Oh, hey there, everybody. It’s Chad back in the blogging saddle as our perma-guest blogger, Sam Tripp, takes a couple of well-deserved days off. If you know him, or if you just like the way the lad blogs, be sure to wish him a very happy 20th birthday on our Facebook page! In any case, I apologize to those of you who wish I had stayed in semi-retirement — this entry, and tomorrow’s, are likely to be full of the same tired jokes and bad puns you’ve grown accustomed to over the years….
Alright, disclaimers, caveats, and apologies aside, let’s make the rounds, my friends! (Pictures are below a group’s entry.)
CI: Shannon, Drew, and Co. are loving life on Martha’s Vineyard, and the mayo tells you it’s true! Well, they were earlier today. Now, they’re loving life on Nantucket. (Should you choose, you can insert the joke about cable-knit sweaters and popped collars here.)
VM: When I spoke with Pat as they were grocery shopping earlier today, I asked about group morale. He asked the whole group and they responded very positively, much to the chagrin of their fellow shoppers, at jet engine levels. Even with a rubbing brake, they cruised into camp in record time today and are now enjoying a post-ride dip. Here are several of the crew looking decidedly groovy on one of several lakeshores earlier today.
CQA: Nick and Susie’s group absolutely crushed their miles today — getting into Wiscasset by 10:00 AM! Great scot! They enjoyed a beautiful day in the aptly-named Prettiest Little Village in Maine. We got this shot of them as they rode by the office here in Brunswick this morning.
CQB: Mia and Alex’s group enjoyed a day ride around Freeport today — they’ll head downeast tomorrow. They sent this shot from their roadside snack stop this morning, before the afternoon trip to the LL Bean flagship store.
DEX: Speaking of Downeast, Kelly and Garth’s Downeast Explorers enjoyed a superb morning for their first mini-hike. This shows them on top of Mt. Battie outside of Camden earlier today. As I type, they’re making their way down to Stonington. They’ll shove off on their three-day kayaking adventure tomorrow morning.
CMC: Our other hiking trip in the field at the moment, California Mountains & Coast, is just getting started in Los Angeles today. With two more airport arrivals expected, these guys are hanging out for a spell (“spell” – get it? Man, I’m good.) in baggage claim. We have not heard whether there have been any Lady Gaga, Spice Girls, or Kobe Bryant sightings, but eyes are peeled! These guys are headed straight for coast as soon as all students and bags have been collected and will be off on their own two-night kayaking adventure in the Channel Islands starting tomorrow. David Hasselhof and the Baywatch crew may be there, too. We’re not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
CSA: Our first Caribbean Service Adventure got started today, as well. These guys are on their way to their rainforest hideway in their newly-named Surf Ninja van. They’re about to find out just how loud tree frogs can be at night….
PCA: McKayla and Micah are coming into some of the most beautiful territory on the Oregon coast – a land of Seussian rock structures delicately placed in the surf. The rocks, the beach, and the endless beauty goes a long way to take one’s mind off the size of a lot of the hills….
PCB: Hannah and Shem’s crew are sweeping up behind McKayla and Micah – spirits are very high as they crush the hills. You can see their swagger as they walked to the beach last night here…
TSA: Our third trip that got started today is sadly pictureless. Just so you know, getting pictures from Italy will be an “every few days” process, as Laura and Pat are not able to text pictures to us from their cellphones. It does, however, mean that they’re likely to have fancy, real-camera shots to share. In any case, we just heard from them — the group is settled into their digs, eating real Italian pasta and spending their first night together in Italy looking at Assisi nestled on the hillside above them. The sound of vespers wafted down to them from the monasteries as the birds sang in the cypresses. Not a bad introduction to Bella Italia. That said, they’re so tired after their overnight flights that some of the Keatsian beauty may be lost on them at the moment.
MSA: Way out in Big Sky Country, Addie and Josh’s dynamos crushed their mileage, too. They’re into camp early and sent this great shot of the group digging life on the road on the high prairie.
ACC1: David and Anna’s group put down about two gallons of water and 5,000 calories today — each. This fueled them as they cruised through the southern heat into Forsyth, GA today. No picture from them by press time, but imagine some very sweaty young adults in now dirty biking garb and you’ve pretty much got it!
Hold the press – this just in (as is the report that they made it to today’s camp in record time. Apogee is like this summer’s heat indices – records are falling all over the place…) – and they don’t look nearly like as bad as I described.
ACC2: Mike and Danika’s group just reported that they have arrived in camp as of about 3:30. They’re unstoppable, people! They sent this shot of the gang at their first state line earlier today. Well, only seven more to go!
