2014: Another Great Summer of Biking!

We're closing out another fantastic season!  This summer, our Treks brought together kids from all over the US, plus Europe and Asia, for biking adventures they'll never forget.  They visited lively cities and small towns --

 -- and got out in lots of wide-open spaces:

They camped out together,

cooked out together,

learned how to fix their own bikes out on the road,

devoured gallon after gallon of ice cream,

and made lots of close friendships:

They hiked and biked through stunning wilderness spots --

 -- and breezy beaches,

stopping along the way to learn about local history,

pick up lunch goodies at farms,

get off their bikes and out on the water,

and check out museums, art, comedy shows, music festivals, thrift shops, and pretty much everything else they could pack into each day.  They biked hundreds of miles together, up hills and down them, on bright, sunny days and through the rain.  Not a lot of kids can say they've accomplished these kinds of things, but every one of our Trekkers can!

We'll post our 2015 trip schedule later this year, so you can start planning your Trek for next summer.  See you then!

Maine Coast Trekkers Get Ready to Summit Cadillac Mountain

Our Maine Coast Trekkers went an entire 24 hours without biking, but they found more than enough to keep themselves busy.  They did some laundry, popped out to explore downtown Bar Harbor, then had lunch and played hacky sack on the village green.  In the afternoon, they went swimming at Sand Beach. For dinner, they gave themselves a night off from cooking and went out for pizza, then enjoyed an ImprovAcadia show.

Tomorrow, they're hoping for good sunrise weather -- everyone's ready to bike Cadillac Mountain before sunrise, then coast back down to Blackwood Campground for breakfast burritos.

There's essentially no cell reception in the park, so leaders Andy and Carol are in the same tech-free environment as the teenagers in the group.  They're going retro, using paper maps and asking strangers where to find the best spots in the park.

One more night camping out, then a cozy night at a hotel in Bangor, and this group's Trek will be finished!  They're going to squeeze everything they can out of it.

Maine Coast Trek Reaches Acadia National Park

Today, the Maine Coast Trekkers are headed for Blackwoods Campground, where they'll stay for three nights, hiking through beautiful Acadia National Park.

They've had a mostly smooth ride, with only minor stops for repairs.  Here, the Trekkers are getting a lesson on how to oil a chain from leader Andy:

After their interlude in Acadia, the group has only a couple more biking days before it'll be time to head back to Boston, where their journey began.

Maine Coast Trekkers Cycle North Towards Acadia

Yesterday was the longest day our Trekkers had biking up the Maine Coast, and they hope it will also end up being their hilliest day. In the morning, they visited Bowdoin College.  It started to rain as they headed out, but they found a family homestead where they could have lunch.

By the time they reached their destination for the day, Duck Puddle Campground, a jam band concert was in full swing! With covers of songs by Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, and The Who in the background, they cooked some delicious pesto chicken with rice and veggies for dinner.

They're just over halfway through their Trek!

Lake Ontario Trek Rides a 60-Mile Day and Hikes Chimney Bluffs

It's safe to say that everyone on the Lake Ontario Trek was happy to have completed Day 15, their longest day.  They biked 60 miles!  Plus, they had their greatest gain and loss of elevation.  Many of the Trekkers said these were the steepest hills they've ever climbed -- what an accomplishment!  They capped their Saturday evening off with nachos and s'mores around the campfire.

The next morning, they had a relaxed morning, with Trekker Kiran cooking everyone eggs to order -- over easy, scrambled, and even "eggs in a basket," a fried egg in a bagel, with gourmet toppings like pesto and chopped green onions. They then took a short ride to Chimney Bluffs State Park, where they had lunch under a giant maple tree and hiked up to admire the beautiful views. At the end of the day, they came back to camp for a delicious dinner of Shepherd's Pie.

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 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

New England Shore Trek Reaches Massachusetts

The second of this summer's New England Shore Treks has moved into the last major leg of their journey up the coast, leaving Providence to cross into Massachusetts.  Leader Dana helped a couple of the Trekkers with repairs at a bike shop while Andy led the rest of the group onward.  Everyone met up together after a 23-mile ride to Forge Pond Campground, where the kids took the lead on cooking dinner and building a great campfire.

 The group will ride on through Massachusetts for several days, headed toward Boston.

Pacific Northwest Trek Packs Fun Into its Last Days

Trekker Anna tells us about the Pacific Northwest Trek's jam-packed last couple days together --

On Friday, July 11, we woke up to the sad realization that we would only have three more days of biking together, and the even more devastating idea that the coming night would be our last one of camping (sob!). To take our minds away from these dreary thoughts, we decided to explore the old fort on the campground where we were staying in Port Townsend. So we broke down Tent City, packed up our gear, and headed off to the bunkers.

