From Acadia to Zermatt, we’ve got trips out all over the world – and all across the alphabet! Today’s blog will follow 22 trips through 26 letters and give you a peek into the wide world that is the Apo-verse. So sit back, relax, and try not to get the alphabet song stuck in your head. See you again tomorrow!
Skip to a Specific Trip: MCJ, CI, NEMCA, NEMCB, CRM, CS, MCCE, DEXA, DEXB, VMA, VMB, CRMC, CMC, NWX, PC, AKMCA, AKMCB, AXA, AXB, ECC1, ECC2, PMC
Maine Coast Junior (MCJ)
Aaaand they’re off! For their first full day together, our awesome MCJ crew celebrated their arrival with a morning of van games while on their way up to Acadia National Park. After an amazing morning of getting to know one another, the gang ate some lunch and then took on a day hike of Acadia Mountain! They’ll call Acadia home for three days, and continue their adventure there tomorrow with another hike!
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)
Big things are happening for our bright-eyed and bushy-tailed CI bunch! They hopped on their bikes early this morning for a quick and breezy ride to the Island Grown Initiative, where they spent the morning doing boatloads of farmwork for community service. After their anything-but-boring morning, they took to the beautiful streets of Martha’s Vineyard for a busy afternoon of exploration. They even bumped into the oldest carousel in the United States! Tomorrow, they’ll be boarding a ferry over to Nantucket for the day. Brilliant work today, CI!
New England Mountains & Coast A (NEMCA)
Can you guess how NEMCA cooled down this morning? With whitewater rafting, of course! This courageous and capable young group took to the rapids today for a morning on the water, capped off with an amazing cookout lunch provided by their rafting crew. After they all chowed down, they headed back to camp for a chill afternoon. Tomorrow, they’ll all climb into the van and cart over to their next campsite for a day hike!
New England Mountains & Coast B (NEMCB)
Did you think that NEMCB was going to let their sister trip have all the fun? This group certainly didn’t! This dynamic dozen started their day with a quiet morning in camp, dutifully preparing for their afternoon on the water. After a delicious lunch, they spent the afternoon whitewater rafting! Seems like a delightful way to spend the dog days of the New England summer, if you ask me. But don’t worry, they’ll stay nice and cool on their day hike tomorrow! Stay tuned for some great pictures of their rafting adventures.
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)
It sure is an exciting day for our CRM crew! These eagle-eyed hikers entered the day with plenty of energy for their morning hike. Maybe they even spotted some elk along the way! After their excellent hike, they got to eat a hearty lunch and begin their transit to the ever-lovely town of Estes Park. On their journey, they stopped by the Alpine Visitor Center, the highest elevation visitor center in the National Parks system – not everyone can say they’ve done that! The group has earned a good night’s sleep tonight so they can be energized for their day of rock climbing tomorrow!
Caribbean Service (CS)
Unfortunately, it’s time to say farewell to our friends in the Caribbean. Fortunately, we know they found connections that will follow them everywhere! After their last full day yesterday, it was time to board flights and fly home today. It was fun, CS!
Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE)
Good morning, MCCE! Today was the group’s first full day in the gorgeous Maine woods, and they wasted no time getting right down to business! They got to meet their great writing instructor, Leah, for the first time today and the whole gang got along swimmingly. Speaking of swimming, the crew hit the beach this afternoon for a picnic lunch and to beat the heat! Hopefully the salt water helped to get those creative juices flowing for their writing time tonight. Tomorrow, they’ll head over to Bates for their first college admissions workshop. Sounds like this day was a highlight of the trip already!
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXA)
It’s another day of paddling for our intrepid DEXA group! This crew spent their day sea kayaking on Maine’s iconic Casco Bay, taking in all the intensely beautiful scenery around them. During their investigation of the coast, they stopped to do some community service with the Maine Island Trail Association. I have no doubts they did some incredible work! After service, they hit the water again to make their way to another island to camp for the night. Sounds like an instant win of a day! (Pictured below: an improv comedy show and the handing off of the “immaculate vibes” scarf!)
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXB)
It’s just like DEXB to bring joy to even the rainiest of days! I must say, I’m kind of jealous of the juggernaut of a day this crew had. They threw on their rain jackets in order to stay dry on their wilderness scavenger hunt journey and made the most of the cloudy day. Between their scavenger hunt and a short day hike, they hit the jackpot as far as rainy day fun goes! Unfortunately, all this rain meant they didn’t get to attempt their summit of Katahdin today. That didn’t keep them from having fun, though, and reports from the field say they could see the mountain with their keen eyes during their backcountry portion. Tomorrow, this group of kind adventurers will spend their final full day together, ending in a dinner fit for kings!
Vermont to Montreal A (VMA)
Let’s goooo! VMA has made it to Montreal! This crew of seasoned cyclists took on the last leg of their journey today, leading them into the heart of Montreal. Today was the longest ride of the trip at 37 miles, but VMA never let a little extra mileage stop them! They enjoyed their lengthy ride along some lovely bike paths, but perhaps they enjoyed their opportunity for real showers and beds at their hostel even more! Go lie down and rest up for your day of exploration tomorrow, VMA – well done!
