A Great Cycle Ride and Ferry To Block Island for the New England Shore Trekkers

Right now we are sitting by the fire roasting s'mores--the best way to end a long bike ride! Our biking adventure today started with a knock on the hotel bedroom door at 6:45 in the morning. At first we were not too excited about the early wake up,  but when the smell of the fresh waffles and muffins came through the door from the continental breakfast, everyone was very eager to get up. After the yummy breakfast we headed out on a long journey of 38 miles (61.2 km--it's a Canadian thing). In the afternoon we arrived at the ferry dock to head to Block Island. All of us were ready for a nap, but we knew we still had a short journey ahead. We got onto the ferry and embarked on a turbulent journey. As the waves hurtled towards the boat the large ferry bumped up and down through the churning water. We rode our bikes from the ferry boat to the campsite and started to make our homemade sloppy joe dinner. Now we are sharing funny stories and bonding together by the fire. All of us are really excited to adventure Block Island tomorrow and enjoy the rest of the trip. We all send our love the our families back at home. :) 

Written by Trekker Meagan 

Pacific Northwest Trekkers Enjoy the Simple Beauty Experienced on a Bike

As we unzipped our tents we were greeted by the chilly morning air that hung with a crisp scent of pine, a fragrance that never seems to loose its appeal.  Beneath the dense canopy we readied our gear for the day. Foot by foot, mile by mile, we made our way north through the flat farmlands; a sea of grasses who's boundaries were only limited by our imagination. Along our route sat quaint towns filled with good food and friendly people, however, I was always most excited when the urban streets gave way and led us into the farmlands. Distant mountains that seemed to simply arise from the horizon surrounded us in all directions, but as we rode through the countryside the road remained flat as can be. 

It was an odd feeling; always longing for roads that never seemed to end, and scenery as constant as one can imagine, but it was how I and many others felt. The extreme simplicity was what I think made it most appealing, and I absolutely think there is a lessen to be learned here.

As humans, we all united, no matter your race nor religion, gender nor age, in the relentless search for happiness. In today's world, where hate and anger are no novelties, the trick is knowing were to look. For myself and several of my teammates, the simplistic roads were some of the most enjoyable and meaningful. The easygoing houses encompassed by miles of fields is a memory
I will remember forever. When this trip comes to an end, I can only hope that I can continue to find honest happiness in places I would've never thought to look before. 

Blog post written by Trekker Peter!

Relaxing Day in Portland for the Maine Coast Trekkers

We had a much needed rest day in Portland today. The day began with sleeping in and a huge breakfast at the hotel! After lounging around in the morning we took off and walked through the beautiful city! Our first stop was at a local farmers market for fresh strawberries and then we wandered around the cobbled streets in Portland's Old Port district. We feasted on Indian food for lunch and then caught up on laundry, showers, and rest to gear up for our next days of biking! We ended the day with a moonlight ferry ride around Casco Bay, where we meandered through small islands guided by starlight and the distant glow of the city.

Long But Easy Biking for the Pacific Northwest Trekkers

We left our campsite at Moran State Park and headed to the ferry terminal. After the ferry ride, we biked along surprisingly flat terrain for about 30 miles to the campsite at Larrabee State Park. Today we biked a total of roughly 48 miles.

Trekker Alex wrote this blog post

Maine Coast Trekkers are Living Well

Tuesday morning we packed up camp and ate a fast  breakfast knowing we had warm beds and showers waiting for us in Portland at the hotel.  After making a quick stop at the beach to walk along the foggy shore we got on the road.  It was one of the most scenic routes we  took so far with the majority of the miles spent on forest paths.  The light sprinkles were much needed for cooling us off and a good contrast from the hot sunny previous days. We stopped many times along the path to admire the view from bridges and to sit and rest in the grass.  After unloading at the hotel we took the Portland city bus to get a huge feast of Mexican food to celebrate a wonderful day of biking.  We decided to walk back to the hotel to see a little more of Portland before going to bed.  It was another great day.

