Athletics Offsite 2023. Palm Springs

Every year Athletics take a few days to set aside work to come together as a studio. This year we had the good fortune to travel to the West Coast to soak up the sun in Palm Springs. We hiked over rocks and braved cholla cactus in Joshua Tree, took a soothing sound bath in the Integratron, hiked Indian Canyons, and took the Aerial Tramway to Mt. San Jacinto State Park. It was a whirlwind three days but well-worth the red-eye.

Our day at Joshua Tree was packed with hikes, majestic rock formations, and breathtaking vistas. Words like “awesome” and “stunning” are often wasted on everyday occurrences that don’t begin to near the power, strength, and fear these words might imply. In this place, no adjective was undeserved. Be warned though, you’ll find maneuvering a 50-person coach through these rugged roads… not unchallenging.

Pioneertown was built in 1946 as an Old West-themed movie set that functions as an actual town. The Athletics crew stopped by for lunch, drinks, and some exploration. While we did not spot any gun-slingers, I do believe a few people left with artisanal soap.

Located 45 miles outside of Palm Springs, the Integratron is a 38-feet-tall cupola structure designed by ufo-ologist and contactee George Van Tassel. A monument to humanity’s fascination with finding extraterrestrial life, the Integratron now hosts rather intense sound baths. We as a group lay ourselves down after a long day of hiking and scrambling and let the vibrations from the singing quartz bowls wash over us, ringing us down to the cell. Some people felt moved, others scratched their heads, and some fell right asleep.

Unlike Brooklyn, in Palm Springs one can drive 10 minutes in pretty much any direction and find themselves hiking one of the most beautiful trails they’ve ever seen. On our last day in Palm Springs, many of us, still besieged by jet-lag, found ourselves uncharacteristically rising with the sun and hiking before breakfast. A went to Indian Canyons and were reminded exactly why people were obsessed with this terrain. It captivates and makes you feel small. You almost expect to see figure on a horse, watching you from a cliff afar.

Another group found their way to the Palm Springs Ariel Tramway, where they took a rotating tram to the top of the mountain and further explored Mt. San Jacinto Park. Here, many city-slickers witnessed the wilderness for the first time.

Try as I might, we really couldn’t house the whole company at the 8-room Trixie Motel. While we couldn’t stay, we definitely couldn’t leave Palm Springs without paying a visit to their bar and gift shop. And if you’re already in the neighborhood, pop around the corner to see Liberace’s house.

Thanks for joining us on this journey! See you at the next offsite :^)