The largest and oldest wind farm in the US is in Palm Springs,
at the San Gorgonio Pass, gateway to the Coachella Valley.
Winds speeds along this route can reach 80 mph,
only 5 miles faster than a category 1 hurricane.
The perfect environment for a field of 4,000 turbines
which produce enough energy to power Palm Springs and the entire valley.
Driving on the highway towards PS,
my first glimpse of the windmills rising from the desert floor
always makes me smile.
A swath of white mechanical arms marching in the wind.
From the mountain peaks they dot the landscape in symmetrically rows.
But up close, they take on a different persona.
A futuristic incarnation of Don Quiotes' enemies.
A low hum of the blades accompanies the silence.
The wind blows.
Walking amongst them is like entering another dimension
especially as the sun lowers casting dramatic shades of yellow and orange across the sky.
