Reagan Remembered
The Long and Winding Road to Rancho del Cielo
Decades ago (sounds like a long time), our family owned some land adjacent to President Reagan’s West Coast White House. One day I took a couple friends on the winding and uncertain road to the top of the mountain to show off my aptly named Dos Vistas Ranch. We cruised along the ridge in awe of the pacific spreading out below like a massive blue-green gem. The eagle’s-eye view of the coastline, the beaches, and the islands beyond is one the most spectacular in the world.
Suddenly our scenic tour was interrupted. From seemingly nowhere, military Jeeps surrounded my pickup. We were politely asked to get out of the truck.
Oh, oh.
After a brief explanation of why we were there, and production of some ID, we were waved on our way.
Little did I know what future involvement with the Reagan Ranch, more notably known as Rancho del Cielo, would play in my life.
Flying Over the President’s Hideout
Our family owned and I lived on Dos Pueblos ranch (about five miles down the road) when President Reagan, because of a bad storm, made that memorable ride up Highway 101 with the Queen of England. We were not allowed to linger along the highway, but we snuck a peek anyway. The Queen later quipped the trip was “delightful and terribly exciting.”
On another occasion I was awakened to a rumble so powerful and thunderous it shook my teeth. My wife and I were certain we were under attack. Turned out it was three massive helicopters with the president onboard, flying up to his ranch hideaway.
One other experience involving President Reagan was when I took my helicopter solo test flight. I was specifically told not to fly over the Reagan Ranch. However, upon my return from the San Luis Obispo airport, I hit powerful updrafts and my little chopper felt like it was being pulled on a kite string. It took all I had to maintain control of the little R21 (Robinson), and other bodily functions as well. When I realized I was flying directly over the president's helicopter pad, it was too late. I was certain I would be greeted by black SUVs at the airport.
None materialized.
On June 12, 1987, during a speech in Berlin, we all recall President Reagan saying, “President Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” And in 1989, it came down. Reagan also had another line that will live forever, “Peace through strength.” You think we’re achieving that today?
Young America Foundation Saves The Day (and the Ranch)
After the President’s death, I befriended those trying to buy the Ranch. Their challenges and efforts to save what I consider holy ground was a big deal for a place like Santa Barbara. There are not many leaders on this planet, past or present, who were as formidable and made such lasting and positive impacts on the world as Ronald Reagan.
The ranch needed to be preserved.
In 1998, Young America’s Foundation purchased Rancho del Cielo. A place where the Soviet leader paid a visit and “hung out.” I wonder if the new Demokrats of today would call that Russian collusion.
My grandmother was in her 90s and visiting from Germany. I arranged a time for my father and his mother to visit Rancho del Cielo and meet the president. I have wonderful photos of President Reagan with my grandmother and my father shaking hands. Reagan was dressed in his English riding garb which made for the perfect image.
The Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara
Some years ago, I was a Hospice volunteer, and my first assignment was a man in his sixties who contracted a rare condition making his speech and motor skills extremely difficult. It was a challenge to understand him. Rather than sit around at his home staring at walls and watching TV, I asked him and his wife if I could take him on small field trips. That was the beginning of a new friendship.
On one of our many outings, after a bit of struggling to understand his request, I managed to glean he wanted to visit the Reagan Ranch Center. I recalled an article in the local paper about something new opening up, but no firm idea what and where. My office manager tracked down the location and called ahead to see if we could visit. We rang the bell at the new headquarters across the street from the Santa Barbara train station and were guided inside. We were given a personal tour of some of the historical items they had collected so far. The Reagan Ranch Center was just getting started. My charge was beyond himself with joy.
I was too.
“Roundtable Lunches”
After that visit I refocused my attention on the Young America’s Foundation. An organization educating young minds about conservative values and to use common sense to think for themselves.
I began attending “Roundtable” lunches at the Center with my new Hospice friend. We heard so many great speeches from conservative leaders. Eventually my wife became involved and joined us on these lunches. My wife and I began to financially support the YAF. We invested in a lot at Rancho del Cielo and YAF created a wonderful plaque mounted on a large rock in memory of my father. We invested more in memory of my wife’s parents, whose father was a Pearl Harbor survivor and then her brother who was a decorated Vietnam Veteran.
YAF recently held its annual Rawhide Circle Retreat at the Alisal Ranch in Solvang. It was so refreshing during this period of insanity in America today, to be around people who think for themselves and care about their country. Who put their money where their mouth is to support our youth and guide them away from being indoctrinated by the woke, socialist movement.
Guest speaker for the closing dinner was Lt. Col. Allen West. A highly successful former Florida congressman. His credentials are long and impressive.
Lt. Col. West spoke to the student turmoil going on across the country and how he’s been prevented from making speeches on so many college campuses. The irony doesn’t escape us when student terrorist groups cry it’s their right to violent free speech, but the same rules don’t apply to peaceful words with which they don’t agree.
As one example, prior to giving a speech at Saint Louis University about the Israel-Hamas conflict, Lt. Col. West saw how the spoiled, ignorant kids and faculty (my words) created graphic horrible images of him along with a swastika inside an Israeli flag.
His crime?
He is a black conservative. A sellout they say. The left’s zero tolerance policy against anyone who doesn’t see things their way has no equal and no shame.
West’s speech culminated with a couple hundred people on their feet applauding, proud to be in his presence, proud to support YAF and even prouder to continue the legacy of one of America’s greatest presidents, Ronald Reagan.
Where is the Gipper when you need him?
Though we may not have Ronald Reagan, we do have hope with Donald Trump. He in fact is our only hope.
I can’t imagine another four years of watching this country plunge further into hell.
Beautifully written. It gives me hope for America's future. It is so important to teach our youth the true meaning of Americanism when they are fed such toxic rot in the public schools. A leader like Reagan comes along but once in a generation and I would put Trump in that same category. It is sadly rare to find a leader who sees his job as strengthening our founding principles of individual liberty. Instead we get leaders who seek to empower their party, expand government and enrich themselves all at the expense of individual liberty.
We are definitely at a turning point for sure. Or possible in a death spiral that we can not pull out of.