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Another remarkable Teen Treks summer has come and gone!

Another amazing adventure filled summer has come to an end! Yet again this summer we bicycled together up and down hills, along scenic seaside bicycle paths, through pastoral valleys, along old rail lines re-purposed as tree lined bicycle paths, and on roads next to pastures of sun bathing cows - all the while reveling in the spontaneity of adventure travel.

This year we traveled to some truly iconic sites abroad!

And some sites that aren't quite as far from home.

We had some sur-prisingly scenic roadside snack breaks

So many rocking beach days!

And some pretty memorable campfires.

We learned to balance each other's personalities

And built something out of the new friendships we created.

We also learned about local history, visited art museums, ate ice cream to cool down on those unbearably hot and humid summer days, visited farms, explored national and state parks, wandered through country antique stores, visited iconic big city landmarks, and relaxed on beautiful beaches from the Dutch coast, Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario and the California Coast. 

Not all kids can say they've accomplished so much in such a short amount of time, but our Trekkers sure can!Please share with your friends and extended family the awesomeness of bike travel and invite them to join a Teen Treks!  Our trip schedule for summer 2020 will be out soon and in the meantime be sure to rest up before next summer's adventure!

NY-Montreal Trekkers last day in Montreal

Today we woke up and ventured to the famous St-Viateur Bagel Shop (Montreal style bagels) for breakfast. We then dined in a nearby park next to ducks. We continued on to Marche Jean Talon where we tried a beet drink, husk cherries, sour cherries, churros, and apples, while Liam serenaded us on one of the public pianos. We then rode to St. Catherine St. to walk the pedestrian-only streets and explored the shops. With the outside temperature rising, we went indoors to the Montreal Science Center to learn fun facts about spiders, the human body, physics and other things- your body has 1.2 kg of bacteria in it (Adam); I watched a black widow eat it's husband (Liam); I learned about centrifical force (Noah); I learned about the disorienting effects of curved mirrors (Erik): I learned that spiders float on a strand of web and it's called a ballooning (David); I learned that the small intestine is 30ish feet long (Yael). We regrouped for a snack break and some ice cream (14 days of daily ice cream and we're still going strong!). We walked around the waterfront to get some bus snacks and then went to dinner. Later, we gathered our gear and headed to the bus station where we packed bikes and said farewell to Erik on his journey home. We're excited to explore New York tomorrow!

Mont Royal high for the NY-Montreal Trekkers

Today we woke up in our hostel and enjoyed a relaxing breakfast. We headed out on bike towards Mont Royal and cruised through Montreal on the awesome bike paths. We had empanadas at the bottom of the mountain and then biked to the top. We flew up the gravel route, excited to have bikes without any gear! We had a photoshoot near the cafe overlooking the city and then coasted down the mountain. We then ventured towards our lunch spot and ate delicious poutine (as rated by Liam: 10 out of 10 for taste, 7 out of 10 for wait, and 0 out of 10 for presentation because it was just on the plate) and burgers. We then visited St. Catherine St where we dined on root beer floats at A&W. We then wished farewell to Millie on her journey home, and the rest of the group took a siesta. Later, we had a picnic by the water and watched people zipline as the sun set.

We're missing you Millie! "Cuddi, that dinner really be hitting different without one of the turtles in our flock."

Montreal and poutine as NY-Montreal Trekkers reach their goal!

Today we woke up from our campsite and started our day with morning S'mores (and cereal and milk!). We left the campground and stopped at a nearby Tim Hortons (which was delicious) before continuing on our route. We biked through towns, over a bridge, and onto a bike path where we could see incredible views of Montreal. We followed the bike path along the river and finally arrived in Montreal (we made it!!). We explored the Old Port of Montreal and walked along the cobblestone streets in search of poutine. We finally found some at Poutine Fest and got to try the famous Canadian treat (as rated below by Millie). We walked along the river and ate more treats and eventually made our way back to the hostel. We're excited to continue exploring the city tomorrow!

Poutine as rated by Millie: 5 out of 10. Poutine is a little overrated. There was too much salt and the gravy was too strong, but the cheese curds were good! French fries were medium.

NY-Montreal Trekkers cross into Canada

Today we woke up and dined on pancakes before continuing our ride north. We biked through small towns and along the water, and eventually crossed the border into Canada. We stopped at a local grocery store for lunch and ate sandwiches in a nearby park. After another short 10-mile ride, we arrived at our awesome campground for the night. We slid down a huge waterslide into the lake (rated as a 7 out of 10 by Erik, and there will be a video of the slide published soon) and then played basketball in the outdoor pool. Later, we cooked and ate dinner under a pavilion as some evening rain set in.We're excited to arrive in Montreal and begin exploring the city tomorrow!

