By: Kelly McGinty
The number of incredible activities our students do on a daily basis never ceases to blow my mind. Today alone, we had students hiking, biking, giving back, writing essays, rafting, sea kayaking, exploring exotic lands (foreign & domestic) and sharing countless laughs along the way. Whether just starting their Apogee journey, crushing their challenge day, or nearing their bittersweet final destination, these kids are touting some serious accomplishments and we couldn’t be more proud and impressed by them. Alright… enough of the sappiness. If you’re reading this, you probably already know how awesome Apogee kids are. So without further ado, enjoy the envy inducing and awe inspiring photos below!
Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE1): Our MCCE squad spent the morning hiking at Wolfe Neck State Park, hanging by the water and soaking in the sunshine. Rejuvenated by a morning in the outdoors, they’ll buckle down tonight with an evening of essay revisions and conferences with writer extraordinaire, Jaed, as they work towards perfecting their college submissions.
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI2): We can hardly believe it, but our second round of Cape Cod & the Islands is officially underway! Grace and Henry picked up their group of bikers and put their first few miles behind them as they warmed up their tires on the way to camp where they’re eagerly awaiting their last few arrivals.
New England Mountains & Coast (NEMC1): With a ropes course and many (impressive!) hikes behind them, it’s time for our mountaineers to trade in their boots for water shoes as they head down to the river. Excited to try their hand at rafting, perfect their “T-grip” and enjoy a post rafting cook-out, this group had quite a day!
Caribbean Service Adventure (CSA2): It’s time to say “¡Hola!” to a new bunch of Caribbean Service Adventurers! With big smiles, Zach and Sam welcomed their students to the island known for its white sand beaches and coral reefs. Once the group (or their “groupito,” as Zach affectionately refers to them) assembled, they traded the airport for their Puerto Rican accommodations to share their first meal together and to learn the fine art of “Quakering.”
Vermont to Montreal (VM2): Welcome to The Green Mountain state! Over the next 12 days, this group will see firsthand how Vermont earned its name, stemming from the French words “vert” and “mont.” They’ll wind their way north, checking out small towns, dirt roads, the bustling streets of Burlington, and eventually cross the Canadian border. We can hardly wait to watch their adventures unfold!
Montana Service Adventure (MSA1): As expected, our crew in Montana has some truly spectacular photos from yesterday’s climb and descent of Glacier National Park’s famous Going-to-the-Sun Road. Although they were originally scheduled to help paint for the National Park as their community service activity today, a bit of rain forced them to adjust their plans. Instead, the crew spent the morning walking through the woods identifying plant species, adding data points to an app used by rangers that maps biodiversity in the park – how cool! 
Northwest Explorer (NWX1): Today NWX embarks on the final section of their trip. They’re taking off their packs and trading them for paddles, as they begin their time sea kayaking the San Juan islands. They’ll spend the next two nights camping on the beaches of an exquisite island while using their days to explore the area by kayak. While on the island they’ll also lend a helping hand to the Department of Natural Resources to help beautify and clean up the spaces they’re exploring. Today the group waved farewell to their van and embarked together on their first paddle!
Pacific Coast A (PC1A): How many ways can we write “It’s another spectacular day of riding filled with rolling hills and fantastic views?” It’s a great problem to have, but you’ll have to pardon my lack of creativity because that’s the best way to put it! The 49 miles on today’s agenda are bringing them one step closer to San Fran, and we can hardly believe that once in camp today, they only have two more days of riding ahead of them until they’re crossing that Golden Gate Bridge.
Pacific Coast B (PC1B): After a well deserved rest day, our PCB team is back on the bikes and taking on their longest day of the trip – 66 miles! They’ve worked towards this for the last two weeks are are up for the challenge, which included a solid climb complemented by ocean breezes.
Scottish Highlands Explorer (SHX1): Today was one burly day of hiking for our Scotland explorers – they traversed one of the most challenging sections of the Great Glen Way during their impressive 16 mile hike. They’ll be stopping just short of the lovely village of Drumnadrochit – now only one day away from Inverness – their final stop on the Great Glen!
Alps Explorer (AX1): After an epic day that truly put their legs to the test yesterday, the group was delighted to enjoy their easiest day yet on the TMB. With many miles behind them, their 7 km stroll to La Fouly felt like a breeze and they even got the afternoon off to relax, recuperate, and replenish!
Europe Coast to Coast (ECC): Our ECC’ers are giving their quads a rest with a day off their bikes in France. After catching a morning train to Paris, the crew spent the day exploring the historic city, walking along the Seine River and soaking up the Parisian culture through both sites and food. Tomorrow they’ll train back to Bar-le-Duc and get some quality rest time at camp before getting back out on the bikes again. Tim’s quote this afternoon: “Mon Dieu, it was a fantastic day in Paris!”
America Coast to Coast 1 (ACC1): What’s that we see? Could it be? Why yes – it is… Texas! Abby and West’s crew tacked on another state on to their already impressive record as they wheeled their way into the Lone Star state during today’s 95 miles. Abby reported that it’s hot, windy, flat, and “Wahoo we love biking!” which is a really really good thing, because they have a wee bit further to go on their summer journey.
America Coast to Coast 2 (ACC2): The rest day in El Dorado is notoriously one of the greatest on trip. How did they spend it? From the looks of these fine photos, the crew *wisely* put some time into tuning up their bikes and dove in to one of the most massive watermelons this blog has ever seen. Let’s hope that it was purchased in El Dorado and no one had to bungee that thing to their bike! Perhaps all this activity was follow by a Nap-ogee?
Office: It’s not very often that we have blog worthy photos from the office crew, but today is an exception. Our very own Tim Gruber – a man of many hats – made us proud with a 2nd place finish in today’s 5 mile race at the Yarmouth Clam Festival. Not only did he rep some of our finest Apogee gear, but beloved Apogee mom and long-time office veteran, Michele, was there to cheer him on!