Grand Rogue Fun Times

“MORE THAN JUST A PLACE TO PARK”

Issue No. 26 SPRING 2008+++++++++++++++++

LOSS OF A FRIEND

Our Good Friend, Yellow Beard the Cat

On February 9, 2008 Grand Rogue Campgrounds lost a friend, a staff member CHO (chief hunting officer) and an attraction around the place. Yellow Beard the Cat punched the ticket on life number 9 and is now reunited with his old buddy Sparky. Like Sparky, Yellow Beard was one of those critters that just showed up, needed help, and stayed on to become a part of the whole thing. Sparky’s resting place on the northeast side of the store is the only place on the entire property where Trillium grows and it flourishes. Now we’re sure Yellow Beard, that ol’ pirate, will weld more magic and we’ll see how that Trillium does. Rest well good friend. Arghh!

GRAND ROGUE WILL SPONSOR

BLOOD DRIVES

We are going to team with Michigan Community Blood Centers this summer for a blood drive at the campground. Because blood needs don’t go down in the summer and because so many donors are away from home during the warm weather the Blood Centers will be taking the mobile units to where they hope the donors are. We are planning to have the Bloodmobiles at the campground on the Fourth of July and Labor Day Holiday Weekends. You never know when your thoughtfulness will make the difference in someone’s life. Please give consideration toward this unselfish act during your holiday weekend. We at the Grand Rogue are going to be offering an incentive and we will be soliciting local business to do the same for you compassionate donors. You may get more information at www.miblood.org

MAMA MINEO’S PIZZA RESTAURANT NEW IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

We’ve got a new Italian eatery in the old Faro’s spot around the corner on Northland Dr. The menu and the website www.mammamineos.com promises traditional family recipe’s for some wonderful looking dishes. There is a very large choice ranging from pizza and lasagna to subs, shrimp alfredo, ribs, pasta dinners and delightful sounding deserts. We can’t wait to “test taste” Mamma Mineo’s. It’s a dirty job but we feel we must for your protection. Look for special weekly campground specials and of course delivery to the campground office.

WE ARE TAKING RESERVATIONS RIGHT NOW. CALL OUR HOME NUMBER

616-942-1071 -- TILL MAY 1 -- THEN 616-361-1053.

GRAND RAPIDS “CONCERT TOWN”

Every season we tell you how Grand Rapids is becoming a hotbed for concert tours and music shows. It is no longer ‘becoming’ a hotbed. It is a hotbed. From Country, to Rock, Blues, Gospel and Bluegrass, not to mention Symphony and Indie. They are all coming to venues including the Van Andel Arena, De Vos Performance Hall, Cannonsburg Ski Area and the Meijer Gardens Amphitheater.

We will start this season, as booked up to date, with one of the most highly anticipated concerts of the year, The Police on May 11. Opening for The Police will be Elvis Costello and the Imposters. Next up, Kenny Chesney returns this season on his “Poets & Pirates Summer Tour.” On this year’s swing through Grand Rapids for concerts May 21 & 22 he’ll be bringing Le Ann Rimes. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers blast into the Van Andel Arena on May 30 with very special guest and musical ledged in his own right, Steve Winwood. The very next night the Van Andel hosts the annual return of Bill Gaither and his Homecoming Friends at the “Give it Away Tour 2008”

CAMPERS--THAT’S JUST THE MONTH OF MAY

This follows a Spring will see the likes of Carrie Underwood, the Jonas Brothers and Michael Buble’. And as of this writing, maybe even Van Halen, depending on if Eddie can get his head together in time for the booked April 5 concert.

The Meijer Gardens amphitheater has become a premier performance venue in a spectacular outdoor setting featuring beautiful terraced lawn seating. The annual Summer Concert Series will run June through September and has featured major artists such as David Byrne, Los Lobos, Willie Nelson and Kenny Loggins. Last season also included; Chick Corea & Bela Fleck, the Robert Cray Band, Crowded House, Robert Randolph, Lyle Lovett, Dar Williams & Over the Rhine, Riders in the Sky and Nickel Creek. Every summer’s lineup has more surprises. We will put it up when it’s available on our ever updated ‘Events Page’ at www.grandrogue.com and we will do the same for this season’s Symphony Picnic Pops at Cannonsburg.