Today we woke up in our hotel and ventured into Burlington to dine on extraordinary Vermont bagels. We then continued through town to a nearby beach for a relaxing beach day, as rated below by Noah. We swam and then ate lunch in Lake Champlain. Later, we journeyed on a causeway, which led to our first ferry of the day. We soon arrived at Grand Isle, VT where we could finally taste the famous Vermont maple creemee (soft serve ice cream). It was delicious! Everyone enjoyed the petting zoo outside of the shop too. After a second ferry, we arrived at our campground where we went swimming and ate dinner. We're excited to begin our adventure in Quebec tomorrow!

Waterfront Park, VT, as rated by Noah:
Style: 7
Variety: 4
Taste: Sandy
Quality: 9
Location: 10
Accessibility: 3
Weather: 8
Quantity: 7
Final rating: 7

Vermonster overwhelms the NY-Montreal Trekkers

Today we left our campground and biked through the Vermont landscape in search of a Vermontster (a bucked of Ben & Jerry's ice cream with 20 scoops of ice cream and unlimited toppings). We ate lunch outside of a library and continued our route through the rolling hills and beautiful farmland into Burlington. After unpacking our gear at a hotel, we took the bus into town to walk around Church St. and mentally prepare for the greatest ice cream challenge we will face this trip. We entered Ben & Jerry's and began our quest to conquer the Vermontster. Mission complete in 12 just minutes! Below is a review, as rated by Adam. Afterwards, we walked around Burlington, ate dinner, then returned to the hotel to relax before continuing our adventure North tomorrow!

The Vermontster:

Taste- solid 8 

Quantity- 8.5 (I thought there would be more)

Toppings- 9 (gummy bears were a bad choice, they slowed us down and we couldn't get through the bucket as fast as we'd have liked)

Service- 9

Location- 10 

Smell- 10

Quality- 9

Flavors- 9

Apoapsis of the day would definitely be the Vermontster. 

NY-Montreal Trekkers enjoys beautiful Lake Champlain

Today we woke in Half Moon Pond State Park and found a free-range chicken roaming the campground. We started our uphill trek and soon met some glorious downhills too. Erik reached a top speed of 59.5 kph (36.8mph) on one of the many grades. David found us some blueberries and cheese curds from a nearby farm stand. The cheese curds didn't "squeak" so according to David they were not the highest quality, but they were still really good. We then continued on and stopped for lunch behind a public school, enjoying the views and playing on the playground. Once we arrived at the campsite, we went swimming in Lake Champlain. We came back to our site to make a dinner of burritos and ate a dessert of mint fudge cookies. We had a photoshoot with a double rainbow that was above the campground, then went back to the lake to hang out and watch the sunset.

NY-Montreal Trekkers have long bike day into Vermont

Today we woke up early to get started on our long 48 mile ride. We left camp right as the clouds were clearing and we hopped onto a bike trail. The trail took us through forests and fields as we passed through New York and Vermont farmland. We took a lunch break siesta where we ate sandwiches and relaxed in the grass. We continued on towards our campsite and biked through some brief rain into town. Some of the group went grocery shopping while others made a quick visit to a bike shop. Later, we arrived at our first Vermont campsite where we feasted on stir fry. We're excited to continue our ride through Vermont tomorrow!

Graduation day for Maine Coast Trekkers

Maine Coast Trekkers with bikes packed in black bike bags for bus trip to Boston

Graduation day is finally here. We rode our final 30 miles into Bangor and have officially completed the trekking portion of our adventure. The rest of the day was made up of a relaxing round of laundry, hotel lobby computer minesweeper sessions, and a thorough scrubbing of the dirt and bike grease from our highly conditioned, finely tuned, and smelly bodies. For dinner we explored a bit of downtown Bangor and found an Irish pub where we could eat soda bread and play team trivia against the locals. We came in a respectable 4th place and are now making our final preparations for the bus ride back to Boston in the morning. It looks like the short ride to the station will also be our first ride of the trip in the rain. We would have been disappointed if we’d missed out on that opportunity so it’s nice to see that the weather is finally coming around.



See ya soon

Hilliest day for NY-Montreal Trekkers

Today we left the hotel early because we had forecasted rain. We left the city and immediately encountered a lot of uphills, which we would keep on encountering today with very few downhill portions. We had lunch next to a horse field. After a particularly nasty set of uphill sections, we had a "coasting contest" (aka we bike safely down a very large hill to see who could go the farthest before they had to pedal). Noah won, although I managed to break my own speed record at 56.4kph (34.84mph). Adam managed to do the same as well. We biked through Cambridge to the campground. We hung around, played a few card games, had S'mores, and then went to bed.

Maine Coast Trekkers riding with an extra pump in their pedal!

