Hi everybody...forgot to mention that we had a great visit with Gabriela and Benj mwhile in Maine...and in fact had a special breakfast served to us by by Benj in the restaurant he is working in for the summer, prior to attending the University of British Columbia this fall...Good luck, Benj! and now I turn this final blog over to my beautiful and wonderful wife..

Hello to you all of you with Love...
I can't believe we are almost home..harold had a dream and i am so happy to hve been able to be part of it..all the excitement of each day was a joy...the weary times are forgottenand my appreciation of this country knows no bounds...every president left a heartfelt mark..especially woodrow wilson...he would not sign a bill that would not allow anyone who could not speak english to entere this countery..that means neither of our grandparents could have come to america..AND ELIZABETH AND LOUIS and PAULINE AND BENJAMIN would not have had ua and we woulfd not hav e had you..so thank you again woodrow wilson..thank you sylvia and ruth for being there for me...so long for now..maybe we will take that train across canada..could b e. love you all be well a d happy..mother daras grandma

Final Resume

...We are in Palm Coast, Florida ...about 4 hours from returning home tomorrow and retrieving Tiger and Hershey!...It has been a fabulous trip...but like a dream now that is over..Can you believe that Daras told me she was a little sad about it being completed...she felt as tho she wanted to continue some more!....

The saga began when Ellen and Tony visited us in early May...and immediately after arrival suggested we start then and there by visiting the Truman Little White House in Key West...and in minutes we left in their car and had a swell 2 day visit...and it gave Daras and me the impetus to start!

We therefore left on our journey on May 11th...with a 2 day visit to Plains, Georgia with the pleasure of spending Mother's Day in the Maranatha Baptist church..sitting thru the service and then having Jimmy Carter presenting an hour and a half Sunday School Lesson as he paced directly in front of us...as we sat in the front row center and spoke without notes for an hour and a half..I was permitted to take photos and then we had our picture taken with he and Rosalyn outside of the church..
We then visited his museum in Atlanta...and then visited several more Presidential sites in South and North Carolina, Williamsburg, Virginia...had dinner with our charming Grandaughter, Tori in Charlottesville, where she is a student at University of Virginia...many more sites visited in Virginia and environs...then, an evening with our friend Peggy Bouffard in Williamsburg...and more Presidential sites visited...and then to DC where our daughter Ellen and Husband Tony graciously offered thier house for us to use as a base....Dinner with Grandson Alex was great...and he suggested and taught me how to Blog...!..while there we also had dinner in Georgetown with our lovely Grandaughter, Liz preparing our meal in a very upscale Restaurant in which she is employed as part of her Summer training as a very Special Chef! During this stay we saw all the Presidential sites possible...and it was the beginning of my blog..
Since I am thanking all those who aqssisted in one way or another, I would like to first thaqnk my beautiful wife, Daras who not only agreed to accompany me in this endeavor, but did it graciously and was so very helpful in many ways, including bolstering my efforts and giving me so much encouragement...My daughter Janet who met us in Annapolis on a Sunday morning for a belated Birthday brunch....My daughter and Son-in Law Deena and Michael who offered their home in NJ for a resting site..and my Sister, Shanlee who provided a similar roost, while in Pennsylvania...and my daughter-in-law and son, Pam and Jim who provided us lodging and a very exciting Birthday Party/Dinner for Jim on June14, his Birthday! Another re-union took place when we had dinner and a local sight-seeing tour of Little Rock, Arkansas with Richard Shreiber, the son of Shula who was Daras' roomate in her college days. AND not to forget all our friends and family who were kind enough to communicate with us regularly by E-Mail and telephone which served to provide and keep the warmth and kinship alive during the many weeks away at such distances...Thanks to all of you!

The trip was made possible by the Honda Corporation whose vehicle was so dependable, especially the GPS who directed us without fail to every nook and cranny we requested.
Another thanks to the Casio company whose very compact digital camera made photo taking so easy....and to all those wonderful National Museum Archivists and National Park Guides and volunteer Docents who offered so much information...

