U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #16

Like mother, like daughter!  The day had been planned as a gentle start to seriously moving south with a lakeshore run down beside Lake Michigan, a visit to Green Bay to at least see the outside of Lambeau Field, the home of the Green Bay Packers NFL Football Team, and perhaps a little more shopping in the various outlets to be found in Oshkosh.

However, the shoreline cruise took less time than expected, even with stops for gas and a walk in a State Park by the lake and in playing with Portia Marissa realized that we had allowed too much time for the day, since we would reach our two destinations much earlier than anticipated.  Portia also suggested that, to avoid the anti-climax that always comes with leaving the U.P. a run all the way home was quite credible, so having confirmed we could cancel our last hotel reservation without penalty we elected to make a run for it.

The problem with GPS device inexperience lies in the words "traffic" and "delays"!  Had we been traveling between midnight and early morning, the time estimate would probably have been pretty close to correct.  As it turned out, construction around Milwaukee delayed us a fair bit, but far worse was taking over ninety minutes to achieve a mere five miles of "freeway" distance around Chicago.  Nevertheless, by alternating drivers and making minimal & very brief stops, we managed to pull in to Marissa's driveway a little before midnight (Central time), tired but happy to be done with traveling for a while.  We will still look on the weekend as vacation time, but without the pressure to achieve a great deal in a big hurry.

While we have reported on our own experiences and behavior and described at times Zoe's enjoyment of unfettered freedom, we should also comment on Zoe's great general behavior.  We had zero "accidents" the whole trip, and she was spectacularly well behaved and uncomplaining even during the very long runs, especially this last one, which between pulling out of the hotel in Iron Mountain and arriving at Marissa's totaled 728.4 miles.  Although the trip odometer will continue to run in and around Mount Vernon and then back to Columbus, this effective end to the major travels has been reached at 3178.3 miles.

Just a couple of pictures of Lambeau Field were added to the set on this last day, so the complete Flickr set of the small proportion of our pictures actually put there may be found here.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #15

Giving a sense of deja vu it was again cool and overcast (and even with some rain in the evening) for our day in and around Iron Mountain, just like last year, but it was still a good day.  We started, after the usual gentle "we're on vacation" start, by driving east of Iron Mountain and south a little to Piers Gorge and the trail beside the river, which latter is used for whitewater rafting in the warmer months.  We walked the trail for a good distance, but it was very rugged and once we were past all the more active water activity we decided that we had gone far enough and made our way back to the van.

We then carried on to Norway, took a look around, visited a few shops but did our spending in a combination quilting supply shop (one of the best Marissa has seen) that doubled as a gift/Christmas decoration store.  Marissa's quilting activities this coming winter will benefit greatly from our findings & John added another piece for his Christmas home decor.

We then headed back to Iron Mountain but stopped en route to buy the very best pasties we have found for this whole trip so far.  We stopped at a nearby roadside park, featuring yet another pretty waterfall and enjoyed our lunch while it was still hot.  After that we drove back to, and all the way through, Iron Mountain to join Jerry & Carol and support their fence building activities with lots of socializing.  At the appropriate time we went into town to their currently favorite restaurant and had the most delicious and enjoyable meal, leaving poor Zoe back at the campground, in the house but separated from the cats.  After dinner we returned there and continued talking until well into the evening, saying our goodbyes for another year as we will head out and continue our homeward trek in the morning.

A few miscellaneous pictures have been added to the Flickr set of the trip, found here.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #14

Today we said farewell to Lake Superior and began making our gentle way southwards.  We did not hurry our departure as we were reluctant to leave, especially as we finally had the decent size breakers we had been wishing for ever since we completed our boat cruise.  After last night's little storm the day started crystal clear, in fact the stars at 6:30 AM were quite brilliant, although Zoe had other things on her mind.

Fully packed up, and noting that we ended this phase of our travels at 2220 miles on the trip odometer, we pulled away in late morning and had a smooth and trouble free run, listening to the end portion of our second book on tape as the scenery down across the U.P. was nice but not enthralling.  With no difficulty we arrived at our first objective, Bond Falls, which we had seen last year but in dull and damp conditions.  This year in bright sun they looked much better.  We walked (climbed?) the steps and trail up past the main falls and along the rapids which extended for a fair distance.  Zoe seemed to have boundless energy and was totally unfazed by all the steps at the lower end.

