Grand Rapids, MI July 21-24

We had breakfast on Sunday in Goshen, IN and found a reasonable price for diesel fuel so stopped to fill the tank on our way back to Elkhart to pack  up and drive to our next campground, Woodchip Campground in Byron Center, MI.   The camp is family owned and is small but very comfortable.   It's evidently been in existence for a long time, as it has wonderful mature trees at most campsites.   What struck us was the number of extended families camping together here.  

Monday we drove into Grand Rapids to visit the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.  It is located in a park-like setting along the Grand River.   It opened in 1981 and is dedicated to the 38th President of the US.    Ford represented Michigan in Congress for 25 years prior to his Presidency.   The displays and films were biographical and showed his childhood, high school and college years as well as his time in Law School.   His ambition was to become House Majority Leader, but the Democrats were in firm control of the House, and he was elected House Minority Leader.   President Nixon chose Ford as Vice President after the departure of Spiro Agnew.   When Nixon resigned Ford became President and served the remainder of the term.   Disappointedly he lost the next Presidential election to Jimmy Carter and retired in California.  He and Betty are both interred on the grounds of the Presidential Museum.   His library is located at his beloved U of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Tuesday was threatening rain when we left camp and headed north of downtown Grand Rapids to the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.  The park consists of indoor conservatories and 132 acres of gardens designed by renowned landscape artists, natural meadows, woodlands and wetlands.  The park is divided into several areas of interest:  The Sculpture Park has over 200 masterworks by artists from Rodin to Roxy Paine.   There's a Children's Garden with child level Great Lakes with plenty of plastic boats to float, a sensual garden where children use their senses to smell, see, hear and taste a variety of plants.   We enjoyed the 1930's era farm in the Michigan Farm Garden complete with barn, farmhouse, windmill, heirloom vegetable gardens, and animal sculptures.   By lunch the clouds were gone and the sun was out and we enjoyed a picnic under a tree near the parking area before continuing our walk through the Gardens.  

Today was chore day:   haircuts, washing clothes, grocery shopping as we will leave tomorrow and travel for several days before our next touring location - Duluth, MN and Grand Portage, MN.