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ANDY WARHOL AT THE

NEW GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM

More that 100 paintings and print portfolios, many from the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh are here thru June 15 in the GRAM’s first major show for the brand new facility. The exhibit includes; “Campbell Soup II from 1969, “Beethoven” (1987), “Jackies” (1964) and dozens more. Go to www.gramonline.org for much more information.

GRAND ROGUE NOW HAS FREE WIFI

YEE HAW!!

WE GOT FARMER’S MARKETS

Nuthin’ better’n home grown tomaters! Strawberries warm out of the patch. Asparagus snapped this morning. Raspberries fresh off of the vine and sweet corn just carried out of the field. Plainfield Township is planning to start a farmers market this June across from the township offices just about a mile and a half from the campgrounds. The Village of Rockford has been holding one Saturday mornings for the last couple of years with growing (get it?) success. We are often asked where fresh produce is available and have always directed guests to local stands in the area. Now many of these growers including those with flowers and plants have another central market where you’ll be able to shop for these and other farm fresh products like; honey, maple syrup, meats and home baked goods.

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MONET: THE GARDNER

AT THE GARDENS

Although celebrated as a painter, Impressionist master Claude Monet was an extremely knowledgeable and devoted gardener. He often painted his own garden in Giverny with its extensive gardens, water lilies and ponds, and considered his garden his greatest work of art.

The Meijer Gardens will feature a horticultural exhibition May 30 to August 31 honoring the spirit of what Monet painted. Many plant species with a colorful pallet of poppies, snapdragons, hollyhocks, sunflowers, gladiolus, zinnias and others in harmony and contrasts of colors, textures and combinations will reflect Monet’s formal style.

Display areas of emphasis include the English Perennial Garden, Amphitheater Garden, Volunteer Tribute Garden, Grand Entry Garden, Seasonal Display House, Children’s Garden and Michigan’s Farm Garden.

In addition to plantings and displays, Monet’s life as an avid gardener will be detailed photographically in the sculpture galleries in conjunction with the sculptures of fellow Impressionist and colleague, Edgar Degas in Degas in Bronze: The Complete Sculptures.

DISCOVER GEOCASHING

Geocashing is an outdoor hide and seek treasure hunt for GPS users. From the official geocashing website www.geocashing.com we are learning about this very popular and growing universe and its swarm of enthusiasts. “The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches …. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches.” Through a program with our National Campground Owners Association ARVC, the Grand Rogue is going to join in on this treasure hunt. With all the backwoods beauty and places to explore this property has to offer we figure it’s a natural for us to locate cashes for guests to seek with their GPS units. We are still learning and should have information for you upon registration this season.

NEW STATEWIDE FIREWOOD BAN

Due to the fear of infestation of the EMERALD ASH BORER we are again asking guests not to bring firewood to our campground. Folks this is bad stuff. Insect pests like the Emerald Ash Borer are a major threat to Michigan’s 19 million acres of forestland. The insects will establish a home quickly when infested firewood is transported to new areas.

There is a quarantine on all ash wood and firewood of non-coniferous species products

from virtually the entire state.

This means it is unlawful to move firewood from these areas. There have been surprise road side stop and checks to try to halt the spread of this beetle which has destroyed 6 million ash trees in Southeast Michigan. There have also been fines issued to violators.

We at the Grand Rogue ask that whether you are camping with us or anywhere else in Michigan, that you think before you make the conscience decision to bring firewood from home.

MANY CAMPGROUNDS ARE NOW DESTROYING TRANSPORTED FIREWOOD ON THE SPOT.

Don’t forget these are your forests too.

PLEASE DO NOT BRING FIREWOOD TO THE GRAND ROGUE CAMPGROUND

Yes we are selling firewood, but we are not going to gouge you for it. And all of our firewood is cut on our own property or from approved sources. One of the reasons many guests come to our park is to enjoy the wooded surroundings. Please help us keep one of our most precious natural resources.

DOWNED DEAD WOOD IS AVAILABLE FREE IN THE PARK -- JUST ASK

JOAN’S NOTEBOOK

Some quick reminders, just like I have to do for Tom; Tickets to the Whitecaps Baseball Games are usually yours for the asking, We again have our season tickets and are happy to have you use them.

We expect this year’s Buses By The Beach Spring Gathering to be the largest assembly of Volkswagen Buses in the Midwest. Last season we hosted over 65 buses from all over North America and with this season’s get together to be a 3 Day Event May 15 - 18, we are expecting more.

