And So It Begins...

Hello readers!  When I write these blog posts, for some reason I can only imagine my family members reading them (and more specifically, my oldest sister Ingrid) but if you are NOT from my family and are reading about my adventures on your own accord, then welcome welcome welcome!  This blog is the latest of my “Diva’s Adventures with Dad” series and I think there will be many fun stories to tell.  For those of you who don’t know my family well, my Dad is an avid road cyclist and enjoys taking his kids on long bike tours across states, countries, and even continents!  I have had the pleasure of going on a trip with him in 2010 when he and I cycled the Mississippi river-see picture below.  (You can check out annikodegard.blogspot.com if you want to read about that experience).  We had the most amazing time and I was hoping to do another trip soon.  Now that I have graduated university and do not start working until May 20^th, I figured this would be a perfect time for a bike tour with Dad.  I am working at Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp this summer in Lakeside, Montana and instead of driving down from Calgary, Dad and I will be biking up from Las Vegas (hence the title of the blog!).  My Mom has volunteered to be our support van-a job that she loves because she finally has time to put her photos of her latest travels in photo albums.  She is in charge of getting any food that we need while on the road, booking our hotel for the night, and getting any supplies that we need if we have a mechanical breakdown that we can’t fix with the tools we’ve brought.  Dad and I did the majority of the Mississippi trip without her and it definitely makes a difference to have her here.
 

We are driving to Las Vegas as I write, and I must say it is quite intimidating to see how far we are travelling and realizing that I am supposed to cycle all the way back to Montana.  The weather is perfect for riding (except for a random snowstorm that was happening in Butte, MT...don’t know what that was about) so that’s encouraging.  We are hoping to get to Vegas tonight and then we start riding tomorrow afternoon.  We have to cycle roughly 1600 kilometers in 18 days so we need to get to work right away!  I have not trained for this trip as much as I should have because of all the craziness that came with graduating.  I am hoping that my butt won’t feel too much pain, but I will keep you posted on that.  LITERALLY.  I will write a blog POST re: the butt situation.  Anyway, I am excited to get started and take on the physical and mental challenge that always comes with these trips.  I am NOT excited for the disgusting tan lines that will appear on my hands, legs, and ankles very soon.  Despite my initial thoughts that they made me look like a legit road cyclist, I have realized that it just looks like I have a skin disease for months after the trip is over.  Oh well, such is life.  I love it.  I must stress how very thankful I am that I have the opportunities to make such trips with my parents despite the craziness that comes with every trip.  Being the youngest of five kids, I don’t often get much one-on-one time with them so this three week trip is definitely a treat for me!  With that, however, I know they will still get on my nerves.  Mom’s tendency to read every sign she sees on the highway out loud already makes me want to scream.  BUT...I love them anyways and I am excited to be on this adventure with the two of them!

We are almost in Salt Lake City and I think it’s time to pull out my Prisonbreak DVDs...This is the diva signing out...for now!

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