Grand Rapids, MI - Aug. 30 - Sep. 9, 2006

On August 30 we tearfully left friends and family and headed back to Grand Rapids, arriving back at our RV after 1:00 AM.  The next morning we hitched up and moved 10 miles south to Hidden Ridge RV Resort.

Hidden Ridge is beautiful - two ponds, fountains, huge swimming pool, an incredible clubhouse with vaulted ceilings and stone fireplace, and a whole family of swans.  There was mom and dad, three pre-adolescents and one offspring that appeared to be from an earlier brood. 

While Bill was focused on developing the Point & Surf website for the business, Susan was focused on walking the many miles of beautiful country lanes in the area.  We also spent a day in Grand Rapids visiting the Gerald Ford Presidential Library and Museum on the banks of the Grand River.  The size of the museum was surprising considering Ford was in office for less than three years.  But a turbulent and eventful three years it was.  The museum had presentations on the lead-up to the Watergate scandal and hearings, Nixon's resignation then pardon, the end of the Vietnam War, the capture of the Pueblo and the Mayaquez, the first strategic arms limitation agreement, the first Middle East peace talks, etc.

After several hours in the museum we walked along the Grand Riverwalk and admired the city skyline.  The salmon were running and there were numerous fishermen on the hunt.  We were particularly amused at a couple of guys sitting at a picnic table in about two feet of water casting their lines up river.  They appeared to be quite comfortable and well supplied with snacks and beer. 

We spent another day tripping over to Saugatauk and Holland on the shores of Lake Michigan.  We determined on our next trip to Michigan we would park our home in one of these lovely beach communities.  Unfortunately, on this particular day Susan was map challenged - really it was the map's fault - and we spent much time retracing our route.  But as we have learned, one gets a different perspective when ones' direction is altered.

On the morning of September 10th we left this lovely area directing our wheels south to the Amish country of Millersburg, Indiana and a tour of the Carriage RV factory.