If you like mountains, smiles, kayaking, community service, and Apogee trip starts, then boy do I have a treat for you! Below you’ll find the happenings of 25 different trips – from Alaska to Switzerland – with activities as varied as their times zones. Whether it’s your first time checking out our blog or you’ve been a loyal follower since Day 1, welcome! We’re glad you’re here and hope you enjoy the snippets below.
Skip to a Specific Trip: MCJ, CI, NEMC, CRM, GSA, CS, MCCE, DEXA, DEXB, VMA, VMB, CRLS, CMCA, CMCB, AKMC, NWXA, NWXB, PCA, PCB, SH, AX, PMC, ECC1, ECC2, ACC
Maine Coast Junior (MCJ)
To quote MCJ’s poetic and gleeful leader, Anna — “With our tents folded and trailer packed we answered the call of the wild with a morning of see kayaking (and seaweed fashion) off of Orr’s Island. Next stop, Acadia National Park!” Seems we may have a few future fashion designers on our hands! After a lovely morning of kayaking, these merry Maine Coast adventurers hopped, skipped and jumped their way up to Acadia for a lovely afternoon hike. Hopefully there will be many other opportunities to dazzle up their outfits with seaweed!
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)
Our Capers spent the morning giving back today! Working alongside the great folks at The Farm Institute on Martha’s Vineyard, Joanna & Michael’s group learned about hydroponic gardening and sustainable food sources while lending a helpful land. Afterwards, they were able to pick some delicious fresh strawberries and also found time for an ice cream treat. All around, a pretty great day on Martha’s Vineyard!
New England Mountains & Coast (NEMC)
This fine Sunday, this splendid squad of voyagers made their way down from the pulchritudinous (if you google it, we won’t tell anyone) White Mountains of New Hampshire to the idyllic shores of Maine where they engaged with the community helping out for the day on Crystal Spring Farm in Brunswick. Maybe they even picked up some classic farm humor as they worked! Exhibit A: My favorite farming joke…
What kinds of things does a farmer talk about when he is milking cows?
UDDER NONSENSE!
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)
We’ll let these pictures speak for themselves today, as our CRM dream-team absolutely crushed their big hike today. It’s hard to believe that it was their last day of hiking today, but tomorrow they’ll hit the whitewater of the Poudre River!
Golden State Adventure (GSA)
Today brought more Channel Islands exploration for our favorite southern California explorers. After kayaking yesterday, the gang put in a full day of hiking on Santa Cruz Island, and chances are good that there was at least one island fox spotted along the way. Tonight’s their last night camping out on the island, which means back to the mainland tomorrow evening!
Caribbean Service (CS)
We’re excited to say “hola” to our new Caribbean Service crew! After arriving safely in San Juan, the group got to know each other and headed to their rainforest accommodation where they will be staying for the next 4 nights – those lucky ducks! (Patos afortunados, I should say). Stay tuned for updates from their first day of service tomorrow!
Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE)
It is as if Mother nature woke up today and wanted to give MCCE the picture perfect day for sea kayaking, because that’s what they got! After a mind nourishing writing session in the morning, the team enjoyed some body nourishing lunch and skedaddled their way to Orr’s Island for an afternoon kayaking session. Inspired by the beauty of the Maine coast, these big brained humans hunkered down to write some more as the sun went down next to their waterfront cabins. The trip is really living up to its name!
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXA)
Hear ye, hear ye: Downeast Explorer A is here (ye)! We are so excited to welcome this group and can’t wait to see what amazing adventures are in store for them. I hope they’re dusting off their boots, because something tells me it will involve some hiking…
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXB)
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, not one but TWO Downeast Explorer groups have arrived! We welcomed DEXB to the Pine Tree State today and they have already set up their tents and whipped up a tasty dinner on their camp stove. Stay tuned for updates from their first hike in Camden tomorrow!
Vermont to Montréal A (VMA)
You heard it here first, folks: Vermont to Montreal A has united and everyone is itching to get on their bikes! Alas, they’ll have to wait until morning, but the time will fly by as they get to know one another and cook a delicious first meal together!
Vermont to Montréal B (VMB)
Not to be out done by VMA, VMB also landed is ready to ride! Friendships and memories are already forming after playing goofy icebreakers and settling into camp. Visions of maple syrup filled bike stops will surely be dancing in their heads tonight!
Costa Rica Language & Service (CRLS)
Today our favorite Spanish linguists left their home in Turrialba and headed west towards the gorgeous Costa Rican coastline. They’ll spend the next couple days exploring Manuel Antonio National Park via guided tour and zip line, but today they slowed down and even checked out a local market. Adios, Turrialba!
California Mountains & Coast (CMCA)
On this dandy Sunday, our friends in California started their overnight sea kayaking adventure in Tomales Bay on Point Reyes National Seashore. They paddled along the San Andreas Fault Zone which runs through the bay – hopefully this crew has some serious geology fans to marvel at the rocks. The National Park Service has said that the Point Reyes Peninsula has long baffled geologists but something tells me that the marvelous adventurers of CMCA aren’t baffled but enlightened!
