Sarah Palin will make her long-promised return trip to Michigan, and the visit is causing quite a stir in Republican-friendly Grand Rapids. The former GOP vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor will kick off a national tour for her book “Going Rogue” at a Barnes & Noble book store at Woodland Mall. The book hit the stores Tuesday, but presale orders have put it on bestseller lists for weeks.

The excitement about Palin in west Michigan came as the lightning rod politician made news Tuesday in a broadcast interview with Barbara Walters in which she said a 2012 presidential bid “is not on my radar,” but wouldn’t rule out playing some role in the next race for the White House.

“My ambition, if you will, my desire is to help our country in whatever role that may be, and I cannot predict what that will be, what doors will be open in the year 2012,” she told Barbara Walters.

Taryn Myers, community relations manager at Barnes & Noble in Grand Rapids, said they’re expecting “thousands” to show up for Palin’s three-hour appearance, and they were anticipating people would be camping out in the mall parking lot overnight to get wristbands for the book signing. “I know it’s going to be a zoo,” Myers said. “Our phones have been ringing off the hook for days. We know people will be camping out.”