After Bond Falls we meandered on to the town named Crystal Falls (wherever they might be - we did not see any actual falls) and stopped at our second objective, namely Winks Woods, a major craft store.  After a good browse amongst their immense stock, covering every square inch of surface we both found things to buy, mostly with a Christmas decorating theme.

Our last short leg was on to Iron Mountain and since the first thing we came to was Carol & Jerry's Summer Breeze Campground we stopped there for the remainder of the afternoon.  Later we all went into town for a good meal, leaving Zoe in the campground building.  We returned just in time for C & J to welcome two overnight campers, probably their last of the season as the close at the end of the week.  We duly separated and came on to our hotel and settled in for a couple of nights.  It was not a long driving day, just 184 miles putting us at a total of 2404.

A few pictures have been added to the end of the set which may be found here.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #13

This was our last full day at the cabin/house and we took it nice & gently.  Much of the day was lovely, maybe a little cloudier than the last few, but after tea a small storm moved in from the lake.  However, after a very relaxed start we drove into Calumet, filled up the van's gas tank and went to our favorite shop where we both spent some rather more serious money on ourselves, but were pleased with our purchases.

We then drove over to the "other side", stopped in the village of Gay (no doubt named in days of yore when Gay meant merry and/or happy) and of course took a picture of the Gay Bar.  We then cruised up the coast and at one point Marissa took a video which expresses its essence better than any still picture could.  Eventually we arrived at Bete de Gris Bay, parked by the beach and let Zoe have a really good romp, also captured at one point on video.  Once we were all sufficiently exhausted we cruised back via one or two of the more scenic roads and once back at the cabin settled in to enjoy our last afternoon, by stretching out indoors or reading out on the deck in shirtsleeves, although time slipped away between pages at one point!

Our new neighbors (from South Bend, IN) invited us to join them at a beach fire & prepared one, but shortly after tea had been drunk the weather changed dramatically, the breeze sprang up & the sky clouded over.  We did try to walk Zoe on the beach, but cut the expedition short as we were insufficiently wrapped up, so we retrieved some of the unused logs and took advantage of the indoor fireplace for our evening flames.

From tomorrow morning on we will be heading generally and steadily southwards until we eventually reach Mount Vernon, but not in too much of a hurry.  Have just added a couple of pictures to the set, but also have added Marissa's two videos to give a better sense of our  day.  The set is here.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #12

This was another lovely day, but a little slower paced than yesterday.  An observation - in some places the deciduous trees are completely bare, yet in no time at all one moves on to an area where hardly a leaf has fallen, so every vista if different and most are still lovely.

We started very gently but eventually started driving up the peninsula loosely following the same circuit as yesterday, except we avoided Calumet, took the more coastal back road to Eagle River (where we did not stop) and on just a little way to Poorrock Abbey and its "Jampot" jams and baked goods store, where we bought but not as much as we have on previous visits.  (Diabetes takes the joy out of some things!)  We passed through Eagle Harbor and its intense road construction so didn't stop and look for anything and cruised onwards and then up Brockway Mountain Drive, whose summit we had virtually to ourselves while we all three walked and Marissa took a few pictures.

We dropped back down the other side into Copper Harbor and shopped a little.  As in so many past years John got a new pair of heavily discounted moccasins & yet another coffee mug to add to the collection.  After a little meandering we went to the general store & bought lunch supplies and once we had satisfied our hunger we went in to Fort Wilkins.  This year it was John's turn to have extensive dog detail while Marissa was able to enter all the buildings & see and read all she missed last year.  Some pictures were taken, of course.  On leaving we again did some browsing, but nothing caught our fancy so we decided to hightail it for the cabin.

We stopped in the impressive IGA in Calumet and bought supplies for a regular meal, since we have a comprehensively equipped kitchen at our disposal for Marissa to cook in and John to clean up.  But first we had our "cuppa tea" and then John & Zoe did a beach trek in the opposite direction to yesterday.  After we had eaten we again went to the beach, built a much bigger & better fire than yesterday and sat around admiring yet another truly spectacular Lake Superior sunset, that seemed to last for ages.  It has been another really good day.  Just before bedtime we observed some faint glows in the northern sky that were almost certainly week auroras.

A few more pictures have been added to John's Flickr set, found by going here.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #11

This was the day we really lucked out.  The day started gently and unhurried, the usual good breakfast, packing and loading the van, and checking out at mid-morning.  The weather continues to be ideal.  We cruised up the middle of the peninsula finally turning shorewards and going to Eagle River (whose river is reduced to a trickle after no rain for days on end).  We visited the only "shop", North Country Crafts, and renewed our acquaintance with the proprietress and primary craftswoman.  As usual we both found several delightful things we couldn't live without.