New England Shore Trekkers Visit Mystic Seaport

Today we woke up at 7:00 am and we packed up in record time. We biked 20 miles and there were a lot of hills and a lot of down hills. I was the point today and it was fun. I got to navigate and find the way to our next destination. We bought food and ate lunch at Mystic Seaport. After lunch
we walked around Mystic Seaport, which was an old time shipbuilding port now turned into a museum. We toured one of the old whaling ships and saw a lot of buildings (52 if I'm correct) that showed the different work that used to be done there. My favorite part was going into the old pharmacy and seeing a demo of how pills used to be made by the pharmacists. After Mystic Seaport we biked a mile to the hotel (thank God there were no more hills) and checked in. I was excited to see a real bed and a minifridge. We unloaded our bikes and rode back into downtown Mystic and got some pizza at Mystic Pizza, which a movie is named after. The pizza was amazing and I ate 5 slices. Later we went swimming in the hotel pool. When we got out there were no towels but the front desk worker gave us towels that he personally warmed up and folded for us. Mmm fancy. Tomorrow we have the biggest bike ride in human history  (38 miles) to Block Island.
Written by Chris

Pacific Northwest Trekkers Enjoy Orcus Island

We all woke up to the screeching sound of the blackbird, even before the Warden of the North could shake our tents and wake us up. Breakfast was a little different this time around as Mary suggested that we add some yogurt and granola to our diets. The strong, bonded group split up today for the first time. There were those that wanted a relaxing day kayaking on the lake and those who wanted a challenge to take the 2000+ foot climb to the top of Mount Constitution. The small group who choose to climb made the right decision, vistas of mountains and peaks that are invaluable. Today was a magical day.

Written by Trekker Oliver

Maine Coast Trekkers Breeze Through New Hampshire and into Maine

Today we got out of camp a little early and rode on beautiful backroads through the streets of New Hampshire. We wound around windy roads with many hills. We took these roads until we reached Portsmouth, NH. We had some time to chillout and check out the pretty town. After lunch, we took a bridge that put us in Maine. We kept riding through many small towns and stopped to get ice cream along the way. We finished our ride and arrived at the campground. Today was an awesome day!

Written by Trekker Zach

A Sandy Day for the New England Shore Trekkers

Today we traveled a hefty distance of 29 miles from Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, CT to Rocky Neck State Park. The day started off with a sandy but magnificent breakfast on the beach. Everyone ended up taking a morning swim in the ocean to keep cool during the day. The first stop on our bike excursion was at a pawn shop where we looked over the many trinkets and Max bought a guitar. Following the shop, we got beachy donuts that were ah-mazing, ate delectable ice cream and had lunch outside of Shop Rite. We continued to travel to many quaint Connecticut towns and crossed some super cool bridges. A few flat tires and hard hills later we arrived at our campsite and began to get settled down for the night. Tonight we will also hopefully be visiting the beach!!!!
Written by Eva, featuring a few adjectives courtesy of Victor

Maine Coast Trekkers on the Beach

Today was an amazing day along the road! We began our morning with a quick breakfast at Cape Anne and then started heading north. Our first stop brought us to Ipswitch, Massachusettes, a town rich in history! We stopped at the Visitors Center for a quick snack and then biked around town looking at all the historical buildings. The oldest we found was from 1652!

After our historical tour of Ipswitch, we headed to Newburyport for lunch and ended at Tidewaters Campground early so we could head to the beach! We biked a couple hours to Hampton Beach where we spent the rest of our afternoon swimming, sunning, people watching and, of course, ice cream eating.  We laughed a lot, ate a lot, and enjoyed each others company a lot! We are excited to head up to Maine tomorrow and see what the future brings!

NEW ENGLAND SHORE TREK: First Day

The New England Shore Trekkers began a 16 day, 300+ mile ride from Guilford, CT to Boston, MA.  Over the next 2+ weeks the group will cycle through Mystic, CT, Block Island, Newport, RI, Providence, RI, onto Cape Cod, Provincetown, and Boston.  They met early this morning at Bryant Park in Manhattan and took a MetroNorth train to Guilford.  After several games to get to know one-another and a talk about bike safety the group biked 8+ miles to Hammonassett State Park where they will camp for the night.

Trekkers in the Pacific Northwest Bike the Islands of the Puget Sound

Amid the foggy morning mist and the wild bunnies around our tents, the second day of biking began. After hastily disassembling our tents, enjoying a breakfast of fruit and sandwiches, we packed our bikes and hit the road. Many miles separated us from our camp the coming night, so Spencer and I lead the pack at a quick clip. As we made our way north, the terrain underwent many changes. Before we knew it the rugged mountains that were blanketed with towering trees gave way to rolling feilds through which we made great time. For lunch, we enjoyed, like breakfast, an assortment of fruit and sandwiches at the beautiful Meerkirk Gardens overlooking the Puget Sound. Afterwards, we rode along the coastal roads before making it to our campsite at Deception Pass State Park located in northern Whidbey Island 49.3 miles from our starting point.
Written by Trekker Peter

