Even though we are only a short way into the raging blowout party that is the Hallinglag, I feel I should update on the adventure.
My travels were relatively smooth. I left work early and departed up the great U.S. Interstate Highway 94 towards Fargo, ND. My first (and only) stop was in scenic Sauk Centre, MN to retrieve my uncle and grandfather. Once we got moving again, we didn't stop again until we crossed the state lines.
Rather than just check in, we opted for the more adventurous route and drove to my great-aunt's apartment in downtown Fargo. If there is one thing that I can say about this is that the lady has a collection of items that could never be replicated anywhere. She has lived and traveled all over the world and her apartment is living proof of this fact.
After some bathroom breaks and a little movement after the confines of the car, we went to the Fargo landmark: The Fryn' Pan Restaurant. I distinctly remember coming to this place with my friends in college when we came up to see Jill at Concordia. If I recall correctly, the caramel rolls are awesome. Today I opted for a more conservative option of a chicken sandwich and Diet Coke. Not as great, but maybe I can talk my dad into going back. These are his old college stomping grounds, after all.
Once we had our fill of family restaurant delectables, I left the men at the apartment and took on the task of checking us all in to the hotel. I have to admit, I had my doubts about the place based on the websites, but it really is pretty decent. Staying here will definitely not be a problem.
After completing my bellhop duties, I checked out the wi-fi situation. As you can see, I am updating my blog, so they get another thumbs-up in that category. Once the rest of the crew caught up with me here, we gussied up a bit and headed to the informal reception. Unfortunately, the Hallinglag planning crew opted for a more cramped room for the first night "Meet and Mingle" event, so we didn't stay long.
I should qualify that a bit. We did not stay in the reception room long. Our attempt to return to our rooms was postponed by some introductions that we made in the hotel lobby. This really wasn't a problem. In fact, I discovered that my grandfather is a bit of a well-known celebrity. One woman actually said that she had heard a lot about him from her parents over the years. I can only assume that she heard good things, but one never knows.
Sadly, I managed to forget to grab my camera despite the fact that I mentally reminded myself several times to grab it before leaving the house. Fortunately, my uncle has been taking pictures and tomorrow my father arrives with another camera. Other than my grandfather and his antics, there hasn't been much to gather photographically today, although I really wish that I had a tape recorder sometimes.
So at the very least, you can expect to hear more tomorrow once I have officially "registered" and events really begin to get moving. At least I hope they move. Based on the relative difference in age between myself and the rest of the group, I'm not sure. On the plus side, being 31 years old in this setting makes me feel young for a change. Ha det bra!!!!
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