By Chad Olcott
Bad news, friends – our dear Annika is out for four nights! Who lets this happen?? Nonetheless, let’s dry our tears and do what we can to march merrily through the many happenings in the wide, wide world of Apogee. I should note, too, that today is an auspicious day – it’s the first day of trip ends in 2014. Cape, NEMC – we barely knew thee! Parting is such sweet sorrow, but with sweet Apogee t-shirts and bellies full of final dinner delicacies, parting is a bit easier… Alright – to the field!
CI: We didn’t get a picture from their last night together – but Will and Emily’s Capers are all home tonight after a great night in Boston, sleeping in their own beds, missing their Apo-buddies, and maybe even missing their bikes….!
NEMC: Here’s a parting shot from our NEMCers last night together. Nice shirts, guys!
VM: As of press-time, no picture from our Vermonsters (err, Montrealers?) tonight. We have heard from them, though – they were enjoying their last day together (exploring the Montreal Biodome and working in a little shopping on St Catherine St) before a big last dinner together (poutine, anyone?).
CMC: Also enjoying their last full day together, our Californians put in several hours of service on the beach at Half Moon Bay before taking off for San Francisco this afternoon. Fare thee well, CMC!
CSA: And our third trip calling it a wrap tomorrow – our beloved Caribbeaners are rocking their new Apo-dud and showing Leader Lucy the love below. We just heard from the gang, they were checked in to their hostel for the night and are headed to the old city walls before their final fiesta tonight.
Feliz cumpleaños, Señor!
Selfie on the ferry back to the big island this morning!
CQA: It’s a day out of the saddle on the water way, way up on the Kennebec today! Mike and Mary’s crew looked downright statuesque as they were getting ready to load up….
CQB: And meanwhile, just a bit further south, Pete and Sherry’s alphabetically-inclined dynamos are spelling out….do you see it? Day on the water for these guys tomorrow!
“C – Q” Nice.
DEX: Well, well – look who’s here? This shot is actually from yesterday – taken by photographer Garrett just before our DEXsters headed into the woods. Looking legit, gang – even with the backcountry football…
MSA: It was a day of service for our Big Sky Cruisers – Hannah and Chris’ gang spent the day working with their hosts at the Boys and Girls Club at the Blackfeet Nation in Browning. Rarely have gloves and garbage bags looked so good! When they get going again tomorrow, these guys are headed for the mountains proper.
NWX: In the woods – way, way, waaaaay in the woods (until Thursday)!
PCA: S’more? Why, yes, I’d love one thank you! Jeanne and Matt are living that foggy Pacific Coast dream, replete with fire-roasted dessert, impromptu mini-World Cup matches, and whatever it is that’s happening in the third picture….
Not sure what the theme is here… “face paint makes us sad?”
PCB: Hey, hey – how about that? Pictures made it through today from Kate and Trevor! Huzzah! It was a service day for these guys, too – and they spent several hours giving back at the food bank in Eureka, CA. It’s back on the bikes tomorrow and into the redwoods – the really, really big redwoods.
Community service – and…rockin the “major kudos” bandana – nice.
AX: As you’ll see below, we were shut out of pictures from Europe across the board today. We did get a call from Jack and CC, however – they were happily into camp way up in the French Alps. As it happens, this is their last night in the French Alps – they’re strolling right into Bella Italia tomorrow. Two TMB countries down, one to go!
ECCA: Jeremy and Mia’s group is ensconced near the small town of Montdidier in France tonight – Jeremy reported that all was well. They have short day of riding tomorrow, then a much-deserved day off of the bikes. Off the bikes – and on the train into…Paris. Oui, oui, bien sur!
ECCB: And – to the north – Christine and Nick’s gang is also safely in for the night and long in bed – these guys are just two days away from their own Parisian excursion. With super-support Garth in the area tomorrow, we’re hoping to get pictures from both groups up tomorrow night.
ACC1: A world away in more ways than one, Josh and Laura’s gang is – to put it in perspective – already west of Chicago! One more night in Mississippi before pushing in to Arkansas tomorrow.
ACC2: And to the east of ACC1, but far enough west to call the central time zone home, and far enough south to find a Piggly-Wiggly in every town with more than one traffic light, Ally, Sam and their Spandexed Superstars were in before lunch today and are living the dream in Aliceville, AL tonight!
Solo in the blog – with the Major Kudos hulk jersey. Dream achieved.