America 2016: Day Seventeen (11 June)

Over there all the woman wear silk and satin to their knees
And children dear, the sweets, I hear, are growing on the trees
Gold comes rushing out the rivers straight into your hands
When you make your home in the American Land

There's diamonds in the sidewalk, the gutters lined in song
Dear I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who will make his home in the American Land

- Bruce Springsteen

Saturday 11 June

Strangely, it rained in Los Angeles today. That’s a very rare occurrence and it unfortunately wrecked our plans for the day – cycling along the trail between Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach. Instead, we went to the movies to finally see the new Captain America film, which was as good as advertised. Amazing that we paid $6.99 cash for the ticket, when movies back home cost at least twice that. Sensational value for money.

A cloudy, rainy day in Southern California.

After the movie, Nathan and I continued our tradition of having a meal at Bubba Gump’s on Santa Monica Pier before heading to the airport. The restaurant, with more Forrest Gump references than you can poke a stick at, makes really good seafood dishes – I had prawns with capers and linguini – and we both enjoyed the Bubba Gump trademark alcoholic beverage, the Coronarita: a margarita with a mini Corona on top. Amazing.

Perhaps the best thing about the restaurant is it’s location – right on the beach. The views of the southern California coastline are spectacular. I only wish the sun had been out. We definitely picked the right day to go out hiking. It wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun today as it was yesterday, and the views wouldn’t have been as spectacular, either.

The Coronarita

Right now, I’m sitting at the departure gate inside LAX International Airport taking stock of an amazing two weeks in America. Every time I come here, it seems to be a better trip than the one before. That’s mostly because of the people I know here, who always make visiting so awesome and because I get to do it with one of my best mates – thanks, Nathan, you’re a legend – so, obviously, going home isn’t the most fun thing I can think of doing right at this moment.

These two weeks – seventeen days, to be exact – have felt much longer, but in the best possible way. We’ve seen so much, done so much and seen so many great people. The Indianapolis 500 was better than I thought it would be, and that’s really saying something, because I had very high expectations for the one hundredth running of the greatest race in the world. The event was spectacular in every way, and exceeded my expectations by the length of…well, the front straight at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And then a little bit more. There aren’t enough adjectives.

On that hot and sunny Sunday in Indy, we witnessed history – twice. The one hundredth running was a slice of American and motorsport history and seeing an American win the race in such unlikely circumstances topped off the day. I’d always known the Indy 500 was big, but big is just the beginning. It’s an immense event that I’ll never forget. We were the fifty seventh largest city in America during the race, an insane statistic, really.

And Chicago. What to say about that place? Fast becoming my favourite city in America and perhaps second-only to Sydney anywhere in the world. That’s mostly thanks to the people, of course. Jaimie and Matt looked after us so well at their place and we got to hang with so many awesome friends. That’s what makes it so much fun, and what makes me come back time and time again. So, thanks to the Alley’s and Longhini’s, Weller’s, Rovik’s and Donahue’s for being so welcoming.

America, it’s always a blast, and I can’t wait to do it again.

Until next time…

America 2016: Day Sixteen (10 June)

She stood there bright as the sun on that California coast
He was a Midwestern boy on his own
She looked at him with those soft eyes, so innocent and blue
He knew right then he was too far from home He was too far from home

She took his hand and she led him along that golden beach
They watched the waves tumble over the sand
They drove for miles and miles
up those twisting turning roads
Higher and higher and higher they climbed

- Bob Seger

Friday 10 June

Final full day in America. Woke up at 8:30am feeling only a little dusty after last night’s beers and cocktail with Nate. It was a cloudy start to the morning in Los Angeles. We ate breakfast at the Denny’s Diner adjacent the hotel, then headed over to Culver City, to the Westfield – yes, they’re over here, too – mall there so I could buy the new Frankie Ballard album, El Rio. Played it in the car on the way from Culver City to the campus of the University of Southern California. Every single track is brilliant. The guy from Battle Creek, Michigan, is on a major winner.

Those who know me well know I’m a big fan of college football, and especially the University of Southern California Trojans. It was great to wander the campus today, see some of the athletic facilities and stop at the book shop, where you can buy every imaginable item with the Trojans logo on it. Bought a few things, and wandered about some more. Very impressive place. Lots of open parkland and beautiful buildings. Plenty of Los Angeles history on those grounds, too.

The Tommy Trojan statue on campus at USC

After USC, we drove into Hollywood and through the streets to where the walking trail to the Hollywood sign began. You wouldn’t want to tackle this one if you’re out of shape. You start with a very steep uphill, and the rest of the trail, whilst less steep than the start, definitely tracks upward. In the end, you’re maybe a hundred or so yards below the famous Hollywood sign, and the views back across Los Angeles are amazing.