Then it was the time for which Zoe had been waiting, a long walk on the firm sandy beach, in and out of the water, and generally rushing about at full speed.  However, as we neared the van she blotted her copybook by deciding on a unilateral exploration to our temporary frustration (& her subsequent loss of freedom from leashing).  We then cruised up to Eagle Harbor, took a short break enjoying the view, but decided pasties for lunch in Copper Harbor were becoming a priority.  Once replete we reacquainted ourselves with the locations of the various stores we plan to check out in the next couple of days and only actually shopped in the most remote of them.

By then it was time to cruise back all the way to our lakeshore cabin with private beach.  On arrival we discovered the gods were smiling on us.  The nice, but not outstanding, cabin had lost its heat so instead we have to "make do" with the 3-bedroom lower floor of the beautiful house (presumably rented to large groups as there is an upstairs too) with every luxury a well-appointed home would have.  It truly is just great.  After moving in we took a walk on the beach, a bit rocky but quite nice, and later, after we had eaten, we went down and started a beach fire in the large fire ring surrounded by log seating and watched the end of the sunset.  It just doesn't get any better than this.

A few pictures have been added to the Flickr set, which may be found here.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #10

This was a gentle and pleasant day.  The weather is still ideal and Marissa continues to feel better and better.  The hotel must be full for the weekend as the breakfast room was crowded & the hot food was going as fast as the server could put it out, but we did well before embarking.

In some ways it was a sentimental journey for John as we had not done this little excursion last year and it had been the last exploratory drive that Maria & John had made together to somewhere new.  Mostly on paved roads and partly on well maintained unpaved roads we went to the very bottom of the top of the Keweenaw, in other words over the channel and then down to where it first starts from the giant bay on the east side of the peninsula.  There is a small park and a long beach there and once again Zoe was able to run and run and frolic in and out of the water.

After running back up alongside the channel we diverted and went to Calumet where we stopped and tourist shopped, but not to excess.  Then we found the main regular shopping plaza and bought fast food.  Heading away and looking for a nice place to eat it we noticed the road which will take us to the cabin tomorrow and followed it to its end, eating next to where we think the cabin is, twenty feet from the lake.  After that we took a pretty road in a semi-circle back to Hancock, across the bridge and up to the hotel for a leisurely period of R & R (or was that Z & Z).

Later we went down to the shoreline & all three of us did the same walk as Zoe & John had done yesterday before heading back up to the Super Wal-Mart near the hotel to stock up our traveling pantry ready for moving in to the cabin tomorrow.  Back at the hotel we reorganized the van, after mopping up from the result of the cooler's drain having come open, and are ready for leaving here, touring around and ending up at the cabin tomorrow afternoon.

Just a couple of pictures were added to the set that covers the trip and that may be found here.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #9

This was the day Marissa had been dreading would occur - the migraine from hell, requiring many hours in a darkened room and even after some improvement further gentle rest.  Previous migraines had been warded off, but this one was out of control.

Fortuitously we had built in a "spare" day in this phase of the trip in our planning two months ago so nothing was lost.  It was a good day to refill the van, replenish the wallets, and clean several pounds of bugs off the windshield.  After taking Zoe for a good long walk, John left the two of them in darkened peace and went across the river and up the hill to the Quincy Mine to take the above ground tour, primarily of the largest steam powered winch ever built - interesting to an old engineer, but not something seriously missed by a librarian!  The underground tour option was passed up on the grounds of "been there, done that, and bought the T-shirt" many years ago.

After getting lunch for all to eat in the room and then some relaxation time a second burst of energy resulted in a grampa/granddog excursion down to the waterside on the Houghton side of the channel and then a very, very long walk all along.  It is all very pretty down there, especially at this time of year, and (sadly for Marissa) was the absolutely most pleasant day of weather with sunny, balmy light breezes that we have had so far.  Even so, Zoe has rarely shown more enthusiasm for getting into the van and settling down in her bed between the front seats, so obviously she was well exercised.

A few pictures were taken from either side of the channel as well as at the mine and they may be found, as usual, at the end of the Flickr set located here.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #8

This lovely sunny day was a day of travels.  Now that we are in Houghton we have added some 600 miles to the odometer since leaving St. Ignace and are at 1825 trip miles so far.  We started slowly and did not make a hasty departure.  Our initial ambitions for the day were not too severe, and were expected to be somewhat boring, apart from enjoying all the delightful colors, although in places we could see a lot of leaves were already off the trees.

