California Coast Trekkers Have a Great Beach Day

The California Coast trekkers spent the morning exploring downtown San Luis Obispo. The group ate lunch in a park and then biked to Pismo Beach for some great games on the beach.  For dinner they cooked pizzas on the campfire and were camping last night at Coastal Dunes Campground.

Team Bonding With the California Trekkers

What does one do after a long day of biking in California? Well, you find the nearest strawberry field and go to town, of course! The Trekkers found that the best way to end their strawberry feast was with a good round of the Ha Ha game. More on their adventures soon...

Bike the California Coast this summer with Teen Treks! SUN and FUN!

California’s bright, sunny days and cool ocean breezes make biking its coastline a summer in paradise. Join us to soak up beautiful beaches and tour some of the country's most famous cities for 18 glorious days!

You’ll start in bike-friendly San Francisco, seeing the Golden Gate Bridge and historic Fisherman’s Wharf, then travel south, down the coast.

Along the way, you'll stay in unique lighthouse hostels and enjoy great hiking and camping in Big Sur. Much of our California Coast route follows the Pacific Coast Highway, the winding, scenic road high above the ocean you’ve seen in movies and on TV. Take this trip, and you’ll see that California was made for biking!

You'll get loads of swimming and sun on the beaches through Santa Barbara and Santa Monica, and finish your adventure with three days in Los Angeles -- including sightseeing in Hollywood!

We're running two treks up the California Coast this summer, for teens entering grades 10 and up:

• June 27 - July 14
• July 18 - August 4

Apply now to reserve your place on one of our most gorgeous routes!  

Or sign up for one of our other amazing trips: New York City - Montreal, European Phantom, Pacific Northwest, New England Shore, Maine Coast -- and more!

New Trek for 2014: Green Ireland

We have two new routes this year!  Check out some of the exciting (and beautiful, and all-around awesome) things you'll be able to see and do on our Green Ireland Trek:

Bike through 4 distinct regions of Ireland: Clare, Kerry, Cork, and the Midlands.

Tour medieval castles, the Ring of Kerry, and the Cliffs of Moher.

Get to know charming rural villages and the lush Irish landscape.

Visit bustling Dublin and Galway.

This 28-day trek will take you through Ireland’s major cities and the gorgeous countryside it’s known for.  We’ll travel on bicycle paths and small roads, sometimes sharing them with sheep and cows (yes, really!), climb through Bunratty Castle and other medieval sites, look out across the Atlantic Ocean from the Cliffs of Moher, ride through the green hills of Connemara, and discover traditional Irish music.

You’ll enjoy welcoming Gaelic hospitality in small cities like Limerick, Kilarney, Cork, Kinsale, and Clifden, and get to visit Galway and Dublin, both world-class cities.  Along the way, you’ll experience thousands of years of Celtic history, music, culture, and food.

This moderately challenging ride (30-50 miles a day; some hills, but not too many) is best suited for high schoolers entering grades 10 through 12. We’ll be running Green Ireland June 25 - July 22 (trip code GI-JN25) and July 2 - July 29 (trip code GI-J2).

Visit TeenTreks.com to apply to be one of the first trekkers to bike Ireland with us, or sign up for one of our other super trips: Across America, Pacific Northwest, European Phantom, California Coast, New England Shore, Amsterdam-Paris, New York-Montreal -- and more!

Farewell 2013 Season!

Teen Treks' 2013 season has flown by, and as summer turns to fall, the office is winding down for the season.  It has been a blast!  From the beaches of Cape Cod, to the islands of British Columbia, and the streets of Paris, our Trekkers have been lucky enough to see some fascinating parts of the globe.  
Cliff and Alexa enjoyed meeting Trekkers and families in Buffalo, New York City, Block Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut; it was wonderful to see groups working hard and enjoying themselves.   
Our Leaders were tireless, working to climb hills in South Dakota, to fix flats in pouring rain, and round up Trekkers who missed a drop.  We thank all of our Leaders for their hard work and dedication.  
Most of all, we are happy for all of the Trekkers who decided to do something out of the ordinary this summer by hopping on a bike for weeks at a time, often to new places with new people (who turned into close friends).  From town to town, country to country, our Trekkers have grown as young people and bikers, all while traveling hundreds of miles and having fun.

