Don’t lose those socks folks because today’s pics are so great, they might just knock them off ya! One thing we know about all our treasured groups out there is that they like socks and they’ve got a whole lot of them. Socks are a most vital piece of gear when spending extended periods of time outside. Not only do they hold some stinky feet, but they also keep them warm and healthy. Whether you’re hiking like AX, working with the National Wildlife Refuge like CS, or biking across the country with ACC, our groups make sure to give their feet some love by packing a few extra pairs. And on that warm and fuzzy note – please enjoy today’s blog!
Skip to a Specific Trip: CI, NEMC1A, NEMC1B, NEMC2, CS, DEX, VM, CRMC, CMCA, CMCB, AKMC, NWXA, NWXB, PCA, PCB, AX, PMC, ECC1, ECC2, ACC
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)
Farewell Dear Friends! Cape Cod & the Islands reached the end of their journey today following their wonderful time exploring Quincy Market and other Bostonian gems yesterday. We are sad to say goodbye, but the smiles and memories of this crew will last a lifetime! Thank you folks and have a great rest of the summer!
New England Mountains & Coast 1A
Today we bid yet another group adieu as NEMC1 closes the book on their trip throughout the mountains and coast of New England! Topping their trip off with some incredible service projects, this crew has truly impacted not only each other’s lives but the lives of those who will benefit from the projects they’ve been involved in. It has been an absolute pleasure, have a great rest of the summer y’all!
New England Mountains & Coast 1B
Today these folks head home after bumping all over New England, hiking, high ropes coursing, and servicing together for the past 10 days. We have been so excited to have them and hope y’all have an incredible rest of the summer!
New England Mountains & Coast 2 (NEMC2)
Time for some high-flying adventures for another NEMC group, starting only yesterday, they jumped right into forming strong group bonds today at the Take Flight Aerial Adventure Course in New Hampshire. Friendships made while swinging around like Tarzan tend to last a lifetime!
Caribbean Service (CS)
Down in the Caribbean, our team got busy today helping out the National Wildlife Refuge, continuing their endless service support before they head out to enjoy San Juan tomorrow for their final day! Amazing how time can fly when having fun, one thing we know for sure is this crew is leaving every place they visited better than they found it, while bettering themselves all along the way!
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEX)
Today was a most triumphant and challenging day for the DEX crew, as they embarked on a journey to the top of Maine, the infamous Mt. Katahdin! An incredible feat for any mere human, these folks hiked hard for most of the day to reach the summit of this fabled mountain, which sits bald and gleaming at a mile above sea-level. An amazing punctuation for this goofy bunch as only one full day remains on their Downeast adventure, major kuddos to y’all!
Vermont to Montréal (VM)
Bienvenue à Montréal! Our riders made the mad dash from the cow metropolis of Vermont farmlands to the big Canadian city today. They are more than ready for their day off tomorrow to explore all that Montréal has to offer and give their bikes a triumphant rest as they have reached their destination, having successfully traversed an international border by bike!
Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)
Let’s go to the beach! Today CRMC left their magical home in the rain forest and made ways for the sunny beach town of Uvita. Here are the highly-anticipated pictures from the past few days spent in the Costa Rican jungle!
Some team building activities with their host Mauricio.
The group also made chocolate, foraged for food in the jungle which they then ate, and even went in a sweat lodge (folks were surprised at how much they enjoyed the lodge!).
The first full day of service included sanding, measuring and assembling raised flower beds. By the end, the group had 3 finished raised flower beds with dirt from nearby cliffs and wood that was washed downstream in a storm. The wood will last for 60+ yrs and 80% of the crops from the area are given back to the community. The 4 or so acres of vegetables in the farm has replaced tens of acres of cow pasture, allowing the whole valley to be reforested!
What an amazing and eventful stay!
California Mountains & Coast (CMCA)
Rolling into a finale of their own, the CMCA group got after some habitat restoration today at Half Moon Bay State Beach. Alongside the State Beach Rangers, they removed loads of pesky invasive species from impacting these beautiful natural areas, what on earth would Half Moon Bay do without em’? After this, the group headed towards the second bay for the day, that being San Francisco, where they celebrated their incredible time together in the Golden State!
California Mountains & Coast (CMCB)
Aaaaand right alongside their fearless CMCA1 partners, the CMCB1 gang also did their fair share of “invasive flora mitigation” (to use the Ranger lingo), at Half Moon Bay. Double the invasive fury in half the time, these crews have really got it down on the west coast. Following another farewell dinner in the Bay Area, it will be hard to say goodbye tomorrow! Check these bonus shots from surfing yesterday!!
Alaska Mountains & Coast (AKMC)
After spending the last few days kayaking and glacier hiking like true Alaskans, this crew will have salmon in their souls after immersing themselves into work with the Kenai Watershed Forum for the day. Following this incredible work, the gang rolled towards Anchorage where they spent some time exploring the city and enjoying a very well-deserved final dinner. Not a bad way to end an incredible journey through the Last Frontier! Check out this action from yesterday!
Northwest Explorer (NWXA)
Another beautiful day in the backcountry of the North Cascades – this one with 8 miles of hiking scheduled. Day three in the backcountry with no service means only 3 more days till they hike out and we get to see some snaps of their smiling faces! Stay tuned.
Northwest Explorer (NWXB)
NWXB had their well-deserved rest day today! This is such an adventurous bunch that even today, they headed to Olympic National park for a quick day hike. Check out the group on the the ferry over to the Olympics after what their leader’s described as “an awesome mail stop full of candy and cards.” Sounds like a successful day to me!
Pacific Coast (PCA)
This morning, PCA rode through rolling hills and a couple steep climbs. By now their legs are strong and sturdy (like the red woods!) so the group took the challenge in stride. The crew also got to pass through the “Avenue of the Giants” – the longest and coolest ride through a redwood forest they’ve experienced so far.
Pacific Coast (PCB)
Today, PCB had an amazing day off volunteering with Food for People. It always brings a smile to our faces to see groups leaving a positive, lasting impact on the communities they pass through. Keep up the amazing work PCB!
Alps Explorer (AX)
Today, AX ascended beyond into the Vallee des Glaciers and the hamlet of Les Chapieux. The group were excited to find some lingering snow and stopped at a beautiful vista for what looks like a delicious lunch. Another great day in the Alps!
Pyrenees Mountains & Coast (PMC)
PMC ends tomorrow?! What are we going to do without our daily baguette pictures? The group spent their final day exploring the bustling city of Barcelona. Beautiful beaches, awesome architecture, and fabulous food, what more could you ask for? Speaking of food, one of the highlights this crew’s last full day together was the delicious final dinner together including tapas and local Spanish cuisine.
Europe Coast to Coast 1 (ECC1)
I hope you’re ready for these photos because I audibly gasped when I saw them. ECC just spent their day in France biking through a field of sunflowers! It’s views like these (and the smiling people you get to share it with) that make all that biking worth it. What an amazing day!
Europe Coast to Coast 2 (ECC2)
Today it was ECC2’s turn to pay a visit to our good friend Woinic (some context for this giant bronze statue in case you missed yesterday’s blog post). It’s been a little over a week on the road for this bunch and leaders Stella and Mark say that they are absolutely crushing it. Let’s go ECC2!
America Coast to Coast (ACC)
Helloooooo Mississippi! Kosciusko, Mississippi to be exact. After a pretty flat morning riding with some rollers in the afternoon, we cannot believe that ACC has hit their fourth state already. Keep on keepin on!