While director Chad may not be a Beatles fan (crazy but true), this blog writer certainly is, and it seems like our trips are too with the way they’re paying homage to the absolute bop that is “Good Day Sunshine” – by having good days in the sunshine, of course! With great days and sun rays all over the Apo-verse, it’s impossible not to be a little jealous of the incredible time all of our trips are having. (Although I must say that it’s a beautiful, bright day here in Brunswick as well!)
Skip to a Specific Trip: CI, CS, DEX, VMA, VMB, CRMC, CMC, AKMCA, AKMCB, NWX, PC, AXA, AXB, PMC
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)
Unfortunately, it’s time to say goodbye to this accomplished CI crew. After taking Boston by storm yesterday, they spent one last morning soaking up one another’s company before departing for their individual corners of the world. Before they left, though, they got a chance to absolutely demolish a Ben and Jerry’s Vermonster last night!
Caribbean Service (CS)
No surprises here – it was another beautiful day in the Caribbean for our CS team! The gang got up bright and early this morning to get a jump on their community service in Utuado for the day. They spent the morning working on a local farm to help harvest beans for the surrounding community, and they even made some new furry friends while they were at it! After a delicious lunch with the service group, our crew took to a nearby swimming hole for a relaxing sunshine-filled afternoon. Tomorrow, they’ll say adios to Utuado as they head over to Cabo Rojo for the next few days!
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEX)
And they’re off! After yesterday’s day of introductions and name games, this adventurous crew was just itching to get going on their Maine expedition. DEX loaded up their van this morning and road tripped it up to Acadia National Park, where they’ll be exploring for two days. Once they got settled in at base camp, they took off on their very first hike as a group! Tomorrow, they’ll get to spend all day hiking through and exploring the wonders of Maine’s national park.
Vermont to Montreal A (VMA)
VMA really got rolling today with their first day on bikes! The group cruised through 22 miles of beautiful Vermont countryside, conquering their first set of rolling hills on their way to the picturesque town of Salisbury. Despite the hills, they got to camp with time for swimming! They’ll get some good rest tonight before hopping back on their trusty steeds to ride to Middlebury tomorrow!
Vermont to Montreal B (VMB)
It’s go-time for VMB! This fearless crew of young riders logged 15 gorgeous miles through rural Vermont today as they absolutely crushed their first ride as a team. The gang spent a fun and relaxing afternoon and evening in camp together before hitting the hay to rest up for their 22-mile push to Salisbury tomorrow!
Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)
CRMC must not have listened to TLC, because they sure went chasing waterfalls today! After arriving in San Gerardo yesterday, the crew trekked out into nearby Cloudbridge Natural Preserve for a day hike on the magnificent Cloudbridge Loop, complete with rainforests and, yes, waterfalls. They hiked six miles through the rainforest, soaking up all the sights and sounds its natural beauty has to offer. Tomorrow, they’ll take on another day hike – pura vida, baby!
California Mountains & Coast (CMC)
CMC embraced the early bird lifestyle this morning, waking up with the sun to get on the water and complete their last day of paddling back to base camp. Back on shore, the crew got to spend most of their day completing a stellar hike out of Point Reyes in preparation for their upcoming backcountry section! As if the views weren’t good enough, they even saw gray whales from the lighthouse! Tomorrow, they’ll really get down to business prepping for their three-day backpacking adventure in Point Reyes National Seashore.
Alaska Mountains & Coast A (AKMCA)
Into the backcountry they go! After a full day’s worth of preparation, AKMCA was stoked to make their way into the backcountry of Chugach State Park today. Over today and tomorrow, they’ll hike beautiful Crow’s Pass as they take in the rugged charm of the Alaskan wilderness. While it’s hard to get photos to us when they’re in the backcountry, we can’t wait to see all the great shots they took when they emerge tomorrow!
Alaska Mountains & Coast B (AKMCB)
Ahoy there, AKMCB! This adventurous bunch took their journey to the water today as they began their two-day sea kayaking excursion on Aialik Bay. Amazing sights abound for these seafarers, who will spend their night camping on a beach near majestic Holgate Glacier. Tomorrow, they’ll make the return trip to Seward, hopefully with some awesome tales of marine life sightings!
Northwest Explorer (NWX)
These intrepid NWXers are just cruising through the backcountry! Today was the group’s first full day of backpacking through the glorious nature of Northern Cascades National Park, and they crushed an impressive 6.4-mile hike before setting up camp for the evening. Tomorrow, they’ll continue their epic adventure with another full day of backcountry living. We can’t wait to see all their amazing photos when they trek back out to civilization in a couple of days!
Pacific Coast (PC)
PC has certainly earned a day off the bikes, and they got just that with their day of community service in Eureka today! These seasoned cyclists traded their bike gloves for work gloves today as they spent their day helping out Friends of Dunes, an organization that works to conserve the natural diversity of coastal environments in northern California. After their day of work, the crew made a quick mail stop before wrapping up their day in Eureka. Tomorrow, they’ll get to experience one of the most magical days of their trip – a ride through the Avenue of the Giants!
Alps Explorer A (AXA)
Woohoo! It’s a party over on AXA! These unstoppable backpackers crushed their longest hike yet today as they breezed through a 12-mile trek in the French Alps. Spurred on by the insane views and their enthusiastic leaders, there’s nothing this crew can’t handle. Tomorrow, they’ll mark yet another milestone as they cross from France into Italy!
Alps Explorer B (AXB)
It’s day seven of the Tour du Mont Blanc, and it feels like an understatement to say that the AXB crew has hit their stride! Speaking of stride, this team strode an impressive 15.5 miles through the Italian Alps today – their longest hike of the trip! After multiple days of remarkable mileage, the group has absolutely earned the rest day that they’ll take in Courmayeur tomorrow. We didn’t receive any pictures before they laid their heads down to sleep but we hope to have extra for tomorrow’s update!
Pyrenees Mountains and Coast (PMC)
Another fabulous day in the books for PMC! The crew packed up and headed out on a road trip to the beautiful waterfront town of Port de la Selva, where they enjoyed the beach and the sunshine upon their arrival. After settling in at camp and eating a five-star homemade meal, the gang got some shut-eye in preparation for their first day hike tomorrow!