To break up the pretty but rather boring inland cross-country section of the drive we made a couple of side trips.  We turned off along the pretty lakefront/shoreline of Marquette & ran down to Presque Isle, but like last year we disappointed insofar as there was no ore freighter at the dock being loaded (although there was rail activity on top of the pier) plus the road around the park was closed & wouldn't open for some hours and this park does not allow pets to even be out of vehicles.  We let Portia skillfully guide us back to the highway completely avoiding the commercial section of Marquette and carried on.  Next we made a pit stop at one of the chain of aptly named "Da Yoopers Tourist Trap" which was interesting.  Marissa resisted temptation but John bought a bird feeder in the form of a lighthouse, a U.P. tee shirt and a Christmas doggie coat for Zoe.

John's misconception that Canyon Falls was in Baraga state park were happily resolved by Marissa's sharp eyes and with just enough time to slow & turn off into a major "Roadside Park" area.  We started down a trail that led after a 1/4 hour's walking, mostly beside a pretty stream (river?) with occasional little falls and/or rapids, but at the end were most impressed by the Canyon falls.  Like most flowing water up here the water is clear but stained brown by tannin from the peat covering much of the area.  The falls are impressive, but it was difficult to get a good angle for still photos, although a video clip was rather better.

We made our way back, tossing Zoe into a couple of feeder streams after she found a nasty muddy spot to slog through in order to wash her off a bit!  We picnicked and recast our plans since we didn't want to be in Houghton too early.  We elected to go to the Porcupine Mountains (or Porkies).  By the time we reached the Visitors Center & talked to staff there we decided an extra 50-some miles round trip to see more waterfalls was more travel than we wanted, so we made our second trip up to the Lake Of The Clouds, which was just as lovely as last year.  After enjoying the views and a bit of walking we then headed to Houghton which will be our base for three nights before we head further up to the cabin.

For a few the day's pictures please see the end of the set of pictures on Flickr, found by going here.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #7

This was the day we finally slowed down a bit.  The morning was bright and sunny but the middle part of the day was quite overcast and much more breezy, making us very glad we had taken our cruise yesterday.  The clouds eventually left but the wind stayed, stirring up the lake nicely by the evening.

With pressure absent we took the start of the day very gently and eventually boarded the van and cruised along to the traditional Miners Castle viewing platforms, arriving at the same time as the boat we had been on yesterday.  We looked from both platforms, getting a good start to the day's exercise, then we headed on down to the beach, going to the left this time, to where the very clear but very brown Miners River finally enters the lake up against the cliffs at the end of the beach.  Once Zoe was suitably exhausted (not a quick process) John fetched chairs from the van and we settled down to sit and read.

After a while the clouds moved overhead and the wind kicked up, so we retreated and to get away from some noisy site improvements at the parking lot returned to Miners Castle area to sit & picnic.  Eventually we returned to town, visited a couple of interesting gift shops, then went back to the hotel for a lazy afternoon of reading & snoozing.

In a repeat of yesterday we bought pasties for supper and drove a little way out of town to a lay-by and associated beach where we ate and then walked, and walked, while Zoe raced about roughly alternating between lake shore shallows, wet sand, and dry sand.  As we ran out of energy luckily so did she so we were all ready to return for a restful evening.

As usual pictures & a video make be found here on Flickr.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #6

This was cruise day.  With bright sun (actually a bit of a nuisance as we didn't realize that this far north the sun stays very low in the sky) and the lake like a millpond we elected to take the morning cruise, so by 9:45AM poor Zoe was caged in a basement and we were in line to board.  We chose the cabin over the top, for which we would have needed eskimo clothing to be comfortable, and were able to move about and go onto the rear deck as the mood took us.  The cruise was all of 2 1/2 hours and most enjoyable and interesting.  The whole lakeshore is fantastic, but surprisingly different place to place.  Outbound we took a lot of pictures (far too many actually) despite the sun glare, but homebound we largely just sat and enjoyed the experience.  One could rave on about it indefinitely - but I won't!  This was definitely something we would recommend to others.

With Zoe retrieved we headed to Munising Falls and promptly picnicked in the parking lot.  Then we walked up to the falls.  Like yesterday, all falls have benefited from the wet summer and are much prettier, and the colors around them are lovely.  Feeling Zoe needed a break we went to Sand Point and let her loose for her favorite activity, rushing freely along the waterline at high rates of speed.  By separating and having her run from one of us to the other and back we exhausted her quite quickly.

