Hello again my friends and Happy New Year!

My December #Take12Trips adventure was to Pasadena, California to cheer on my Michigan State Spartans in the Rose Bowl! This was MSU’s first time in the Rose Bowl since before I was born and a trip I will NEVER forget.

I flew out of Chicago Midway with a layover in Minneapolis where I met Nate and Jackie who had started in Detroit. To save money, we flew into Las Vegas and rented a car.

We stopped in Barstow to get a few hours of sleep and continued on to El Monte in the morning to pick up a pair of rented recreational vehicles. Nate and one of his friends drove the 39′ RVs and we were only in real danger of dying once.

We were able to park the RVs right at Rose Bowl Stadium and stay overnight before and after the game. 15 crazy Spartans rang in the new year in a crowded RV while toasting champagne in red solo cups. It was perfect.

We woke up at 5:00 a.m. on gameday, made breakfast in the RV and started the tailgate festivities. There were SO MANY SPARTANS in Pasadena. It was an amazing atmosphere.

The game itself was AWESOME and if you’re not someone who follows college sports…stop reading this blog and go turn on ESPN. Just kidding, you probably already know that the Michigan State Spartans are the 2014 Rose Bowl Champions!

Leaving early the morning after the game, Nate, Jackie and I returned the RV, picked up the rental car and drove back to Vegas to continue the victory celebration.

We stayed at Monte Carlo, had a late lunch/early dinner at The Pub and walked up and down The Strip while drinking the drinks and gambling the money. I’m not much of a gambler but I finished the night 25 cents up. #ballerstatus

We had an early and hungover flight out of Vegas and on our layover in Minneaopolis I left Nate and Jackie and returned to Chicago while they went on to Detroit. Luckily, we made it home before the Snowpacalypse hit the Midwest.

The trip couldn’t have been more perfect. Watching Michigan State win the Rose Bowl, something they haven’t done or had the opportunity to do in 26 years, made it the trip of a lifetime and sharing it with some great people while sleeping in a house-on-wheels made it that much more memorable.

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GO GREEN!