It’s another day at Apogee, and it feels like the summer is just rolling on by! Time really does fly when you’re having fun! We here at headquarters want to slow down, stop, and take a moment to appreciate all the small things that one experiences during a typical Apogee day. Taking in that first breath of fresh air as you step out of your tent in the morning, laughing so hard that tears form in your eyes while on trail or walking around town, savoring that first bite of dinner that tastes oh so good after crushing the day’s activity… but we digress. These are just some of the many little things that make Apogee trips so special, and we like to stop and appreciate those little things from time to time. Knowing that all these small but mighty moments serve as the backdrop for the day’s big-ticket activities, read on to hear more about what each trip got up to today!
Skip to a Specific Trip: AKMC, AXA, AXB, CI, CRM, CRMC, CSPR, CSVI, DEX, ECC1, ECC2, GSA, IMC, MCJ, NWX, PC, PMC, VM
Alaska Mountains & Coast (AKMC)
The AKMC crew headed out for their first day in the backcountry this morning! They enjoyed a beautiful hike into their first backcountry camping site, where they will settle in for the night and enjoy their adventure! No photos from this crew today, as they ventured out of cell service. We’re excited to see what the rest of their days in Chugach National Park will bring for these explorers!
Alps Explorer A (AXA)
AXA was about town in Geneva today as they celebrated the end of their three weeks together! They helped clean up the Geneva Botanical Gardens before heading off for an afternoon of exploration and culinary adventure, trying out the many delicious treats that can be found in Geneva. They topped off their day with their final dinner and enjoyed the sights around Lake Geneva before heading back to their hostel for their last A’s and P’s circle. It’s a bittersweet night in Geneva, which speaks to how awesome of a time this crew had with each other!
Alps Explorer B (AXB)
After a delicious breakfast spread at their hostel, AX1B headed out for their community service project of cleaning up the botanical gardens. Then, they took a water taxi to the other side of Lake Geneva, where they explored the Old Town neighborhood before they enjoyed a picnic lunch! Their big day in the city called for lunch dessert AND dinner dessert. They finished off their day sitting on the waterfront with new bracelets to celebrate the end of their successful trip! What a great day to cap off their epic adventure!
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)
Our Cape Cod and the Islands group had a multisport adventure today: they pedaled along the Rail Trail to get to their kayaking spot then kayaked in Cape Cod Bay! Paddling proved to be a fun change of pace for this group, and it looks like they had a blast. After biking back to their campground, the cook crew made a yummy dinner, and they played a few camp games before getting in their sleeping bags.
Caribbean Service Puerto Rico (CSPR)
CSPR surfed in Aguadilla today! After they rode the waves, they spent time relaxing and playing games on the beach. Leader Sara reports that it was an “epic awesome day!” Tomorrow they move inland to the mountains. Can’t wait to see what they get up to next!
Caribbean Service Virgin Islands (CSVI)
CSVI completed their first day of service today with The Nature Conservancy! They helped on a conservation project and took a tour of the coral lab. Afterwards, they explored Fort Christiansvaern and went for a swim at Cane Bay! What a day! A delicious dinner awaits them back at their eco lodge, where they’ll rest up for another morning of service and a kayaking adventure!
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)
It was a big day for the Rocky Mountains team because they crushed their challenge hike! After putting some miles under their feet and warming up their legs the past few days, they were more than ready to take on their longest day of mileage and biggest elevation change. We’re so proud of these hikers! They’ll be rewarded for their efforts with an exciting rafting adventure tomorrow. With the water on the horizon, delicious dinner in their stomachs, and muscles aching just the right amount from their challenge day, we’re sure they’ll sleep easy tonight.
Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)
Our CRMC group had an absolutely epic day ziplining on Central America’s longest and most well-known line- wahoo! Zooming above the canopy, they caught glimpses of the rainforest below, including tall waterfalls and lush green vines. So awesome! This afternoon, this group then headed to their hostel in San Gerardo de Rivas, a village at the base of Costa Rica’s tallest mountain, Chirripó. After whipping up a meal and playing a fun group game in the common room, they headed to their bunk beds to rest up for a day of exploring this new area tomorrow.