Our next actual stop at a falls was at Wagner Falls, also prettier than last year.  Last year, in the rain, it seemed quite a long walk, but this year in the sunshine it seemed shorter!  We then made a run back to the Shell station for multiple reasons and followed that by a trip to the hotel for a period of rest.  Later we went out for pasties, which we took along the road west out of town and found a delightful scenic "roadside" with a big beach well away from the highway.  We ate our pasties and yet again walked along the water line, we at a steady plod in the soft sand and Zoe like an out-of-control rocket.  Eventually she tired and quite literally led us back to the van.  On our way back to the hotel we went up to another scenic overlook and looked at our hotel, scenery and Grand Island all bathed in the glow of the setting sun.  The day was pretty much complete although swimming & hot-tubbing was a lot more pleasant without a bunch of rowdy inebriates as had been the case the evening before.

Marissa has included some pictures in her blog, so I will once again direct you to Flickr by going here.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #5

This was a day of successful changes of mind.  It was again sunny, but quite breezy and distinctly chilly.  All three of us slept later than usual but otherwise the routine was normal and we pulled away from the hotel around 9:30AM.  First order of business was 3/4 tank of gas in the van (this is not a part of the country to run out of fuel) and then it was up onto the Interstate for the run up to Sault Ste. Marie.  We quickly discovered that to visiting tourists this town is both parking- and pet-UN friendly.  In the locks' visitors center we discovered that while 5 big ships were expected, none would be there until the afternoon.  We had also missed the morning tour boat and would need to wait over 2 hours for the next tour.  Up overlooking the locks (with the tour boat down in the nearest one) we realized it had little protection from the elements and out of the sun (or even in it) it was still very chilly.

We looked, and photographed the locks from the viewing platform and decided that a lock tour could remain on John's list for another year, deciding this would do for a "been there, done that" experience for Marissa who has much more interest in pretty and waterfalls than in man-made marvels.  So we decided to leave & change our plans to do Tahquamenon Falls again this year.  Last year the U.P. had been dry & the river was down, this year would be the opposite.

In due course we arrived and "did" the Lower Falls, a good long walk and several photo-ops.  We then made our way to the Upper Falls complex.  With the concessions closing we had to order carry-out from the one restaurant still open & had a very nice whitefish sandwich.  Then we walked, and walked.  Since the steps are such that Zoe needs be carried Marissa & Zoe turned back from the 117 step descent to view the falls from down in the gorge, leaving that to John.  He eventually caught up with them, passing on about the 50th step of the merely 97 step descent/ascent to the viewing area at the brink of the falls.  We returned to the van together & set sail for Munising.

We reached the town in good time & turned away from the hotel and drove some miles in order to get to Miner's Beach, where Zoe finally got to run free, which she did at extraordinary speeds and with a great deal of energy, although even she eventually flagged.  We cruised back and through the town and on up to the motel at which we had stayed last year, settling in for three nights stay.

It seems we have timed our trip perfectly from a color perspective.  It is truly lovely up here right now and it is just a pity that roadsides that look quite wonderful from a driver's seat simply do not photograph well enough to do them justice.

Since pictures are worth thousands of words, today's have been added to Flickr which you can find here.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #4

We knew this was going to be a good day when we watched the sunrise turn the sky orange out over Lake Huron.  It was cooler than even we would have wished, and a bit breezy, but sunny all day and gradually warming.  This was the day when we could finally look people in the eye after saying we had been to the U.P. and say yes to the inevitable question "Did you go to Mackinac Island?"

We three, a few other tourists and two full coachloads of Japanese tour groups took the 9:30 Arnold line catamaran (since it was "pet-friendly") for the 20-odd minute ride over to the island.  There we walked - a lot!  Transportation on this non-motorized island is either by horseback, by horse-drawn vehicle, on a bicycle, or like us, on foot!  Interesting, but watch where you step when crossing a road.  Marissa pointed out the irony of anachronistic transportation having seen a cab driver texting on his cell phone while his horses plodded along!

In general we resisted being nickel and dimed by the tourist traps, but did less well with items requiring plastic to purchase, eventually returning with several large bags!  But we did make the climbing walk up to the Grand Hotel, where we oohed and aahed suitably and took lots of photos.  In due course we found a place where we could sit with Zoe and have a hot lunch in the sunshine.  We discovered that there is no 2:00PM ferry back, so the shops benefited by our being there an extra hour before returning to the mainland in a much less crowded boat.  Zoe was equally well-behaved coming back.  She had enjoyed a good walking work-out and had been a great ice-breaker with many strangers, but was finally exhausted.

