Adventures? “Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!” –Bilbo Baggins (in the The Hobbit)

Ah, bad vibes Bilbo. Today was good vibes only for the Apogee family. They may not have slain dragons or saved Middle Earth, but today was full of incredible adventure! Sea kayaking, the maple syrup capital of the world, sloths, surfing, final dinners…will the wonders ever cease?! Every day’s an adventure when you’re with Apogee (Bilbo could never). Stay tuned to hear more about it! 

Skip to a Specific Trip: CS, DEXA, DEXB, VLCA, VLCB, CRLC, CMC, AKMCA, AKMCB, NWXA, NWXB, NWXC, PC, ACC1, ACC2

Caribbean Service (CS)

It was CS’s last day on the wonderful island of Vieques, and they sure made the most of it! They volunteered with the Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust today. After their volunteer work, they headed over to Black Sand Beach to relax. And tonight they’ll be headed out on the world-famous Vieques Bioluminescent Bay on kayaks – what a day!

Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXA)

It was a beautiful last day for the folks at DEXA. After getting off the water in Brunswick this morning, these veteran explorers headed into Portland for one final dinner together. Stories swapped, good food enjoyed, one final round of A’s and P’s…it was a night of bittersweet memories and powerful moments. Tomorrow, everyone will head their separate ways, but the memories they’ve made will follow them!

Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXB)

Out of Baxter this morning! Today, as majestic Katahdin receded in the rearview mirror, the DEXB folks headed into their last adventure together–some time exploring Portland, and an exciting, powerful final dinner. Laughs were shared, stories shared, and special last moments turned into hours. Congratulations on a fabulous trip, you all!

Vermont & Lake Champlain A (VLCA)

Another day living the VLC dream! This morning, the folks at VLCA wound their way through verdant Vermont countryside and idyllic St. Albans, the “Maple Syrup Capital of the World” and home of the Vermont Maple Festival. Doesn’t get much more Vermont than that! 

Vermont & Lake Champlain B (VLCB)

Why couldn’t the bike stand on its own?

It was two tired!

Their bikes might be tired, but VLCB sure ain’t! These all-stars continue to make great time as they make through wonderful Vermont–sampling maple syrup, looking for Ben and also Jerry, and otherwise taking in all that the Green Mountain State has to offer! Keep up the good work folks! 

Costa Rica Language & Community (CRLC)

Sloths, lizards, monkeys–oh, my! What a day for the CRLC! Today, these folks received a guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park–a place resplendent with abundant wildlife, waterfalls, hidden beaches, and quintessential Costa Rica wilderness. After a breathless day in the park, these folks ended their tour at gorgeous White Sands beach for a relaxing day in the sun and the ocean and picnic lunch! Livin’ the dream!

California Mountains & Coast (CMC)

What a spectacular last day for the folks at CMC! After a meaningful morning of service with the Half Moon Bay Rangers, this group headed into fabulous San Francisco to experience the Golden City and enjoy a powerful final dinner together. Just think of all they’ve done these past twelve days! Yosemite, surfing, kayaking, backpacking, and so much more – they had plenty of stories to share in the infinite last moments of their trip. Congratulations, folks!

Alaska Mountains & Coast A (AKMCA)

Ah Anchorage. The Hanging Basket Capital of the World. Home of the Iditarod sled dog race. And now, the final stopping point for AKMCA. Tonight, Mandy, Julian, and Co. packed up camp and headed into Anchorage, snazzy new Apogee shirts in hand, to celebrate and enjoy a great final dinner together. What a trip! Great job, family. (Photo from yesterday’s glacier tour, as we hadn’t gotten an Anchorage photo by press time).

Alaska Mountains & Coast B (AKMCB)

What a great last day for AKMCB! After a meaningful morning of community service, the AKMCB folks headed to Anchorage for a final debrief and last dinner. Sea kayaking, glacier climbing, backcountry backpacking, great food, great laughs…we know this group had tons to smile about! What a group! What a place! What a trip!

Northwest Explorer (NWXA)

NWXA paddled off Cypress Island for the final time today (#sad). But more good things await them! That’s right, reader. This great trip is only going to get better. Today, this group spent time gearing up for the next portion of their once-in-a-lifetime trip by heading into the backcountry of North Cascades National Park! Today, they got some R&R after a blissful morning kayaking in the bay. Tomorrow, they’ll do their big backcountry shop and get ready to head into the wild! Get some rest, folks.

 

Northwest Explorer (NWXB)

They’re on the cusp of heaven! Olympic National Park, that is. Today, the NWXB folks took a ferry to the Olympic Peninsula! The wild expanse of Olympic National Park is home to some of the most sought after backcountry backpacking in the country, and these lucky folks will get to immerse themselves in it over the next week! And they already got started today, finding a swimming hole near camp!

Northwest Explorer (NWXC)

Pizza! Sea Kayaking! New bird friends! Full days! NWXC had a great day today. After taking the time to really soak up the incredible sights and views of sea kayaking, they left Cypress Island for the final time. After a long day of adventure, this group treated themselves to some delicious pizza and got some well deserved R&R before their big adventure tomorrow…whitewater rafting! Great things ahead! 

Pacific Coast (PC)

Today, PC traded their bikes for kayaks and hit the water! Under the guidance of some rock star instructors, these PC’ers got to see the sights of the coast! After a big day on the water, they headed to camp for a yummy dinner. Back to their main mode of transit (bikes) for tomorrow!

America Coast to Coast 1 (ACC1)

Day 11 for ACC1! Today, these folks made great progress as they traversed Nick Saban’s domain (aka Alabama). After another seventy mile day, they made it to camp early and spent the rest of the day with each other – good laughs, good fun, good company. Keep up the good work, Mississippi tomorrow!

America Coast to Coast 2 (ACC2)

Welcome to Alabama, ACC2! They came bursting out of the gates of their rest day with a 93 mile day, finishing off at their final destination — a fire station! What a crew. Ride on, ACC2!

BONUS CONTENT:

Brunswick Office Operations & Logistics (BOOL):

Now introducing our newest trip (drumroll please)… Brunswick Office Operations & Logistics (BOOL)! This trip is full of the finest office support staff known to humankind, as well as a future Pulitzer Prize winning blog writer. Last night the BOOL squad went to support their local minor league team, the Portland Sea Dogs, as they played the Hartford Yard Goats (boo). You’ve heard of Bama and Auburn, Yankees and Red Sox, Gryffindor and Slytherin, but you’ve never seen a rivalry like the Sea Dogs and the Yard Goats. After a harrowing game, the Portland beat Hartford heartily, 6-2. They’re going all the way. Next stop: World Series. Go dawgs!