Our Visit To The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley

Having missed the opportunity to see the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California, we packed a lunch and took a ride to see the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library at Simi Valley.  The GPS indicated the location was just 6 air miles away, but some 35 driving miles. 

Our campground is just east of Simi Valley. Between the mountains; agriculture is big business.
Palm trees, citurs, vegetables, fruit and decorative landscaping trees grow here.

This photo captures a crop of fruit trees (left) and a fairly large house built on a dug-out side of this mountain.
The house gives a good idea just how huge these mountains are...

Most of the mountainsides are covered with little yellow blooms.






This scene was along CA26. Like in Names, Arizona, people have carved their name and sayings into the clay-like dirt wall along the roadway.  I wonder how long those carvings last before being washed (or blown) away.  The wind can get pretty strong along the mountain corridors.



We were somewhere between the Santa Susanna Mountains and the Simi Hills in Ventura County.

Because little Lexie has "separation anxiety" and Wayne can't stand to leave her at home alone, we took her with us. We will take turns visiting the library and sitting outside on the grounds with Lexie.

This year would have been Ronald Reagan's 100th birthday.
These signs are everywhere around the Presidential Library area.

A view of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library property as we were approaching.
It's much larger than it appears here.  Air Force One is on display inside in one wing.
The buildings are high on a hill -- beautiful countryside.

Looking down into the valley below from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library property.

The main entry into the library building.

We met a wonderfully nice woman just outside the building entrance who told us what to expect on our visit. She asked all about Lexie (who was sitting quietly in her "outward hound" strapped to my front) and suggested it might be okay for us to take her inside with us.  Sounds great. We decided to become "friends" of the Ronald Reagan Library, making a small contribution to the Foundation and enjoying the benefit of free admission to other Presidential Libraries we might visit in our travels.  We paid the fee and affixed our "Friends of the Ronald Reagan Library" stickers to our shirts.

About this time, a large, friendly, but unsmiling U.S. Marshall explained that only properly documented service animals were allowed on any U.S. Government Presidential Library properties.  No, we would not be able to sit outside, even on the walkways, with Lexie -- even if we held her.  The nearest Lexie could be to the property was in the parking lot!  It was 85 degrees out there and no shade!  Horrors!

Well our "Friends of the Ronald Reagan Library" stickers were removed, our fee refunded and we did not see the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. 

This is what we did see.  More beautiful scenery.  Ronald Reagan would have let Lexie go onto his stinking library grounds.  I just know he would...

We drove back the same way we drove in.  The scenery was just as nice the second time.

It's no wonder Ronald Reagan liked this part of the country.
And by-the-way, we learned the former President is buried on the grounds of the Library.

This picture isn't too good but it shows a huge orange grove in the valley below the huge mountains.

If you look closely, you can see tiny little people out in this field.
 I don't know what is planted here, but it's covered in plastic.

The afternoon weather was terrific and we returned to the campground, giving serious thought to taking a dip in the pool but never got around to it.  Here's where we are:

Valencia Travel Village at Santa Clarita

The campground is large and has lots of trees.

This is us.