The road from Acadia back to Balsam Cove Campground was good to us. With more downhill than climbing, we soared southbound, just one day closer to the trip’s end.

Spirits were high and the group seem to be riding with an extra pump in their pedal. An afternoon stop at a homemade ice cream joint beckoned us forward. Flavors like wild Maine blueberry, coffee heath bar and cookie butter dripped over fresh waffle cones as we took shade from the blaring ball of sunshine.

The miles went by fast. When an Ellsworth thrift shop caught our eye, we rested our bikes and took advantage of ample linger time, collecting funky gear like anime stickers, bucket hats, catchy t-shirts and rare cd’s, you know, non- essential junk that only the creative eye can treasure.

In the spirit of summer and dwindling days together, we partook in our second round of ice cream for the day. Dockside, at our home for the night, one spoon was full of Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia, the other swarmed through a pint of Chocolate Fudge.

Belly’s almost full, it was time to prepare a supper made with local Maine red potatoes and home grown zucchini’s from the same farmers market stand that Trekker Katie purchased bamboo toilet paper. Hot dogs rounded off the meal and nourished five continuously hungry bikers.

Tomorrow is our last day on the road. The crew longs for warm showers, clean clothes, a comfy bed and a delicious meal out. It’s amazing all the small things that stir such appreciation after an arduous outdoor adventure. We’ll tell you how satisfying it all is once we get there!

NY-Montreal Trekkers' marathon day in Albany

Today we woke up well-rested from our hotel sleep, and enjoyed a glorious breakfast buffet. We had a day to explore all Albany has to offer! We toured the NY State Capitol, feasted on local donuts and then traveled vertically to the observation deck of Corning Tower to see the city from above. We ventured to the New York State Museum where we learned about the history of the state, rode a carousel, ate lunch, and then returned to the hotel to go swimming. Later, we wrote postcards (keep an eye on the mail in the next few days!) and got Thai food to eat while we watched opening night of Disney's Newsies. Everyone enjoyed the musical, and we're excited to bike again tomorrow!

Up with the sun the Maine Coast Trekkers explore Acadia N.P.

As the trip goes on, each day brings us new sets of challenges, experiences, and opportunities to explore both ourselves and the world as we move through it. We have made new friends, seen new places, and eaten more frozen dairy than we ever thought we could have. These days have been special. So to show our gratitude and appreciation for these special people, places, views, and moments, we decided to wake up early this morning and give a warm thank you to the warm one that has made this all possible for us.

Since the fiery life giving orb in the sky has been waiting to greet us each and every morning with adventure and opportunity, we wanted to return the favor by hosting our own little celestial salutation of sorts. We wanted to be there for the Sun in the same way that it’s been there for us, waiting with open arms and a warm and loving, “good morning” to help it start its own North American adventure of the day. In order to do so, we had to start our pagan party at about 4 am. Even these most eastern lands still lie in darkness at that time. We activated our tiny star imitation devices and made our way to the top of the nearest mountain, where any good ceremony, pagan or otherwise, should be taking place. We summited Gorham Mountain about 10 minutes before the sun crested it’s beautiful orange face over the eastern islands that sit on the horizon and patiently waited for our good friend to show up to the party. Until the moment that the Sun actually rises, the sky just looks like a glowing bowl of orange sherbet while the rest of the land beneath it continues to sit in a sort of blue darkness. When it shows up though, everything starts to glow. It’s like we’re all sitting in that giant bowl of sherbet together.

It was a pretty neat way to start our last full day in Acadia. It also just feels good to know that you climbed a mountain before the sun came up. What else will we be able to accomplish in future early mornings once we all go our separate ways? Basically what I’m saying is that the best case version of our pagan ritual has inspired us all to be the best that we can be. We had quite the productive morning.

As our own celebration of all that we did and can now accomplish in the future, we decided to have a nice group nap in the early afternoon. What better way to show our continued gratitude for the Sun’s all giving rays than to sleep the day away. Following the nap though, we decided to hit the (literal) old dusty trails that run all through the Park. The wide crushed gravel carriage roads used to be used by New England’s landed elite as they explored the islands where they were summering. They’ve since been upgraded to being used by dirty children on bicycles. The Tri-Lake Loop was about a 20 mile ride and it was filled with views of mountainsides and bright blue lakes.

Now the day is done and the Sun has left us once more. We’ve eaten beans and dogs and are warming up cinnamon rolls by the fire. Early to rise and early to bed as we prepare for another day on the road with our good friend the Sun.

