With 12 trips out and about, I Got a Feeling (by The Black Eyed Peas) that today was full of fun and smiles for our adventurers! We’ve got Good Vibrations (by The Beach Boys) across the board. From sunrise hikes, to first days of riding, to birthdays celebrated in the Alps, all of our explorers can say it was a Beautiful Day (by U2). If you haven’t figured it out by now, today’s blog is all about songs of the day, so let’s Listen to the Music (by The Doobie Brothers) and check in with our friends in the field!
Skip to a Specific Trip: AXA, AXB, CRM, CRMC, CSPR, CSVI, DEX, MCCE, NEMC, NWMC, PC, PMC, VM
Alps Explorer A (AXA)
Song of the day: The Sound of Music by Julie Andrews
The hills are certainly alive today in the Alps for our explorers in Zermatt. You can’t tell from the pictures but our leaders in the field have informed us that the mountains are indeed SINGING. While enjoying gorgeous views of Matterhorn, our campers took on their first of many hikes together, played hacky sack in the sunshine, and spent the evening hanging out by the water. The Tour du Mont Blanc eagerly awaits this group of fearless adventurers.
Alps Explorer B (AXB)
Song of the day: Happy Birthday by Stevie Wonder
Everyone say Happy Birthday to ya! With beautiful views of the Matterhorn, our globetrotters spent the day hiking to get ready for their big adventure before heading to Zermatt to celebrate Lauren’s 17th. Birthday hats and hugs were a must, and a celebratory dinner was certainly in order. We can’t think of a more beautiful place to have enjoyed her special day. Happy birthday, Lauren!
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)
Song of the day: Rocky Mountain Way by Joe Walsh
What better way to spend a day, than the rocky mountain way. For those who’ve never had the pleasure, a day in the Rockies typically consists of a healthy dose of fresh mountain air, views of sparkling lake water and treeless mountaintops, and the laughter and smiles of 11 happy campers and their 3 fearless leaders. Our CRMers had a lovely warm up hike to get prepped for the adventurous week ahead in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)
Song of the day: Jungle Boogie by Kool & the Gang
Wooooweeee this Gang of Kool kids had a full day. They spent their morning in Manuel Antonio National Park where they boogied like spider monkeys with tons of Costa Rican wildlife. After hanging with frogs, bats, iguanas, sloths, and many more new friends, they soaked up some rays on the beach, and enjoyed some warm, pacific ocean water. To cap off the day and expend some of their remaining energy, they ripped some epic ziplines in the jungle! It’s official, I’m signing up for this trip next summer.
Caribbean Service Virgin Islands (CSVI)
Song of the day: Island in the Sun by Weezer
Our Caribbean service adventurers are getting acquainted with their new island home, where they’ll be playing and having fun by the golden sea for the next 8 days. Today started with some beach chilling before everyone got to meet some adorable puppies at an adoption event held by one of the service partners they will be working with later this week. The group topped off the evening with some kayaking on the ocean. I don’t know about you guys but that makes me feel so fine I can’t control my brain.
Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE)
Song of the day: Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield
With a blank page before us, we open up the dirty windows, to let the sun illuminate the first words of our unwritten college essays as we kick off our first day of MCCE. The group arrived safely into Brunswick and settled into their dorms for the week before an afternoon of hacky sack, card games, spikeball, and friendship bracelet-making! For these kids, today is where their book begins, the rest is still unwritten.
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEX)
Song of the day: Sunrise by Norah Jones
It looks like morning in our eyes! Our DEXers are absolutely crushing it, taking on a sunrise hike on day 3. Though the morning came with some clouds, spirits were high as they celebrated a birthday, all before 7 am! Obviously the fun doesn’t end there—they spent the afternoon doing ANOTHER big hike (bagging a few peaks along the way) before heading back to camp to rest up after their busy day. Talk about beast mode. We’re so proud of these ambitious campers!
New England Mountains & Coast (NEMC)
Song of the day: The Trail We Blaze by Elton John
The White Mountains welcomed our expeditioners with open arms and they’ve officially hit the trail. Elton John said it best: Look out new world here we come / Brave, intrepid and then some / Pioneers of maximum! These crushers devoured their hikes and were rewarded with some stunning sights. By the looks of these pics, they seem like quite the team, they’re going to live where others merely dream!
Northwest Mountains & Coast (NWMC)
Song of the day: On the Road Again by Willie Nelson
In the words of Willie Nelson, we’re goin’ places we’ve never been, seein’ things we may never see again, and we can’t wait to get on the road again! The Northwest Mountains & Coast hikers—now seasoned pros—hit the road again as they rip along a classic Washington ridgeline, and my goodness, these views are breathtaking. This gang of explorers is putting in the work, and we just got word that they are enjoying a well deserved evening swim.
Pacific Coast (PC)
Song of the day: Let’s Get it Started by the Black Eyed Peas
The big day has arrived! Our bikers made it to Oregon, where they are about to start their journey of more than 600 miles over the course of the next 20 days, which certainly warrants some pump-up music. So let’s get it started in here and get HYPED for the beautiful sights and sounds that await this group along the beautiful west coast. There are friends to be made, redwoods to be seen, and coastlines to be explored. Welcome to PC, our valiant cyclists!
Pyrenees Mountains & Coast (PMC)
Song of the day: Vamos a La Playa by Loona
Sounds of fiesta filled the air in Spain as our PMC explorers got settled just outside of Barcelona! A quick swim on day 1 was absolutamente necesario before they take on 13 days full of incredible hikes featuring beautiful alpine lakes, vast valleys, and so much more. They’ll also be doing the Carros de Foc hiking circuit which covers 50 (!!) gorgeous miles, and we know they are going to CRUSH it. Coastal coves await, and we can’t wait to see all that these travelers accomplish. Vamos!
Vermont to Montreal (VM)
Song of the Day: Bicycle Race by Queen
Who wants to ride their bicycle??? Hint: It’s not just Freddie Mercury and the rest of the members of Queen…our VMers have set off down the road for their first ride of the summer. I don’t know what they had for breakfast but it worked because they made their first 15 mile ride on fully loaded bikes look EASY. After a seemingly breezy ride, they settled into camp and hit the lake for an evening swim. Dang…I want to ride my bicycle now too.