Maine Coast Trekkers Cycle the Beautiful Gloucester, MA Area

Saturday, our second day of biking began at Harold Parker State Forest in Massachusetts.  We  biked down peaceful paths in the morning along perfect mirrored lakes.  It was a 30 mile ride and we lucked out with the weather.  It was a beautiful day.  We stopped and had pizza for lunch and found a good swimming spot in Essex once we got near our destination for the day, Cape Ann Campgrounds.  There were a few hills to trek up but they always led to awesome downhill coasting and everyone had lots of fun. We ate a huge dinner and for desert made pancakes. We finished the day bonding around the camp fire roasting marshmallows
.

Trekking Around Historic Lowell for Maine Coast Trekkers

Our first day trekking was fabulous! After meeting everybody in Portal Park in Boston, we took the commuter train to Lowell. Our train ride was filled with laughter and jokes and by the time we reached Lowell, we already started to feel a little bit more like a family. In Lowell, we cruised around looking at historic buildings and learning about the rich history of the city from locals who had many stories to share. After enjoying a grand lunch in Lowell, we headed to Harold Parker State Forest where we set up camp for the night. The ride was on quiet and beautiful roads and we got our first taste of the many hills to come. We were met by much kindness along the way and are excited to see what adventures come next!

Biking is a Blast for Pacific Northwest Trekkers

First day of biking was a blast. We started the day with a breakfast at the hostel and headed out biking through Seattle towards the islands. After lunch, we pushed through some tough hills and rewarded ourselves with ice cream on the ferry on the way to Whidbey Island, where we are camping with horses and bunnies for the night!

Blog post written by Grace

MAINE COAST TREK: First Day

Excited Trekkers met at Boston's North Station early today to begin a 16 day, 400+ mile ride north through Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.  To bypass riding through Boston streets the group took an MTA train to Lowell. There they will get to know one another, talk about bike safety before exploring this city's Industrial Revolution past.  Finally they will bike 15 miles to their campsite at Harold Parker State Forest.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST TREK- First Day

Trekkers from across the US met in Seattle this morning to begin their 450+ mile biking adventure around Washington State and British Columbia.  The group will spend today exploring Seattle and tomorrow head north to the many islands in the Puget Sound.  In the days ahead the group will bike the San Juan Islands, hike Mt. Constitution, visit Vancouver and Victoria B.C., bike and hike in Olympic National Park, and end with another day in Seattle.

Leader Training Program 2016

On Sunday new and returning Teen Treks trip leaders finished their extensive training program that included bike safety, bike mechanics, nutrition, first aid, camping equipment, emergency procedures, trip logistics, group dynamics, and group games,   We also biked several days in Canada and New York State that was beautiful.

Assembling bicycles

Swimming across the old Welland Canal

Bike Mechanics

Welcome New Trip Leader: AIMEE

Happy summer, everyone! I can't wait to start biking! My name is Aimee and I'm from Buffalo, NY. I am a graduate student at SUNY Fredonia, where I study music. I'm really looking forward to getting to know all of you and seeing the country over the next couple of months. I've gone camping all over western New York and Canada, but it will be great to travel by bike, rather than car. Other than biking, my favorite summer activities are swimming, playing my flute, reading outside, and playing with my bunny. The past few years, I spent my summers teaching swim lessons and working as a camp counselor. This year will be fun—see you soon!

Welcome New Trip Leader: EVAN

Hello Teen Trekkers!  I’m Evan from Buffalo, NY.  I’m excited to get on the road with a great group of other people who share my passion for bike adventuring! Biking is my favorite- when I moved to Brooklyn for a year my bike helped introduced me to the fast-paced, diverse environment of New York City. I love nature and being outdoors, swimming, dancing, playing musical instruments, photography, film making, drawing, cooking, writing in dream journals and working with animals (and of course, people!).  I’ve traveled to Greece, the Czech Republic, Austria, Mexico, Germany, Canada and all across the United States. I’ve worked with kids of all ages, doing art and violin lessons.  I most recently taught through the Buffalo String Works, a non-profit organization for refugees in Buffalo. I can’t wait to start my trip and be fully immersed in the outdoors in the heart of the summer! I love the feeling of riding on a bike because it’s almost like having your own horse J and it enables you to get the best view of your surroundings, especially in the sun! I live to see new places passing by while on a bike- it feels like you’re on top of the world, gives you a new perspective, and keeps you’re body healthy and moving.  Let’s do it!