Saturday, February 26, 2011

WIND FARM PALM SPRINGS

Marching across the landscape like some strange tree stand windmills by the thousands, or, more technically correct, wind generators by the thousands.
Starkly outlined against the sky and hills, they have a beauty of their own.
The Altamont Pass, in Alameda County, has a similar installation. I believe it was the first such installation in the state. There windmills of many different types grace the steep hillsides of the pass, but you are unable to view them closely.
 Here they are quite close to the roads.
This generating plant can supply electricity for the whole Choachella Valley. And, it, too, has mills of at least three varieties. Some have two blades, some have three, and the supporting structure varies.
 The wind blows so hard here street crews have a constant job of removing sand that blows onto the roadway. The strength of the wind prevented me from opening the car door a couple of times, but, then I have a bum arm right now. At one point, I got the door open, stepped up onto the floor of the Bronco, the door blew against me and held me upright while I leaned against it to take a photo over the roof of the Bronco. Its easy to see why this wind farm was placed here. Yet, up the road, in the shelter of the San Jacinto's, the wind dissipates and the sun shines warmly and you know you are in Palm Springs once more.

We didn't wander too far from the motor home. Jim's cold is hanging on. He quit our power walk early and slept most of the day. A group of about twelve people walk a 3 mile course together at 8 a.m every day.

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