Teen Treks would like to thank all of the teens and families for participating in our bike trips.  Everyone has helped to make 2013 another exciting season of cycling.  We hope that you join us again next season for more new cities, beaches, hills, food, and friends.  

Thank you for choosing Teen Treks, and have a great year.

See you in 2014, where adventure awaits!

Some European Phantomers

Maine Coast

Pacific Northwest

Niagara-Toronto

Across America

New England Shore

California Coast

Some European Phantomers

New York-Montreal

Lake Ontario

New York-Montreal

California Coast Making Good Distance!

California Coast is doing amazingly well, enjoying the ride and taking locals' advice on snazzy places to check out.  Here are some photos (small as from a phone):

Everyone is living it up and loving the Trek!  On to another day...

California Coast Eating Well and in Santa Maria

The California Coast Trekkers are not only cycling, but eating their way down to L.A.!  

An update from one of the Leaders, Rose:

"We started the day with a breakfast of champions: eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes. Despite a late start, we managed to bike 30 miles to get lunch. For lunch we went to a small Mexican restaurant which was very delicious and filling. Luckily through a program called Warm Showers, we found a very nice couple that welcomed us to stay at their home in Santa Maria. We ended up biking around forty miles and it was a great day!"

Riding through Santa Maria is slightly inland, and at the edge of vineyard territory.

The group did some extra miles yesterday so that today could be spent exploring some interesting towns and green spaces locals have told them about.  Everyone is excited to have a more relaxed day.  Tonight will be spent in the town of Lompoc.

crusing towards Lompoc, CA.

Cell phone group shot (with the evenings most excellent hosts).

California Coast Photo Blast

Here are some photos forwarded from Rose, one of the Leaders:

California Coast Trek in Monterey

After a gorgeous night of camping on Salinas Beach just north of Monterey, CA, our group was generously invited to breakfast at a local artist's house. After sharing coffee, granola and banana bread, we rode on a bike path along giant dunes into the city. Along he way we stopped for peaches at a farmstand, and fried artichokes! After picnicking for lunch on the beach, the California Coast team is spending the afternoon exploring Cannery Row, Fisherman's Wharf, and other local sites along the waterfront.

 

California Coast Leaves San Francisco

After two glorious days in San Francisco, the group spent Saturday moving 33 miles south to Half Moon Bay!

Good bye San Fran!

Hello Half Moon Bay!

The group had some minor hills to endure, but they were riding through some lush landscape that made up for it! After some minor bike troubles and a stop to a bike shop, the group had a good night's rest at a campsite.

On Sunday the group made 21 miles to the town of Pescadero, and stayed at Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Pigeon Point Hostel

California Coast Trek-First Day!

At Bay Park next to the Golden Gate Bridge

Today we had a great time learning about bike mechanics and getting to know each other. We had a picnic lunch at Golden Gate park, which is 20% bigger than Central Park at 1,017 acres!  Afterwards,  we explored some of San Fran's finest neighborhoods, and of course got some ice cream (already becoming a favorite afternoon activity).  We're all excited to be heading south tomorrow to officially start the trip.

Everyone is doing very well and are interested in getting to know one another.

That's all for now!

One of the Park's Tea Gardens

California Coast Getting Started With Pre-Night Trekkers!

Trekkers for our California Coast Trek started arriving in San Francisco last night.  After Leaders Rose and Kyle collected the Trekkers, the group took advantage of the good weather and had a picnic lunch while putting their bikes together.  Afterwards, the group headed over to San Fran's bustling China town for dinner and explored the harbor area.

One of China Town's gateways

Everyone is excited for the Trek to begin, and eager to meet the other Trekkers today.  Luckily, the group gets to spend another night at Fisherman's Wharf Youth Hostel, which has amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz!  The youth hostel is located within a state park in Fort Mason, a historic set of building that have been converted into funky accommodations.

The view from the hostel.

It's been a great day in San Francisco, and we can't wait to see what California Coast does next!