Some Statistical Facts:

The trip took about 9 weeks


We drove over 10,000 miles by road
and 3000 miles by Air

We stopped for one night in each of over 50 Hotels/motels
without one reservation

We visited about 90 or more Presidential sites!

We used about $1500 of Gasoline!


I recognized that there were 3 phases of this project:

1. Research all sites and ploan the itinerary
2. Visit all the sites
3. Write the "Thank You America" Book....to be done!

Daras is asleep...and I am aware that she wants to write the final note on this blog...so in the AM it will be done!

Had another very productive day! After leaving for Greeneville, Tennessee this morning we passed over the final time zone in about an hour and finally we are back on Eastern Daylight Saving Time....it was like meeting an old friend again!...then after noon we reached the Home territory of President Andrew Johnson...the first thing we visited was his grave site in the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery..It became recognized as a National Cemetery in 1906..
His family plot with his own tomb being very prominent was directly o0n a very steep summit on Signal Hill which is now knownas Monument Hill...His wife and children and other members of his and his wife's family are buried there as well...It was said that he selected the site himself and it was confirmed after his death by a very loyal ex-slave who continued to work for him and the family for pay! Altho he was a slave owner he had freed his personal slaves far before the Emancipation Proclamation...His father died when he was 3..he and his brother was sent to a different town to learn tailoring by becoming an apprentice...He ran away after breaking a window..and a reward of $10 was offered by the tailor for his capture..but he moved miles away...opened a tailor shop...self taught to read and write and the rest of the history will be explored in my book! We saw the tailor shop...his boyhood home and the home he retired to post-presidency...It is a very interesting story which has great consequence in American History...Hang on for the ride!...I can't wait to get started!.....We then drove again..over and thru the Cumberland Mountains...and the adjacent to Ashville and over and thru the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and at the foothills of the Blue Ridge...It was a twisty, winding road which revealed exciting vistas for our pleasure...We stopped in Spartanburg, South Carolina for the nite..leaving about 2 days for our return to Hershey and Tiger!....

I wiil finally finish this blog tomorrow..with some personal o0bservations and maybe so0me interesting statistics...stay tuned...

One more to go! Visited thye "Hermitage" of Andrew Jackson in Nashville today...He was quite a man...and sure left his mark on the Presidency...He was a helion as a kid...served in 4 wars!...Fought in Revolutionary war at age 13...was a drinker and a womanizer and a gambler...evidently gave up "the good life" to become an attorney! Invited into Politics and the rest is History that you will read in my book...Married a divorcee (who wasn't divorced"...fought a duel after she was slandered...Killed the opponent etc! Story of Andrew and Rachel emenated.. The house sits on 1100 acres...great big mansion...very impressive....Mother and wife played an important part in his life....and he worked extremely hard post-presidency to get Polk elected....another interesting story!Saw his and Rachels grave at the home...

Was told by one person at Museum that Polk and his wife were buried at the Capitol building in downtown Nashville...dashed back there...and walked up thousands of stone stepsw intyo the Capitol..and then hundreds more steps down in the back to the East Lawn...Found Polk and his wife's tomb...very impressive and also saw big statue of Andrew Jackson on horseback there as well as statue of Andrew Johnson!....Tennessee claims all 3 Presidents as their own..but all 3 were born in North Carolina...another story to relate later!

Left in a hurry to drive 70 miles southwest to Columbia, Tennessee where the home of Polk is located...really appreciated the beautiful countryside and farmlands an d great highways of Tennessee. The house was very nice...about 10,000 square feet...beautiful maqnsion...allowed to walk all thru it ...got all the "dirt" about him...and his Presidency was confirmed by everything we saw and heard there to agree to my pre-conceived evaluation...He was REALLY a GREAT PRESIDENT...not apparently appreciated yet today....He worked himself to death...would not seek a 2nd term,,,since he was exhausted...and died within 3 months after leaving the White House...His widow wore nothing but black clothes for the 42 years she lived follwing his death....Much more to tell later...very, very interesting....