NY-Montreal Trekkers reach Albany

We started our day by waking up, in what was basically a sauna (aka our tents in direct sunlight). Then we made breakfast and ate on a porch. After that we biked to Stewart's for some ice cream. Stewart's receives a 6 out of 10 for style because it wasn't styled like an ice cream shop, it was more like a Cumberland Farms. Taste was an 8 out of 10. Variety of ice cream was an 8. Accommodations/seating was a 5 (not very many seats). Location is an 8 (because it was not at the bottom of massive hill). Overall, the shop received a pretty good review, warm recommendation to all, especially if you need gas. On a massive hill sometime after, Erik hit a group record speed of 50.3 kph (31 mph), surpassing Adam's record of 28.7 mph. We ended up eating lunch outside of a library (or liberry). After that we were halfway to Albany when Liam dropped his milk carton and everyone immediately stopped to pick it up. We arrived at the Holiday Inn Express and went to the pool, and then we decided to allocate more time to the showers so Liam had to shower after dinner. Then we went out to the laundromat. Then we after that we got pizza. Overall, the apoapsis for today is that we will be sleeping in an air conditioned room, and today's periapsis was getting scolded in the library. Overall a pretty good day, was mostly met with a warm reception.
-->Teen Thrifter Adam

Cape Cod Trekkers' hilly last cycling day

We started out with a very hilly street out of Myles Standish State Forest. We then continued onto Market Street, which took  us to Plymouth Rock and museum which we explored for about 1 hour before leaving to do some miles by the bay before arriving at Dunkin’ Donuts for a pre lunch snack-while still about 10 miles from lunch. After biking 12 miles we arrived at the restaurant “Station 8” for a delicious lunch, and then to Star market for ice cream and dinner supplies. After biking another 15 miles, we arrived at Wompatuck Campground and biked into our campsite, K9. After completing 36.8 miles of extreme up hills and what felt like no downhills or flats, we were exhausted and chilled while eating dinner and s’mores, and then ended the day off with a cool, nice night.
-Trekker Cully


P.S. from Trip Leader Cara: we’ve seen SO much improvement in this group, mentally and physically. Everyone is super strong and busting out hills like it’s nothing (with only minor complaints now). In the beginning, everyone was so opposed to getting ice cream from a grocery store vs. an ice cream shop, now it has become such a normal and part of our routine that we buy mostly everything from groceries stores (although we have eaten out a few times). Also, we’ve really become a cohesive group with a bunch of inside jokes and run-on games going (“contact” has become our favorite distraction). Tonight, while roasting s’mores by the fire, we were all loudly giggling, making silly jokes, and teasing each other. Feeling really bittersweet about leaving tomorrow!

Maine Coast Trekkers summit mountain in Acadia N.P.

It was a nice, relaxing morning at the Blackwoods Campgrounds. We had several bowls of honey comb cereal, delicious hot coffee, a little relax-and-read time underneath the towering pine trees. The crisp morning air, fresh from the ocean breeze, added a nice touch to a calm morning.

When the sun was high and our feet were eager, we hit the magical Acadia trails and summited Gorham Mountain. Clouds all around us, birds swooping by, we pulled out our books and snacks for the most scenic picnics of all of time. The beautiful Mount Desert Island peninsulas stretched into the water, creating beachy coves. The Sand Beach was within our site from the top of Gorham Mountain, so we ventured onward ‘til our toes hit the sand.

Trekker Max’s immediate reaction to the beach arrival was to build the world’s largest hole. He dug and dug until his feet hit seaweed and water below. A young boy passing by was intrigued by the Grand Canyon of Sand Beach, so the boys decided to let us bury them neck-down. Many giggles were shared as the two wiggled and wiggled their way out of the sand.

Tonight, we hit the hammocks and tents early, for an Acadian sunrise beckons our presence.

NY-Montreal Trekkers brake for fruit and vegetables

Today after waking up early, we made our way to a diner and ate breakfast. I had too many (cinnamon raisin) pancakes. And then we continued on to a small orchard and picked blueberries and got peaches. Then we went to a different farm and got more fruits and vegetables; we ate lunch there. We went to a book store and got funny postcards from Viet Nam (yes, the space is on purpose). Then we got more fruits and vegetables, and  rode undisturbed for a while until an ice cream place. Then we turned on to some really hilly, windy road to our next camping spot (the backyard of a friend of David).

Cape Cod Trekkers heading north towards Boston

After having a breakfast of granola bars and fruit, we left the Shawme Cromwell State P ark and went to cross the Sagamore bridge. We then went north on a very hilly road to for around 12 miles, with a stop at Shaw’s to fill water. Then we got lunch at The Market in Plymouth. After resting in a park next to the market for 3 hours we went back to buy hot dogs and veggie burgers for dinner.  We got to the campground entrance around 3:30, but still had to bike 6 miles to get to the actual campsites.  We then set up tents, some people went swimming, and then we cooked dinner.
-Trekker Cormac

Walkway Over the Hudson & FDR - A day in the life of NY-Montreal Trekkers

Today we woke up and ate a delish hotel breakfast with MANY waffles. We biked the Duchess Rail Trail to the Walkway Over the Hudson, where we crossed over the Hudson River on the famous pedestrian bridge. We ate lunch and continued our route North to the FDR house. After we walked through the museum, where we learned about D-Day and FDR's legacy, we went on a tour of his impressive house. We did a quick grocery shop to get food (and ice cream!) and continued to our campsite for the night. We're excited to continue our journey along the Hudson tomorrow!

