By Olivia Box
Day Three is in the books and the Apogee 2017 crew is as active as ever! Our bike trips logged some sizable mileage in both the States and abroad, with our second ACC group departing Charleston and pedaling west. Our hikers also rose to the challenge with groups exploring national parks, Swiss villages, and various trails in between. Check out those views and happy hikers!
[Ed. Note: Long time blog readers, please note the snazzy new “jump to” feature that we’ve incorporated into the blog. You can now skip to your child’s trip by hitting one of the trip abbreviations above. We know…it’s all very 21st-century… Enjoy!]
Skip to a Specific Trip: MCJ, CI, NEMC, CRM, CSA, MCCE, MCP, DEXA, DEXB, VM, CRLS, CMCA, CMCB, CQA, CQB, MSA, NWXA, NWXB, PCA, PCB, SHX, AXA, AXB, ECCA, ECCB, ACC1,
Maine Coast Junior (MCJ)
MCJ drove “Downeast” today, relocating to Mt. Desert Island and Acadia National Park, where they’ll spend their next few days. Once arrived, they jump-started their adventures with a short hike to one of Maine’s quintessential lighthouses.
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)
This lucky crew spent their day surrounded by the Cape’s characteristic sunshine and sea breeze. They took a ferry from Woods Hole, MA before biking to their campground on the Vineyard!
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)
Our Colorado crew spent the day hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park before heading into Estes Park – 2 parks, 1 day, and 1 rad group of hikers.
Caribbean Service Adventure (CSA)
Heading South, the CSA group visited the Arecibo Observatory, home to the world’s largest satellite observatory (and, we’re pretty sure, a one-time set for a Timothy Dalton-era James Bond movie)! This afternoon they toured Hacienda Verde, a working research and environmental education forest located in the central mountain range.
Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE)
MCCE wasted no time with their essays, and spent the morning developing their main ideas with our master writing instructor. Among all that hard work, they spent time picnicking and soaking up all the Maine Coast has to offer.
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXA)
After meeting yesterday, the DEX crew launched into camp life. Leaders Addie and Clark taught their kids the Apogee “Quaker tradition.” Today they began their Maine adventures with a hike in Camden Hills!
Vermont to Montréal (VM)
Despite the rain, VM spirits are high as they began their first full day of biking. They traveled from Lake Bomoseen to Brandon, tackling a few notable Vermont hills (including “The Wall…”) with gusto! Parents watching the radar will be happy to know we’ve found indoor accommodations for our Vermonsters tonight.
Costa Rica Language & Service (CRLS)
Today was the first full day of Spanish classes followed by an afternoon of service at the local orphanage and a visit to the local market. Their day was full of opportunities to practice their Spanish and learn more about the community!
California Mountains & Coast (CMCA)
Our first Cali crew didn’t paddle as planned for today due to windy conditions. They did, however, explore some dunes and coastal ecology. Everybody is excited to get on the water tomorrow though!
California Mountains & Coast (CMCB)
Our second Cali crew stayed mountainside. They don’t have service at their campground (so no pictures), but the plan was for a lovely day hike in the giant Sequoias of Calaveras.
Coast to Québec (CQA)
CQA made the trek to Pemaquid Point, one of Maine’s most iconic lighthouses. What a beautiful day to enjoy some time by the ocean!
Coast to Québec (CQB)
The CQB trip rode past Apogee’s headquarters in Brunswick this morning en route to their campground near Wiscasset. A saltwater pool swim and views of the estuary were likely afternoon activities!
Montana Service Adventure (MSA)
MSA relished a beautiful day of riding to Three Forks on flat roads with views of Montana’s finest mountains. Notable wildlife sightings included deer leaping over fences, cows, horses, and monarch butterflies basking in the “blue bird day” (poetic credit to Leader Emily Hoffman).
Northwest Explorer (NWXA)
Our NWXA squad moved to Olympic National Park today and explored their new home for the next few days. Looking forward to more pictures of the iconic park!
Northwest Explorer (NWXB)
The NWXB group had a lovely day hike and spent some time by this gorgeous green river. Not a bad introduction to the Northwest!
Pacific Coast (PCA)
PCA biked from a lighthouse to their next campsite in Sunset Bay. Sounds like the Pacific Coast dream, doesn’t it?
Pacific Coast (PCB)
Elsewhere on the Oregon Coast, PCB packed up their bikes and headed toward a lighthouse of their own (see PCA, above), with a sense of humor in tow.
Scottish Highland Explorer (SHX)
BIG NEWS…SHX SAW THE SUN!! Today was their first day on the West Highland Way, which provided classic Scottish scenery and an opportunity for a dip…with the Loch Ness monster?
Alps Explorer (AXA)
AXA began their adventures with a hike up Rifflealp, a trail nestled in the Zermatt region. They have another few days here and we’re excited to see what’s next! (Apologies for the poor resolution – they didn’t have the wifi to get us anything sharper today…)
Alps Explorer (AXB)
Our second Alps crew had quite the day trekking (European slang for “hiking”) through the Zermatt villages. Along the way, they befriended some cows.
Europe Coast to Coast (ECCA)
ECCA enjoyed a flat ride on the coastal fietspad (bike path) to Wassenaar. It was a smooth 55 KM ride (that’s 34 miles for our American readers).
Europe Coast to Coast (ECCB)
ECCB enjoyed a leisurely ride from Haarlem, NL to Ijmuiden, NL with plenty of time to explore after they made it to camp.
America Coast to Coast (ACC1)
The first ACC continued their ride through South Carolina with Georgia on the horizon! Apologies for the lack of pictures today – they had just enough service to let us know they made it to camp for the day (at 1 PM!), but not enough to get us any pictures.
America Coast to Coast (ACC2)
And they’re off! The second America Coast to Coast, led by the dynamic duo of Tim and Emily, started with a hearty ride from the Atlantic Ocean inland towards Charleston.