Europe Coast to Coast 1 (ECC1)
The well-rested ECC1 crew took to the roads again this morning as they cycled through the famous Black Forest! Excited to enter yet another country tomorrow but sad to be leaving Germany behind, their last day in Deutschland called for pretzels! Forest rides and pretzels… does it get any better than that?
Europe Coast to Coast 2 (ECC2)
Today ECC2 had their rest day in Schiltach! They spent the morning doing bike maintenance and getting some well-earned rest before heading into town in the afternoon to explore, eat lunch by the river, and take in the views! Tonight they’ll eat dinner and rest up before heading into Germany’s Black Forest tomorrow!
Golden State Adventure (GSA)
GSA was alight today with a hike to a lighthouse and a birthday celebration, complete with all the requisite accessories for a party! Their time in camp today was also spent preparing for their kayaking adventure tomorrow. They learned all about the principles of packing a kayak as they made the final touches on their preparations for the upcoming expedition!
Iceland Mountains & Coast (IMC)
It was a busy day today in Grundarfjordur! IMC had “the best time” kayaking. They saw a seal and got to taste Icelandic “sea truffle” seaweed! They also explored the hills above their campground and had fun on the trampoline. After kayaking, they took a trip to the campground hot tub and sauna to relax (“it’s a tough life here indeed,” says leader Elle). Finally, they walked down to the local beach for some pre-dinner fun!
Maine Coast Junior (MCJ)
Maine Coast Junior celebrated the end of their adventure with a service project in the morning and a romp around Portland this afternoon! At their final dinner, they’ll reflect on the awesome times they had and memories they made over the last week. We’re sure that lots of giggles will go around and smiles will be on everyone’s faces! It will be bittersweet climbing into tents for the last time tonight – but only because the past seven days were a total blast!
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEX)
The Downeast Explorers made the most of their full day in Acadia National Park today! They hiked Cadillac Mountain and enjoyed all the stunning views their trail had to offer. Their hike today let them stretch their legs and warm up their muscles for their upcoming backcountry expedition! Back in camp, they cooked up a scrumptious dinner and surely shared a lot of silliness and laughter before hitting the hay after their awesome day.
Northwest Explorer (NWX)
The Northwest Explorers packed up camp for the last time this morning, but not before they got in some last-minute camp shenanigans! The pyramid that they made is a testament to the bonds they’ve built together over the past three weeks and their strong sense of teamwork. At the airport, they munched on their #planegorp and bid their final goodbyes. We hope they had as much fun on their trip as we had watching them! Peace out NWX!
Pacific Coast (PC)
A day of adventure was in order today for the Pacific Coast crew as they celebrated the end of their epic bike journey in San Francisco! They enjoyed a ride on the cable car and a trip to the farmer’s market. Last night, they tried the famous West Coast classic, In and Out, for dinner. They’ll enjoy a delicious final dinner together in San Francisco tonight, where they’ll have one last celebration of all their hard work and good memories from the last three weeks. We couldn’t be prouder of these cyclists and all they have accomplished!
Pyrenees Mountains and Coast (PMC)
The Pyrenees Mountains and Coast team had a monastic morning, starting their day with a hike to the Monasterio de Sant Pere de Rodes, a former Benedictine monastery dating back to 878. From there, the group had beautiful views of the bay of Llança. They then trekked even higher up to see the ruins of a medieval town, where all that remains is the Saint Helena church; what a morning! If that wasn’t cool enough, the crew cooled off while swimming at the beach, then by enjoying some delicious gelato! To cap off their spectacular day, they switched things up by having breakfast for dinner, and they will play a fun game in camp tonight!
Vermont to Montreal (VM)
A sunny second day of riding today for these VM’ers! They continued through the central part of Vermont, pausing in the town of Middlebury for a lunch break on a huge yellow chair. The afternoon portion of the ride was on beautiful, rural roads with rolling hills. Once off the bikes and in camp, this group cooked up some delicious dinner to refuel and had fun with games and riddles before heading to bed.
