We’ve reached the 20-day mark of the Apogee summer, and trips are swell! There’s no shortage of adventure, that’s for sure. Our groups across the globe are biking, hiking, and volunteering with smiles on their faces. Read on to learn more about the adventures happening in the Apo-sphere today!
Skip to a Specific Trip: AKMCA, AKMCB, AXA, AXB, CCM, CI, CRM, CRMC, CS, ECC1, ECC2, ECC3, IMC, MCCE, MCJ, MCP, NEMCA, NWX, PC, PMC
Alaska Mountains & Coast A (AKMCA)
For many of our AKMCA crew, it’s their first time in Alaska! They’re starting off on the right foot by spending Day 1 getting to know each other, playing some name games, and preparing for their first backcountry excursion that begins tomorrow!! Everyone is so excited to start exploring the wilderness of Alaska, an experience hard to come by in the lower 48!
Alaska Mountains & Coast B (AKMCB)
After waiting for weeks and weeks with bated breath, AKMCB finally has finally gathered together in Alaska, eager to start exploring such a wonderful state! This afternoon they got to know each other, played some classic Apogee name games, and began building the hype for the first excursion of their trip – sea kayaking! The crew will head into Seward bright and early tomorrow.
Alps Explorer A (AXA)
It’s been a wild ride, but it’s almost time for AXA to bid farewell to the Tour Du Mont Blanc. They trekked to Champex, loaded up on baguettes, treated their hardworking feet to cold lake water, and manifested a fantastic finish to the TMB tomorrow! They even found a special Manifestation zone in Champex to help them out! The crew is excited to finish off the TMB tomorrow before a sleepy train ride into Geneva afterwards.
Alps Explorer B (AXB)
Despite finishing the TMB yesterday, AXB just won’t slow down! They hiked up to Aletsch Glacier to marvel over the vibrant blue ice, did a spooky tunnel walk with their trusty headlamps, then had an ice cream party back at camp to commemorate their last group hike! We’re really going to miss seeing their incredible photos every day!
California’s Coastal Mountains (CCM)
Welcome to Cali, CCM! This rockstar group met up for the first time today in San Francisco and quickly made their way over the Golden Gate to Point Reyes National Seashore to set up camp in their new home. After a big day of travel and getting to know one another, the crew will hit the hay nice and early to rest up for their first day hike in beautiful Point Reyes tomorrow. We weren’t able to get a photo from the group by press time, but we will eagerly look forward to photographic evidence of their adventures tomorrow!
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)
CI flexed their multi-talented muscles today with a day on the road and on the water! This biker gang zoomed their way over to the beach this morning to spend most of their time today learning a new skill – sea kayaking! After paddling around Arey’s Pond – where they spotted seals and osprey! – and eating a stellar lunch with the kayak crew, they even had the energy to go for a hike to see a cranberry bog! They capped off their day with a tasty dinner (that included a rotisserie chicken appetizer, so we hear) before heading to bed for a good night’s sleep.
Caribbean Service (CS)
Bienvenido a Puerto Rico, CS! This newly-formed team switched their clocks to Island Time as they arrived in Puerto Rico today. They took time to get to know one another and bus over to Cabo Rojo, where they’ll call home for the next few days. Tomorrow, they’ll hit the ground running with their first service project in the morning! Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get a photo from the group by press time, but we will eagerly look forward to photographic evidence of their adventures tomorrow!
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)
Some big congratulations are in order for our intrepid CRMers – they absolutely crushed all eight miles of their challenge day hike today! In their words, “Taylor Swift might be in Denver tonight, but the real star of the show was CRM on their challenge hike.” Couldn’t have said it better ourselves. Their big hike took them on the Fern Lake Trail to a beautiful waterfall (pictured below), and they celebrated their successes with some well-deserved popsicles. Tomorrow: whitewater rafting! [Editor’s note: the collage/pic stitch below is a front-runner for favorite blog photo of the summer.]
Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)
It’s that time again in Costa Rica – our CRMC2 crew has arrived! Once everyone was on the ground, this group of pura vida enthusiasts hit the road to scoot over to Manuel Antonio National Park. Tomorrow, they’ll spend the morning exploring the park on a guided tour before hitting the beach to soak up some sun.
