Niagara-Toronto Trekkers Reach Toronto!

Today was our final day of biking. We awoke in Bronte Provincial Park in the forest surrounded by trees and other campsites. We journeyed along some suburban bike trails and the Waterfront Trail to reach our hostel in Downtown Toronto. Along the bike path we stopped for swimming and ice cream. Tomorrow we will explore Toronto!

NY-Montreal Trekkers Visit Walkway Over the Hudson & FDR House

Today began surprisingly early, considering we had access to a variety of the luxury items of the modern world, including a shower and prepared breakfast. Nonetheless, our pace was slower as we ventured further along our route. Bits of glass along the road brought upon us the misfortune of two flat tires which added several hours to our journey. Eventually, we overcame these difficulties and rode towards the town of Poughkeepsie, where we visited the Walkway over the Hudson, apparently the longest pedestrian bridge in the world. After an hour of picturesque viewing up and down the Hudson, we moved on through Hyde Park where we stopped at FDRs former estate. We visited the library which contained a plethora of authentic items, bearing value through their connection to Roosevelt's influential presidency. We ended the day at a campsite, with fireworks being discharged around us in celebration of the Fourth of July. -written by Trekker Eric

Wild Waterpark the Highlight of a Hot Day for Niagara Toronto Trekkers

Today we biked to Bronte Creek Provincial Park! We spent a good part of the afternoon at the Wild Waterworks Waterpark. There was much merriment! Fun was had by all. There was beautiful scenery as we rounded the western tip of Lake Ontario in our sights! We can actually see it! Tomorrow we bike to Toronto!

A Pool and Hotel Cap a Hot Day of Biking Up the Hudson Valley for the NY-Montreal Trekkers

The second day of our trip was quite an adventure! While the heat wave continued we got out of camp bright and early. Cause we were making such great time, we decided to have a great time! We stopped at Las America's for some fruit smoothies. Seis jugos naturales por favor. While we were passing through Peekskill we had lunch at Pugsly Park. Ironically, we saw no pugs!!! After a small hike on our bikes, we rolled into the Fishkill Ramada Inn. After some much deserved swimming, we enjoyed some cards and pizza to close out the night! Hasta Mañana!

Pacific Northwest Trekkers Return to the US and Enter Olympic National Park

Today we woke up in quaint Victoria and enjoyed a cinnman toast crunch breakfast with plenty of milk. We crossed back into the United States by ferry.

With the beautiful Olympic Mountains in the background, we re-entered our homeland through Port Angeles. Once off the ferry, we paused for a PB and J picnic. A friendly bike shop owner lent us his superb bike pump and sage advice on the treacherous route to come. Indeed, the 7 mile uphill climb to Heart o the Hills campground in Olympic National Park was not only steep, but we faced a major road closure which forced us onto a fallen log ridden side road. Only our perseverance and incredible teamwork got us to the camp. Relaxed and accomplished, we feasted on a meal cooked over an open fire. Tomorrow we explore the park and go hunting for some beautiful vistas!

First Day Cycling in Beautiful France for the European Grand Tour Trekkers

For our first day in France, we started out the day by waking up on the ferry. Once we got our bikes we started riding through the streets of Le Havre, stopping on the side of the road to make some breakfast (grilled cheese, oranges, and straight up Nutella). We continued on and biked over the Normandy Bridge to the town Honfleur. The ride was flat and smooth. Spending a few hours there, we wandered through art galleries and by the Ferris wheel and Seine River. Finally, we left for the campsite where we pitched our tents and had a nice dinner of pasta and garlic bread. Overall a fun and relaxing day.

NY-Montreal Trekkers Enter Vermont After a Boat Ride on the Lake George Mohegan

This morning the Trekkers started off the day with a boat ride up the elongated Lake George starting at 10:00 AM, and ending at 1:00 PM. For breakfast the trekkers had  chewy bars and orange juice at the dock. On the boat ride the Trekkers had hot dogs for lunch and played cards to pass the time.

