Have you been following our posts and found yourself getting a little jealous? I mean c’mon, hiking, biking, swimming, kayaking, climbing, exploring and more, all within exquisite locations handpicked for their breathtaking and awe-inspiring views and adventures…trust us, we don’t blame you. Wishing you were able to just hop on the next flight out and enjoy the myriad of wonders these trips have in store? Then today’s your lucky day! Allow me, your trusty blog writer turned tour guide, to lead you on a magical, all-inclusive, immersive experience through today’s Apogee voyages. Picture a Sandals Resort commercial, or a 4D movie, and maybe a splash of Planet Earth thrown in there. Break out that trusty imagination and climb aboard, because awayyy we go!
Skip to a Specific Trip: MCJ, CI, NEMCA, NEMCB, CRM, MCCE, DEXA, DEXB, CMC, AKMCA, AKMCB, NWXA, NWXB, NWXC, PC, ACC1, ACC2
Maine Coast Junior (MCJ)
Our first stop of the day lands us smack dab in the middle of Acadia National Park. Nestled amidst the dense woodland, granite peaks and freshwater lakes, you can easily see why this park is considered a crowning jewel of the North Atlantic. Oh, look up at the sky! A peregrine falcon, soaring high above us amongst the clouds. Down below, our majestic MCJ’ers spend the day on a beautiful hike, heading up Bald Peak and Parkman Mountain before eating lunch at Bass Harbor Lighthouse.
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)
Moving right along, it’s time to break out the swimsuits and boogie boards! After a quick ferry ride, we are now on the cherished island of Nantucket. Our CI folks frolicked on sandy beaches and eagerly explored the island’s quaint towns. Quick fun fact: Did you know there are no stoplights anywhere on Nantucket? With that, I think we have the green light to head to our next destination…
Our intrepid explorers take a stop at a local Nantucket harbor.
And then enjoy the sand and surf!
New England Mountains & Coast A (NEMCA)
And now we venture to the tallest Mountains this side of the Mississippi, the White Mountains! Both majestic and grand, these peaks are the setting for our dear NEMC A friends, and today, they set out on a short day hike to bask in the mountains’ natural glory! Picture it with us; the smell of the pine trees, the cool breeze rustling the leaves, joyous banter shared amongst hikers, and then, ‘hark!’, through the trees comes a view that will knock your socks off! Well pick up those socks, NEMC A, you’ve got more hikes to come!
A quick photo-op after a rewarding hike of Cathedral Ledge.
New England Mountains & Coast B (NEMCB)
Our tour continues on strong in the White Mountains with the hardy campers of NEMC B! They, too, set out to tackle a lovely day hike and immerse themselves in all the beauty that the White Mountains have to offer! I don’t know about you, but the thunder of Arethusa Falls is definitely ringing in my ears as we wish our NEMC B a night filled with dreams of mountains and waterfalls!
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)
Welcome to the Kent Mountain Adventure Center. I’ll be your guide for the day. Please follow me over here and we can get you all situated in your harnesses and demonstrate proper rock climbing safety. I also heard that it’s someone’s birthday today. So I think a celebration is in order! Okay, harnesses fastened and secure – check! Helmets on at all times – check! Birthday balloons and cake – check! Sweet! Let’s go climb some rocks!
Birthday and Belay!
Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE)
In honor of our MCCE’ers, please picture me struggling to walk backwards in flip flops across a college campus while pointing out various attractions. If you look over to your left– oh, sorry, my left, your right–you’ll see our witty writers continuing onwards with their literary masterpieces. And what’s that?! Doing some afternoon sea kayaking? What a day for MCCE! No photos came through today, but we’ll be sure to get some from our crew tomorrow!
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXA)
Our tour continues (or begins, in the case of DEXA) on the coast of Maine! This eager bunch met their leaders, Jack and Lindsey, today in Brunswick, and could hardly wait to head towards their camp for the night in Camden Hills! Bon voyage!
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXB)
DEXB was also chomping at the proverbial bit to get started on their adventures! They headed to camp, and will be settling in and getting ready for a great day on the water tomorrow! Reports are that a round of sandy ultimate frisbee were had after this picture was taken.
California Mountains & Coast (CMC)
Uniting on their first day, the group bonded over a rather unusual thing: a baby wheel that they found. Hey, whatever works! Looking forward to fun adventures, CMC!
Alaska Mountains & Coast A & B (AKMCA & AKMCB)
Arrival time in Alaska! We got word that all of AKMC (both A and B) has arrived in Anchorage, but no blog photo as of press time. We know there will be spectacular photos coming down the road, though!
Northwest Explorer (NWXA)
Imagine, if you will… the North Cascades! One of the more beautiful areas in these United States, join us in our envy of NWXA – immersed not ONLY in the backcountry, but also in the waters of an alpine lake! Oh, to be a fly on that lake… happy swimming, NWXA!
Northwest Explorer (NWXB)
Not to be out done, our NWX B crew has set out on a tour of their own! As they break trail through Olympic National Park, we can imagine vistas of snow laden peaks and bright blue skies, and we can hear the echoes of their laughter ricocheting off the valley walls around them. Keep trucking, NWXB!
Northwest Explorer (NWXC)
Join us for a glimpse of Day 15 for NWXC: surrounded by the fabled Pacific Northwest wilderness, our intrepid group gazes out over lush river valleys towards the mountains of Washington State beyond. I can feel the inspiration that view must be giving our NWXers!
Pacific Coast (PC)
*Cue the Morgan Freeman narration* Gualala Point Regional Park in the Northwest corner of Sonoma County borders the Gualala River and Mendocino County. This oceanfront park features an expansive beach and estuary, where the river meets the sea, and a small, forested campground along the river. Trails connect the beach and campground to coastal bluffs and to the Sea Ranch community just to the South. It is the perfect destination for any PC’er after a 49 mile bike ride.
Jumping for joy after crushing a 50 mile ride!
America Coast to Coast 1 (ACC1)
Rest day + pool time = a perfect way to spend a day in El Dorado, Arkansas! This day of rejuvenation will set our ACC’ers up for success as they head to the Texas/Arkansas border tomorrow and begin their pull across Texas on Thursday.
America Coast to Coast 2 (ACC2)
Now, if you look out of our double decker bus to the right, you’ll see pods of ACC2 bikers crossing the Mississippi River on their way to Crossett, Arkansas. See their wheels turning, those gears shifting and the sweat dripping. What a sight to behold! It’s only this time of year that we can catch them in their migration from one coast to the next.
