Stick a fork in me-I'M DONE!

Hello Hello Hello! I bring you GREAT NEWS everyone! My Father and I have successfully completed the Mississippi River Trail extending from the Gulf of Mexico, LA to the headwaters in Lake Itasca, MN. HOW STOKED AM I??? So stoked. Ahhhhh!!! I am feeling so many emotions right now: elation, joy, accomplishment are just a few! I have not yet had time to fully process the last month, but I will fill you in on the last couple of days and you can have a look at some of our pictures! The last few days were quite long-about 70 miles each day except for the final day which was only 40 miles. On Wednesday, we rode through Minneapolis and I got to see my Dad's childhood home as well as "The Dairy Store", a place where he would sit on the curb and eat popsicles as a child which is now an organic cafe. We stopped there for lunch, and it was really wonderful to hear Dad reminice about the early years.

Dad in front of his childhood home....


On Thursday, my Mom and my sister, Ingrid came to meet us and it was wonderful to see their BEAUTIFUL faces! On Thursday we had an entire bike paths to ourselves for the whole day which was such a treat. It was nice to see other people rollerblading, walking or biking and enjoying the weather. However, nobody wears helmets here and it makes me very worried. It also ticks me off. Why can't you just take the extra ten seconds to put on a helmet that could potentially save your life?? Nevertheless, it was a wonderful day of riding and we were definitely doing some "styling". The last day was definitely filled with an adrenaline rush. It was crazy to think that I was only 40 miles from my FINAL destination. Everything I had trained for, worked for, and looked forward to for the past month was just 40 miles away! That certainly doesn't seem like much when you've already biked 2000 miles. Anyways, the wind was against us, and STUPID HILLS appeared, but I was NOT going to let it get me down! We finished the last five miles on a beautiful bike path in Lake Itasca State Park. I was peddling that bike as FAST as I could. There were a lot of families cycling for fun because it's a long weekend here, and as we passed them I wanted to shout, "WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST 33 DAYS CYCLING FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO AND WE ARE ONLY A FEW MILES FROM THE FINISH LINE!!!! YOU SHOULD BE VERY EXCITED FOR US!". But I refrained. Mom and Ingrid were there waiting for us at the headwaters, and I couldn't help but tear up as we reached the source of the Great, Majestic Mississippi River. Apparently, it is a tradition to dip your feet in the Mississippi headwaters with your bike after completing the River Trail, so of COURSE we did just that and had everyone was staring at us. Good thing we're used to that by now. :) At this time, Ingrid also presented me with a shirt that she made for me!




This trip was so amazing and I can't believe it has already come to an end! I have greatly appreciated the time that I've had to spend with my Dad. The more I learn about him, the more I admire him. He has always been an amazing Dad, but I am so thankful that I got the chance to see just what an incredible INDIVIDUAL he is. We definitely made a great team, and I will forever treasure the partnership that we formed on this trip. I'm just so blessed to have him in my life, I can't even tell you! On a personal note, this journey has been the most difficult, but most rewarding adventures that I've ever been on. It was obviously a physical challenge, but beyond that it challenged my patience, ability to adapt to new situations, and mostly my ability to let go of things that I can't control (AKA THE WIND!).
Here are some pictures of things that got in our way: trees, stairs and...poor coordination....



I also thought I would include some pictures of my tan lines. They're pretty epic. Ingrid tells me each morning that I look diseased. Gotta love her.



I'm also extremely thankful for the time that I had for self reflection. Sometimes I feel like my life moves so fast that I don't ever take the time to actually sit back and appreciate just how great it is. I truly appreciate everyone's support-whether it was reading my blog, praying for me, or sending me words of encouragement, it did not go unnoticed! I am sad to be writing my last blog entry, and it feels a little surreal to be honest. I really didn't know if I would be able to get to this point and still be alive! haha Anyways, I LOVE YOU ALL and thank you so much for everything!
God Bless You!
This is the diva SIGNING OUT!
A

We Be Stylin'