Acadia at last for Maine Coast Trekkers

We made it to Acadia National Park!! The day we’ve long anticipated has finally arrived. With many miles and giant hills behind us, we feast on a overflowing plate of burritos and burst into random spouts of laughter, somewhat inspired by delirious exhaustion, mostly  spurred from gratitude of accomplishing the laborious journey to Acadia.

All the small moments stand out the most. Like the duck crossing sign stationed next to a walkway for passing ducks. Or the numerous occasions the word “Maine” has been used in punny business signs, like the Asian restaurant we passed today, called “Chow Maine.”

Each Trekker has their own strategy for entertaining their minds during long stints on hilly roads. Trekker Katie and Lily have been keeping track of passing license plates, aiming to see all the U.S states throughout the trip. You might also find Trekker Katie bursting out into song or humming along to a catchy tune in her head. Trekker Max is what we’d call a quiet climber, he puts his head down and races to the top, sometimes you’ll see him starting and stopping his stopwatch, perhaps perfecting the perfect hill ascent. Today Leaders Ben and Katie created catchy rhymes on the road, carefully crafting words into creative poems to share at water stops.

The giant trees and the distant stars tower overhead as heavy legs and dirty feet are happily tucked into sleeping bags for a well-deserved night of rest. There is so much to do in Acadia and the beautiful nature is inviting us in for times of rest, exploration and adventure in the coming days. We’ll let you know how it goes!

Sandwich for lunch for Cape Cod Trekkers

We got out pretty early today (8:30ish) and said goodbye to our luxurious camping resort. We started riding on a smooth bike trail that ended pretty abruptly, so we unanimously decided to get some donuts to console ourselves. After our treats, we took the less hilly (but more beachy) route to a beautiful ride down the Cape Cod Canal trail. We got into Sandwich pretty early (12:30pm) and we biked to Stop and Shop to get lunch supplies (you better believe we had sandwiches in Sandwich). We took our lunch to the campgrounds, where we hung out for a few hours playing various sports with borrowed gear and laughing at Weird Al Yankovic songs. After setting up our tents, we unloaded our gear and biked into town for dinner at a seafood restaurant. Everyone was happy not to cook! After dinner, we got ice cream and pet some super cute dogs while watching the sunset. Also, it’s worth mentioning that this crew LOVES playing card games with intensity—slamwich, BS, tongues, speed, palace, etc.—which we tend to do whenever we have down time.

Maine Coast Trekkers at Penobscott

We stared at our maps early this morning, mentally preparing ourselves for what seemed like a long and arduous day full of continuous roads and serious incline. Little did we expect the little adventures along the way that would make this day notable for more than just the miles behind us.

The day started out with a hiccup- not enough propane to percolate coffee... we fixed this real fast with a quick stop at the local coffee roasters, cozily tucked into a forested Maine cabin. Not far down the road we met a Russian bike tourist by the name of Igor. He was on the road for 7 months traveling all around the US and Canada. He joined us for a delicious lunch spread of seafood salad and warm baguettes and shared highlights from his journey on the road. We said our goodbyes and parted ways.

Later we found ourselves wandering through an Asian antique art and book shop somewhere along Route 1, in attempts to break the distance on a quite toasty, Maine day.

The best stop of the day was by far the Penobscot Bridge Observatory and Fort Knox State Park. The observatory towered over all the birds and mountains in all of Maine, we stared for miles at distant green scapes all around us, including Acadia, where budding thoughts stir our excitement for our arrival there tomorrow. We finished the night with Caribbean food from the most delicious food truck and a carton of cookie dough ice cream. We all lay beneath a blanket of stars, free of tents hindering our view of the many satellites passing over us. There is quite possibly no better way to end such an adventurous day than this.

