Gerald Ford Presidential Library, Grand Rapids, MI – 4/19/2017

April 19, 2017 (Wednesday)

Long day. Much longer than we had planned but we decided to do a couple unexpected detours. We woke up to grey threatening skies. We left our room and went down to the on-site restaurant for the included buffet. Good selection and was more a restaurant than a hotel type buffet. Michael and I both enjoyed it.

We left Lansing and headed for Grand Rapids, about 70 miles away. Such bumpy and awful roads here because of the extreme temperatures I guess. (We’re going to have to have the car’s alignment checked out.) Also, to me it seems like there is an abnormal amount of dead things alongside the roads here, mostly raccoons and rabbits. We got to the Gerald Ford Museum at around 10:30 AM and found parking. It’s an absolutely beautiful setting in a park alongside a river. Stunning.

At the side entrance. We actually came in the wrong way.

A pretty building across the river from the Museum.

River front entrance with a nice fountain.

I suspect the kids play in here on hot days.

The fountain is huge and goes off periodically.

I guess his eloquence was in his honesty.

The fountain from the inside. It is too big to let kids in there on a hot day. It could blast an eye out.

WARNING – GRICHING AHEAD – We were very disappointed in all the small kids around that were running wild and the chaperones were allowing it. It was pretty bad – they were laying down and crawling all over, being loud and obnoxious, and just acting like they are at a playground. Hate it when the kids act like that – but hate it worse when the adults in charge allow it.

The museum was very interesting. President Ford was only in office for about 3 years, after Nixon resigned due to the Watergate scandal. It was felt he lost his election because he decided to pardon Nixon in order to heal the nation. He seemed to be a really nice guy. Didn’t know that President Ford was born Leslie L. King, Jr. President Ford’s mother left his father when he was two weeks old due to being abused.

A little known fact. I had to look his real dad up. He was an alcoholic and died in 1941. Never knew his son’s WW II contributions, or public service.

She went on to marry Gerald Ford and that was the man he considered his father. The museum talked about Betty’s cancer and substance abuse issues. Really enjoyed learning about Betty and Gerald.

He was an Eagle Scout and had a lot of discipline.

He was a football standout and choose a career in law instead.

His part in the Kennedy Commission is covered.

An unlikely path to the presidency beginning with the resignation of Spiro T. Agnew.

It was a hard take over of the Presidency. I remember liking him but he was not an eloquent man.

He was willing to pay the political price for pardoning Nixon.

The museum is mostly static. Not much video.

Once he became president he had to pick a new vice president.

I loved the “greatest weaknesses” portion of this analysis on Rockefeller.

Many displays, only 3 years in office, seems it was intense.

Ashtray on the desk! Smoker snuffing a cigarette! I remember those days. Don’t miss them.

It is a wonder he retired to California.

Afterwards we walked over to where Betty and Gerald were buried and paid our respects.

Lovely eagle statue. Goof trying to get a picture in the reflection off the glass.

After the museum I wanted to go to Holland, Michigan because I had seen a flier about the tulips and wanted to see it. We drove the 30 or so miles to Holland and found the Windmill Island Gardens tulip farm. Even saw a windmill. Lovely. The tulips weren’t in full bloom yet but we did see some very colorful and beautiful displays and could only imagine what will be happening very soon. Between the tulips and the trees about to burst from all the blooms, it was quite lovely.

Then it was Michael’s turn to want to go somewhere. He wanted to drive alongside Lake Michigan down to Benton Harbor, about 60 miles. It was great in theory but we never really saw Lake Michigan. The road was always close but with the trees and such, no luck. We even went off the road and all the way to the end to try to see – maybe, not sure. We were disappointed but….we did get to see Lake Michigan in Chicago so that will have to do for now. We failed. Michael also wanted to go to Kalamazoo. Why, I don’t know, but he said he’s always heard of Kalamazoo and wanted to go, so we did. It was about a 50 mile drive. When we got into Kalamazoo, we stopped and had linner at a Steak N Shake. Really good and even better because it was happy hour so our drinks were half off.

Edie associates this with New York City and Las Vegas, South Point. We stopped here for linner.

We couldn’t imagine, turns out it is a water tank.

I had been driving all day and after linner Michael decided to drive. It was funny because as soon as we left the Steak N Shake, it started raining very hard. Poor guy. It was awful but he managed. Traffic was bad too. The drive was about 120 miles of mostly rain and misery. Clarece (GPS) must have been mad at us because she took us some weird ways but we saw some pretty things (when the rain wasn’t too bad).

We got to our new home for the night at around 5:30 PM, a Super 8 in Belleville, Michigan. We got it using “go fast” points and cash (under $40.00).

We are tired and ready to rest up. That was our day. Hope yours was great!