Many books were pujrchased in all places and as I drive...Daras is reading them constantly and enjoying...wait until she tells you...and me, all about it!

Time for bed...we drove to about an 1-1/2 hour west of Knoxville to a nice hotel..good dinner and bed.....Tomorrow we go thru Knoxville directly to Greeneville and the Home of Andrew Johnson...That will be the FINAL stop...and then back to Hershey and Tiger!

Will tell you all about it tomorrow!

Heading East!...left Little Rock after a very good nite's sleep...almost missed the Free Continental Breakfast...but we made it!...drove on a very good straight Highway..I-40 all the way from Little Rock to Nashville...extremely fast travel thru very pretty farmland for the most part on a hot, but beautiful sunny day....Most of the farms were planted with soy beans..with a few in corn..pretty rolling hills and we had the thrill of crossing the upper part of the Mississippi as we drove thru Memphis, Tennessee...Arkansas to our delight was beautifully green...lovely foliage and in all a pretty state....one of the stops for diversion was a drive offf the highway down a little country road for about 15 miles to a boating and camp site along the Tennessee River where they produce natural water pearls by introducing into the Mussels located there with small seeds of shell...we saw a short documentary displaying the activity and of course, Daras was able to pick up a little ring as a remembrance...We reached the Hermitage after closing time...found a nice motel..had a "southern" type dinner and now to bed. The ride today convinced us farther as to how nice is our country! Tomorrow morning we visit Jackson's "Hermitage" home and investigate his life with Rachel...can't wait to hear the story!
Tune in tomorrow to find out about it!

visited Clinton's Home from birth to age 5....He evidently remembers this place and has been quoted as saying that he feels that it had the most direct effect on his personna...interesting?...
His mother and her mother were Nurses...when he was quite young his mother left to go out of town to nget her degree as Nurse Anesthitist...and he was cared for by his Great Grandfather and particularly his grandparents...and a grand uncle...His Grandfather had a grocery store and Bill said that his grandfather especially was the one who taught him the most...They lived in a rented modest home which they subsequently were able to purchase...HIs mother taught him to add and subtract and recognize numbers from Playing Cards she hung randomly on tghe kitchen curtains!...He was a good student...joined everything he could and eaqrly on decided to become a politician!..the house was interesting and I had great opportunity to get lots of good pictures...The town is little...sort of poor and had a very large black population...an interesting fact was that Vince Foster was in his Kindergarten class..later becoming a close adviser and ultimately it was theorized that he committed suicide by shooting himself!...as we were in the house the train just close by went thru and the train whistle nearly blew our ears out!
We left and took an easy drive on a nice highway for about 60 miles ( a hop-skip-and jump for us!) to Little Rock and directly to his Archive sponsored Museum...It is in what was a former Industrial area...and alongside the Arkansas River...and next to a large old brick private railroad station that belonged to a now defunct company...It is now a School sponsored by the Clinton Foundation...and an other interesting fact is that there is an adjacent 3 sectioned draw bridge type bridge next to the Museum that was built an d operated exclusively by the company...there are plans to rehabilitate it to use it asd a foot bridge for tourists who desire to cross the river aqnd visit other Little Rock Museums in the area...
The Museum is quite unusual in appearance,,,supposedly to represent "a bridge to the 21st Century"...It is covered by glass panes with the upper panes covered by perforated aluminum panels that are somewhat translucent because of the perforations...It is large..raised on straight columns appearing as sort of stilts..and long and rectangular in appearance..It is surrounded by rectangular lawns in rigid rectangular areas with walkways separating them..and with geometrically placed young trees about them...In my opinion, it is not particularly attractive, and rather industrial in appearance...
Inside it was somewhat the same..the exhibits were placed in stright lines with the basic architectural supports being intentionally visible...and some of the photographic images were diifcult to visualize because of the harsh glaring daylight entering thru the walls...there however was a very interesting view of the River and Downtown area thru the perforated aluminum panels....All the exhibits identified with the very positive actions of Clinton as President..and portrayed him in every successful manner...There was also a section displaying Hillary's activities as well as his Vice-President, Al Gore...Probably since most of the activities portrayed being non-historical in timing to us, and with such a contemporary bare presentation of the building, we were not able to gain that warm, and reverential sensation of history in this instance . Of course there was a very good short documentary presented in the small theater.
There is a trolley like bus that was included in the tour that takes you from the front of the Museum into the down town section to allow you to visit the gigft shop/book store location...we took the opportunity and purchased books etc..and then returned to the Museum and our van.

