through five different life zones, with flora and fauna in each approximating what you will find on a motor trip from Mexico's Sonora Desert to Alaska. Five towers support four 1_7/8" steel track cables as well as four hauling cables, two auxilliary cables, and a communications cable. The first tower is the talles at a height of 214 feet; tower number 4 is the shortest with 56_1/2 feet. The weight of steel in the five towers totals 263 tons; the weight of the 11 cables totals 330 tons. The maximum span between towers is 3455 feet (between towers 3 and 4). In Palm Springs

This is where you find theaters with a stage - theaters with a screen (also known as "movie theaters") are listed under Films. So, here are our wondeful theaters: Located on the lower level of the Palm Springs Desert Museum, the 433 seat Annenberg Theatre (325-4490 or EMAIL HERE) boasts state-of-the-art lighting and nearly perfect acoustics. Here you will find the finest in ballet, opera, classical music, jazz -- wherever excellent sound and visual splendor are celebrated. At this writing, the 2004 winter and spring programming includes the following: Gliadkovsky’s, pianists, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Cypress String Quartet, Susan Egan, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, With Relish, Anton Belov, baritone, Leahy, Liz Callaway & Jason Graae, Mark O’Connor Hot Swing Trio, Diablo Ballet Company, Naumburg Gold Medallist, Frank Huang, Metropolitan Opera Showcase, Sing-A-Long Wizard of Oz, Don Rice Quintet, Hydra, the art of water, Chanticleer, Nevada Ballet Theater, Alan Gampel, piano, Ute Lemper, Juilliard String Quartet, Newport Jazz Festival, Wright Stuff, Van Cliburn Competition Gold Medallist, Murder By Poe, Ken Peplowski Big Band, Takacs Quartet, RSC All The Great Books (abridged), Jerusalem Piano Trio, SUDS The Rockin’ 60’s Musical, Chamber Ensemble of the Pacific, Carole Hampton. In Palm Springs The City of Palm Desert sponsors free evening presentations of musical concerts and films in the Hahn Amphitheater in the Civic Center Park. From May to September. In Palm Desert The McCallum Theatre (340-ARTS) in the Bob Hope Cultural Center is the anchor for the theater world in our valley. It is a modern, large, fully equipped playhouse for repertory companies -- it has no in-house theater ensemble. To show its eclectic mix of performances, here is a list of the Winter & Spring 2004 performances as they appear at this writing (other shows are usually added during the season): Berlin Staatskapelle Orchestra (Daniel Barenboim, conductor), An Evening of Romance (Jennifer Frautschi, violin), Katia & Marielle Labeque (Bernstein and Gershwin), Mancini at the Movies (Monica Mancini and Henry Mancini Institute Alumni Orchestra), Itzhak Perlman, violin (Janet Guggenheim, piano), Cats, Keely Smith, The Kingston Trio, The Peking Acrobats, An Evening with Michael Feinstein, Mindi Abair, Midori, violin, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Daniele Gatti, conductor, Sylvia Gatti, cello), Snowflake (performed by Gale LaJoye), Jazz Meets the Classics (Eddie Daniels, clarinet), Marvin Hamlisch, Venice Baroque Orchestra (Andrea Marcon, conductor, Giuliano Carmignola, violin), Chicago, the musical, Verdi's Il Trovatore (Teatro Lirico d'Europa, full orchetra and chorus), Keyboard Conversations with Jeffery Siegel (there is more to Mozart than Amadeus), Olivia Newton-John, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Herbert Blomstedt, conductor), Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone (special guest Stephen Bishop), Johnny Mathis, Steve Tyrell, Riverdance, Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra & Chorus (Pavel Sorokin, conductor, Yuri Rozum, piano), Jackson Browne, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre (Judith Jamison, Artistic