Tour to Mystery Castle February 18

Eighteen members and guests visited this odd yet imaginative dwelling in February. Ruth Ann Hogan, president elect, listens to the tour guide. Laurie Sue Retts, tour chair, stands beside some of the artwork. Mary Lou Gulley has a life size portrait on the wall.
The following are comments from Roadside America.com. Miss Gulley is now in her early eighties and still gives half of the tour. The other guide told us more interesting dope than Gulley did. For example, no one is allowed in her bedroom. One woman insisted and Gulley replied, "Even Clark Gable didn't get in there." Marilyn Monroe, however, according to the guide, was allowed up to the bedroom. Ron Reagan took a tour of the house when he was a movie star. President Eisenhower received a tour of the house when he was in the White House. President Clinton showed up at the gate with Secret Service in tow and Miss Gulley, who had the flu, turned them away. For $5 it's a big bang for the buck.

Williams Bus Tour

Tours of historic sites and other locales of interest are organized monthly for League members, and November's trip to Williams turned into an unforgettable experience. As recounted by Delores Tomasek, a 7:15 a.m. departure meant very early rising since she lives in Fountain Hills. She needn't have been so punctual. The bus had a flat tire and a new bus had to be sent from Gilbert, pushing their departure to 9:15 a.m.

Arriving in Williams, the group discovered that their planned tour guide was no longer with the company. They were greeted by a guide who specialized in telling the town's ghost stories, not what they'd signed on for.

Lunch was fine, but the group joked that it was a long way to go for a hamburger.

The ride home began at 3:00 p.m. and shortly after, the bus pulled off I17 to the shoulder and stopped. The bus wasn't going to make it and a new bus had to be sent from Gilbert. The wine and cheese they'd brought along helped "ease" the wait, and they enjoyed waving at the truckers.

Everyone finally got home and all agreed: in spite of everything, they had a lot of fun.