TURBINE TOUR IN VACATIONLAND

San Gorgonio windmills can teach you a lot; Take a tour among the turbines and learn about green energy.
Jordan Rane, April 3, 2009 (LA Times)

"In the Coachella Valley, you can roll along the San Andreas fault on a chuck wagon, lope through a date farm on a camel, soar above 100 golf courses in a motorless sailplane, float over the desert at sunrise in a hot-air balloon and take a Palm Springs celebrity tour to check out the homes of Red Skelton, Hedy Lamarr and Barry Manilow.

"Or you can board a small white bus on the far side of Interstate 10 and admire windmills up close for 90 minutes."

A view of the turbines in the San Gorgonio pass. (click to enlarge)

"Maybe you've already seen them on the way to your favorite resort in La Quinta -- those rows of tri-blade ivory towers spinning away like alien corn in the blustery San Gorgonio Pass near the exit to Palm Springs…

"There are about 4,500 of them out here, representing 80 wind farms run by companies you may know ( Florida Power & Light), others you may not (Iberdrola) and, formerly, by others you wish you hadn't (Enron). Collectively, they can harness 650 megawatts of pure, clean, renewable energy…"

A view of the turbines in the San Gorgonio pass. (click to enlarge)

"The San Gorgonio Wind Park begins about 100 miles east of Los Angeles near Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley. To reach the windmill tour departure site, take Interstate 10 east to the Indian Road exit (five miles past the California Highway 111 exit to Palm Springs) in North Palm Springs. Drive a block north to 19th Avenue and turn left into the parking lot at 19-125 N. Indian Ave…[Tours] run Wednesday through Saturday at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. (mornings only during the summer). Tours are 90 minutes long, cost $25, $23 for 65 and over and $10 for 12 and under. Reserve ahead to confirm times (760) 320-1365."