Cape Cod Trekkers bike, swim, and golf in Falmouth

This morning we left what we thought was our favorite camp ground on Martha's Vineyard which we had stayed 2 nights at.  After catching the 9:30 ferry we landed in Woodshole and headed to our new home Falmouth.  The ferry let us off onto a wonderful bicycle path that was shaded by large trees then dropped us out right next to the ocean where we spent time skipping rocks while others studied them.  We pushed on to shop for lunch and then had a nice lunch on a shady lawn.  Just a few more miles brought us to our current location which has more amenities than all the campgrounds thus far.  We all played miniature golf.  Some swam in the pool.  Later we had taco's and watched the in house movie Dog Hotel.  We are grateful for the amazing dry weather and lack of  mosquitoes that we continue having

NY-Montreal Trekkers bike a beautiful stretch of the Hudson Valley

Today we woke up a little sweaty and bitten by mosquitos (#camplife) and ate oatmeal and biked to the grocery store. We biked, picniced at the park and talked about Australia and the great Emu war. Then we biked a really long downhill stretch, and the only working speedometer is in kilometers. We biked to the river for some ice cream, but then I saw the cutest dog ever and said hi. Meanwhile, the 4 guys were staring at a cow on the bathroom door. Wait, I was looking at it too. And then the bike ride started, a continuous uphill battle that got better when we rolled into the hotel. Then we went to the hotel pool and played like 4 hours of Marco Polo, then switched between the hot tub and the pool trying to get pnemonia (it didn't work).  Then we went to Walmart and I got all of the stuff I realized I needed for this trip (aka bike light, bike gloves... Still looking for bike shorts). We came back to the hotel and none of the room keys were working but it was because we mixed them all up. We're still trying to remember to eat the lettuce with our meal. Now we're watching cartoons and eating a bunch of weird cake flavors. Good night, see you tomorrow. -Trekker Millie

Mussels galore for Maine Coast bikers

The Atlantic coast has become progressively hillier as we travel Northeast but our progressively more massive quads were able to make short work of today’s ascents and we finished the ride quickly with plenty of time to relax at this evening’s campsite. Once we arrived and set up camp, we grabbed our belays and started the extremely technical descent down one of Maine’s many rocky/boulder/cliff/mountain beaches. Okay, it wasn’t actually so extreme but it definitely did involve both feet and hands. As an added bonus for our tenacity as shore-seeking rock climbers, we also happened to stumble upon a multitude of fresh mussels that we may have collected a few of on our way back to camp. Those allowed us to cook the most delicious meal in all of New England because gosh darn those mussels were tasty. 

Bon Appetit

Ride up Hudson River Valley for NY-Montreal Trekkers

Today we met at Dobbs Ferry in the morning and tried to maneuver our bikes into an elevator. We biked to a nearby grocery store and did some meal planning and grocery shopping. After a short ride on a bike path, we stopped for lunch next to a lake and enjoyed the company of the local goose population. We continued on, stopped to refill water at a public library and later, arrived at our campsite for the night. We explored a nearby beach and then cooked our first camp stove dinner and ate dark chocolate Oreos for dessert (they were delicious!). We're excited to continue the adventure tomorrow!

Beach day on MV for Cape Cod Trekkers

After three nights of sleeping in tents we all enjoyed our first of two nights at Martha’s Vineyard Family Campground. We had cabins to sleep in and free showers! After breakfast, we headed out to the beach where Jaws was filmed and jumped off the nearby bridge into the water as many times as our heart desired. We ate lunch on the large rocks of the beach overlooking the water. Then, a group trip to Stop and Shop was made to buy ice cream and ice cream cones. We biked for a couple minutes to get to a grassy park and ate our ice cream there. After spending our time playing an intense game of Slamwich, we biked back to Stop and Shop to buy dinner, which consisted of grilled veggies, burgers, veggie burgers,  and hot dogs. Back at Martha’s Vineyard Family Campground, dinner was cooked on the grill. The night ended with a listening and watching people participate in karaoke in the recreational room of the campsite.

-Trekker Amy

FIRST DAY - New York-Montreal Trek

Trekkers and Trip Leader Yael (Millicent and Trip Leader David are joining later today)

This morning anxious Trekkers and Trip Leaders met to begin their 16 day, 400+ mile adventure up the Hudson Valley, through the Adirondacks, cornering Vermont, and into Quebec, Canada to Montreal. Once assembled the group played some ice-breaker games, talked about bike safety & rules of the road and then headed north along the Saw Mill River Bike Trail.  Today they have an easy 20 mile ride to Croton Point Park Campground on the Hudson River.