I neglected to mention that just prior to reaching the Museum I stopped a short distance away and made a reservation in a hotel ..and upon entering, I exchanged "Hello's" with Wolf Blitzer and his wife!

After leaving the Museum we met with Richard Shreiber, Shula's sonwho has lived in Little Rock for 35 years! we had dinner together...and then he graciously took us for a tour of the city, including the Governor's Mansion and his own personal very lovely home....His wife and 2 sons unfortunately had previous engagements and we were not able to meet them...It was a very pleasant and warm re-union...and greetings were extended both ways to all our kin!...Then, it was time to return to the hotel and BED!...Tomorrow we are off to Nashville and the Hermitage!

It was a day of travel....JUst to get you caught up....we flew to LA...saw both the Reagan and Nixon Libraries...then on the 5th of July...we drove on the various Freeways...again...and went to the favbulous Gety Museum...Daras was hoping we would have time...and we did..
Let me tell you a little about it..

We arrivede about an hour early..the woman at the entrance would not let us in until opening so we drove on the crazy Freeways again and found a place for another breakfast...and then when we returned she waived the $8.00 parking fee since she made us go and return...very nice, eh?
The parking is down a ramp in amultistoried garage and then up the ramp for many floors until we could find a space..then, an elevator to the tram level...wait at a station similar to an elevated train...and then the tram arrives whioch is a cable car...Up and up into the sky to the summit of a mountain with a drop off into the valley below which is awesome..and almost enough of a challenge to keep the breakfast which we had just eaten...where it was supposed to be!

The first view ofr the Museum directly on the peak of the mountain is startling....There are several tiers of very wide stone steps up to the open plaza which has 5 extremely contemporary buildings all reachable from this plaza...and also into the enclosed glass enclosed Atrium...Along the steps are flat large round concrete containers holding very colorful desert type plantings , all of which were in blossom...and several large stone or bronze statuary adjacent, includun g some of John Moore's....very impressive...The buildings themselves were constructed of rough gray/tan stone in combination with white ceramic coveredf metal plates which were startingly white...and the buildings themselves were constructed on several random like levels, multistoried and abstractingly unbalanced and cantilevered ledges in their style...If this is difficult to understand..it is also difficult to explain!...The view thru the buildings permitted views of sky..into infinity...and being surrounded with other pinnacles of the desert mountains..it is a sight to behold! The Museum opened in 1997...and employs 1200 employees..including 700 volunteer docents...The main entrance is at the 3rd level...and each building has several exhibits ..many of which are constantly changing....The first viewing we did was of 1600/1800 European artists...and included paintings, furniture and sculptures with most of the most famous artists being represented...There was a very large Cezanne which had not been publicly shown before...It was extremely large...and the most popular exhibit was one of a 1800 artist who did paintings of animals for Lois XV....they were absolutely beautiful and there was a sufficient number of them to term it a Menagerie!...The principal animal featured was a Rhinoceros that had travelled Europe for about 15 years in the 1840's...she was named Clara...and was so popular everywhere including China that images and sculptures were made of her by various artists...and included in ceramics, bronze, lamps, tables etc! It was Daras' time to purchase books so check with her to get a more informative discussion....we finally had enough so we took to the Freeways again...found the car-rental location and went to the Airport...There was the usual...dressing and undressing..the body frisking..the inspection of bags and suitcases etc...and finally we collapsed in the plane for the 3 hour flight back to Austin...arriving after midnite,,,It was a long day!