Stylin: a term describing the feeling of going about as fast as you can on the bike, but feeling like you could do it forever and never getting tired. This term was coined by my brother, and let me tell you-We were doing some stylin' yesterday!
However, things changed when we ended up getting lost and found ourselves facing dead ends and once again, chemcial plants. I don't know why we always end up near chemical plants, but we do. Anyways, we got out of Minneapolis alright, but it took a long time-that city goes on forever! We stayed in Coon Rapids on Monday night, and last night we made it to St. Cloud. I don't really have much to report other than the fact that we are nearing the end of our trip! Although some days seem to drag on forever, the past month has gone by in a flash! I can't believe it's all going to be over in two days. Tomorrow, I will be seeing my mom and sister so I'm VERY excited about that! It's been great having so much time with my Dad but...I'll tak more about that later. I will add pictures when I can, but I will leave you with the latest dialogue from our trip!
DAD: You know, I don't think you realize how fortunate you are to have me as a travel partner.
ANNIKA: I was JUST about to say that to you.

Miss you all!
A

Trashin' Fashion

Story time: Two days ago, Dad and I cycled from Onalaska, WI to Pepin, WI. We woke up at 6:45 as per usual and were surprised to see that it was POURING rain. This caused some alarm for me because my rain pants were completely useless, and I was worried that I would be freezing cold all day. BUT, Dad had a solution-or "an angle" as he likes to say. Now, I don't get cold if the rain hits my skin, but it's when it soaks into my shorts that it starts affecting me. So, Dad sent me over to the gas station to pick up a garbage bag. Together, we manaaged to make shorts for me out of a trash bag. We poked to wholes in the bottom, I slid my legs through and TA-DA!! It actually worked out quite well, but when we went into a restaurant to eat lunch, I got more stares than usual. The best part was it eventually stopped raining, but it was to much of a hassle to take the bag off, so people didn't even understand why I would have it on in the first place. So great. We were greeted with more rain YESTERDAY; a thunderstorm, actually. It was awful. There were lots of hills, it was cold, and as we were changing into our rain gear, I cut BOTH my knees on these super prickly thorns. We took a video on this day. (See Below) Anyways, we finally made it to MINNEAPOLIS!!! Can you BELIEVE it? I can't. This was supposed to be our ending point, but I'm excited and happy to report that we are feeling strong enough to go another few hundred miles to Lake Itaska, MN. We are taking a rest day today and it is WONDERFUL. We slept in, had breakfast and have done NOTHING all day! It's a very foreign experience for me. Dad is watching the hockey game, and we are planning on going out for a nice dinner tonight. (He doesn't know this yet, but I'm not eating another hanmburger so he's just going to have to deal with it.) Last night, we went out for dinner/coffee with my friends, Michael and Marija and we had a great time! Lots of stories shared and laughter had. It was nice for Dad and I to have other people to talk to other than each other. hahah More updates to come soon! God Bless, A

Welcome to Wisconsin

Greetings from Prairie Duchien, Wisconsin! I'm happy to report that Dad and I have made it here safely, despite the fact that we stayed in a motel last night where I feared for my life. "Tower Motel" was our lodging for last night in Dickeyville. This place was probably built in the 1950's and...that was probably the last time it was cleaned. The curtains were broken, the shower was absolutely DISGUSTING, and there was no phone. So, if you get shot in the middle of the night, you wouldn't even be able to dial 911. Great. It cost $45 which should tell you something. Tonight we are in the Super 8 Motel which seems like "The Hampton" compared to last night. Anyways, we are getting closer and closer to Minneapolis! We are hoping to be on the outskirts of the twin cities by Saturday. This means a lot of hard work for the next three days, but I'm looking forward to a much needed rest day. (You may be thinking, "Why would she need a rest day? Isn't the trip over?") NEWSFLASH: We are no longer ending the trip in Minneapolis, but going further north to Lake Itaska, the source of the Mississippi River! It will take another 5 days of riding, but Dad and I are ready for the challenge! Let's talk about some of the conditions we've been facing the last few days! WIND, WIND, WIND mixed with RAIN, MORE WIND, and DOGS THAT WANT TO KILL ME!!! I don't know WHY, but for some reason, dogs tend to gravitate towards me when they are looking for someone to attack. The other day, we were riding down a hill and this crazy dog comes up to me and Dad barking loudly and frankly, being a little obnoxious. I had my feet ready to kick it whenever it would try to bite me. Dad had trained me to do the whole "look it in the eyes, yell, slap your leg" thing, but I panicked and just started making this random squealing noise and let Dad handle it. Anyways, we survived. Then, TODAY this dog jumps out of the bush and starts semi-attacking me. Dad was back taking a picture about a 1/2 mile back, but my survival instincts kicked in and I started yelling, "C'MON CHOPPER!!! YOU WANT TO TRY AND ATTACK ME, DO YA? C'MON, LET'S GO!!!" multiple tiems. Like father like daughter, I guess. We are in Wisonsin, and still facing STUPID HILLS that make me want to swear!!! In our guide book, it said that once we made it to Cassville, it would be flat terrain for the rest of the way. I was VERY excited about this. (See picture). However, the author simply lied to us. Flat out betrayed me. Not only were we facing hills, but they were MASSIVE and it took every fibre in my being not to say the F word. I confessed this to Dad. He said he was proud of me for keeping the profanities to myself. One of the highlights of the past few days has been the beautiful trees that we've had the pleasure of riding underneath because of the bike path. I've decided that I will be having my wedding photos done in Fulton, Illinois because of this. Don't even worry about it.
Tomorrow, we are heading to Onalaska, WI. It's a longer day today, but I think we will pull through!!
A
P.S Dad and I have realized how much we LOVE ice cream! We eat it at least once a day and we seriously CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF IT!!!!