When we arrived at the dock we prepared for our 30 mile ride. From the docks we were 3 miles away from Ticonderoga. Today was mostly up and down; not flat terrain which all of us would have preferred. After travelling 30 miles, the Trekkers arrived at the campsite for the night in Button Bay State Park. For the dinner  the Trekkers had chili. Tomorrow the Trekkers head into Burlington where they will tackle Ben and Jerry's Vermonster, and hopefully  see some fireworks.
-trekker Wyatt 

Trekkers on the NY-Montreal Trek Reach Croton Point Park

Hot, hot, Hot! Today we did some talking about bike safety, group dynamics, and the drop system. After a long bike over lots and LOTS of hills we settled in to our cute little campsite at Croton Point State Park! To finish the night, we made tacos and took a swim. All in all a good day!

Pacific Northwest Trekkers Fondly Say Goodby to Canada!

Today, the group enjoyed a rest day exploring beautiful Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. We walked along the harbor taking in the impressive British style architecture and the spectacular Legislative Building. After stopping to admire a sea otter swimming by, we ventured onto Fisherman's Wharf, a charming floating neighborhood, where we ate delicious fish and chips and read our books by the water. We returned to the hostel to cook a generous dinner of salad and pasta. Tomorrow we return to the U.S. of A via a ferry to Port Townsend. We will miss you Canada!!

A Hot Ride for the NY-Montreal Trekkers As They Reach Lake George

Our day began with Russell waking us at 7 to prepare for our 20-mile journey. Unfortunately, we had minimal time to recover from our the 50-mile trip the previous day which resulted in sore pains and aching thighs the moment we mounted our bikes. After roughly 15 minutes of solid biking, the group was warmed up and ready to take on another challenging day of biking.

Throughout the day, we stopped at multiple gas stations to replenish our depleted supplies of water, Gatorade and jerky. In addition, we stopped at a beach on  Lake George to cool off before we arrived at our camp site. To end the day Kyle, Nielsen, and Wyatt prepared a delicious  meal of in linguini Alfredo, while Spencer and and Dylan got a roaring campfire going. Tomorrow we take a ferry ride up Lake George as we cross into Vermont.

Niagara-Toronto Trekkers Follow Lakefront Trail in Hamilton, ON

Today, the Niagara-Toronto Trek got off biking early after a healthy breakfast. For lunch we stopped at a pizza place and enjoyed many buffalo wings. Everyone was relieved to get to the campground, stopping for some cherries on the way. After a beautiful thunderstorm and swimming in Lake Ontario, we had dinner, played cards, and retired to 50 Point Conservation Area for the night.
Written by Trekker Elinor

First Day for New York-Montreal Trek!

Montreal is the destination of the group of Trekkers that left NYC this morning for their 400+ mile adventure up the beautiful Hudson River Valley.  The group will visit the FDR House, the Great Walkway over the Hudson, the State Capital in Albany, Lake George, and Burlington, VT.

Follow the group as they document their travels & send their blog posts into us at the Teen Treks office.

Balls Falls the Destination for the Niagara Toronto Trekkers!

 

Happy Canada Day, eh?! The group braved some scorching heat to travel across the great province of Ontario. We wrapped things up at our hostel in Niagara pretty early to get a jump start on our day,

and then he headed out! We rode some beautiful bike paths along the Welland Canal before stopping at the Welland Canal Museum for some local history and yummy sandwiches. We shared some picnic tables with a Chinese dancing troupe who had come to the museum to celebrate Canada Day! The afternoon was a bit tougher, with a few gnarly uphill patches and intense 90+ degree heat, but spirits were uplifted by a mid-afternoon ice cream break at Dairy Queen. We rolled into Ball’s Falls around 4:00 pm, saw the waterfall, and cooled down in the water before finally making burritos for dinner. We’re all tuckered out after a long, hot day but very much looking forward to the riding tomorrow!

Salisbury Cathedral Impresses European Grand Tour Trekkers

Today we woke up in Amesbury, UK, and ended setting up camp at Sunnydale Farm Campground. Their “campground” for tents is a large, completely open field the size of a soccer pitch. We got around 45 miles in today, biking on narrow roads that were super flat and amazing, city roads that had cars going unreasonably fast, and bike routes that were bumpy enough to make your teeth shake. Fortunately there weren’t too many hills to climb but there was plenty to go down ( Woohoo!). We also visited the Salisbury Cathedral. It was huge!! We got to peek our heads inside for a bit and the scale and complexity of the building was astonishing. Definitely worth seeing. Tomorrow we’ll be at the coast of England. -Trekker Henry

