For the past month, I've been traveling by bicycle across Morocco and Spain, exploring ancient cities, climbing mountains, and following roads built by the Romans. But my Pedal to Port expedition has another purpose. I'm making my way to Vigo, Spain, where I'll return to my regular job aboard a scientific research ship. Instead of exploring the world on two wheels, I'll soon be exploring it from a 235-foot ship called the R/V Marcus G. Langseth.
The letters R/V stand for "Research Vessel." Unlike a cruise ship carrying vacationers or a cargo ship transporting goods, a research vessel is a floating laboratory built for exploration. Imagine sailing hundreds of miles from land, with nothing but ocean in every direction. Beneath the ship might be underwater volcanoes, enormous mountain ranges, or deep trenches that few people have ever studied.
That's where our adventures begin!