Our first break of the day. Of course, we were eating ice cream!

Stoked to be in Wisconsin!!

Wedding Photo Trees...I'll work on finding a husband later...


All ready for the rain!!

"One Must Travel to Learn"-Mark Twain

Hannibal, Missouri was full of interesting things! It was really nice to have a rest day and do some sightseeing. We spent most of the day learning about Mark Twain and some of his most famous works of literature: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In junior high, I read "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and loved it! It was really neat to see where Twain's inspiration came from and refresh my memory! Not only did we get to go to a museum with great exhibits commemerating Mark Twain's life, but we also got to see the famous whitewashed fence from Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher's house, and the house of the boy who inspired the character of Huck Finn. Although the day started off with rain, it quickly cleared up and we got to go on a riverboat ride in the afternoon without getting wet! The one little damper on the day was that we were followed EVERYWHERE by school groups on a field trip. Something I noticed about middle school children is that they don't really like READING anything in museums. Instead, they like to jump around yelling and playing with their friends. (Trying to make the most of their day out of the classroom, I guess). After the riverboat ride, Dad and I hiked up to the lighthouse with a great lookout point. We also went to the local coffee shop, "Java Jive" which was nice because it seems the only thing I've been drinking lately is water and milk. Coffee was a nice treat! We ended off the night with pizza from a local pizza parlour. Dad made full use of the salad bar, as per usual. Yesterday we cycled from Hannibal to Nauvoo (68 miles). It was a small town, but very cute! We went to a restaurant that had a great buffet. (Dad likes buffets...) We thoroughly enjoyed sitting next to a group of 8 people talking about how much they loved Banff. However, then they started talking about rules and regulations in Alberta in regards to owning land and...well, their information wasn't completely correct, so of course Dad is rolling his eyes at them because they didn't really know what they were talking about. At all. Anyways, then we went to bed and today we biked to Monmouth, Illinois after MUCH trouble finding a place to stop because of flooded roads and motels that don't answer their phones. But, we are safe and sound and heading out to Moline tomorrow which will be a shorter day in terms of mileage.
Stay tuned!
A