Today, we awakened refreshed?...and drove from south central Texas to North Eastern Texas...and we can verify that Texas is large!...finally after driving near the border of Louisiana at Shreveport...we crossed the border into Arkansas and found our way to Hope!...Tomorrow morning we will visit Bill Clinton's Birthplace...and see if we can determine what influence it had on him....Keep posted to find out!

'..till then...Nite!

Only one more to see!

...Visited Nixon's Museum today..spent about 4 hours there!..It is a one floor sprawling, larger than we expected attractively presented Museum..with many knowledgeable and pleasant docents..It nis the most recent of the National Archiv Museums opened...began as privately built and funded as many of the others were..and then accepted officially for support by the National Archives....Saw a very well done documentary in a very comfortable large movie theater... visited many large chambers of exhibits, again tastefully and artfully presented...learned a good deal about his Presidency...raised some questions in both of us by presenting information that we were not aware of previously...saw where he became a leader in many things he pursued prior to his political career....Saw the House he was born in and lived until about 9..and toured it...all original furnishings n..was originally in a farm area...viewed his early family life...recognized that they were Quakers...enlisted and became Officer in Navy...Had one large exhibit about his "China Connection"...His election campaign against Helen Gahagan Douglas was shown..and his speech while being selected as Eisenhowers Vice President and being accused of illegal fund raising...and his role in the Middle East as well as Vietnam....Most of this information was clouded in our minds by the stigma of his Watergate episode...It raised questions...that I will have to sort out subsequently..too soon to pass judgement now!
His burial site is right adjacent to his birth home in a lovely garden...black granite headstones for he and Pat...and close by is the Helicopter he used...

We also attended a very nice huge Symphonic Band Concert in a replica of the White House that was invigorating Patriotic music,,,was exciting....Bought gangs of books...drove to an other hotel..will see Getty Art Museum tomorrow and then head for airport to fly back to Houston..pick up the van and start heading HOME...SAWrkansas next stop!..see you then!

Hi everybody!

...couldn't get internet service laqst nite...so we get two trips tonite!

Got to the LBJ Library/Museum yesterday...in Austin, Texas ..on huge sprawling campus of
University of Texas...Lyndon wanted it in Johnson City about 60 miles away, near where he gaduated Teachers college..but LadyBird was stronger...;and insisted that it be in Austin, the Capitol and her Alma Mater!....She also did most of the groundwork..with architects etc.....and she has to be commended since it turned out so well....The only erro0r however hyappens to be the selection of the tan pitted marble used on the exterior as well as the floor surfaces..The crevices retain dirt..and tend to crack, so the entire front of the building is entirely scaffolded for pressure cleaning..so I was not able to photograph the exterior...but I made up for it inside!
The building is rather square extending up for ten stories...the tenth floor contains his replica of the Oval Office of the White House..but is about 94% of the true size since it was not originally planned for...and not sufficient space was allotted..The office was utilized by him frequently post-presidency...and since he refused to come in the front door and go up the elevator..he insistede on having a Heliport on the roof and thereby able to go down privately one floor to enter!!...We observed the room and the key difference from other replicas we have seen previously, is that there is a bank of TV screens next to each other in cabinetry to provide him to watch the 3 stations simultaneously..he evidently was an avid observer of the news produced...
There is also an Autorobotic figure of him in an alcove on the 4th floor..dressed in farming like clothes, with cowboy boots and 10 gallon hat that moves life-like with hand, arm, head and eye movements while he is leaning on a white barnyard fence and telling humorous "downhome" jokes and stories to assist in better explaining of some of his political maneuvers...It actually provoked out-loud laughter from both of us...and confirmed his apparent strong sense of humor... About the perimeter of the room in what appeared to be a gigantic open lobby were displayed a host of the personal gifts he had received over the term of his office from many important personages from foreign lands.
From this open area you can look up to the tenth floor on a facade of glass windows in one huge panel exposing all the documents and papers of his Presidency filed away neatly in individual book-like containers...It is impressive and certainly enhances the significance of the purpose for the research library...

