You can hike, bike, or ski the trails (3 miles) in this 162 acre park. You can fish in the lake from a boardwalk, use the boat launch at the Grand River, or view the Grand River from an overlook platform.
Marie and I walked here on this day for over 6 hours! It seemed more like two hours. We had our boots, so we walked in the streams and found not only several Paw Paw trees but a large bunch of Paw Paw fruit!
Fruit of the Paw Paw
Stream at Grand River Park where the Paw Paw grows.
We saw lots of flowers still blooming!
We saw lots of flowers still blooming!
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| Asters |
Chicory
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Heal All (Prunella vulgaris)    (this was on the way home from the car window ) |
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Later this same day I was invited to participate in the
Super Pier Challenge 300 2010, with Betsy, Benjamin, and Ryan! It was so cool, fun. It gets dark here fairly early
~ 7:00 p.m. so part of the challenge was biked in the dark.
Here are a couple of pictures that I took while pedaling along the pier in Grand Haven, Michigan.
Grand Haven Pier on Lake Michigan
What a great day!
Ottawa County Parks Link
cool! the GR park pics are amazing. It's remarkable what you and Marie can find out there. the second pier pic is really cool. I think I see Loch Ness monster on right side in the light on the water.
ReplyDeleteYou are the new chronicler of our trips!
ReplyDeleteYour first photo captured autumn then "Fall Color Along the Trail" did it again.
The creek photo shows all the complexity of the bottomland we were in.
The wildflowers are exquisite. Prunella vulgaris does Heal All, doesn't it?
But the Paw Paw fruit made the day. Incredible. I'm so glad we found it.
Great shots of the Grand Haven pier and lights.
Thank you! M
Marie and I do find so much interesting stuff, wildflowers, trees, creeks, trails, and with Marie's great enthusiasm it is always fun.
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I do like going off the common trail to see what is just over that next hill or through the woods.
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And, yes, Loch Ness was near the shore that night and actually almost got one of our riders!
That Paw Paw fruit was really neat. Is that the seed for a new tree?
ReplyDeleteMary Jo
Paw Paw is considered an exotic fruit, Some say it is the largest native North American fruit.
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(What about Pumpkin, it is considered a fruit and thought to have originated in N.A., also Osage Orange? Watermelon originated in southern Africa, so non-native)
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The paw-paw has several black disk-shaped seeds in each fruit. You can plant them to try to make more paw-paw plants.
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The long tap root of the paw paw tree makes it somewhat difficult to relocate successfully.
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I have heard the fruit is extremely delicious, but I've never tasted it, have you?
Tried to post comment from phone, but failed. Glad you enjoyed the Super Pier Challenge 2010 300! You should come along more often!!
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