Vermont to Montreal B (VMB)
My oh my, VMB has made it to Montreal! It’s no mystery that this crew has been crushing miles all trip, and today was no different. This mighty bunch spent their morning making the most of their last 37 miles on the bikes, wending their way along the beautiful bike paths outside the city. Riding into Montreal was a momentous accomplishment, celebrated with many high-fives and even more hugs! Tomorrow, the crew will spend their day milling around the city and munching on some delicious French-Canadian food. Congratulations, VMB!
Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)
Needless to say, this new-found bunch of friends didn’t want to say goodbye to one another and the natural beauty of Costa Rica today. But no matter where they go, we know this CRMC crew will never forget all the nifty things they did during their time together! Now go spread your wings, CRMC!
California Mountains & Coast (CMC)
Oh man, can you believe it’s CMC’s last full day together? This crew had an objectively awesome day today, starting with an oceanside morning doing service with the Half Moon Bay Rangers. After they occupied themselves with weeding and cleaning for the first half of the day, the group had an opportunity to head into San Francisco and explore the city for the afternoon. They’ll officially have their final dinner together tonight before heading their separate ways tomorrow. Congratulations on an outstanding trip, CMC!
Northwest Explorer (NWX)
NWX had a pretty epic day today! The day promised to be perfect the second these passionate explorers awoke surrounded by the pristine beauty of Olympic National Park. After a hearty breakfast, the crew packed up their provisions and headed out for a day hike in the park, where they got to enjoy the peace and quiet of the great outdoors. Once they returned to camp, these powerful adventurers spent their afternoon and evening preparing for the three-day backcountry adventure that they’ll partake in tomorrow. Sounds like a day to be proud of!
Pacific Coast (PC)
It was quite the day for PC! This crew is quickly becoming unstoppable, demonstrated by their 20-mile ride through the quaint Oregonian countryside today. They quenched their thirst for adventure with their ride into Bandon, OR, and they’re quivering with excitement for tomorrow’s ride, when they’ll get to see even more quintessential Oregon scenery. All in all, it was a pretty high quality day!
Alaska Mountains & Coast A (AKMCA)
Believe it or not, it really is AKMCA’s last full day together! This ridiculously wonderful crew started their day in transit, routing to Anchorage and getting to regard Alaska’s refreshing scenery along the way. Once in Anchorage, the rugged group spent the afternoon exploring the city and finding souvenirs to return home with. These rockstars will be rewarded with a final dinner out in the city tonight before resting up for their big day of travel tomorrow!
Plus, some extra photos from yesterday’s glacier expedition!
Alaska Mountains & Coast B (AKMCB)
AKMCB is still making the most of their short time together, even on their last full day! They started the morning in Anchorage, skipping on over to Dave Rose Park to do a park clean-up for community service with Anchorage Parks and Recreation. After sitting down for a tasty lunch, the group set their sights on the city of Anchorage for an afternoon of touring around town and taking in their last day together. Tonight, they’ll treat themselves to a final dinner out before tomorrow’s goodbyes!
Alps Explorer A (AXA)
What an unforgettable day for AXA! This unstoppable crew left Zermatt behind today and headed to the less-urban town of Fiesch for an ultimately awesome day hike. After their hike, this anything-but-unathletic group rallied for a very energetic game of volleyball! See below for a portrait of the victorious team. Tomorrow, this valiant bunch will venture to Aletsch Glacier for a glacier hike!
Alps Explorer B (AXB)
Wow! What a day for AXB! This workhorse team left Zermatt behind this morning and went to the wonderful city of Martigny for a day of working to resupply, get laundry done, and overall prepare for tomorrow’s wildly exciting beginning of the Tour du Mont Blanc. We’re rooting for you, AXB! Send plenty of wicked good pictures!
Europe Coast to Coast 1 (ECC1)
(We’re going to have to cheat with this one a bit, but blog writing isn’t an exact science, so that’s okay.) What an excellent day to be a part of the ECC1 extravaganza! This crew cruised through their penultimate (!!!) day of riding today, coasting 48 miles through the extraordinary Italian countryside. They even found some extra time to cool off in a swimming hole! Tomorrow, they’ll execute their last day of riding: 61 miles into Venice!
Europe Coast to Coast 2 (ECC2)
Yippee!! ECC2 only has two days of riding left! You know they’re just yearning for that sweet view of Venice, but they’re not there quite yet! Today, these young cyclists pedaled through 58 miles of the wide open yonder that is the Italian countryside. They finished their many yards of riding at a wonderful lakeside camp in the town of Caldonazzo. You’re almost there, ECC2!
Pyrenees Mountains and Coast (PMC)
This PMC trip really zipped by! This zealous group spent their last full day together today, beginning with transit back to the zestful city of Barcelona. Once in the city, the crew took the time to explore and soak up their last minutes together, determined to leave the trip with zero regrets. Even though they’ve been in the zone as far as hiking goes, I’m sure they’ll be happy for the comforts of their hostel!