Director), Linda Eder, Lizz Wright, Tim Conway & Harvey Korman (together again, special guest Louise DuArt), George Winston (a solo piano concert), Opera Everyone Loves (Lori Stinson, soprano), Karrin Allyson (special guest Curtis Stigers), Sondra Radvanovsky, soprano, Steve & Eydie, Keyboard Conversations with Jeffery Siegel (rhapsody), The Music Man, David Crosby & CPR, Patti Page John Davidson (the big band all-stars), Steve Reid's Dream Scapes, Salute to Glenn Miller and the Big Band Vocalists Featuring the Tex Beneke Orchestra (starring the Four Aces, the Four Lads, Ink Spots, String of Pearls), Flying Karamazov Brothers, Fiesta Latina (Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez), Open Call 2004 (amateur talent competition). In Palm Desert The Palm Canyon Theatre (323-5123) is the hottest Broadway theater in Palm Springs. It has its own in-house theatre ensemble, and its program includes both musicals and plays. Each program usually runs for a few weeks; if we suggest Thursday and Friday nights and Sunday afternoons, it is to give you a general idea. The Palm Canyon Theatre is located in an art center, that in the very old days was the Palm Springs High School. The theater has the appearance of an off-Broadway theater, and its quality is at least as good as that. We have spent many a wonderful evening there. Before that can happen you have to buy your ticket which is a lengthy affair, where they have to complete forms with your name and phone number, detail your seats over and over, and finally print your ticket after a drawn-out love session with the computer. The box office is open on weekdays from 10 AM to 5 PM plus in conjunction with the performances. As an example of their repertoire, here is what is offered for the 2003-2004 season: When Pigs Fly, Private Lives, Meet Me in St Louis, Victor Victoria, Sordid Lives, A Chorus Line, Picasso at the Lapine Agile, and the Scarlet Pimpernel. In addition, they squeeze in short guest performances now and then. In Palm Springs The historical Plaza Theatre (327-0225), located in the heart of Palm Springs, was completed in 1936, just in time to host the star-studded gala opening of the film "Camille", starring Greta Garbo. Since then, the jewel-box Spanish-style film house has hosted radio broadcasts by greats such as Jack Benny and Bob Hope, as well as live performances by Frank Sinatra, Gordon McRae, Donald O'Connor, and other Palm Springs celebrities. After playing a brief role as the home of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, the Plaza Theatre is now the full-time home for the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies, a razzle-dazzle, song-and-dance extravaganza showcasing the music and dance of the first half of the 20th century. Set in the old vaudeville style, all of the professional cast, dancers, and singers are at least 50 years old! They present you with a marvellous melange of American musical memories, such as a tribute to the movie musicals from the 1930's and 1940's, an Irving Berlin retrospective, and a patriotic finale that will stir your heart. We hesitated for ten years to go and see some old actors try to live up to their old reputation, but when we finally went, we were absolutely dazzled by the show. Without allowance for the age of the performers we enjoyed the wild dancing, singing, skitting, and the very funny commentary on current events by the theater owner himself. Then, add to that the awe at seeing an 85 year old woman move on stage in a way that a 30-year old would only dream of, and the unexpected 3 1/4 length of the show. Oh, it is expensive and worth every penny! In Palm Springs Theater One at College of the Desert is a fertile source of entertainment. The schedule typically includes one-act plays, musicals, symphony concerts, and choral concerts. In Palm Desert

