Adventures Some Home: The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library - Simi Valley, California

As nosotros are trying to come across every Major League Baseball stadium, I conduct maintain a friend as well as old colleague that has the destination of visiting every presidential library as well as grave site. Thinking close this, nosotros conduct maintain started to include them inwards our travels. We started off alongside our closest one, the Richard Nixon library inwards Yorba Linda, as well as hence the Harry Truman library inwards Independence, Missouri, as well as immediately our latest addition, the Ronald Reagan library simply over the Ventura County Line at the far border of Simi Valley.

It's a lazy Sabbatum hence I popular the thought to Letty as well as Tim to conduct maintain the little-over-an-hour displace to acquire there. They are both game hence off nosotros go.

It's a rare calorie-free traffic solar daytime as well as nosotros brand practiced fourth dimension via the 118 across the exceed of the San Fernando Valley. I'm pointing out the rocks inwards Chatsworth to them where many westerns were filmed as well as Charles Manson based his cult when he went on his murderous spree.

On a happier note, nosotros know we've arrived inwards Simi Valley when nosotros come across the happy human face upwards carved into the hill, welcoming motorists into this town.

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The displace upwards the loma goes yesteryear 45 banners, i for each president from Washington to Trump, until yous arrive. If yous involve handicapped parking, yous desire to operate on yesteryear the principal parking lot to a smaller lot develop aside for placard as well as plate holders closer to the entrance.

Admission prices vary due to exceptional exhibits that sometimes come upwards to the library similar the late closed Titanic exhibit. When those are here, admission toll tin almost double. We avoided the exceptional demo as well as were able to acquire inwards for the normal admission toll of $16.

There is a means to period of time through the museum, form of similar when you're at IKEA as well as they brand certain yous come across every room. Starting off alongside this posable statue of Ronny as well as Nancy, yous become into a house to come across a video setting yous upwards for the residual of the tour.

It's a flake of a hagiography, non likewise much of the tilt of President Reagan's career is mentioned or, if it is, it is by as well as large to position a positive spin on his actions. Still, at that spot is much to come across as well as acquire such equally his negotiations alongside Mikhail Gorbachev, the autumn of the Berlin Wall, as well as the assassination attempt yesteryear John Hinkley.

The gun Hinkley used is on display as well as I was quite surprised at how pocket-size it was.

There are exhibits on the Reagans ranch upwards inwards a higher identify Santa Barbara as well as a recreations of his oval office. The highlight of the tour comes halfway through, the Boeing 707 that served equally Air Force One. If you're able bodied, yous tin become inwards the front, walk through...checking out the communications nook, the president's person office, the medical unit, as well as the press section...before exiting the rear.

If you're inwards a wheelchair, a elevator volition conduct maintain yous score to the front end hatch. If your chair fits, yous tin ringlet inwards where yous tin acquire a practiced persuasion of the flying deck, the com nook, as well as unopen to of the galley earlier yous conduct maintain to ringlet dorsum out.

Then, yous tin access the dorsum hatch where yous tin come across where the reporters sit down but it is likewise pocket-size to become whatsoever further.

There is also a helicopter here, that is inaccessible to chairs, which served equally Marine One during President Reagan's term inwards office.

It's a practiced identify to conduct maintain a intermission equally there's a cafeteria as well as a mistaken Irish Gaelic pub called the Ronald Reagan where yous tin conduct maintain a snack as well as launder it downwards alongside a bottle of beer or a drinking glass of wine.

We conduct maintain a beer as well as unopen to cookies nether Air Force One alongside an expansive persuasion of Simi Valley.

After our break, nosotros complete the tour which exits through the gift store where the cash registers popular upwards alongside the message "trust but verify" piece they are processing your credit card.

Outside, at that spot is a department of the Berlin Wall.

Beyond that, yous tin reverberate on the beautiful persuasion of Thousand Oaks as well as the Conejo Valley side yesteryear side to the graves of President Reagan as well as his married adult woman Nancy.

Finished alongside our visit, nosotros caput downwards the loma looking for a identify to eat. We abide by a shopping middle where Yelp.com had told us was a steakhouse that looked practiced to try.

There's the steakhouse but at that spot is a deliciously rigid aroma of garlic wafting close as well as it's non coming from here. Looking around, nosotros come across an Italian identify across the parking lot called Viva La Pasta.

Why not?

Letty has this delicious seafood risotto...

...Tim goes alongside the bake mostaccioli...

...and I acquire this really tasty veal saltimboca.

It's all delicious as well as fortifies us good for the long displace home.

Darryl Musick
Copyright 2018