On Friday February 4, 2022, I had the opportunity to visit the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My photographer mentioned to the H.O.F. staff worker on duty that I’m the most famous bobble head in the world and he went on to explain his rationale behind that bold statement. However, the woman didn’t seem impressed. As a matter of fact, it was as though she figured some of the bobble heads that were on display in that museum could compare to my impressive resume. Unfortunately, at least in my mind, she was sadly mistaken.
Now, it’s time to let my audience make up their mind and decide whether or not I should be inducted into the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame. In this post, I will recap my journey that began on July 10, 2013 in Fremont, Ohio and continue the timeline through my most recent trip that ended February 5, 2022. It’s been an amazing ride so far, and one that would likely make the most steadfast Presidential enthusiast stand up and take notice. But will my adventures force the HOF to take notice? It’s highly doubtful.
In this post, I’ll start with some travel statistics; followed by some personal highlights, then some blog information; and I’ll end this post with some photos from each of the past nine years. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!
Since 2013, I have traveled 54,738 miles through 41 different states, two Canadian provinces, and the District of Columbia. To date, the only states I have NOT visited are Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, and Washington.
I have paid my respects at all 39 Presidential grave sites, and I’ve visited the birth sites of every President except for two – Barack Obama and Franklin Pierce. I’ve also had the pleasure of touring all 13 “official” Presidential libraries in the country. I thought the best was the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California and my least favorite was Bill Clinton’s in Little Rock, Arkansas. I’ve also seen three Presidents in person with my own painted eyes – they were Jimmy Carter (twice), Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump.
Every Presidential site I’ve visited since 2013 has been special in its own way, but a few of the sites have stood out as memorable highlights for me. Here are my TOP TEN SITES thus far:
NUMBER 10
The moment I stood on Franklin D. Roosevelt’s grave at his home in Hyde Park, New York.
NUMBER 9
My visit to Abraham Lincoln’s home in Springfield, Illinois.
NUMBER 8
When I toured Air Force One that transported JFK to Dallas in 1963. That historic plane is located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
NUMBER 7
I posed for a photo on Abraham Lincoln’s granite marker inside his tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois.
NUMBER 6
My visit to Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C. where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 15, 1865.
NUMBER 5
I finally had the chance to pose next to Thomas Jefferson’s bed inside his beloved home Monticello.
NUMBER 4
I took advantage of being left alone for a few minutes in Arlington National Cemetery and stood on JFK’s headstone.
NUMBER 3
I stood on the ‘X’ in the middle of Elm Street at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas where JFK was assassinated.
NUMBER 2
Meeting and posing for a photo with President Jimmy Carter at his Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia.
NUMBER 1
I visited Trump’s Oval Office in the White House at night and saw the Resolute Desk with my own eyes.
Starting with my very first adventure in 2013 and continuing over the next eight-plus years, I’ve suffered numerous injuries to my resin body. Some of the mishaps were minor; for instance, when my ponytail fell off a couple of times. However, some of the other injuries were catastrophic and they required intricate surgeries to repair me. The most common ailment I’ve endured over the years has been centered on my lower legs and ankles. So much so, in fact, I currently have to keep my cracked legs taped for support. On the flip side of the coin, some of my injuries were so severe I thought my travel days were over. My head has come off twice; the first time it was severed at the metal spring, while the second incident occurred when my neck was broken in half. During the fall when I broke my neck, I also severely broke my right thigh and left leg at the same time. And lastly, my right arm mysteriously broke off just above the elbow. About a year after a successful surgical procedure to repair my arm, it became detached a second time during an alleged altercation with a James Madison bobble head. Let’s face it, I’ve taken a lickin’ and kept on tickin’ – all thanks to Gorilla Glue, plumbers putty, medical tape, and touch-up paint.
