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.