Ronald Reagan Funeral

Simi Valley,  CA

July 6 - 11, 2004

   

	I drove all day to make it to the Ronald Reagan Library when he died.  Above is the pile of flowers at the entrance to the drive way leading up to the library.  The media was setup in force for the coverage. Below these are 3 print photographers editing there pictures on their laptop computers.  They use the hoods and jackets to  shield  their monitors from the day light.
	The hearse arrives at the library.
	As the coffin is moved inside everybody stands at attention.
	The coffin is on public view for 2 days.  There is no parking up at the library where the coffin is lying, so the public parks and lines up at a near by community college.  At Moor park Community college the lines are formed, each person passes a security check, and then boards a bus for the 4 mile ride up to the library and back.  At one time the line in the parking lot was 4 hours long.
	On Wednesday when the coffin departed for Washington DC I worked a unique live shot.  With this big camera we could see across the valley to the Reagan Library.
	This is the view of the library we had.  The arrow points to the library.  My little camera can only give us this view.  The big lens on the big camera could zoom in so close that the building filled the frame.
	On Friday Air force One returned to California with the coffin.  I was back at my hilltop location.
	A few weeks later I returned to the Reagan Library to see what I had missed.  If I stand at the library and look south this is the view.  The arrow points to the house on the hill top where we set up the big camera.  It is about 5 mines away.
	This is where Mr. Reagan is entombed.  The picture above is the view from here.
	The Reagan Library is expanding.  This building will house a 707 airplane.  Mr. Reagan's Air Force One is on site, in pieces, and will be displayed in this building.  The tail will almost touch the ceiling on the left hand side.  The nose wheels will be posted to the smaller cement post toward the right side.  The nose of the plane will stick out on the right side.  It will be a very impressive display.  They think it will open next year some time.  One of the construction guys told me that the funeral did shut down construction but the week of delay was not that bad.  They had poured a huge slab of concrete that needed 4 weeks to cure, the funeral was right in the middle of this 4 weeks.

Here is the link to the Reagan Library website.
http://www.reaganlibrary.net/lobby.html

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