1000 Miles and Counting!!

Well, we have officially reached the 1000 mile mark! Actually we've gone about 1200 miles and just finished our 17th day of riding. Today we arrived in Hannibal, Missouri-hometown of Mark Twain! We are taking our second rest day of the trip tomorrow and I'm VERY excited about it. There is lots to do here-boutiques to shop at, museums to go to, and ferryboats to ride on! I will write tomorrow after Dad and I do all of our sightseeing. Things have improved since my last entry. Although we've had some issues, we are still standing without any major injuries! On Monday, we went through St. Louis. It was really cool to see the famous St. Louis arch and Dad spent a LOT of time admiring it. A LOT of time. Then, we had the chance to go on the bike path that supposedly ran along the river. Now, this was supposed to be a GREAT bike path. It's referred to as the "jewel" bike path of St. Louis. So, I was definitely looking forward to some riverfront biking! However, we discovered as we rode along, that this was the most RANDOM bike path in the world. We found ourselves going along the river half the time, and the rest of the time, we were biking through landfill sites, chemical plants, and going across abandoned railroad tracks. Super random. I can't express how much I now appreciate the bike paths in Calgary now that I've been here. On Monday, we also had our first encounter with rain. LOTS of it. We had to pull out all of our rain gear, and we realized that my pants are not waterproof, so that was really fun. (Insert highly sarcastic tone there...). We had to ride on the Intersate Highway over the Missouri River bridge in the pouring rain which was probably the scariest thing of my life. The only najor problems we've encountered in the last two days have been closed roads. Although I'm thankful that we haven't been caught in any tropical storms or flash floods, it has become VERY frustrating to see "Road Closed ahead due to high water" signs so frequently. Usually, we have to take detours that add at least 5 miles onto our route which doesn't seem like a lot, but when you are riding a bike for 6 hours a day, it IS. Needless to say, I'm very tired, but still enjoying my time here very much!! Check tomorrow to hear about our time in Hannibal! :)
A
P.S Here's another quote that would never have been said if my brother, Luther was on this trip with my dad instead of me: Dad: Alright, you can have control of the TV as long as we don't have to watch that stupid wedding dress show.

AAAAAGGGHHHH!!!!

The title of this blog is indicitive of my entire attitude towards life yesterday. It was quite possibly the hardest day of my entire life. I spent a solid 30% of it crying. I don't really want to rehash how HORRIBLE it was, so I'm just going to give you a point form update of what went on during the journey from Cairo, Illinois to Perryville, Missouri. Gah I get angry just thinking about it. Here was our day:

-Wake up
-About to leave hotel, when we realize that one of Dad's spokes is broken
-Take wheel off and fix spoke (takes about 20 min.)
-Leave hotel and bike 1/2 a mile until I get a flat tire
-Fix flat tire (30 min.)
- Go across Mississippi River Bridge and almost get hit by 5 semi-trucks who don't know how to share the road
-Flat ground apparently doesn't exist in Missouri, so we went UP and DOWN, UP and DOWN GIANT hills ALL day averaging at a speed of 5 miles/hr
-I try and think of the different ways I can potentially damage my bike so that I won't ever have to ride it again
-Roads closed due to high water levels. 8 mile Detour. (Gag me with a jagged spatula)
-We arrive in Perryville (finally!) but our hotel is nowhere to be found...Oh RIGHT! It's 5 miles OUTSIDE of town in the SOUTHERN direction (aka exactly the opposite direction of where we want to go)
-Arrive at hotel
-They don't have our reservation
-Get one of the last two rooms in the place-second floor, smoking. Awesome.

And...that was my day! We went 78 miles, and it was the most difficult thing I've ever done. I still can't believe I survived. Today was a lot better, but we were still tired from yesterday's disasters. We went 62 miles, and although we had another flat tire and our pannier racks both broke, everything worked out. While we were fixing the flat tire, a woman named Margarette came out of her house, offered us a bench to sit on under a tree and brought us iced tea and granola bars. She was wonderful, and was our mother for the day. :)
The one thing that I actually ENJOYED yesterday was my Dad and I's pit stop at a convenience store just south of Perryville. We were very tired and needed something to eat. Dad told me to go into the store and buy him a quart of milk. But, the smallest jug they had was 2 Litres. So, I brought it out and bought some chocolate chip cookies. The two of us sat outside, passing the milk between us (drinking it straight from the jug) and had our own version of the classic snack, "milk and cookies". The BEST part was this group of women came up to us and said, "Excuse me-are you from around here? We're looking for Walker Street". I couldn't help but wonder WHY in the WORLD people would think WE would know what's going on when we're wearing matching neon jackets, drinking milk out of the carton on the curb of a gas station and looking so discouraged because of the horrible day that we'd had....
Anyways, tomorrow we are going through St. Louis and have to stop at a bike shop to get more tools.
I'll keep you posted!
A
P.S HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! We miss you mumsie! :)
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