We first explored an area near the beach, wandering into dim rooms and imagining how the huge cannon-like weapons must have looked. We made our way over to the lighthouse, then to Artillery Hill. We soon discovered the pitch-black tunnels in the bunkers there, and, guided only by Monique's phone flashlight, crept through them into even darker rooms. After Russell and Dan decided to act like young boys (yelling and jumping out at every dark term), Sarafina and Sunny ventured back to comfortable daylight with screams and roars no longer echoing through the tunnels.

The biking was very nice, with hills that would previously have been frustrating now only slowing us down a little -- until we hit The Hill. Now, you must understand, The Hill was like no other hill we had encountered. Monique's guesstimation was that it was a 12% grade, meaning that it looked like a wall of tar. It was impossible to build up momentum, the day was hot, and we had already taken a 3-mile detour. Only Monique, David, and I made it up without stopping.

Shortly after The Hill, we discovered that the closest food store was an extra 6 miles from the campsite. So we had our second gas station meal of the trip, eaten in camp after setting up another Tent City in our final campsite. We ate a dessert of canned peaches and oreos on the beach, and Russell improved his shell-skipping skills. We found a playground and made each other dizzy on spinning rides, climbed on a pirate ship, and got stuck on slides before bedding down for our last night of camping.

Saturday, June 12: Our last day of biking! With the one and only Dan as the one and only point, we had what may have been our easiest day, with only 20 miles on the road. We finished our last ferry ride by dancing to Pharrell's "Happy" (playing in our heads) and being cheered on by strangers before returning to the Green Tortoise Hostel in Seattle.

We unloaded our gear, showered, and rode over to the Pinball Museum, happening on a Chinese Dragon Festival right outside. The boys and Monique stayed inside the dim, air-conditioned room to play, while the other girls ventured outside to get bubble tea and explore the festival. Then the effects of biking hit, and Sunny and Sarafina had their first bouts of dehydration. So instead of biking an extra 5 miles to dinner, we returned to the hostel for Pedialyte (termed "expedialyte" by Sunny), and then bussed over to West Seattle for a seafood dinner, encountering another festival right outside the restaurant. Back at the hostel, we threw in our laundry and went to bed, leaving it to our two wonderful leaders to separate the cold-water-wash-only and then to pick up the rest. We all fell asleep immediately.

Today, we woke up to our last full day together: Sunny's birthday! Once everyone was up, we broke down and boxed our bikes, then turned to the TV to watch the World Cup Final. Shortly thereafter, we had our tarot cards read and then went on a walking tour of Seattle's Underground City, built after a fire in order to help with the sewage system in the city. As it turns out, a whole 33-square-block area of Seattle is actually built over a pre-existing first level of the city, destroyed in the fire and rebuilt in time for the Gold Rush.

We returned to the hostel and explored more of Pike Place Market, then reassembled for Free Taco Night at the Green Tortoise, followed by a birthday celebration.

Although we are all looking forward to sleeping in beds and being clean (after our nightly highs, lows, and props of course), we are all upset to think that this will be our last night together, and that in the morning we'll each depart for different destinations and the rest of our summers.

New York - Montreal Trek Rides Upstate

Our second New York - Montreal Trek is making good time through NY state.  They discovered a wonderful swimming spot that we didn't even know about here at the office, which leaders Josh and Rachel have promised to mark on our maps for future Treks. 

They've also been touring the Franklin D. Roosevelt house and gardens -- getting filled in on some of the site's history by a friendly park ranger -- and conquering some long rides with a strong, cheerful team dynamic.  Last night, they rewarded themselves after dinner by making s'mores around a campfire.

They're headed to Albany next, and then on to Lake George!

New England Shore Trek Hits the Beach on Block Island

The New England Shore Trekkers have been having a great time on beautiful Block Island. They biked to one of the island's historic lighthouses (which you can see in the background), swam at the nearby beach, got some ice cream in the afternoon, and then biked out to Mohegan Bluff.  They made dinner together, then made a campfire.

Caleb, pictured above with Amy and Caroline, does not want to let go of his ukelele and get down to the business of planning a grocery list.  (He did, and dinner was very tasty.)

Block Island is full of great bike trails and awesome things to see, so we look forward to hearing more about the group's adventures there before they return to the mainland!

Pacific Northwest Trek Sets Up "Tent City" at Port Townsend

Russell, one of the Pacific Northwest Trekkers, has a thoughtful (and pun-full) post for us:

I am writing this blog from tent city, reflecting upon our day of intensity.

After starting the day with a "late" wake-up time of 7:30, everyone was energized and ready to roll. We breezed through most of the 32 miles of the day, with the last mile providing a smallish hill. We had plenty of time to think during the ride.

We cruised into Fort Warden state park around 3:30. Monique managed to get a seaside campsite. After tossing our stuff, we went to the bay to go kayaking and SUPing (stand up paddle boarding).