On the 3rd floor which is the level of the entrance most of the public museum is observed...It displays in several sections most of the efforts he expended in getting Congressional Approval of many of his statutes..particularly relating to Poverty, Care of the Elerly and Poor, Educational opportunities for the young and Civil Right programs, among the white and black races,, Daras remarked after witnessing much of this that she felt "she owed him an apology" since much of this information wasn't previously understood by us...I agreed...However, the negative press he received in relation to the War in Vietnam was his undoing....It was noted that this dilemma was inherited by him from his predecessors and waqs not initiated by him..We learned how the trauma of this inheritance plagued him..and understood the reason for instituting a military draft and increasing the soldiers and Marines to battle....resulting in Anti war protests..draft card burning, rioting in the streets, civil rights battles aqnd culminating in the assassination of Martin Luther AKing and Bobby Kennedy..they were rough times and the USA paid the penalty...Despite these tubulent times he was able to initiate Medicare and Medicaid...Initiate HeadStart..Student loan programs..Gi Bill of Rights etc...He evidentlyt appreciated the need of these programs and many, many more since his childhood stemmed from a background of poverty as well...That explained why he decided " to not seek or accept the nomination for President"realizing that the time necessary to campaign would detract him from his continuing
efforts to accomplish those goals....The sad story was that he died just 3 days prior to the negotiated settlement of the Vietnam war! I have so much more material and insight in his Presidency based on him as an individual, that I think will prove to be rather startling when I write of it!...Hang in!

We were exhasuted after leaving the Library, but were satisfied of how much we accomplished...It was gratifying...

Monday morning very early..6AM found us in the hotel van being whisked to the Austin Airport for the flight to Los Angeles...the Airport was...as is most of them...a calamity...shoes and all parcels and bags searched..a few times...we barely had time for coffee and a bun..and we took off...The flight of about 3 hours was uneventful and we disembarked in another very busy airport...arranging for a car rental with a GPS took some doing..but soon we were on our way to the Reagan Library in Simi Valley....It was "rush hour"...and each and every Freeway demonstrated it...The LIbrary is way up in the mountainous area north of LA..It is typical desert and the vistas visualized were awesome..you could see in the valleys communities miles away...breathtaking...and not easy driving at the pace most autos were travelling! The Library was about 50 miles from tha eairport and is situated directly on the summit of the highest mountain peak in the area..and is reached by driving upward for a few miles on a winding canyon-like road. The multiple connected building are California/Spanish in design with rough crude beams, red tile roofs and arches...all delightfully lqandscaped with very colorful desert blossomong flowers...It is a beautiful sight.. We were told that this Library is the VERY LARGEST of the 12 Archive supported museums..and after a few hours of inspection we were in agreement! Most of the displays, instead of being the customary posters and printed material were actual photographs, some blown up in size that truly identified the event that affected nhis governing and the direction it was taking our country...It is extremely well done...and could be described as affording a very"comfortable and satisfying" experience. There were also several rather small and somewhat intimate alcoves where very significant documentary videos were shown..all contributing to the very positive effect of validating his Presidency...Much homage was paid to Nancy, as well. A Highlight of the Museum is the ahnger space on the lower level where the entire Boeing 707 which had been used by Reagan and other Presidents is suspending from the ceiling...and you are permitted a walk thru while docents explain each chamber of the interior to you...culminating receiving a photo of you as you enter the plane as a souvineer,,,for $10.75!! The final act was to walk thru a simulated east wing garden laqwn to the burial site of the President...It is awesome...providing a view almost to infinity to the opposite mountain range over the huge valley below! A few books were purchased and we returned to our rental car...set the GPS for Nixon's Library in Yorba Linda, near Anaheim and wormed our way in adifferent direction for about another 40 miles or so thru traffic and found it...Reaching Anaheim was a pleasaqnt repreive from the fast moving freeway traffic...we drove by the museum which was already closed..found a suitable lodging...and I am now going to literally "drop into bed"!...See you tomorrow!

