Because I am returning home by train, which runs through my backyard, I didn't want to leave my car at LAX. I decided, instead, to give the MetroLink train/Flyaway Bus a shot.
Like most Californians, I have been married to one car or an other since I was 16. Trusting to mass transit is just not something we do. I am happy to report, however, that at least the regional commuter train portion of the Metro system works, for the most part.
I arrived about 45 minutes early to the Rancho Cucamonga station, and with a little help from an incredibly friendly staffer managed to purchase a combined train/bus ticket to get from where I was to LAX, more or less seamlessly. The train was 4 minutes late, and stayed that same 4 minutes late the whole way to LA Union Station. Even though we were going "against the traffic" (a concept that really doesn't apply to Los Angeles' freeways 24/7-every-direction potential for gridlock), heading in to downtown in the evening, there were several times I looked out to see the cars slowing or stopped, as we made our way forward at a steady but relentless 50mph pace. Upon arrival at Union Station, there was pretty easy to decipher signage to the Patsarous Transit Plaza, where I jumped on a bus for the last leg of the trip. Unlike the somwhated dated interior of the Metrolink (though all built in the 90's and early 2000's, the MTA opted for early 70's appliance colors...the avacado green, orange and brown really reminded me of home, when I was 10), the FlyAway busses are completely hip and cool. Leather-like seats, mood lighting, etc. What one would expect for a nice Vegas turnaround, more than a trip from the train station to the airport. Anyway, so the driver flew that bus down the freeway and in about 20 minutes we were at the airport! Which is cool, except that, being the untrusting soul I am, I had allowed 3 hours to take a trip that was done in just over 1.5. So I had lots of time to kill at LAX. Compounded by having "Even More Speed" and TSA precheck courtesy of JetBlue, which turned the 20-30 minute line at security into "Come on down, don't bother to take your electronics out or shoe's off, have a nice flight" 4 minutes!
So, I put that extra time to good use by sitting down for some fish and chips at Gladstones. Passable. I guess, pretty good for airport food. Certainly better than my other choice - Burger King.
After dinner I settled in to the waiting area, got a nice efficient early boarding to my Even More Space seat on JetBlue flt #100, and OFF TO FLORIDA!
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