New England Shore Trek's Last Day

 The New England Shore group closed out its Trek with loads of sun and sand!  They went swimming in the ocean, buried each other in the sand, ate lunch on the beach, and of course. . .

They biked!  They put a total of more than 330 miles behind them on this trip -- quite an accomplishment!  Today, they're reuniting with their parents, some in Boston and some in NYC, to tell them all about their adventure.  

It sounds like everyone had a fantastic trip.  Enjoy the last bit of your summer, New England Shore crew, and keep biking!

New England Shore Trek Knocks Out Another 25 Miles

Riding from Sandwich to Brewster, the New England Shore Trek had a speedy day.  They stopped at a consignment shop along the way to look for trinkets -- apparently this one was mostly furniture, but this group has been finding neat treasures at thrift stores and local junk shops all along the shore.

Teen Treks' Director, Cliff Madell joined the group at Sweetwater Campground, near Brewster, MA.

Today, they're heading to Provincetown for their last two nights camping out!

New England Shore Trek Bikes Toward Boston

On the road!  The New England Shore Trekkers are making good time on a breezy, 30-mile ride from Assonet to Sandwich, MA.  Just a few more days' riding until they reach Boston!

New England Shore Trek Heads into Massachusetts

Last night, the New England Shore Trekkers capped off their stay in Providence with a ghost tour.  This morning, they hit the road early to head to Massachusetts, and packed plenty in along the road.  They made a water stop at a beautiful park --

Learned to weave and got some insight into local history at the Carpenter Museum in Rehoboth --

And had time for some very important ice cream and laughter along their sunny, 30-mile ride to Forge Pond Campground --

Providence Welcomes the New England Shore Trek

Time in their very comfy beds at the Omni Providence has helped the New England Shore Trekkers get well rested and energetic.  They've been getting to know Providence, visiting the State House today to see Rhode Island's replica of the Liberty Bell and the beautiful, ornate architecture.  They're also learning a bit about the state's history and the lawmaking process.

After one more night in their fancy hotel rooms, the Trekkers will enter Massachusetts and start biking toward Boston -- the last leg of their trip.

New England Shore Trek Cruises Through Rhode Island

The New England Shore Trek was so early to the ferry this morning they had time to hang out and play cards!  The group left Block Island behind and hit Newport running.  They biked around downtown, had a relaxed picnic lunch, and headed for their campsite at Melville Ponds Campground, near Portsmouth, early in the afternoon.  Everyone was very excited to get warm showers.

They'll be in Portsmouth another day, then head to Providence, where they'll take a break from camping by staying at the Omni Hotel.

New England Shore Trek Bikes Across Rhode Island

Today was a big biking day for the New England Shore Trek!  They packed up their gear, left their comfortable hotel rooms and hit the road for a 40-mile day crossing Rhode Island to catch a ferry to Block Island.

Everyone was feeling up for the challenge and excited to get 2 days biking the island, swimming at its gorgeous beaches, and exploring its historic lighthouses and the friendly downtown of New Shoreham.  They zoomed along their route, made the early ferry, and set up camp in what might be record time for trips on this route.

You know a group is getting along when they all collapse into a pile to take an afternoon nap together.  We look forward to hearing what they discover together on Block Island!

New England Shore Trek Gets Inside History at Mystic Seaport

Our intrepid New England Shore group reached the living history museum at Mystic Seaport early in the afternoon, so they had lots of time to explore the seaport and learn about old New England maritime life.  Our report from leader Josh included the phrase "and it was just really cool" no fewer than five times, and "the kids loved it" four more times, so apparently it was a real hit.

In addition to taking a few funny photos, the Trekkers went to the planetarium to learn about navigating on the ocean by the stars, got a demonstration from a blacksmith about how whaling harpoons were made and used, checked out ship-building exhibits, made candles, made rope, and generally poked into every corner of the site.

    

They have a long day of biking ahead of them -- almost 40 miles -- so they plan to take full advantage of the cushy beds and air conditioning at their hotel tonight, so they can wake up fresh and ready to face the next day's challenges!

New England Shore Trek Meets in NYC and Guilford, CT

The New England Shore Trek met in NYC and picked up a few more bikers in Guilford, CT, beginning a 16-day adventure along the shorelines of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.  The group played some name games to start getting to know each other, went over bike safety rules, and then hit the road towards Hammonassett State Park campground.

The group had a very enjoyable ride to their campsite.  In the evening, they walked along a beautiful beach together and made Sloppy Joes for dinner before heading to bed.  Tomorrow, they'll have a slightly longer day to reach Rocky Neck State Park near East Lyme.

Trekkers, Parents, and Trip Leaders in NYC