Cape Cod Trekkers make it to Martha's Vineyard

This morning we packed up from Nickerson state park which was another very nice campground and followed the bicycle trail for most of the day.  During our ride one of had a bike shoe problem and we stopped to fix it and we got assisted by a very nice guy who is a bicycle racer.  His house backed up to the trail.  He ended up giving us a part we needed.  Pushing on from there through more beautiful treed miles.  Our lunch was had outside the Trader Joe's then we quickly rode to the Ferry to Martha's Vineyard.  After a pretty short but kinda hilly ride we arrived at our Campsite.  This campground is much more than tent camping as we have 2 one roomed cabins.  We ordered Pizza and other food items from town and had them deviled then most of us played Bingo at the campground activity room.  We are looking forward to a fun day tomorrow with swimming

Maine Coast Trekkers enjoying the campgrounds

The campsites that we’ve been staying in have been some of the best sites that one could really ever ask for. Yesterday’s site was a sort of mixture between an organic farm and an Oceanside campsite. There was an educational livestock barn, a farm store where the days produce could be purchased, and a cafe serving up some goodies with fresh ingredients. Honestly we didn’t really want to leave this morning because if we’d stayed we could have sat in on a canning workshop and then taken one of their “goat hikes” in the afternoon. However, we had places to be and swimming holes to find so we made our way “down east,” or maybe north, I can’t say for sure. Mainers seem to just kind of make up names for directions on the spot. In any case, Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park was 40 miles ago and we’ve found a new place to call home for the evening. Where Duck Puddle Campground falls somewhat short in its name, it makes up threefold for in accommodations, scenic waterfront access, and friendly people. The ride here was hilly but it was nice to roll up to a campsite right on the water where we could cook dinner and wind down before the impending storm that we’ve been looking forward to all day. The pitter patter of the rain should keep us lulled to sleep throughout the night.

Sweet Dreams

Beautiful biking day for the Cape Cod Trekkers

Today started off with a sweet breakfast and then we jumped on the bikes after leaving our first campsite to do some miles before lunch. We rode right alongside the ocean then more inland through pretty wooded areas with very little traffic. We found shade and lunch in Wellfleet which was followed by a nap before finishing our days miles nearly all on a shaded bike path. The dinner crew made a Ramen noodle and veggie dish with added chicken for those who wanted. The mosquitoes sent us to bed early even with the smoke of the camp fire. Tomorrow we ferry to Martha's Vineyard.

Maine Coast Trekkers shopped till they dropped

Today’s blog post is brought to you by Trekkers Lily, Max, and Katie.

Today we began our day with a nice hotel bed under us for the second and last time. Shortly after, we set out for the open road and made our way toward the next camp. After about an hour and half of riding we had a nice long lunch where we spent plenty of time laying around and playing games while we digested. After that, we got back on the road and after only a few wrong turns we made it to Freeport. In Freeport, we visited the giant L.L. Bean store and it was giant. Trekkers Lily and Katie went on an L.L. Bean shopping spree while Max seizes the opportunity to rest in a hammock. After leaving the store, we went to the grocery store it get food for dinner and then we got to what was probably the prettiest part of today’s ride, right before the campsite. At the campsite we saw lots of cows, and we all drank some over priced and delicious milk. After that we went night swimming and ate hamburgers and s’mores. We have a long day of biking ahead of us tomorrow and are hoping to beat the rain.

If we do, you’ll find out.

The cows say hi

No rest for Maine Coast Trekkers

Today was a day of rest. It was also filled with activities. Those activities included, but were not limited to: kayaking in the bay, swimming in the bay, further foot fueled exploration of the local scene, a Portland themed scavenger hunt created by the trekkers and for the trekkers, being used for our baguette by a local cat, fun fact theft (as a product of standing close by ongoing tours of the city and listening in without first acquiring permission to listen in), loitering, the purchase of used books out of a mini-van in the woods on a nearby island, picking ants off of a small dirt covered child that sometimes goes by “Dirty Desmond” and who also seemed to be affiliated with the book van in some way, team bonding, trading all of our pocket change for a rock, relaxing beach side rock climbing, more swimming in the bay, a sunset ferry ride, and pizza (sans tomatoes). As of right now, Portland has passed Portsmouth, Kennebunkport, and Newburyport. However the jury is still out on best port themed city as tomorrow’s ride will bring us right through the salty center of Freeport, Maine.

We were hoping to end the blog post with some kind of nautical pun boat for the life of us we just could knot come up with anything... Whale in any case, the maine thing you need to know is that we’re reely having a swell time up here and tomorrow looks like it should be smooth sailing up to Freeport.

Sea you later,
The Maine coast Trekkers

Cape Cod Trekkers explore Provincetown

After a breakfast of oatmeal and fruit, we left early to visit the Provincetown Monument. We climbed to the top of the tower and back before going to Stop & Shop to buy groceries for lunch. From there we took a bike trail, and on the way, stopped at a beach, and some of us swam for a little while. After factually proving that the Earth is flat, we left to buy ice cream for everyone in the afternoon. We then biked to Stop & Shop for one last time for dinner and breakfast materials and decided on burgers and veggie burgers for dinner. It was a satisfying day of 14.1 miles.

