Day 18: And Apogee Wins Again!
Bonjour Apogee lovers! Today is Bastille Day, as some of you may already know, but it is also the final of the Copa America and Euro Championship soccer tournaments! Not to mention, the Wimbledon 2024 final is also today. With the Olympics coming up at the end of this month, sports are on our mind. We all know the sport of Apogee as a whole is Alaskan Baseball (parents, ask your kids when they get back), but what is the sport of each trip?
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Skip to a Specific Trip: AKMC, AXA, AXB, CI, CRM, CRMC, CSPR, CSVI, DEX, ECC1, ECC2, GSA, IMC, MCJ, NEMC, NWX, PC, PMC, VM
Alaska Mountains & Coast (AKMC)
Speaking of Alaskan Baseball, there’s a very good chance the AKMC crew is playing some Alaskan Baseball during their time in the backcountry! They are having a great time in Chugach breathing in that crisp Alaskan air. It’s the wrong season for them to be participating in Alaska’s official state sport: dog mushing.
Alps Explorer A (AXA)
Over some mountains and on some trails, where else would you find the AXA crew! While this might seem like an easy answer for us to be giving, it is clear that AXA’s sport is hiking as they continue to crush the TMB! They finish their TMB trek tomorrow, and spirits are incredibly high (even if their feet might be tired).
Alps Explorer B (AXB)
After AXB demolished the TMB, they took some time off of their hiking shoes, strapped on some crampons, and participated in a glacier hike today! And lucky them, they hiked all the way up to a ridgeline that gave them a glimpse of Aletsch glacier, the largest in all of Europe! Their foray into mountaineering (which is one of the more popular sports in the mountainous Alps region) was a walk in the park – the glacier park, if you will. Their last hiking day as a group, though bittersweet, was cause for celebration, complete with cake, balloon animals, card tricks, crowns, and candles!
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)
Call the CI students triathletes, because they did the most today on their day trip to Nantucket! They biked to the ferry and around Nantucket (bike), took the ferry into Nantucket (and hopefully didn’t swim), and walked (marathon) around and explored the gorgeous seaside town! A day full of friendship bracelets and friends!
Caribbean Service Puerto Rico (CSPR)
Yay! The group made it! Puerto Rico may be small, but its beautiful landscapes abound and these campers are in for a real treat. They started getting to know each other as they headed to their first hostel for the night, and got a sneak peek of one of the many beautiful beaches. While this trip might not be actually sailing, this trip sure is setting sail!
Caribbean Service Virgin Islands (CSVI)
And they’ve arrived! Today involved finally setting foot on the Virgin Islands, playing a couple games, and getting settled into their new digs. We know this will be a game-packed and awesome adventure, and maybe they’ll even get to try their hand at cricket, a popular Caribbean sport. We can’t wait to hear what’s up ahead!
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)
Today CRM hit the rocks! But not just any old rocks- they got to hit the awesome ancient granite faces of Rocky Mountain National Park! Speaking of granite faces, there are 58 peaks in Colorado over 14,000 ft. in elevation, making it a climbing mecca! This next generation of mountaineers climbed and traversed all day long, getting to enjoy some of the best climbing in the country. These troopers will sleep well tonight!
Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)
Holy guacamole, this crew is about to spend 12 days in Costa Rica! After some long travel to get here, everyone finally arrived and they played some get-to-know-you games before heading to their hostel near Manuel Antonio National Park. With massive swaths of forest and biodiversity, ziplining is a must-do activity here. I don’t know about you, but I’d do ziplining as a competitive sport. We can’t wait to hear about all the sights they’ll see from above, and all the delicious guacamole they’ll get to eat!
Europe Coast to Coast 1 (ECC1)
ECC made the trek across borders from France to Germany today! While neither of these countries are competing in the European Championship today, the students can absolutely debate on which country they enjoy riding through more. After getting into camp, if their feet weren’t too tired from pedaling, they could play some soccer before settling into the lovely Black Forest region.
Europe Coast to Coast 2 (ECC2)
Bonjour to the Bastille Day celebrators themselves! This crew went all out celebrating with flags on their bikes and lots of face paint. A perfect day for an intense uphill climb in the morning, followed by a well-earned downhill to Strasbourg, the official seat of the European Parliament. This group is vibing the mountains, celebrating, and having a blast! And come on, the Tour de France is in France for a reason! Bonne Fete Nationale, and happy biking!
Golden State Adventure (GSA)
Welcome out to sunny California! Today we welcomed the next cohort of GSA participants. They are sure to be surfing on good vibes for the next few days, which will tide them over until they get out to the beach and get to surf later in their trip!
Iceland Mountains & Coast (IMC)
And way up north, another Apogee trip is underway! It might have been a long trek to get here, but we know it’s going to be worth it! Today they had a relaxed day for games and a nice walk down to the ocean before an early bedtime to ward off the jetlag. This country’s most popular sport is handball, and while they may not play, we know they’ll have a ball on their other adventures!
Maine Coast Junior (MCJ)
And we’re rollin’! This hiking crew decided to give the two wheels a try, and got to bike Acadia’s legendary carriage roads. What better way to explore one of the coolest national parks in the country! Maine, as the Pine Tree State, is a haven for tree climbing, and while this group won’t be doing that, they have been reaching high and going above and beyond all trip! Keep crushing, MCJ!
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEX)
Us here at the office can hardly wait for this crew to explore this state we all love! Some good icebreakers and snacks got this group started, then they drove to a state park for their first night. Tomorrow the real games begin! We decided to give this trip the sport of parkour, because they will be jumping and traveling all over the place on their Tour de Maine!
New England Mountains & Coast (NEMC)
Today is a big kayaking day for Apogee trips, and NEMC2 sure is enjoying their time in boats! After they are done kayaking, they plan to unwind in their campground by playing a rousing game of volleyball at one of the courts. Game, set, match them up with a good time!
Northwest Explorer (NWX)
And with that, NWX’s third and final backcountry section comes to a close, and one camper turns one year older! Before heading back to the mainland, they did some community service on Cypress Island, learning how to identify different species and then helping record the data. And then it was a lovely paddle back, and a move to their final camping spot in Dash Point National Park. What better way to explore this part of the state than some good ol’ paddling and a birthday celebration?
Pacific Coast (PC)
And the ride must go on! This biking posse is nearing the end of their fabulous trek down the Pacific Coast, and it’s feeling bittersweet! They entered Marin County today, with a fun stop at Point Reyes, and then on to their last night of camping- oh my how time flies when you’re having fun! And California likes any and all sports in the sun, so lucky for this crew to get to soak that up all trip!
Pyrenees Mountains and Coast (PMC)
It was our first full day with the PMC crew! The team had a lovely day sea kayaking around Stiges, exploring beautiful coves and the rugged Spanish shoreline. Maybe they’ll catch some waves and do some kayak surfing! They played some games, got ice cream, went to the beach, and played World Cup (a fitting game for tonight). And luckily enough they got to watch the exciting final with Spain and England!
Vermont to Montreal (VM)
Canada here we come! They may be biking, but they are heading to the hockey homeland! Today they played some icebreakers, and then drove into Vermont to get ready for their first puck-tastic day of biking tomorrow. We can’t wait for this crew to make their way all the way up to our northern neighbors, but in the meantime #skatelovelaugh
