A VISIT TO RONALD REAGAN LIBRARY
SIMI VALEY, CALIFORNIA
One of the highlights of our vacation to So. California last September, was the visit to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California. It was a day well spent with friends, emblazoning in our hearts unforgettable memories; and it was a step back in history.
Simi Valley is about an hour and a half drive from our Time Share in Solvang to where the Library is. We left very early in the morning and arrived about 9:00 a.m. to meet with Joan and Bruce Trent. That was a real treat to see my dear friend for a second time on this vacation. This day was a day to visit history and what better way to enjoy the atmosphere here than with good friends.
We learned about Reagan's early life from football star, to motion picture star, to Governor of California to President of the United States. His life was built one step at a time, and if you follow the events of his life carefully, I believe it was no accident that this man was prepared very early in his life to arrive at his destiny as our beloved President. He was a man of many strengths and moral convictions about the future of this great country.
At the end of a very enlightening tour through his journey, we ended up in a huge rotunda, where Air Force 1 is located and we were able to walk through that amazing "White House in the sky." I was amazed at how the inside was fitted with sleeping quarters, dining areas, office areas, and luxury seating for not only the President and his First Lady, but security and dignitaries who might have flown with him. We were also treated with a view of the helicopter, Marine 1, which transported the President back and forth from airports to his White House residence or his California ranch residence.
After the tour, we met the Trent's for lunch at the cafeteria in this huge space. After lunch, the Trent's left to go home to prepare dinner, where we would join them later. We stayed and went through the Bookstore and ventured out on the garden area where Reagan is buried, with his site overlooking a western view, which (on a clear day) looks out to the great Pacific.
Standing before a great man's final resting place was very touching to both Dean and I, and we lingered there for a very long time, contemplating all tha we had seen this day. Our visit to the Reagan Library was a rewarding day, indeed.
At the end of our day, we were in store for an unexpected treat...one that did not come to pass, however. We heard that Vice President Dick Cheney was going to be there to sign copies of his new book. We stood in a very long line (at least 500 people long) and visited with folks around us, waiting to be let in the door for the signing. This is where it turned sour...as we neared the door to be let in "next," a lady came out and announced that Mr. Cheney was "done" signing books. Anyone who wanted to trade in their unsigned copies for a pre-signed copy were invited to do so. Oh, there were some very angry people in that line...many unpleasant exchanges took place between them and that poor lady, who was just "the messenger!" We kept our cool, though disappointed, and traded our book for the pre-signed ones and went our merry way.
Our next stop was to the home of our dear friends, Joan and Bruce for a wonderful homemade soup dinner.
