By Grace Wright & the Hardworking Apo HQ
Today will mark the unofficial halfway mark of Apogee trips being released ’round the world, which is hard to believe. Someone must be tampering with our clocks, because time is flying by this summer! Speaking of moving fast, we have many trips that continued to scoot along in their adventures today. Some took brief breaks from biking and hiking to rest up, while others carried on in racking up miles, service hours, and memories while following their Apogee agendas. Let’s take a peek!
Maine Coast Junior (MCJ2): These amphibians grabbed their oars and (ironically) headed to Orr’s Island for an awesome afternoon of sea kayaking! After getting to see the ocean from afar in Acadia, they finally got to splash around in Harpswell Sound. From biking to hiking and now kayaking, it seems like these tadpoles are quickly getting their legs under themselves!
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI2): There wasn’t any rain today for the Cape Cod crew but there most certainly was a rainbow of colors that followed the group on the ferry back to the cape. Everyone enjoyed exploring Nantucket town before loading on the boat and, after a rendition of the Titanic’s “My Heart Will Go On” (with no icebergs in sight), they hit the pavement once again! What better way to say “Hi” to Hyannis than biking through it?
Caribbean Service Adventure (CSA2): It was another beautiful day in Puerto Rico for this group of rock-stars. Our Caribbean Service crew spent the morning volunteering at the Cabo Rojo Wildlife Refuge, planting indigenous trees as well as cleaning up around the butterfly garden. The sunshine in the afternoon called for a trip to the Cabo Rojo Lighthouse – one of the most beloved (and photographed) lighthouses in Puerto Rico. What better way to finish the day than with a trip to the beach? Ahh… just another day in paradise…
Vermont to Montreal (VM2): After piling up the miles this past week, this biking crew stacked up some service hours with Burlington Parks and Recreation Department. The group is now no stranger to trail maintenance and tools, and enjoyed sculpting their arm muscles as well as the trails. They earned an evening of exploring downtown Burlington afterward, which conveniently is home to Ben Jerry’s ice cream. Those shoveling skills they learned are transferable to digging into ice cream, wouldn’t you say?
Maine’s Downeast Explorer A (DEX2A): Land ho! Coming off of a morning of kayaking, these explorers shook off their sea legs and loaded into the van for a roadtrip to the much-anticipated Acadia National Park – all reports were great when we heard from Rhett this morning. Playing van games, day dreaming about the sunrise atop Cadillac Mountain, and smelling the salty ocean air were among the highlights of the group’s afternoon. No pics by presstime, I’m afraid!
Maine’s Downeast Explorer B (DEX2B): With boots tied tight, backpacks strapped low, and group morale flying high, these explorers entered the Baxter backcountry this afternoon! The Appalachian Trail will offer this group a host of sights, sounds, and smells (there will be lots of thru hikers making their way to summit Katahdin..) and we can’t wait to see documentation of all their adventures once they emerge on Saturday!
Costa Rica Language & Service (CRLS2): It’s the final day of Spanish classes today! And what better way to wrap up their 20 hours of language than with skits, games, and final “projects” (aka cooking delicious food)? The group continued to utilize their Spanish-speaking skills in the afternoon by volunteering at a local nursing home and will cap off an amazing evening with a salsa dancing class tonight! Ah caramba!
California Mountains & Coast A (CMC2A): These youngins aren’t just scratching bug bites, they’re itching to enter into the Yosemite backcountry tomorrow! Today Isa and Dave led the charge into the great depths of the grocery store. The group navigated the many windy aisles, traipsed through the chilled refrigerated sections, and emerged with a full supply of grub and prepared minds and bodies for the Yosemite woods. No pics by press-time!
California Mountains & Coast B (CMC2B): These courageous mountain climbers accepted the challenge of a hike up Tuolumne Pass today! They are pretty busy soaking up the breathtaking views of the Cathedral Mountain Range, so pictures will have to wait until tomorrow when they’re done basking in the beauty of Yosemite’s backcountry.
Europe Coast to Coast (ECC): The only pressure ECC was feeling today was from the variety of 20 shower heads they tested at Shower World (yes, it’s a real place – and yes, they tried them all…)! After an early morning ride of crossing the Rhine into Germany (Country #4 for those of you keeping track at home), the thought of just a singular shower just wouldn’t do to cleanse off the day’s worth of miles (and naps, which they got to enjoy upon reaching camp in Schiltach by 1:15!) They celebrated being squeaky clean during their first day in Germany with Thanksgiving in the afternoon and burgers and apple crisp for dinner – that’s a lot to be thankful for!
America Coast to Coast 1 (ACC1): Taylor Swift’s very “22” was dedicated to this day of biking for this country cruising crew – it’s day 22 and the halfway mark to the coast of California has been reached. Bets are on about whether they will receive a shout-out in T. Swift’s next big hit – breaking through state borders instead of breaking hearts! They’re into scenic Jayton, TX tonight and a mere two days from the New Mexico border.
America Coast to Coast 2 (ACC2): After crushing almost an entire century ride yesterday, these biking fanatics ditched the scene of the road and rested easy in Jacksboro. They surpassed Michael Phelps’ breakfast of champions by consuming a delectable mountain of breakfast this morning, and furthered the coining of the term “napogee” by getting some much needed zzz’s in the comfort of Texas air conditioning.