Once back at the hotel we rested, did a fair bit of organizing, relaxed a while and ordered our dinner delivered.  It has been a good day.  However, the Internet connectivity here has its quirks, to say the least and picture loading to blogger is excruciatingly slow.  Flickr is also slow, but much better relatively, so for some pictures of our day follow this link...

Despite a day of negligible vehicle mileage today, since leaving Columbus the van has now logged 1225 miles.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #3

This was a day of fits and starts.  Alarm, rush about, get Marissa to the hotel downtown for the 7:00AM breakfast, followed by a more leisurely clean-up and shave and another very good breakfast back at the motel.  The morning was leisurely, getting caught up on the PC as well as slowly moving our stuff out to the van ready for our next leg, plus sorting out, in mild panic, the fact that our tonight's reservation was not listed as for "Priddis" but for "John", but at least it did exist!.  Zoe felt energetic and dragged me for an extra long walk around the complex and even over to the edge of the adjacent shopping center.

After a noon check-out and the pleasant surprise that our deposit covered the whole stay & not just the first day, Zoe & I headed to a nearby park to sit, read, lightly picnic, growl and bark at several squirrels that had the temerity to appear within sight, and eventually take a another significant walk.  We were already on our way downtown, through traffic snarls & road works when Marissa called for her pick-up.

Soon we were heading east, making our way to Big John's cider mill complex.  It was breezy, very overcast and occasionally showery, so we stayed much more briefly than last year's visit, but got apples, cider, cheese curds and delicious cookies, and then headed northwards.  Some hours later we reached Mackinaw, kicked off briefly to visit our favorite pasties shop, then back up and over "Big Mac" leaving the Trolls of lower Michigan (so called because they live beneath the bridge!) for the Yoopers of the U.P.

The further north we went the less trees were green and the more they were somewhat colorful, appearing more so as we left the overcast and rain behind and moved into blue skies and sunshine.  Portia led us to our hotel, where we three ate our pasties (see Marissa's blog for pictures today), before unloading clothes more suitable for the northern cool than southern heat.  We have the same room as we had last year and Zoe has celebrated with a burst of zoomies in the sandy plateau outside our patio overlooking Lake Huron.

U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #2

This is the day the conference began, and the reason we are here in Grand Rapids at all.  Zoe did not get us up too early and after the usual routine we headed to the breakfast room.  Of all the hotels of this type this one has to have one of the very best breakfast selections we have yet experienced, fresh fruit & yogurt, omelets to be filled as desired along with home fries, waffles (without which no "UP Trip Day" would be complete) as well as all the usual stuff.

We elected to let Portia guide us to the conference hotel, hitting a slight snag at the end where a ramp was closed for rebuilding, but after making several squares we found the right place, but were much too early, so we headed off pretty much at random.  In due Course we saw direction signs to the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, about which Marissa had read so we thought we'd give it a try.  It was delightful and impressive and even had the traveling Chihuly exhibit, which we were able to see before finally being busted for having a dog (not allowed in the park) and asked to leave. This is a place that Beth Campbell should put on her "must visit" list, some of the samples being:

Although still a little early we elected to return to downtown & for Marissa to drop off & try and meet some of the delegates she knew before things started officially.  John & Zoe promptly went into GPS Purgatory!  Portia could not comprehend that a ramp was closed & led us around and around in ever larger circles but always ending at the same useless place.  Eventually we drove way off in a random direction until she could "recalculate" an entirely different route involving miles of a main city street with traffic lights every half mile!

In the afternoon we allowed Portia to guide us to Grand Haven, but inexpert programming guided us to a dirt road, whereupon John became unmanly enough to ask directions - twice!  We finally found the beach area, but disappointingly it is also "no pets allowed".  However, we did find a long riverside boardwalk leading right out to a pier/lighthouse in Lake Michigan and walked the whole thing - both ways.  Needless to say Zoe was less than scintillating company coming back to the motel as she slept the whole way!

Marissa gets fed at the conference so a quick foray into the gigantic Meijer store next to the motel (which is equipped with refrigerator and microwave in each room) solved the eating problem.  Marissa finally called for transportation around 9:00 PM & an error-free run was made in to get her.  With two lots of eyes & better experience we were able to fake out Portia & return via the Interstate so were back at the hotel and ready to go hot-tubbing by 9:45PM.  We have now driven the van about 900 miles so far.