The Tables Have Turned

By George, the skies have cleared, the sun is shining, and we are all once again reminded of why Maine in the summer has been long touted as representing the Way Life Should Be. I would only add to that a small parenthetical – “The Way Life Should Be (on at least three days a year).”

From what we’ve gathered from the trips we’ve heard from today, the change in the weather has had a great effect on everyone’s psyche. The hills seemed shorter, the long views seemed all the more enthralling, the companionship all the more enriching, and the macaroni and cheese all the more palatable!

From the north side of the border, we received a nice picture of several of Cait and Evan’s students making their way through the French-Canadian village of St. George. Our community service coordinator way back in Camden also sent a great shot of this group in the midst of their blueberry-box-making project – please see below.

We heard from Mike and Meaghan’s group, too – they’ve also now crossed into Canada and are working hard to catch up to Evan and Cait. With the older students in their group, Mike and Meaghan will do in two days what the other group does in three. This means that today they pounded through fifty-five miles! Tomorrow is another big day – but it is relatively flat, and it ends within the fortressed walls of Old Quebec!

It was a bittersweet scene in Weston early this afternoon, as Mike and Rachel’s Vermont Hiking Superstars wrapped it up in a teary flurry of last hugs and very, very, very dirty boots (in fact, I was crying, too – but it had to do with some of the emanations from the boots). Sarcasm aside, this was by all accounts a very special trip for each of our students.

Rachel and Drew, up in Crawford Notch, were quiet today, as were our Montanans. Both groups are currently out of cell phone range, the former way up in New Hampshire’s Crawford Notch and the latter deep in Montana’s spectacular Glacier National Park.

Finally, big news from the South – our Coast to Coasters crossed the Mississippi River today! Nick relayed that they may toast their accomplishment this evening, but they were too busy concentrating on the road to give it a lot of attention on the road. Yesterday, we shared some of the great things we’ve heard about our trips from other people, but Nick and Maggie asked us to publicly thank some of the wonderful folks who have welcomed and assisted their trip as they’ve made their way across the country and into the great western watershed. They want to thank Ben and Faye, all the way back in Sandersville, Georgia, for pizza and watermelon; the Georgia Welcome Center folks for “freeze pops and being awesome;” Ciska at Access Health Imaging for water, bathrooms and a shot of much needed air conditioning; and Phyllis at the Magnolia Bible College for her homemade almond cookies. My commentary: this trip, in particular, is astonishing not just for the sheer physical accomplishment of riding across the country, but for the wonderful exposure to so many gracious, welcoming people. Almost everywhere they go, our Coast to Coasters are welcomed not as strangers but as longtime friends. It certainly helps that they’ve established themselves as respectful and friendly everywhere they’ve stayed…

All for now ~ Chad