Hello Blog nation, Sam here, freshly back from journeys to the magical place that is Northern Maine, and disappointingly without having seen any moose. With Mumford & Sons in the background and an office buzzing with office tasks, it is another wonderful day here in Brunswick, as we send off our last trip off the year.

Sadly there were several trips in the TTHNSP category (Trips That Have Not Sent Pictures), as we have a couple in the backcountry and a couple in the having-too-much-fun-to-send-photos-country.

DEX: After a little directional mix-up yesterday (wait a second, why is the sun setting in the east…?), the group is back on track in the 100-Mile Wilderness stretch of the AT, where they will be for the next few days.  They’re set to be back in cell service range on Sunday.

NWX: Out of cell service, this posse is deep into the backcountry of  Olympic National Park.  Sadly we have no lobsters or any other photos from them today, but we’ll hear from them when they emerge and head inland tomorrow.

TSA: Riding through some of the most stunning landscapes in the world today was the TSA group, as they made their way to Siena from the shores of Lago del Trasimeno.  When we heard from Laura a short time ago, she reported that they had a very long day on the bikes (today’s ride is beautiful, but it is also the toughest day of biking on the trip), but everyone was feeling great after a dinner of pizza (everyone got their own!) and, of course, gelato.

ACC2: Feeling like true cowboys, the group is excited to have made it out of the part of the country called Texas and into the part called the West, as they experience the American Southwest in Socorro today. A wonderful rest day, they are all excited and intrigued by the mystique of a secret special dinner tonight.

Editors Note: As these ACC trips move westward, we are asking for blog pictures earlier and earlier in their day.  Hopefully they will keep up their excellent track records (and we will update as the photos come in)!

OK – to the TWPT (Trips With Picture Today) category:

CI: And with the last trip start of the year, Shannon and Drew are getting together with their crew down in Falmouth today! Here is a shot of the almost entirely assembled group, before they headed on their quick ride to the campground tonight.

VM: Into the land of hockey and cornfields, Pat and Julie’s group pedaled their way across the border and into Canada today, where they are just two more days of riding away from Montreal!

CQA: Efficiency is the name of the game on CQA, as they rolled through one of their more difficult rides today with ease and plenty of time to now lounge on the banks of Moosehead Lake.  Little do they know, they are soon to be challenged to a game of “caterpillar wars,” another game of mystery rules, by CQB when they overlap on Sunday evening.

CQB: Making good time, Mia and Alex’s group was in to Dexter before lunch. Between staying inside tonight and getting to do laundry, today is a great day. Below is the group at the laundromat, not, as it seems, in their rain gear, but rather in their doing-laundry-so-I-have-no-other-clean-clothes outfits.

NEMC: Kelly and Garth’s group got a day off their feet today to get used to their sea legs, as they went rafting on the Kennebec. A little whitewater later, they are smiles, thumbs up, and bunny ears after a gorgeous day on the water, and ready to head to Brunswick tomorrow.

CMC: With packs packed and rocks jumped off (see below…), the group headed into their backcountry stay in the high country of Yosemite National Park today, where we won’t hear from them for a few days.  Here, they are all smiles after lunch and a swim on the banks of the Merced River.

CSA: Making friends with the forest service, Maddie, Mason, and all had a wonderful last day of service in El Yunque today, before they make their way to the gorgeous Vieques Island tomorrow.

PCA: In a warmer day on the bikes today, Micah and McKayla’s faction inched closer towards California, which they will break into tomorrow with nothing but beautiful vistas on the way.

PCB: Hannah and Shem’s band of bikers are just cruising through quintessential Oregon, as they had a gorgeous and smooth day of riding in to Curry. They have spent the day cheering for America (and possibly reusing 4th of July decorations…) in advance of the opening ceremonies tonight.

ACC1: A day of wonder, this morning featured not only the continental divide(!) but a stop at PIE TOWN. A whole town dedicated to making pie, the group stopped off for a bite to eat before continuing onward to break into Arizona. With only one border left between them and the Pacific, the group can almost taste the ocean (or maybe that’s just the pie).