Page 35 - Demo

Clockwise from top left: Along the way, Hubert saw a baseball game at Nationals Park with Russell Willig, Tripp Onnen, Newman Ainsley and Clay Doughty; made it to New Orleans to see Saint Louis Cathedral; met Ted Vaill near the beaches of Malibu; became an honorary citizen at Dallas City Hall thanks to Frank Hall and Bud Brooks; and visited Apple’s offices in Austin with Whit Hanks.
David Crockett and the birth of Texas. After a moving speech by Larry on the importance of the Franco-American friendship, Whit Hanks showed me around Austin, where I was able to visit Apple’s offices and the University of Texas. As a software engineer, visiting a key city of the tech industry was a valuable experience. Following my visit to Austin, the Lone Star Association of the Cincinnati welcomed me very warmly to Dallas, where I became an honorary citizen.
After an American-style horse ride at Steve Murrin’s ranch in Fort Worth, he shared his passion for Texas, rodeo, and cows. I would like to thank the Murrins for the beautiful spurs and scarf that will always remind me of the spirit of Texas. Thanks also to Frank Hall and Bud Brooks, who took me to the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas in the building from which John Kennedy was shot.
The next stop on my itinerary, California, began with the discovery of paddle boarding thanks to Scott Tracy on the beautiful beaches of Malibu. Later, members of the California association of the Society greeted me at a barbecue organized by Ted Vaill in Los Angeles, the heart of the entertainment industry. Ted immersed me in the backdrop of the world’s most famous TV shows and movies at Warner Brothers Studios.
How wonderful it was to discover the Californian vineyards during a wine tour, with Poss Pragoff,
in Sonoma County where zinfandel was in the spotlight! Travelling through Sonoma County and into Silicon Valley in a Tesla using autopilot was a real pleasure for an artificial intelligence engineer like myself. Facebook headquarters, Instagram offices, Stanford University, and Oculus offices were incredible places where avant-garde technologies are being created. Steve and Lora Wadsworth are inspiring people with whom I had a special connection because of our common passion for new technologies and science. I would like to thank the Wadsworths for their generous hospitality
and their friendship.
After five weeks in over ten states, this incredible journey ended with a delicious lobster dinner and the Silent Toast to Washington in Westport, Connecticut. Here I had the pleasure to meet Jonathan Woods, former president general of the Society of Cincinnati.
From east to west, meeting the inspiring people who are at the heart of the Society while learning about the American Revolution allowed me to gain new perspectives on America. The Society is in perpetual motion while keeping its mission to remember and maintain the Franco-American friendship. Thank you to Hollis Merrick and the Marquis d’Oysonville for organizing this wonderful journey. I am grateful to all the members who welcomed me during this journey that I will never forget.
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