"My leaders were awesome! They were funny, lots of fun and incredibly supportive."
- Charlotte Alimanestianu
Larchmont, NY
Larchmont, NY
Posted on 3/3/2010
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Teen Summer Bike Trip Across America
Amy W. of Concord, MA joined our America Coast to Coast teen bike trip last summer, and wrote a piece about her experience that we included in our 2010 printed catalog. We wanted to post it here on our blog. It does a great job in capturing the essence of the trip!
Had we really just biked across the entire country? That was the first thought that raced through my mind when I heard the 4:30 AM alarm, the last early wake up call we’d get before hitting the beach in San Diego. Today’s ride, the final 75 miles of our 2700 mile journey, would finish at the Pacific Ocean.
Six weeks ago we were a group of nervous, awkward strangers. Now we were family. We had been through so much together. We waited out thunderstorms in Alabama, talked each other up never-ending hills in the Rockies, and serenaded one another on 100-mile days through the Arizona desert. We traveled through different cultures and scenery and met people who were nothing short of amazing. Locals cheered us on, brought us water and even opened their homes to us.
Had we really just biked across the entire country? That was the first thought that raced through my mind when I heard the 4:30 AM alarm, the last early wake up call we’d get before hitting the beach in San Diego. Today’s ride, the final 75 miles of our 2700 mile journey, would finish at the Pacific Ocean.
Six weeks ago we were a group of nervous, awkward strangers. Now we were family. We had been through so much together. We waited out thunderstorms in Alabama, talked each other up never-ending hills in the Rockies, and serenaded one another on 100-mile days through the Arizona desert. We traveled through different cultures and scenery and met people who were nothing short of amazing. Locals cheered us on, brought us water and even opened their homes to us.
Before the ACC trip I felt like I was losing my passion for life. The seemingly never-ending cycle of school, sports, and homework was wearing me out. Biking across the country with Apogee was just the right antidote. It is hard to describe the personal impact of this trip, but it changed me. Every day the bonds with my group and trip leaders grew stronger. Every day brought a completely new challenge and adventure, and every day I was proud of what I had accomplished. I have never felt so alive.
Getting on our bikes that final morning was bittersweet. We were about to accomplish something huge, but it was also the end of our journey. I will always remember those final miles. As we turned the last corner we saw reporters and heard the cheers of family and friends. Beyond them was the Pacific Ocean. The moment was even better than I had imagined. We dropped our bikes on the beach and ran into the water, laughing and crying. For ten minutes, we hugged and celebrated in the waves. We did it!
Getting on our bikes that final morning was bittersweet. We were about to accomplish something huge, but it was also the end of our journey. I will always remember those final miles. As we turned the last corner we saw reporters and heard the cheers of family and friends. Beyond them was the Pacific Ocean. The moment was even better than I had imagined. We dropped our bikes on the beach and ran into the water, laughing and crying. For ten minutes, we hugged and celebrated in the waves. We did it!
Signing up for this trip was a hard decision, but it was the right choice. The experience brought out a passion and strength in me that I will carry for the rest of my life. Reaching the Pacific was hands down the most powerful thing I have ever done. To be sure, the ACC was challenging. But now I know I can do anything… It’s also pretty sweet to say I biked across the country.