A very busy Sunday...

...The Hill Country is amazing...it extends in South Central Texas from Austin, the capitol to down to Fredeicksburg about 80 miles south..It is one very huge swath of High hills and huge ranch areas in every direction...when on top of the hills you can see the world!....I can now understand why Lyndon Johnson called it home!....He was born here...we toured his birth home today..saw a video biography of him in the Museum there...and really learned how he really waqs born into poverty...No electicity..no indoor plumbing ..and lots of hard work...He left the site and moved about 15 miles further south to a ranch that his grandparents and parents farmed as tenant farmers... His father had finished about 8th grade...was a very bright man..who could do almost everything...from haircutting to selling real-estate..to trading cattle etc...anything to make money he evidently was a great salesman...and was reuested ultimately to go into politics which he did...and took young Lyndon with him on all his political tours...and evidently "showed him the ropes"....Lyndon was a precocious child, and with his nmother who was a college graduate.and with her insistence was permitted to enter school at age 4.. He apparently was a good student and graduated High School after 11th grade which was a far as school went at that time..His first school was a one room school with students of all grades attending at the same time...It was recollected that when he was required to read it was necessary that he sit on his teacher's lap...He had moved back from town to the farm at age 11 to when he was 15....and did many daily fasrmchores in the early morning before attending school which waqs several miles away....When he was 15 and could find no employment, he and about 4 other boys purchased an old Ford car and left for California to try and make their fortunes...but after 2 years of very menial work he returned to the farm...and worked there..picking cotton etc.....after his father borrowed considerable funds to buy the farm...but unfortunately with drought and other misfortune lost the farm and declared bancruptcy....His mother and father both became depressed..his father turning to alcohol...and dying prematurely...His mother left to live with a daughter...after she had convinced young Lyndon that the only hope for the future for him was to obtain a college degree...and upon her advice enrolled in the local State Teachers College...gained his degree and began teaching school... The rest is history as we shall see i9n my forthcoming book...and gain insight into what motivated him to initiate "The Great Society" after becoming President!...It is truly a heroic story....

As we took a tour on a little bus of all the ranch area..we saw evidence of the recent flood...one of the small bridges we travelled over had been submerged above the railings as we coulsd see the level of debris on the banks of the river...This river traverses directly thru the ranch and is an important reason for it being so important to him....There were several small groups of deer noted as well as Antelopes that Lyndon had imported with an occasional buffalo..and of course, sheep and cattle....we walked thru the ranch home...and then drove directly all aqround the beautiful but somewhat modest appearing ranch house that was the Texan White House that he and LindaBIrd lived in...No tours, however and we noted several young people who evidently were relatives or friends who were using the pool, riding horses or little All-Terrain vehicles for amusement...we saw his various cars and one especially that he enjoyed was a German mabnufactured little convertible that was a car-boat and it was said that he would frighten unwaring guests when taqking them for a ride he would plunge it directly into the lake...scaring the wits out of them!...There is much more to tell..but it must wait.."the best is yet to come"....or "the Rest of the Story" is to be told!.....\

we left then in 90 degree temperature...no rain...sunny skies and returned some 50 miles to the outskirts of Austin...to see the Archival Museum tomorrow on the campus of University of Texas...I understand that he wanted the Museum in Johnson City or Stonewall neaqr the ranch...bot Ladybird was the boss..she insisted on it being located at her Alma Mater!...we shall see tomorrow!...Hang on for the ride...The next morning we fly to Los Angeles!