You would think being on vacation would allow for more reading but that’s not the case.
I read Survival by Julie Czenerda but got less interested when I realized it was the beginning of a series. I seem to be looking for more stand alone type books. It was an enjoyable read but nothing special enough to go out and find the other books.
I also read Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer 
which was a fun read although not as fun as just saying the title. I know it’s part of the latest craze to add vampire or zombie to the title and suddenly a best seller is created, but I could not resist. Especially after seeing the poster for the movie. It is such a silly idea it is too good to miss. I will be waiting for the DVD though and not shelling out at the theater.
So the great 2012 roadtrip is over, 4,300 miles and just over two weeks of travel and fun and visiting . I had this crazy idea that I would update the blog from the road, then I just got involved in the moment and it was too much fun just spending time with family.
After the Black Hills we headed straight to Minnesota and the complications of family reunions. The Boxell murder clan got together and shared theories, fears and visiting strange old houses to look at alleged blood stains. The funner side was getting to hang out with people we don’t often see regardless of their weird obsessions. Sandy hosted the whole clan gathering brilliantly with just the right mix of humor and reverence for a story that obviously means a lot to her and others in Howard Lake Minnesota.
Once the wierdness of the reunion was over we headed out to Lake Aaron. This small lake in central Minnesota has immense meaning for Michelle and her family. It is the lake that her father grew up on in the summers and the place where his siblings put some of his ashes last year. The whole area is full of memories for Sandy and stories that are engaging and meaningful. GPS coordinates in hand we set out to hang out with Michelle’s dad and fish and have fun. The boys even caught dinner but negotiating the bony Minnesota blue gill was something I left for others. 
It is not the best fish you will ever eat, in fact it’s kind of bland, and no fish you have to work harder to eat than catch is worth the eating unless it’s for survival purposes. Three days of relaxation and hanging out where exactly what everyone needed and then we set off renewed and reinvigorated for a twelve hour drive.
Billings Montana for the night. Water slides and junk food and laundry. Nest day we were off to Glacier Park to camp. It was a long beautiful drive, a lot further than we thought, is Montana the largest state or does it just feel that way. In the end we were defeated byt he drive and ended up in a KOA camping cabin for the night. The 
next day they had kept our site for us and we had a wonderful day in Glacier National Park. It’s odd to think that in 2030 there will be no glaciers left out there. The lakes are beautiful, the bears elusive and Polebridge may be the coolest place on earth. If only we had known we were near the ancient Amundsen homestead but who knew really.
The drive home from Glacier was another long day. Everyone was happy to be home, the dog had survived and Thomas was very happy to see us all even though he may never admit it. A great long vacation in the jeep, dirt roads and asphalt, families and strangers and amazing sights that I never expected to see.
At the end of the day as with every vacation we probably did too much but I would probably not change anything as it was memorable and fun to hang out without such an intrusive amount of technology.
timeweleftthisworldtoday 