California Mountains & Coast (CMCB)
Over in Petaluma, California this fabulous squad of CMCers had a packed and fulfilling day of service and a day hike! After working to clean up a beautiful Californian beach they jetted off to fit in an exquisite day hike before traveling to Point Reyes to prep for Sea Kayaking. They are living a California Dream!!
Alaska Mountains & Coast (AKMC)
These Alaskan explorers had a fun filled day prepping for the backcountry! They got ready with a lovely day hike, packed up food and prepped to go out into the beautiful and bountiful backcountry of Alaska in Chugach State Park. Fun fact: Pronoucned CHEW-gatch, this state park is the third largest in the country and is named after the indigenous people who once inhabited the upper cook inlet region of Alaska.
Northwest Explorer (NWXA)
The reports from NWXA are that they’re experiencing, “Epicly beautiful days out on the water!” This team crushed their morning paddle out to Strawberry Island (sounds tasty!) and eagerly anticipate another lovely evening camping on their island. Doesn’t get much better than that!
Northwest Explorer (NWXB)
Guess what, NWXB fans!? It is officially the eve of this group emerging from the backcountry with undoubtedly stellar photos of their time spent in the most remote parts of the National Park. Hold on to your hats because tomorrow’s post should be a beauty!
Pacific Coast (PCA)
We can hardly believe it, but tomorrow marks PCA’s final day of riding and the moment they’ve been waiting for since Eugene – the victorious ride across the Golden Gate Bridge!! With 34 miles under their belts today, they can’t wait to hop on their bikes one last time in the morning. Sleep well, team!
Pacific Coast (PCB)
The Golden Gate Bridge stands 746′ tall and is one of the most iconic bridges in the US (and maybe even the world?)! The PCB team has been dreaming of riding across this behemoth every day since their journey began, and 37 miles stands between them and making that dream a reality. We can hardly wait for tomorrow’s photos!
Scottish Highlands (SH)
This team of hillwalkers (Scottish term for hikers) started their hill walking on the West Highland Way today. Scottish Mother nature decided to reward their adventurous spirits with beautiful, sunny weather as they hiked along Loch Lomond (singing Loch Lomond the whole way, I’m sure). I hope they can hear me singing it from across the pond!!
O ye’ll take the high road, and I’ll take the low road
And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond
Alps Explorer (AX)
Guess who is almost finished with an 110 mile trek around Mont Blanc? THIS SQUAD OF ALPS EXPLORERS! They ascended into Champex, Switzerland through a sun-dappled forest and will rest deeply knowing that tomorrow they will make it back to that iconic pink church. What absolute rock stars they are! I wonder what kind of cheese this group has eaten the most of– Gruyere? Mozzarella? Goat? Brie? Perhaps even Camembert?
Hands up if you love European cheese!!!!!
Pyrenees Mountains & Coast (PMC)
The Pyrenees squad started their first day of hiking on the Carros de Foc today and wowee aren’t we all incredibly jealous of these VIEWS. With 11.6 km under their belt, these fabulous fun loving folks arrived at Refugi Amitges and enjoyed a delectable Spanish meal to fuel their muscles and minds. I’d imagine as they sleep tonight their dreams will be full of gazpacho and paella.
Europe Coast to Coast 1 (ECC1)
This adorable and admirable group of EXTREME bikers crossed from France to Schiltach, Germany today! I can just see it now– 12 incredibly courageous teenagers and 2 fun loving but responsible leaders saying “au revoir” to the land of croissants and “Hallo!” to rolling hills of bratwurst and kartoffelpuffer. The Germans say “Leben ist kein Ponyhof” (life is no pony farm/life can be challenging) but for these rock stars life seems to be nothing but a pony farm.
Nothing says “We’re biking across Europe!!” like milk from the finest European cows in a water cage.
Europe Coast to Coast 2 (ECC2)
On Bastille Day our second group of courageous cross continent cyclists rode in to Strasbourg, France! I’d imagine on their ride they talked in length about the French Revolution. Though they couldn’t make it to any dance parties in French fire stations (a tradition to celebrate Bastille day) because they were too biking up a storm, they did celebrate the uprising of the modern nation of France with some games of frisbee and beach volleyball!
A lil birdy named Stella Gardner told me that an epic game of ultimate frisbee was played in this here field.
Hugs are so wonderful! Prolonged hugs release oxytocin! Isn’t that absolutely marvelous?
America Coast to Coast (ACC)
Look at these tough, impressive people! Don’t you feel like your quads and mind are getting stronger just looking at this picture? Today this crew biked into the city of lights — Paris, Texas. This cute city does indeed have their own Eiffel tower except with a Texan twist – a cowboy hat plopped on top.
We hope this ACC crew feels as proud of themselves as we feel of them!!
