By: Annika Nygren

Day 39: Hello there, wide world of Apogee! While everyday is an exciting day in Apo-land, today is even more exciting than usual, namely because we kick off two brand new trips and welcome a host of new families into our midst! Apogee’s inaugural Maine Coast College Essay and Maine Coast Junior programs are off to great starts! See below for photo documentation. Airport pickups this morning have left me with the task of writing the blog in less than half the time I am usually allotted… so here it goes. Blog-writing world records will fall today!

Maine Coast Junior A (MCJA): Leaders Mary and Mike gathered their group of Apogee’s youngest adventurers in Massachusetts before transitioning to Freeport, Maine. Camp and sleep well tonight my friends, adventure awaits!

Maine Coast Junior B (MCJB): Leaders Erin and Marino likewise collected a crew of young adventurers and hit the road for Maine. They are also in Freeport tonight, and are looking forward to a yummy dinner, a campfire and an evening of get-to-know-you games.

Home sweet home!

Cooperative tent building.

CI: Final dinner on deck after an awesome day exploring good ol’ Boston. Emily and Will’s crew enjoyed lunch at Quincy Market and exploring Newbury Street. We will be sad to see these Cape Cod and Islanders go.

NEMC: NEMC’s last full day together was spent sea kayaking in Casco Bay! Everyone is excited for their final dinner in Portland tonight! Mmmm mmm mmmm!

VM: Nice, nice flat riding today for Reuben and Abby’s bikers! These guys are gearing up (oh a pun! I just can’t help it anymore!) for the big border crossing tomorrow. “Ohhh Cannaaaddaaa” here we come!

CMC: Heading to Yosemite and preparing for their entry into the backcountry tomorrow!! Here are some shots from their big grocery shopping outing… as well as in some of those Big Trees!!

That’s definitely not on the shopping list!

CSA: Surf’s up! Tropical Storm Bertha couldn’t hold Will and Lucy’s crew back. Looks like another gorgeous day on the island…

MSA: Day two at Glacier National Park and Hannah and Opie’s crew crushed their campground maintenance service project this morning! What a lovely rainbow of layers!

NWX: AND THEY’RE BACK! We missed you NWX! Congrats on completing an epic backcountry hike in the North Cascades. Perhaps even more importantly, welcome back to the land of showers and lighter packs. More backcountry pictures to come tomorrow, for now, just a teaser… those views look incredible!

For those who don’t know, bug nets are the height of backcountry style!

 

Sugar rush birthday celebrations!

PCA: Unfortunately we do not have a group photo today, but fortunately we do have a few pictures from today’s adventures in Mendocino! The group had a lovely ride through Van Damme and enjoyed pizza and shopping around the town!

PCB: Trevor and Kate’s team of crazy cyclists crushed Leggett Hill today! Here are some pics of our Pacific Coast peeps at the very tippy top!

AX: Rest day and a tearful goodbye to our beloved Garth for CC and Jack’s hikers! These explorers are enjoying their day off, resting their sore calves and gearing up for some more Tour du Mont Blanc action tomorrow. Once again, lovely photos. Keep ’em coming!

ACC1: Can you believe it?! Tomorrow is THE big day! The ride to San Diego and dipping those tires into the Pacific Ocean. I just got emotional writing that. Tracking this journey has been incredible and seeing it draw to a close will be bittersweet. I don’t know if anyone will be able to sleep tonight….

Which way is San Diego?

ACC2: Verrrrrrry early this morning Sam and Ally’s crew conquered the famous desert ride straight into California! With plenty of much-appreciated help from support man extraordinaire Tim Murphy! Wow, only two more days of riding until San Diego. This is insanity! Where did the time go?! It seems like only yesterday ACC2 were dipping their tires in the Atlantic… Or was that 5.5 weeks ago?

Perfectly executed rainbow order assembly line… I dig it.

Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE): Mia and Nick, after their excursions across Europe, are back and SO READY to lead Apogee’s inaugural writing program! For the next six days, a group of Apogee alums and Apogee friends will reflect on past experiences, Apogee and otherwise, to craft (and draft!) college application essays. In addition, they will meet with college admissions officials to talk about ways to best prepare for the college admissions process. By the end of the week, students will have completed at least one application-ready essay, and gained a host of new insights and contacts for their all to soon college transition. They spent their afternoon moving into their home for the week and looking forward to meeting their instructor, Jaed Coffin, this evening!

Here is the group, minus two, plus me and Cait, at the trip start! Shout out to Cait on the right for having a fabulous hair day and the wind just blowing perfectly through it. These guys were nice enough to let me jump into the picture too. This will be the third time I have ever made it into the blog!!! Big day for me, big day.

Over and out Apogee world, I will see you tomorrow!