The sun came out at the right time, and made the vista even more impressive. The views from the top end of the trail made the hot hike – it took us about 45 minutes up and half an hour back – really worthwhile. Probably a journey best made early summer or else in the winter or fall. I can’t imagine how hot it would be in the middle of July or August.

Back to the car, and out to Anaheim. Man alive, was the traffic bad. Twenty four miles in two hours. A slow, slow crawl. Lucky the music and company was good. Oh, and Mrs Knott’s Chicken Dinner at Knott’s Berry Farm was also good. That’s the reason we trekked out there, and it was worthwhile: chicken soup to start, then the main meal of fried chicken, potato, corn and a side salad, along with a big slice of apple pie for dessert. Insanely large helpings. I was absolutely stuffed by the end.

Thankfully, the traffic back into Los Angeles was much more agreeable. It was a novel thing to be driving at more than twenty miles an hour. Awkwardly rolled up to the hotel to find that, for some unknown reason, both our key cards weren’t working. Had to go back to the front desk to get them reset.

Watched Gerard Butler in London Has Fallen on TV once we were inside. Nathan hadn’t seen it yet, and I love it, so happy days. TV was showing a real live police chase on the interstate when we tuned in after the movie. Strangely compelling stuff!

Tomorrow – Santa Monica Pier and more. And then, a flight home to Sydney.

LA off in the distance

America 2016: Day Fifteen (9 June)

I was midnight blowing my Midwest money
At the Whiskey on the Sunset Strip
Just trying to catch a buzz, listening to some Guns
You dug I wasn't trying to be hip

With those Malibu eyes, Hollywood smile
You know I couldn't leave you alone
Cause you make me feel like Beverly Hills
On the cover of Rolling Stone

- Frankie Ballard

Thursday 9 June

Left Chicago this morning – pretty much against my will. As I mentioned yesterday, the more people I get to know here, the harder it is to depart. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.

Had a great flight out to Los Angeles on Southwest. No baggage fees, multiple drinks and snacks and very friendly crews. I should’ve mentioned my enjoyment of Southwest when we flew from Los Angeles to Chicago two weeks ago, but it slipped my mind amongst the fog of eighteen hours of flying. I’ll definitely fly with Southwest wherever possible from now on.

Los Angeles was a little overcast when we arrived, but there was a pretty spectacular sunset later as some of the cloud cleared. Watched the first period of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final between Pittsburgh and San Jose, had a snack at Denny’s, which sits adjacent to our hotel (the Travelodge near LAX International Airport – a really good sized room close to a lot of attractions) and headed out to North Hollywood to meet our friend, Nate.

I absolutely could not live in Los Angeles because of the traffic. The rush hour seems to last from about 6:00am to 8:30pm and you scarcely achieve speeds higher than 20mph during this time. So, the endless lines of slow-moving traffic make things awkward when you need to use the bathroom fairly desperately. And then, very desperately.

As occurred last night. Had to jump off the nearest exit – we found ourselves in Beverly Hills, and it was like something from a TV show, lavish mansions, impossibly expensive and exotic cars and palm trees that reach for the sky – and travel what felt like an eternity to find a gas station with a bathroom in the suburbs.

Strangely, you don’t see gas stations on the sides of the big freeways and interstates here like you do anywhere else in America (and in Australia, for that matter), which is unusual. Just made it in time. Bought a packet of Lays chips so that I could use the facilities. Pretty sure it was the best purchase I’ve made this trip!

So funny!

Hanging out with Nate is always awesome. For the uninitiated, he’s a professional drummer, an insane talent, and works on American version of The Voice. He can tell a story and a joke like no one else, and it’s impossible not to have a good time. We also end up meeting other cool people…like Mr Jonathan Mover, who, as it turns out, is responsible for – amongst many other songs with artists like Alice Cooper, Aretha Franklin and Elton John, to name just three – the drums on one of my all-time favourite songs, “Lay Down Your Guns” by Jimmy Barnes. He’s basically drumming royalty, according to Nate. I’d take that as gospel.

We watched some live music at Universal Bar and Grill, then went up to the Hard Rock Café where Nate is a celebrity like the Wellers are celebrities at Taste of Wheaton. We watched Nate talk his way into the parking lot, by telling the lady on the gate that although he didn’t have his parking laminate, he did indeed work there – and ended up having to show photos on his phone of him drumming on The Voice. Incredibly hilarious. I think she just let him through to shut him up? Eh, whatever works.

The bartender at Hard Rock Mache, is a really cool dude, and happily made us mystery cocktails – which we later found out had vodka, smoked rum, cranberry juice and pineapple juice – that tasted absolutely heavenly. Had a nice BBQ chicken with coleslaw for a late dinner. Laughed so hard my cheeks and stomach hurt. That’s a regular occurrence with Nate. 

Great night – sleeping in tomorrow, then hiking up to the Hollywood sign.