As I start this entry, it is 11:24 PM – it’s been a long day in the wide world of Apogee… Our indomitable leaders, and Kevin and I, started our last Cape trip of the summer today, which is always a delight. Less of a delight today, however, was the four hours it took to get from Falmouth, Mass. to Danvers, Mass after the trip start – and I was supposed to be going against traffic, for crying out loud! In any case, here we are, and two more wonderful Cape groups are under way tonight. It was a damp afternoon in Falmouth, but it promises to be a gorgeous week. Our very last trip start of the year is tomorrow – David and Anna have the honors with their fourth go-around with the New England Mountains & Coast trip.

Way up the East Coast tonight, however, and a hundred miles or so inland, both of our Coast to Quebec groups are sleeping beneath the pine trees. Long having left the coast behind, they have their sites aimed squarely on the border – where they’ll be in a matter of days. In between, however, are several hills – hills like the one the fellow immediately below (from Corley and Andy’s group) is enjoying. Pete and Jess sent in the next picture down, a less intense shot of the group hanging out lakeside.

Our Downeast Explorers were remiss in sending me a picture today, but that’s okay as they had a great deal on their plate. They left Acadia and the controversy over the President’s choice of ice cream behind them and headed for the Appalachian Trail, where they’ll spend the next three nights before attempting a summit of Mt. Katahdin. We’ll hope to hear from them soon. Similarly, on the opposite side of the country, our Northwest Explorers are in the Olympic backcountry tonight — we should hear from them as they emerge tomorrow!

Our Pacific Coasters continue to love life — every time we hear from them, we kind of want to hang up the phone, because it just sounds so very nice out there. Temperatures in the 60s and 70s, bright sunshine, sparkling waves, and very good company — not too shabby. Lidia sent in this representative shot from this afternoon’s post-ride hike.

And in New Mexico, the Dynamos were in Socorro today, off of their bikes and doing what one should do in Socorro — eating eggs in a classroom, of course! See below. They’re back at again tomorrow, continuing to climb into the mountains before next week’s dive into the deep, deep desert.