-Trekker Jason

Maine Coasters bike to Portland

Today’s ride took us away from the sandy beaches of the coast but still managed to be one of the prettier days so far. We were able to complete a healthy portion of the route on a shady path away from the heat and commotion of the main roads. It’s always nice to get away from traffic where things are slightly more serene. The bike paths make it easier to chat with each other and to listen to the local birdsongs. We also arrived in Portland today and we’ve got to say, we’re not sure if Portland’s drawbridges are standing up to the one we saw a few days ago, however this seaside city definitely has a few other things that set it apart from Portsmouth, Kennebunkport, and Newburyport. We had a nice evening wandering around the city, ate dinner on the town, and grabbed some homemade ice cream before heading back to the hotel where we’ll be getting some well deserved rest in some clean bedding. Tomorrow’s plan is to explore even more and see what else Portland has to offer.

We’ll let you know how it goes!

Cape Cod Trekkers spend their first day in Provincetown

All of us started the day at Eastport Park in Boston. We played ice breaker games including the Name Game and put together a Trekker’s bike. For the next few hours at the park we reviewed basic bike safety and had lunch.  After that, we took the ferry to Provincetown where we discovered that we weren’t the only ones with the idea to visit the tip of Cape Cod. We made our way to the Dunes Edge Campground and set out on a mission to forage for our food... at the local grocery store. Satisfied with our first successful homemade meal of Mexican burritos, we spent the time afterwards reflecting on our day. 

-Trekker Chloe

FIRST DAY - Cape Cod Trek

The Cape Cod Trekkers met in Boston this morning to start their 10 day adventure beginning with a ferry to Provincetown. They will ride through the beautiful towns of Truro, Wellfleet, and Hyannis, then take another ferry to Martha's Vineyard and back for the ride through Plymouth, Jeruselem, and finally Boston.  This morning the group will play some ice breaking games, and talk about bike safety before setting sail.

New England Shore Trekkers end in Boston

"The final day of the trip! Today we awoke in Provincetown and headed to the ferry. After a picturesque 1.5 hour boat ride from Provincetown to Boston we did some biking. Arriving at a park we had some snacks then ditched our bags at the hostel. After that we had lunch part 2 at a robot food place. Then we continued onto fanueil hall where we did some shopping. We then headed back to the hostel for a brief siesta. Then we had a nice dinner of steaks and lobster rolls followed by a stroll through the park.

Maine Coast Trekkers in search for majestic moose

After yesterday’s scenic ride up Route 1A, the first priority of the morning was to get wheels turning and head straight back to the coast. Once we put a few quick miles behind us the Atlantic opened up in front of us. It greeted us kindly with the makings for some early morning beach frolicking and frisbee tossing. Then, with sand in our shoes, we set off northbound in search of the Maine state line. No one on the trip had stepped foot in The Pine Tree State before and so, as I’m sure you can imagine, the group really began to buzz the first time we saw the Maine state flag and collectively realized that its focal point is a mighty and majestic moose. In between all of the natural beauty though, we’ve also come across some pretty neat little cities way up here in the North country. Portsmouth definitely had the coolest drawbridge that we’ve seen so far. I think it also might be the coolest place that we’ve been to that has the word ‘port’ in its name. Newburyport was a little underwhelming yesterday but I guess we’ll have to wait and see if Portland can make a good first impression tomorrow before the true victor can be named.

A cold Atlantic swim refreshed the Maine Coast Trekkers

We may be a small group of five, but we sure do know how to have a good time ! Today we drove past some beautiful New Hampshire homes on our way north to Hampton. Many locals stopped us to ask about our journey while we coasted through the East Coast Greenway Trail and made our way to 1A coastal road. They gave us tips for the road ahead, creating even more reason to be excited for budding adventures! The absolute best part of the day- we unanimously voted- was when we dismounted our bikes and went running straight into the ocean. It was cold, refreshing and the waves left us splashing around like a bunch of beach bums. After some water frisbee and a game of tag, we hit the road to collect our dinner ingredients at a local grocer before arriving at the forested nook we lay our hammocks and tents for the night, Tidewater Campground. The girls made Ramona pasta shells with broccoli while the rest set up camp, made a fire and watched the sun drift beneath the horizon. We all have high hopes for the ventures ahead of us tomorrow!

-Trip Leader Katie

California Coast Trekkers celebrate in Santa Monica

Today was, sadly, our last day exploring together. We set out from our hostel towards Venice Beach, where we walked along the boardwalk and next to the skate park. We had pizza on the beach and swam in the ocean before feasting on some ice cream. We made our way back to Santa Monica where we visited some bike shops to gather bike boxes. We packed up our bikes and gear, and then enjoyed Thai food for dinner. We ended the night at the Santa Monica Pier where we rode roller coasters, ate Dip N Dots, and played arcade games