By Apo Assistant Directors Extraordinaire Hannah, Izzy & Jack.
It’s Saturday night! And what better way to spend your Saturday evening than reading this blog post, am I right?! So turn the tunes on, kick up your feet, and dive into the wonderful world of adventures below. Whether they’re on bikes or on the trails, it’s safe to say (to quote Loverboy), “Everybody’s working for the weekend.”
Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE2): T’s have been crossed, and i’s have been dotted on 12 amazing essays, and now it’s time to say goodbye to our MCCE-ers after a week of drafting, revising and finalizing their college essays. The group couldn’t have asked for a better last night – sharing their final essays with the group and exploring and dining out in the fine city of Portland. Eliza and Greg have been blown away by the commitment and dedication that all of the students put in this past week. Great work team!
New England Mountains & Coast (NEMC2): This morning, feeling revitalized after a good night’s sleep with dreams of whitewater rafting, Andy and Julia’s gang made the quick trip to Apogee’s home base of Brunswick, ME. After settling into camp, they made their way to the Midcoast Hunger Prevention Food Shelter, where they spent the afternoon sorting and preparing food to be delivered to the surrounding community. Is it just me, or is it hard to believe that tomorrow is their last full day together?
Coast to Quebec 2 A & B (CQ2A & CQ2B): In the words of the great Gandalf, “So it begins, the great ride [sic] of our time.” Group A, lead by Arwin (Emily) and Legolas (Kadin), and Group B, commanded by Gimli (Tim) and Eowyn (Jess), begin their quest for Quebec today. After a successful meeting at the Shire (aka Freeport, ME), they prepared their noble steeds en route to their first campsite of the trip. Note: Apologies to any real Lord of the Rings fans for what I can only assume are the slew of inconsistencies.
Montana Service Adventure (MSA2): Our MSA crew made their way into mountains today north of Helena! They rode a gorgeous, 40-mile stretch through canyons, up mountain sides and along back roads. Over the next few days, they will ride from tiny western town (population 29 small enough for you?) to the next tiny western town as they get closer to Glacier National Park!
Northwest Explorer (NWX2): Today this crew emerges from their first backcountry experience. They spent two days in the wilderness of Olympic National Park, carrying everything they needed on their backs. They experienced beautiful ridge line views that extended all the way out to the San Juan islands. Today they’ll resupply, take a vista filled ferry ride, and get a well-deserved shower in before they head to their next adventure tomorrow – rafting.
Pacific Coast A (PC2A): It was a breeze of a ride for our PC2A group who successfully crossed into California today. And what makes it even better is they completed their ride just after lunchtime today! Their campground, conveniently located less than a mile from the beach, was a perfect backdrop of a relaxing afternoon. They crew is psyched to tackle the Pacific Coast surf tomorrow!
Pacific Coast B (PC2B): It was a quintessential ride along the Oregon coast today as the crew moved further south towards the Oregon-California border. While a 50-mile bike ride (with weight!) might be hard for most of us, these guys make it look easy as pie. They crushed the hills and rode smoothly all the way to their campsite. They’re looking forward to crossing into California tomorrow!
Scottish Highlands Explorer (SHX2): Today the group hiked seven miles to the ancient Bridge of Orchy. The group took on some moderate elevation change – overall it was a straightforward jaunt with some impressive mountain surroundings. Bridge of Orchy lies along the west side of the central highlands – our fun fact about Bridge of Orchy is that it is often referred to as a hamlet because it it’s really just a cluster of rustic white buildings. But the fact that it has a church means it meets the definition of a village! So, once at their destination, they spent their afternoon enjoying the views and exploring the “village.”
Alps Explorer (AX2): While today may have been deemed a “rest day,” on Will and Becca’s itinerary, there was no shortage of activity for their crew. After an early morning train ride to Martigny, the team had to make camp, complete a huge grocery shop, do laundry, squeeze in a game of mini golf, and pack for the biggest challenge of their trip: the Tour du Mont Blanc, which begins tomorrow. Stay tuned as these Alps Explorers get the chance to truly put their title to the test.
Europe Coast to Coast (ECC): Today our European cyclists conquered one of the tougher portions of the trip – the Trento Hills! These were likely the gnarliest hills they’ll face all trip and they covered a total of 89 epic km as they went. They made it to camp in plenty of time to enjoy a dip in Lake Caldonazzo itself, which is said to be one of the warmest Alpine lakes around. We can’t believe in just two short days they’ll be in Venezia!
America Coast to Coast 1 (ACC1): It was a big ride today for our ACC1 group as they crossed the CONTINENTAL DIVIDE and made it into another state – Arizona. It was a tough day of climbing, but these riders are so strong at this point that I think it’s safe to say it was easy as pie (a shout out to their Pie Town extravaganza two days ago).
America Coast to Coast 2 (ACC2): After resting up their legs yesterday, it was time to get back in the saddle and ride! And did you know there was such a place as Pie Town, New Mexico?! I guess dreams do come true! ACC2 rode a casual 84 miles and celebrated by hunkering down with some of the most delicious pies ever consumed. I mean, come on! It’s called Pie Town…