Our Great Spring Cleanup Day 2008 will be on April 12 -- Rain date April 19. We will be at the campground from 10 AM to 4 PM and you are invited to join us, along with members of the Living History Group who do the Historical Reenactment here in mid September. It’s a day we spend doing lots of little jobs throughout the park and we sure appreciate the help. I’ll make up a great big batch of Sloppy Joes and some of Tom’s famous, “Death By Flatulence” baked beans as lunch for the crew. Give us a call at home 942-1071 if you’re coming so we can make up enough brownies.

A Free Camping Show at a Campground? What a concept! At least five weekends of our exclusive “mini camping shows” will start on July 11. Each weekend a local RV Dealership brings a small sample of their camping units in for a no pressure display.

My friends Jeanne, Mo’ and Stephanie will return this summer with their special talents for your enjoyment. Jeanne with her Adult Make & Take Workshop on Memorial Day Weekend. Mo’ and her Mary K Lady’s Specials and Stephanie with relaxing Chair Massages.

Watch our regularly updated ‘EVENTS’ page on the web www.grandrogue.com for the latest and expanded activities.

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BRIGGS REALTY CORNER

Tom and Wendy have got a sweet little campground available this time. It’s in the S.E. part of the state. 145 sites on 40 acres. Very grassy to heavy woods. Huge 96’ X 40’ recreation/winter storage building. Couple of ponds and a little stream. Nice big work shop building with the tractor, mowers, and equipment to go along with it. Needs a pool, advertising and elbow grease. Try a Land Contract at $549,000. wwbriggsrealtyonline.com

what’s doing with us

Sure are looking forward to Spring. We hope we’ve put most of the nasties behind us and are ready for that warmer weather. Mom and Dad are toughing it out in the 70’s & 80’s in Florida. They will be back before Easter and we’re hoping they bring back a boatload of sunshine with them. Dad was given the OK to go for six weeks before he gets his next cancer treatment so the next day they were on their way. His continuing treatment so far has been the every six week infusion to strengthen the bone in his spine. At this point nothing has changed on the lung tumor so a watch and wait situation continues.

As far as my thyroid condition, further pathology tests now have shown that there is no cancer and so now I’ve got only a half of a thyroid which he says is fine and a terrific scar across my throat. My blood work has also come back and shown that my thyroid levels are back to normal. We are very thankful for those results.

Up to this moment we haven’t been able to do a thing around the campground due to the weather situation but that will all change this week. We were unable to drive into the park during the entire month of February due first to flooding caused by ice jams then the flood waters froze. For a perspective, water levels reached midpoint on the dumpster. We will have to replace some water spigots due to the ice and have some trees down but nothing that cannot be worked out.

Our son Alan is getting married to his sweetie Laurie in April so Joan has been helping with that deal. Showers. Dresses. Rehearsal dinner planning, pew bows and getting me fitted for my clown outfit. I’ve been fertilizing the money tree. Oh and continuing our ball room dancing lessens through community education. We hope to cut a mean rug at the reception.

We got together for our annual campground owner friends mid winter gathering at Thunder Bay Resort near Alpena this year. The six of us rented a chalet in a package that included a horse drawn sleigh ride to see elk and a wood stove prepared 5 course gourmet meal and wine tasting in a beautiful log cabin nestled along a river deep in the freshly snow-covered woods.

We stayed up half the night watching the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy and since all three of us guys drive school buses during the off season we of course had to get in some embellished war stories. Woke Sunday morning to freezing rain that nearly made captives of us for a third unscheduled night. We were finally able to slide out and drive on home late in the afternoon. After all -- we are professionals.

This winter has made us long for the weather we had even last fall. Right after the park closed the end of September we took the kayaks up north the next weekend, met up and paddled with Ron & Nancy from the campgrounds. It was 89 degrees in October. Can you believe it? We paddled our boats down the Platte River toward Lake Michigan. Along the way we need to portage around a weir on the river below where hundreds of salmon gathered. Launching again in the pool of fish we were thrilled by them swirling around us, bumping into our boats and jumping over the bows. What an unforgettable experience. As we entered Lake Michigan Nancy and Joan got out of their kayaks and with their life vests buoying them floated out into and frolicked in the “Big Lake.” In October! The best part of the trip was Joan rescuing from the bottom of the river and presenting me with my Xmas present -- a still working Swiss Army watch. Sweet!