Europe Coast to Coast 1 (ECC1)
It’s our ECC1 team’s last full day in France, and they’re going out in style – it’s Bastille Day! They hit the road bright and early this morning to soak up some of the trip’s most amazing views and amp themselves up for their border crossing tomorrow. It’s smooth sailing (riding) for them from here on out – all bike paths until Venice!
Europe Coast to Coast 2 (ECC2)
ECC2 celebrated Bastille Day in style today! Our unstoppable team of cyclists crushed some rolling hills on their way out of Nancy today, basking in the spirit of celebration and the epic views of the French countryside. The crew enjoyed a shady picnic lunch in the rolling hills and made their way to camp to catch some Zs before another beautiful day of riding.
Europe Coast to Coast 3 (ECC3)
Our ECC3 squad crushed another day of adventure and exploration (98km!) on this fine Bastille Day. The group rode via stunning farm roads and bike paths into Nancy, with the sun following their trail. After another beautiful day of riding, the trippers settled in for a well-deserved night of rest before continuing on with their French festivities tomorrow.
Iceland Mountains & Coast (IMC)
Our Iceland crew spent their day on hiking in the seafront village of Vik, taking in views of jagged cliffs and black pebble beaches. After their adventure, the group did some laundry in preparation for their next excursion. The stunning Icelandic coast continues to take our breath away from behind the computer screen – we can only imagine this crew’s awe-stricken facial expressions in real time!
Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE)
This morning the MCCE crew had their final writing workshop and added the final touches to their essays in the evening! The group took a well-earned break in the form of a picnic lunch and beach time in the middle, and are looking forward to celebrating their hard work tomorrow. These avid typers have been broadening their horizons in the classroom and in Maine’s outdoor playground – three cheers for MCCE!
Maine Coast Junior (MCJ)
Our Maine Coast Junior squad began their day by volunteering for Growing to Give, a local non-profit who focuses their efforts on providing free organic produce for the community. Today, the crew harvested chard, mulched, tended to squash plants, and fed goats! Following their volunteer work, the group relaxed on the beach in the sun, and celebrated their week together with a fun final dinner – time flies when you’re having fun!
Maine Coast Photo (MCP)
Our Maine Coast Photo crew began their day with a dynamic photo shoot in the form of a hike! After snapping pics of stunning Maine scenery, they went through a final review and made edits in the afternoon in preparation for their art show tomorrow in Boothbay. A little birdie told me that the artists will be arriving at their show in style… Did someone say thrifting spree?!
New England Mountains & Coast A (NEMCA)
Our NEMC allstars spent their day giving back to the local community in the form of community service with Growing to Give. This Brunswick non-profit works to make organic produce free for members of the community. The crew said hello to our other Apogee all-stars on our Maine Coast Junior trip, who volunteered here today as well! The crew settled in to camp for the night to dream about their last full day & final dinner tomorrow – where did the time go?!
Northwest Explorer (NWX)
NWX began their three-day sea kayaking adventure today in the San Juan Islands, and boy was it a beaut! After paddling four miles without a cloud in the sky, the group set up camp on a stunning, remote island – their home for the next few days. The group is anticipating seeing a cornucopia of wildlife while on their seaside adventure – did we just hear our national bird cacaw?!
Pacific Coast (PC)
After a bright and early wake up, PC hit the road to tackle their last 50+ mile day before heading to San Fran. Group morale was high as they spent their whole day on the coast with spectacular sunny views of the ocean. After two weeks of biking, the riders crushed today’s challenging climbs and made it to Bodega Bay in no time. Everyone enjoyed a hearty dinner after riding and is getting to bed early to be well-rested for their final two days of biking!
Pyrenees Mountains and Coast (PMC)
Today was PMC’s first full day as a united front! They started their trip off with a bang by sea-kayaking around Spain’s most secret coves. After soaking up some Vitamin D by boat, the group explored Sitges on foot in the afternoon. They enjoyed a tasty dinner – and a birthday dessert! – and each other’s company after a full first day in the Pyrenees. Sweet dreams, PMC!
