Ronald Reagan Library

The weeks leading up to this vacation week were filled with "What shall we do while we are there?".  The obvious "Disneyland", and "Universal Studios" immediately headed the list.  I checked out Jeopardy (Yea, I'm a geek) but they aren't taping this week.  The SCQueen caught a "100 years of Reagan" or somesuch on the tube.  She asked how close it was to the timeshare.  A quick mapquest check showed 100 miles and just under 2 hours one way without traffic.  Ok this is LA, when is there NOT traffic?  The "with traffic" time pushed beyond 3 hours.

Uggg.  But I talked to a local that had spent some time there and his only regret was that he didn't have more time to spend.  OK because I love my wife and this is a one time deal, "We'll" make the drive*.

And it's well worth the trip.

The Library is set up to chronologically follow his life from school years to early career, acting roles and into politics.   He was governor of my home state for several years before I became politically aware.  Still I am proud to have cast my first presidential vote for Reagan late in 1980.  It was the first and possibly only "affirmative" for a presidential candidate.  1984 was even easier.  Most if not all of the rest have been "negative" votes against the other guy.   The lesser of two evils.

I recall this statement. This is the statement of an office holder that understands the shareholder-employee relationship. Contrast that with the current residents "I won, you lost" attitude.

The oval office is an exact replica of the Oval Office as it was during his watch.  I should have taken more pictures to splice together *sigh* my career as a photographer is a history of regrets and "almost great" shots.  This is yet another one.

The Hinckley assassination attempt was covered in dramatic fashion.    I guess I never realized the attempt was made with a .22 revolver.  The exhibit shows a like model Rolm RG-14 revolver.

The collapse of the Berlin wall was a significant portion of the visit.  The portion of Reagan's speach "...Mr Gorbachev, TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!" was in heavy rotation,

The SCQueen asked a nearby docent if she gets tired of hearing that line.  She answered "Never!  I hear that line hundreds of times a day and I never tire of it."  Amen.

The current 747 based Air Force One 28000 was ordered during Reagan's  second term but not delivered until the HWBush's term. 

What do you suppose this bad boy is worth:

S&W .44 Magnum base price (est) $1500
Optional engraving with gold inlay  $5000
Owned by President Ronald Reagan:PRICELESS!

Finally, here's a panorama looking out from behind the library:

Bottom line, it was well worth the trip.  I say that even considering this "trip" cost driving 100 miles across the heart of LA in rush hour traffic twice (there and back).