Pacific Northwest Trekkers Celebrate Canada Day in Victoria, BC

Happy Canada Day!! Today we set out from Vancouver to Victoria by SkyTrain, shuttle, ferry and bike. As we left Vancouver, there was a joyful atmosphere in the air as the city was preparing to celebrate Canada Day. We took the SkyTrain (an automated train) towards our next ferry, which turned out to be quite a ship with arcades, cafes, 6 decks and more! After our ferry ride, we biked along an amazing and popular trail down the coast of Vancouver Island. We stopped halfway down the coast to admire the view and snack on some cherries in the shade. We celebrated Canada Day in downtown Victoria, where there was a concert and fireworks. We're excited to explore Victoria tomorrow!

A Long & Hot Biking Day for the NY-Montreal Trekkers

We started this morning with an early wakeup at the hotel. We woke up at 6:00 in the morning,  trying to pack our bags before breakfast started, so that when breakfast was over, we could just leave the hotel. We thought that breakfast was at 6:30, but it was actually at 7:00, which means that we needed to wait. We tried to leave  the hotel early so that we could avoid the heat wave that was coming later in the day. We also had a 48 mile day today. We biked for a few hours, going about 40 miles before lunch, meanwhile as the temperature rose up to 95 degrees! Thankfully, there was not a lot left in the day, and we could get to the campsite in good time. We closed off the day with some ramen stir-fry and cold showers.
-Trekker Nielsen

Happy Canada Day from the Pacific Northwest Trekkers!

Today we feasted on a hostel breakfast and then set out to explore Vancouver. First stop- thrift shop. Everyone was on the hunt for some new Canadian gear as we headed down Granville St. After shopping, we walked towards Gastown where we happened upon the Vancouver Steam Clock and an art gallery with a public drawing installation (we added a bicycle of course!).

 We continued on to Chinatown where we enjoyed dim sum and explored the Chinese garden. Later, at Canada Place, we watched cruise ships dock and seaplane land, all while seagulls flew overhead and seals bobbed in the harbor. After dinner, we enjoyed a relaxing evening of Monopoly while eating some delicious Tim Horton donuts. We're excited to continue our trek to Victoria and celebrate Canada Day tomorrow!

Maid of the Mist and Hiking in the Niagara Gorge for the Niagara Toronto Trekkers

Hey everyone! Today was a great day! We biked back over the border into the USA. Then we took the Maid of the Mist boat ride ( like Jim and Pam in The Office). Afterwards we looked at Falls from another viewpoint and went to the supermarket to pick up lunch and dinner ingredients. We went on a hike and enjoyed snow cones. Finally we biked over the border to our hostel and together we cooked a fabulous dinner! We're looking forward to a great day tomorrow as well! :)

Stonehenge on a Hot Day for the European Grand Tour Cyclists

We started our early morning with some interesting tubular Cocoa Puffs after packing up our tents. After this sustenance, we got on the road and enjoyed a few hours of English countryside, cottages, and baby swans.

 When we arrived at Stonehenge, we learned some history in the exhibition building, then watched Andy attempt to pull one of the Stonehenge stones. It was a valiant effort. The shuttle to the stones was brief, so we had plenty of time to view the prehistoric landmark. Our lunch at the cafe was extremely satisfying. Ready to leave, we globbed  on the sunscreen and filled our water bottles. The afternoon ride was hot and difficult, so when we got to the hostel too early to check in, we all took a nap under a tree. The hostel was fantastic, with big rooms, a sun room, and a farm chock full of bunnies, goats, and pigs.

Our Hostel

NY-Montreal Trekkers Do Albany!

The NYM trekkers enjoyed a great rest day in Albany today! After sleeping in until 9:00, we enjoyed breakfast at our hotel and leisurely ran some errands. After a quick stop at a bike shop for a brief repair, Russell hung out with the boys in the park while Kyle and Dylan went to buy a new camping mattress. We then found a local tacqueria with 5 star reviews that offered tacos for $1. After lunch we toured the New York State Museum and rode a refurbished antique carousel! We also learned about modern, historic, and prehistoric New York through exhibits on manhattan, the early timber and ice industries, and geology that forms the state. We ordered a quick dinner in and swam in the hotel pool. Big day tomorrow! Stay tuned! -Trek Leader Kyle