Gay, Grey or Jose'

The cultural bifurcation of California's North and South is mirrored
West and East along Hwy 111. In the west end cities of Palm Springs
and Cathedral City, there is a large, vocal and fiercely proud Gay &
Lesbian population of San Francisco and Hollywood expatriates. To
the East, the residents of Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells
and La Quinta live for the most part in country clubs. They are often
described as "Orange County Refugees," typically conservative,
extremely affluent and for the most part straight retirees. (Some say
they're mostly millionaire WASPS, but in my experience they're just
as likely to be Jewish.)  Still further East are the relatively poor but
rapidly developing rural cities of Indio and Coachella. The area's
burgeoning agricultural industry is focused here. As a result, a large
population of Mexican Americans and recent immigrants makes these
cities a quiet bastion of Catholic family values, the American work ethic
and upward mobility. One admittedly simplistic way to look at it is like
this: West Valley, Gay. Mid Valley, Grey. East Valley, Jose. Quick!
Somebody take a poll!  

Retro Feudalism

It is interesting to note that three distinct inner city / suburb models can be
found in this mini megalopolis despite the appearance of homogeneous
"urban sprawl."  Mostly  wealthy Palm Springs is bordered by mostly working
class Cathedral City and Desert Hot Springs with Rancho Mirage occupying
the affluent outer circle. Palm Desert is self contained for the most part, but the
outer circle blurs into Indian Wells. La Quinta is evolving into a center of its
own, with Indio and Coachella filling the working class niche.

A rose by any other name...

About 10 years ago,  Palm Springs and Cathedral City took back from the state
parts of Hwy 111 and renamed it "Palm Canyon." The reason they gave was that
was the only way they could close off parts of it for festivals and parades. Efforts
made by community leaders to convince the Eastern cities to do the same were
rebuffed.  It seems they didn't think the cost of upkeep that came with ownership
was worth the promotional value. Besides, some of them wanted to maintain some
distinctiveness from the reputation Palm Springs had as a wild and rowdy Teenage
Spring Break town. They don't like its more recent reputation as a wild and rowdy
Gay Spring Break town either. Wild and rowdy teenagers it turns out are OK with
Palm Springs so long as they're gay. Seriously though, the former did get to riot
proportions, so much so that the Fire Department was asked to hose them down.
Gay or straight, it's a relatively tame family affair these days.

Culture Clash

As if this were not enough cultural diversity to peak your interest, the area's Convention
and Visitors Authority encourages the  perception of the area as a place to relax while
the Coachella Valley  Economic Partnership encourages industry to "Come to play, stay
to work."  A catchy slogan to be sure, but most corporations don't want their people to
relax, they want them to work. Relaxing at a resort is the reward for hard work and winning.
A fashion tip to newcomers: The Hawaiian shirt is the un official uniform of the resort
industry here. Wear a coat and tie to the wrong meeting and you're likely to be branded a
"newcomer" no matter how long you've lived here. You won't see many people in business
suits sitting around relaxing in sidewalk cafes. You will, however,  hear plenty of hell raising
motorcycles with broken mufflers. Maybe the local spas tolerate it because the ear drum
piercing roar of a chopped hog creates the stress that a massage relieves. A business suit,
however, says "IRS Auditor," "Narc," "Divorce Lawyer," or "Salesman" and that for some
strange reason seems to create much more stress for many a local than "Outlaw Biker
Wanted in Seven States."

The Great American Blog

But relaxation can quickly turn to boredom and as you can see, Hwy 111 is anything but
boring. I'll take interesting over relaxing any day. That's what  Hwy111.com is all about:
a journal of the interaction of the interesting but not always relaxing people to meet, places
to see, and things to do here, on and off Hwy 111. Think of it as our own little information
superhighway with a cocktail or pinata party going on at every rest stop. You get the idea.
I could write a book....and as soon as someone pays me an advance I will! Ditto for the TV
series or movie. For now, Hwy111.com will have to do. Now that the technology is  finally
advancing it could turn out to be all I’ll ever need.

Outlander

As for me, I'm one of the Hwy 111 crowd too even though I live miles from it in Bermuda
Dunes. (Neutral county territory bordering Palm Desert, La Quinta and Indio). Ask the post
office and they'll tell you I'm in Indio which is somewhat telling of my working class roots.
Then again I live in a country club, one of the oldest in the area. That should tell you I'm
upwardly mobile. I'm not "Jose,"  but I do cut my own bushes. Not Gay, though I did live in
Palm Springs for a time and I do consider myself "creative." (Sometimes used as a synonym
and / or euphemism depending on your personal bias.) Not Grey yet, but it's starting.

Xenophobia

I've lived and worked in this valley for 15 years full time. Which means if you're one of those
"Snow Birds" from Oregon, Washington or Canada who only live here part time, you'd have
to live here 30 years to live here as long as I have. If you're one of those L.A. types who
come up just for the weekends you'd have to live here 60 years! Then again, I wear a tie.

Lance Cory Frank
Editor / Publisher Hwy111.com