After our seventh year of road trips was completed, my photographer was persuaded by his good friend Rick Bieth to start a blog, which was intended to be a platform where the two of us could share our adventures with the world. In October of 2019, Tom created ‘Through the Eyes of Jefferson’ and we began to tell our stories. Although we haven’t reached the ultimate expectation of Mr. Bieth, which was to make an appearance on ‘Good Morning America’, the blog has been fairly successful. To date, we’ve had 7,929 views by a total of 2,717 visitors from 44 different nations. The country that’s viewed our blog the most should come as no surprise – it’s the United States of America, which tallied 95.2% of our views. What did shock me, however, was the nation that finished second in views to the USA: It turned out to be my birth country – China. Viewers from the world’s largest Asian nation have made up just over one percent of our total views. Let’s take a look at the Top Ten countries who have viewed this blog.
Even though ‘Good Morning America’ has yet to call, much to Rick Bieth’s chagrin, my photographer and I did accept an offer in August 2021 from Grant Smith at GBS Media to appear on his Blue Water Healthy Living site for a regular series about our travels. Our show is called ‘Hail to the Chief’ where each episode features the life and times of a President. We don’t make a penny from that show, or this blog, but that’s truly not important. What is paramount for the two of us, however, is to share our stories with interested people around the world in an effort to keep history, especially Presidential history, alive for future generations. Here are the links to every episode thus far.
Hail To The Chief: With Tom Watson: An Introduction – Blue Water Healthy Living
Hail to the Chief with Tom Watson: President John Adams – Blue Water Healthy Living
Hail to the Chief with Tom Watson: President Thomas Jefferson – Blue Water Healthy Living
Hail to the Chief with Tom Watson: President James Madison – Blue Water Healthy Living
Hail to the Chief with Tom Watson: President James Monroe – Blue Water Healthy Living
Hail to the Chief with Tom Watson: President John Quincy Adams – Blue Water Healthy Living
Hail to the Chief with Tom Watson: President Andrew Jackson – Blue Water Healthy Living
Hail to the Chief with Tom Watson: President Martin Van Buren – Blue Water Healthy Living
Hail to the Chief with Tom Watson: President William Henry Harrison – Blue Water Healthy Living
Hail to the Chief with Tom Watson: President John Tyler – Blue Water Healthy Living
Hail to the Chief with Tom Watson: President James Knox Polk – Blue Water Healthy Living
Hail to the Chief with Tom Watson: President Zachary Taylor – Blue Water Healthy Living
And lastly, I want to thank the three people who have made all of my travels possible. First, I couldn’t do any of this without the creative foresight and dedication of my personal photographer. Second, my photographer’s wife Vicki for having the patience to travel with us and to not complain a whole lot when we make our stops at Presidential sites. Third, and perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle, has been Bob Moldenhauer. Mongo’s passion for history rivals my photographer’s and he’s helped me get to places that I likely would’ve never have visited otherwise. And while I only have four “official” followers, I don’t want to leave them out. Since Tom and I can see only their first names, I want to say “thank you” to Bob, Rick, Sally and Cathy for their dedication to this blog. Hopefully in the future we will attract more followers.
For the grand finale, you will be treated to one photo from each year of my travels – beginning in 2013 and ending in February 2022. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. Please share it with your friends on social media and ask your friends to become a follower. And who knows, maybe in the near future, I’ll make an appearance on ‘Good Morning America’!
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
I hope you’ve enjoyed this recap of my Presidential adventures. Please, and I don’t care which country you’re from, please leave a comment and become an “official” email follower. Also, please share this blog, as well as the links to our show ‘Hail to the Chief’, with your friends on social media. It doesn’t cost a penny, and it helps our audience grow. At this moment, my next trip is slated to start around May 9, 2022 when Bob Moldenhauer and my photographer plan to take me on another Presidential adventure. Who knows what hair-raising stunts I’ll get myself into? One thing’s for certain though – Tom and Bob will either help get me into the Hall of Fame or they’ll land me behind bars.
That is an awesome Top 10!
It has been so much fun traveling to these presidential sites. Hopefully, we will see many more in the upcoming years!
We’ve had so much fun for so many years on countless journeys…from our first trip in 1976 during the American Bicentennial through the history-filled trips 45 years later. Thank you for the memories – It’s been an amazing ride with you, my friend.