The infamous Bubblegum Alley--which should never be called anything else, because it's exactly that-- has been dividing the great city of San Louis Obispo for decades.
While some consider it a wonderful tourist attraction, giving an upscale town something to uniquely hang their cap on, others have argued it's a disgusting eyesore which sticks (no pun intended) out amongst the quaint shops and restaurants of the area.
I obviously fall into the "preserve this forever and please replicate in every town" camp, but also understand how those with little/no sense of humor (idiots...) could be bugged out by this sticky piece of outsider art. The reality is you're trapped in a narrow alleyway with walls covered in used chewing gum, which isn't an experience for everyone. And as mentioned, it's USED gum; gum no different from the stuff you step in on the street and curse at, gum no different than the gobs you stuck underneath your desk in grade school, gum like this. But don't fret- I assure you nature has made it not as gross and terrible as one might think.
Just look at this beauty! Thousands upon thousands of stringy, colorful and (at one point) tasty gum goblets strewn about. The walls are basically covered in their entirety, and any spot that remains unscathed will certainly be patched up in no time but a weary eyed tourist.
It's both hypnotic and a little revolting, but all colors blend to make something warm and wonderful. It's like admiring the sky on a clear night, but instead of seeing millions of flashy stars, you see used chewing gum with teeth marks all over.
Michaelangelo had the Sistine Chapel and SLO has bubblegum alley.
And even the weak-willed can handle this experience if you follow two simple rules: don't touch it and don't chew it. The weather has hardened everything, so the gum has lost its gross factor and falls into "looks almost like harmless paint splotches" territory. Trust me, this is a good thing. A wonderful thing.
Also, the alley doesn't smell at all, which might've been funny on paper but is a huge plus in my book. You'd guess that the scorching temperatures of the Central valley would toast the place into an oozing pile of bug-infested goo, but all seems well on a normal day.
And the alley itself goes back pretty far, giving eager artists a fairly large canvas to harness their skills on. Therefore, I encourage folks to bring their own pack, chew hard and be part of the fun. I've done it several times over the years, and still consider it to be the crowning achievement of my short-lived DIY art career.
And kudos to the alley's loyal neighbors. The store next door supplies contraband (gum) while the pub supposedly gets the place steam cleaned each month. You're both doing the lord's work.