Dan, Monique, and I took the paddle boards out first, while David and Teddy opted for kayaks. Our first expedition resulted in Dan falling into the frigid northern waters five times. We lost track of time in the wide ocean, staying out for fifty minutes.

When we returned, the second group of Anna, Sunny, and Serafina stayed out for about the same amount of time. Getting back to camp, we set up a glorious tent city (where all tents are connected by a tarp-covered "courtyard.") We prepared and ate our delicious dinner of summer curry, then went outside to watch the sunset and practice our Scottish caber tosses. Two days until we return to Seattle!

 Could you ask for a more perfect evening on the ocean?

The Pacific Northwest group will have one more night camping out, in Kitsap State Park, before returning to Seattle for a couple days in one of America's most bike-friendly cities.

New York - Montreal Trek Makes a Splash at Lake George

The New York - Montreal Trekkers were determined to prove that they could get ready quickly (so they can sleep in more in the future) so this group had a very early start. They had only 22 miles on their route, quite a relief after the previous day's 48-mile ride, so they took their time and explored downtown Glens Falls, NY.

The Trekkers thought they'd outsmart Mother Nature by eating lunch in a gazebo while it rained, but an hour later, when they were back on their bikes, the rain caught up with them.  By the time they reached Lake George, they were drenched -- but the sun came back out while they got to know the town on foot.

After a tasty dinner at their campsite, they walked back into town and discovered a pool dedicated to bumper boats, so, naturally, they had to give that a try.  As you can see from the photo, fun was had by all.

That wasn't even the end of the group's day, though!  They managed to find a magic show to watch before heading back to camp for showers and sleep. 

The group's next ride will take them into lovely, but hilly, Vermont.

New York - Montreal Trek Reaches Croton Point Park

Our second group of New York - Montreal Trekkers enjoyed their ride into Croton Point Park along a scenic bike trail.  It was a hot day, but everyone stayed in good spirits (and drank plenty of water).

The Trekkers set up camp together, explored the beach, and took some well-earned showers.  They'll continue up the Hudson Valley, heading to Fishkill, NY next.

New England Shore Trek Camps Out at Rocky Neck State Park

The New England Shore Trekkers biked a respectable 34 miles on their second day out to reach Rocky Neck State Park.  Each day, a group of Trekkers is responsible for planning the coming day's meals and buying groceries, and the group for this day was so efficient that everyone got to have an especially relaxed lunch. 

They made good time getting to the campsite, so everyone had plenty of time to get settled, take a dip in the ocean, and get to know each other a little better.

The group has an early start planned for the morning -- they're heading to Mystic, CT, and they want to have plenty of time to explore the living history museum there.

Pacific Northwest Trek Climbs Mount Constitution

Our Pacific Northwest Trekkers had a big day -- or at least some big hills -- and they really rose to it!  Here's how Dan described day 5:

Break Day! After biking 25 miles yesterday, with the MOST ANNOYING HILL, we made it to Moran State Park on Orcus Island (part of the San Juan Islands), surprisingly in one piece. After setting up tents and eating delicious sloppy joes and brownies, we sat around the campfire and told stories of our childhoods: gerbils in RC cars, purposely lighting hair on fire, and accidentally calling 911 on a fake firefly cell phone. 

David made a great video capturing the bikers' reactions to that all-capsed MOST ANNOYING HILL:

More from Dan:

Today, we woke up late, and the guys made the most delicious breakfast we've had: eggs and bacon! Then, we biked up to a hiking trail (on a somewhat less annoying, but still pretty annoying, hill). We hiked up this steep mountain to get to the summit. There, we ate lunch, climbed up a castle tower, and enjoyed a wonderful scenic view that included Mt. Baker.

In addition to sloppy joes, our Pacific Northwest Trekkers got to enjoy another campfire classic, s'mores:

Tomorrow, they'll be crossing into Canada, making their trek officially an international adventure!

Adventure awaits you!

May is National Bike Month, and to celebrate it, we thought we'd show off some of the adventures Teen Trekkers get into while traveling by bicycle.

Hiking through the lush woods in the Pacific Northwest:

Climbing the rugged landscapes and rocky beaches along the Maine Coast:

Kayaking on a sunny afternoon, which we do on the New York-Montreal trek, as well as on the Pacific Northwest:

 

Stopping for an afternoon swim on our way Across America and on the 1000 Mile Challenge:

Grilling over a campfire on our way around Lake Ontario:

And of course, biking. . .

Biking. . .

Biking!

There's nothing like the thrill of discovering the world under your own power:

Celebrate National Bike Month by getting out on your bike and seeing where it takes you!

Many of our trips are filling up, but we do have spots available. Don't miss out -- apply now to make your summer unforgettable!