Good evening, friends. This issue of Jake’s on a Train comes from an E train outside Los Angeles, heading back downtown.
This morning, I spent a few hours on the beach at Long Beach before checking out of my hotel there. (I was going to take lunch there, too, but then I saw the cruise ship coming into the dock, so I went back to LA. Will not be sharing a beach town with people cruising right now, thanks.)
I got lunch again at Grand Central Market, this time Thai food at Sticky Rice and a cup of pineapple agua fresca. Both excellent.
I slipped in some wet mud on my walk to check into the hotel and twisted my ankle, badly enough that it hurt to walk. For most people, this might doom a vacation day. Fortunately, I’m built like a video game protagonist. Half a Doubletree chocolate chip cookie and a two-hour nap later, I was well enough to go back out.
From downtown, I took the E train out to Santa Monica. I rented an e-bike there and rode to Venice Beach (~15 minutes) and back at sunset. Lovely!
Along the trail, I saw a big rope. After parking my bike, I walked back and climbed it. I will never pass up the opportunity to climb a big rope.
I grabbed some esquites in Santa Monica and hopped back on the Metro for downtown. Tomorrow, I’m leaving for New Orleans at 10 p.m. So I’ll spend another day in LA. Might go see some museums!
–JBG
I have nothing but questions about this post: what cruise line docks a ship in Santa Monica? (I’m trying to think of an itinerary that would include that port). How is your ankle today? If swollen, you should have it looked at. Who took the photo of you on the rope from the ground? Did you give your phone to some random stranger, trusting that they would take the picture and wait for you to climb down? Did a child in the playground point to you and say, “ Look, Ma, there’s a grown-up man climbing the rope!”? Maybe you’ll have time to answer these (and many more) on the next leg of your adventure. Safe travels.❤️