Today is a fabulous day. Not only is it Sunday, the universal day of relaxation and fun, but we also had SIX trip starts! Six groups of awesome, fun loving people met up today around the world and started their journey to becoming to best of friends. Our 15 other trips did some pretty amazing things as well– biking through the Alps, crossing borders (both state and country), giving back to the community, and hiking through rolling hills and deep valleys. Not only do Apogee students get to do an array of exciting and fulfilling activities, they get to make incredible connections and friendships along the way.
Skip to a Specific Trip: MCJA, CI, NEMC, CRMA, CRMB, GSA, CS, MCCE, DEXA, DEXB, VMA, VMB, CRLS, CRMC, CMCA, CMCB, AKMC, PMC, ECC1, ECC2 ACC
Maine Coast Junior (MCJ)
Ah the glorious start of a trip! The MCJers finally got to meet today after months of anticipation and jetted off to their first night’s accommodations in Freeport, Maine. They are in for a spectacularly splendid week!
Already seeing some wonderful views!
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)
After cooling down in the waters of Provincetown, this squad of bikers made their way to Boston today!! YAHOOOO! The land of Dunkin Donuts welcomed them with open arms and they are so excited to explore the city tomorrow.
New England Mountains & Coast A (NEMC)
TRIP STARTS ARE THE BEST!! This fun & fabulous NEMC group met today and traveled to their first campsite which will be the start of an awesome, adventure filled ten days together.
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains A (CRMA)
A group of awesome and fun loving people coming together in Denver to begin an excellent adventure together? I can’t think of anything greater. This crew drove from Denver to Grand Lake to start their epic journey today. I feel excited just thinking about it!
ROAD TRIP!!!!!!!!!! Tons of tunes and loads of laughs!
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains B (CRMB)
Is there anything better than one Colorado trip start?? Why yes, there is… TWO COLORADO TRIP STARTS! CRMB also met up today in Denver and started to get even more excited for the trip that lies ahead!
Caribbean Service (CS)
Today CS worked with Sail Relief, an organization that came to Vieques to aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. They work to maintain a presence in the community even after the initial emergency has passed. The folks of CS got in some fulfilling and meaningful work today.
Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE)
With passion in their hearts, words in their brains, and a willingness to step out of their comfort zones in the pursuit of connection and workshop writing, the folks of MCCE gathered together in Freeport before jetting off to their BEAUTIFUL house on the coast in Brunswick. So much fun lies ahead!!
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXA)
Into the woods this group of hikers goes! DEXA headed into Baxter State Park today to backpack for three days and two nights on the Appalachian Trail. They won’t be able to send in pictures until emerging back into civilization, but we can imagine how magnificent the pictures will be.
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXB)
DEXB had SUCH a blast hiking up to Chimney Pond today. The day was indeed a bit rainy but they welcomed the rain with lots of smiles, tons of face paint and so much positivity. Reports from the field are that the clouds cleared and views of Katahdin and the surrounding ridge line were epic!
IS THIS A BORDER CROSSING I SEE? VMA zipped their way from one country to another day, leaving behind the land of barbecue and bagels and lox and entering the land of poutine and bagels that are boiled in water with honey and cooked in wood-fired ovens (a typical Montreal bagel). Welcome to Canada you goofy goobers!!!
Our wonderful leader Zach captioned these pictures “CANADA, EH?!”
Vermont to Montréal B (VMB)
Our fearless VM Bravo squad waved “Goodbye” to Burlington and “Hello” to Grand Isle, VT today. Their day included a beautiful ride along the causeway, a bike ferry across Lake Champlain, a visit to a roadside farm, and maple creemees (which we’re pretty sure is ice cream)! Tonight, they’ll head to bed with dreams of tomorrow’s border crossing on their minds!
Costa Rica Language & Service (CRLS)
A fun loving group of people met today in Costa Rica ready for a nine day adventure. They have a trip full of giving back to the community, practicing their Spanish, salsa dancing, and even more fun activities. We can’t wait to hear all about it!
Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)
Today is the second day this squad of explorers is spending in an Eco lodge. Today they will be participating in a project lead by the owners of the Eco lodge that will have them serving both the community and environment. They are learning the importance of a sustainable agriculture practices from local experts. They don’t have service to send in blog pictures while at the Eco lodge so for the time being, we’ll have to use our imaginations.
California Mountains & Coast (CMCA)
The last full day in the backcountry for these folks, and it should prove to be an incredible one. Their route took them up towards Tuolumne Peak today and saw breathtaking views of the Cathedral Mountain Range. We hear that their campsite tonight is known for gorgeous sunsets…we can’t wait to see the pictures tomorrow when they emerge back into civilization!
California Mountains & Coast (CMCB)
CMCB is still out in Yosemite on their last final day of the backcountry! It was a big day for Anna & Jeff’s team as their route took them up and over Buena Vista Peak and past alpine lakes, but we expect some equally beautiful pictures upon their emergence into cell service tomorrow!
Alaska Mountains & Coast (AKMC)
AKMC switched from land to sea today as they began their kayaking expedition. They took a fabulous two hour ferry ride to Holgate Arm where they set up camp before hitting the water. They paddled along the shore to get some awesome glimpses of the Holgate Glacier. Tonight, they’ll sleep on the beach with a view of the glacier – how many of us can say we’ve ever done that??
Scottish Highlands (SH)
Last day on the West Highland Way for these here hill walkers!!! They covered an impressive 13.5 miles today, and can only assume that they celebrated with loads of haggis, because who wouldn’t celebrate completing a 154 km trekking route with haggis? All joking aside, this crew deserves to celebrate with whatever dish they choose, haggis or not!
Pyrenees Mountains & Coast (PMC)
A wonderful whopping 20 km of hiking for PMC today! This is the final day of backpacking for our friends in the Pyrenees and they hiked right to the coast where they will surf tomorrow. The question of the day is, though: what type of European cheese do you think they’ve eaten the most of today?
Europe Coast to Coast 1 (ECC1)
To quote Donovan Fiore: “All is well in the wonderful land of pizza and pasta. Weird flex of the day: our goal was to get to camp by noon. We got to camp today at…*drum roll please*…11:59.45. That’s right. 15 seconds to spare. It’s a great day. So we celebrated by hanging in the pool!”.
I LOVE the picture Donovan painted of this fabulous day in the life of these ECC bikers. They covered a whopping 80 km today and I really hope they ate as much CHEESE as their hearts and stomachs desired.
Hanging by said pool next to a literal mountain, not just a picture of one.
Europe Coast to Coast 2 (ECC2)
ECC2 did a lovely 78 km bike ride where they rode up through a valley and saw vistas of THREE different countries. But wait, there is more! They crossed into ITALY today and are staying tonight in Glurns which is a lovely, well-preserved medieval village. I hope they never stop eating mozzarella!!
That scarf is incredibly European and I simply love it.
America Coast to Coast (ACC)
Another day another state! ACC rode 62 miles from Texas to New Mexico today, which is considerably light mileage for them…crazy! Only Arizona now lies in between these incredible people and California.
