Personal

There are things to like about GR

fallfield.jpg
Field at Russell Road

Sometimes Grand Rapids redeems itself slightly. I thought this to myself as we pedaled along the White Pine Trail this morning. I’ve always heard about the trail, but we hadn’t yet checked it out. So we loaded up the bikes and drove on up to Belmont.

It’s a great ride. Although very flat and not big on curves. I think that’s to be expected from the converted railroad trails. It’s also nice that it winds through the communities, especially Rockford. It’s such a great little town and you bike right through, past the Rogue River Dam. This weekend is the Harvest Festival so there were plenty of people out and about.

We biked the nine miles up to Russell Road, then turned back and made a stop for ice cream (two scoops of Caramel Moose Tracks) at Custard By The Dam. Yum! I know this slightly defeats the purpose of exercise, but I CANNOT bike past an ice cream shop without going in. No way. No how.

The night before, I was also enlightened to the delicious food goodness at Little Mexico. I had a veggie quesadilla (yum, again) and two strawberry margaritas. Scott’s plate looked like an explosion of food and he seemed to enjoy it. After dinner, we drove along Bridge Street. With all the glass buildings that have gone up here recently, the reflection of the sunset was pretty impressive. I’m thinking that would be a good time of day to come back downtown with the camera.

Third on my list of good things about Grand Rapids (or Bland Rapids, as Laurel calls it) is Martha’s Vineyard, a cute little wine/beer and food market in Heritage Hill. I’ve been by on bike, but not often in a car. Now I plan to make it a point to get over there more often. Especially after the gouda-stuffed olives the girl offered us (yum, yet again) and the personal tour one of the guys provided. They’ve got some great stuff there.

All in all, it’s been a good GR weekend thus far (all food-related, wouldn’t ya know). I won’t waste your time knocking my present “hometown,” but there are moments when I wish we could escape. So when I come across new and fun places, it removes that urge a bit.