At its dedication on Memorial Day 2001, the Gay Veterans Memorial was the only one of its kind in America. Another first for the Coachella Valley! It is located in the Desert Memorial Park (328-3316), the same cemetery where Frank Sinatra rests. Among the Americans who have served in their country's armed forces and laid down the ultimate sacrifice of life itself on the altar of freedom, a not insignificant number have been gay. The Gay Veterans Memorial, by reclaiming and proclaiming the truth about our fallen gay brothers to all with eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to be moved, not only helps to begin to restore some measure of posthumous dignity to those in every generation who have served in silence, but also bears witness to us, the living, that they served with honor and courage to the very end. Our picture shows the dedication ceremony, that was attended by a hundred people, most in uniform. In Cathedral City As part of the mobilization to get permission for the Gay Veterans Memorial, the gay AMVETS Post 66 (324-5670 or EMAIL HERE) in Palm Springs was formed and is recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs like all other veteran posts. There is always a contingent of gay veterans marching in our gay pride parade, and you should contact either American Veterans for Equal Rights, Palm Springs Chapter (320-5646 or EMAIL HERE) or AMVETS Post 66 if you want to join them in their contingent. For less formal togetherness, gay veterans gather at Tool Shed Bar once a month just to socialize. In Palm Springs

Palm Springs may not be a place for wild and hectic pastimes, but compared to pursuing the hobby of weather watching everything else is simply frantic. The weather is the same, day after identical day. The sun just keeps on shining. For some 330 days a year not a drop of rain falls, and during most the "rain days" we get just a drop. The only iffy periods are the winter months, when occasional cold fronts may provide a day or two of light drizzle, and August, which is more humid and prone to a few thunderstorms. It is a bit windy in the spring, and once every ten years snow falls on Palm Springs, but as soon as you run out of film it has melted away. Click here if you really want to study the current Palm Springs weather and the official forecast. And to actually watch the weather, click here and see a CAM photo of what Palm Springs looks like right this minute (remember that we do have darkness at times here, just as where you are, but not necessarily at the same time!)

San Gorgonio Pass northwest of Palm Springs is one of the windiest areas in the world and is home to some 4500 electricity-producing wind turbines. The electricity generated by the wind turbines is used by the customers of the Southers California Edison Company. The San Gorgonio wind turbines produce approximately 600 million kilowatt-hours every year. This amount of electricity is enough to meet the needs of 100,000 typical one-family houses or about 250,000 people. The wind turbines also provide environmental benefits. By producing electricity cleanly, the state's wind power plants reduce pollutant gases that contribute to smog, acid rain, and global warming. Each year, San Gorgonio's wind-power plants prevent the emission of 3 million pounds of sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, particulates, and 600 million pounds of carbon dioxide, that would otherwise be produced. Northwest of Palm Springs

On the last weekend of March each year, the Cathedral City Boys Club (CCBC) hosts a big wrestling event, the Palm Springs Wrestle Fest. It goes on from Friday to Sunday and the number of wrestlers is approaching a hundred. This is not a preliminary for the Olympic Games or even the Gay Games, but rather a fun event for gay former and current wrestlers to gather with others from around the world who also like to wrestle. The motto is: "Wrestle the way you want to wrestle". How about collegiate wrestling or freestyle wrestling? Is submission wrestling more to your liking, or even no holds barred wrestling??? Maybe you are into the sexyness of erotic wrestling, the Hulk Hogan career dreams of pro fantasy wrestling, or the slippery slope of oil wrestling? You prefer to show up in formal wrestling attire or to wear nothing at all? The Wrestle Fest will make everybody happy. CCBC has six rooms equipped with wrestling mats, of which one is reserved for oil wrestling. In addition a mat is set up outdoors, and there is also the sandpit which is as made for wrestling. The registration fee is $125 (as of 2004), but less if preregistered some time in advance. See the website for details. In Cathedral City

Desert regions are often thought of as lifeless wastelands. Actually, the desert is an intricate and very fragile ecosystem containing an astonishing variety of animal and plant life. Many species are extremely rare and seldom seen. The Living Desert is one of the most successful zoological parks in the country and offers visitors the West's most complete introduction to the natural desert. Established in 1970 as a non-profit education and conservation center, the organization is dedicated not only to preserving plant and animal life of the desert but also to education and preservation of bits of desert ecosystems from around the world. Within its 1200 acres you will discover some 600 fascinating desert animals representing some 145 species, including coyotes, bighorn sheep, oryx, zebras, cheetahs, and meerkats. There are lush botanical gardens representing 10 different ecosystems, and a journey to "Eagle Canyon" -- with its streams, mountain lions, bobcats, Mexican wolves and golden eagles -- is a definite "must see". All of this plus many of the world's rarest animals and plants, wilderness hiking trails, unique exhibits of Native American desert cultures, geology displays, state-of-the-art exhibits, and exciting special events and programs throughout the year attract over 250,000 visitors from around the world annually. In Palm Desert

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