Rolling Ledfords: Simi Valley and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Today we traveled about an hour south from our campground to the Simi Valley near the Santa Monica mountains (though they were hard to see because of the thick marine layer especially in the morning). A long twisting drive uphill brought us to a gorgeous setting and what I would say is the most beautiful of the presidential libraries we've visited.

It is designed like a mission with a courtyard and fountain in the middle

and colonades on three sides

At the entrance door is this statue of President Reagan. Bette is shaking his hand :-) while Frank looks on

A guide, Jennifer, approached us after we paid and asked if we'd like a guided tour. She really made the day with all of her insight and special comments about Reagan. It truly was a history lesson of the 1980s though it also does have a section on his formative years and another on his later years.

This statue of President Reagan and his wife Nancy is at the beginning of the tour. That is probably the closest Ken and I will ever get to a president.

Over and above all of the usual displays of Reagan's life and time in office were some very special exhibits. One was the Oval Office as it was during his time in office (most of the libraries include this-and they really are amazingly different for each president)

But here they also have Air Force One and you can walk through it!!!! Five presidents used this

It wasn't as luxurious as I somehow thought it would be but certainly much much nicer than anything we ever ride in. They even get full meals on State china!! And jars of jelly bellies were on all the conference and working tables.

The cockpit had an extra seat installed in it because President Reagan loved to sit up there and chat with the flight staff.

President and Mrs. Reagan would sit here along with any special invited guests

And this was the Reagan's more private compartment

Support staff primarily used this section

and the press that had been selected by lottery and then paid the fare plus one dollar sat in the rear.

Nearby the plane was the presidential limo

and also the Marine One - the helicopter used by the president. We were also able to walk through it.

Ken was able to give President Reagan's Inaguaral speech using the teleprompters

Outside there was a slab of the Berlin Wall that he was instrumental in helping to bring down and give the citizens freedom and a democratic government.

And also President Reagan's grave

After we complete the 2 1/2 hour tour with Jennifer we got lunch at the little cafe and took it to an outside table under a tree so we could enjoy these gorgeous views of the area. (The tables were by the tree to the right.)

A Western Scrub Jay sat in the tree overhead and would quickly flit down to grab little pieces of french fry Bette threw on the nearby patio and then fly off to a quiet spot to enjoy it. It had beautiful deep blue top feathers

After we ate we went backwards through the museum so we could take time to watch some of the films, read some of the special exhibit signs, and look at some of the displays that we had skimmed by with our guide. In one are they had electronic games to play that demonstrated how his economic policy helped citizens improve their savings and increase their giving because of things like tax cuts that Reagan instituted. Here are Frank and Bette playing the game

By the time we came out of the front door ready to return to the car, the sun had broken through the worst of the marine layer and we could see beautiful blue skies and far greater distances than when we arrived. So of course we had to enjoy those views and take some pictures

On a distant heal in the center sits a cross similar to the ones the Spanish put up as a means for travelers to find them. (The missions were established about 30 miles apart up and down the coast as that was a good day's walk)