Today the Niagara-Toronto Trekkers began their 10 day international tour. Starting in Buffalo the group is cycling along the mighty Niagara River to the awesome Falls some 20 miles north. The group will sail on the Maid of the Mist, hike the Niagara Gorge, cycle along the Welland Canal, and visit Balls Falls on their way to Toronto where they will have 2 days to explore.
Follow the group as they document their travels & send their blog posts into us at the Teen Treks office.
Today we woke up and had a nice meal of Swiss Miss (hot chocolate), oatmeal, bananas and nola bars (granola bars). We spent some time at the ferry dock on Orcas Island, searching for crabs and building sandcastles. We took a relaxing ferry to Anacortes, where we had a delicious lunch near a supermarket (Deli meat! Cheese! Veggies!). We ventured onto the Tommy Thompson trail. We took a small detour through a beautiful nature preserve, where we saw the USA cloud factory (there were many awesome, fluffy clouds). We continued through flat fields of farmland, got dinner in Edison, WA and made our way to Larabee State Park for the night. We’re excited to continue our trek towards Vancouver tomorrow!
Today was a fantastic day for the New York Montreal trekkers! After a hearty breakfast at our hotel (a welcome time to sleep in a bed and shower) we hit the road around 9:00. Our first big stop was to get lunch, which we ate at the famous Walkway Over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie, New York. The walkway, part of the Dutchess County Rail Trail, is an old railroad bridge that has been converted for pedestrian use. It offered breathtaking views of the Hudson Valley and a great photo op. We then rolled on another few miles to the home of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Hyde Park. We took a tour of the house before riding the last few miles to camp. Some rain starting in the afternoon put a slight damper on things, but didn’t stop us from cooking a delicious meal of quesadillas with refried beans. -Trek Leader Kyle
After safely departing the airport via London’s public transit system, we biked to Windsor and toured the stately Castle in all its splendor. As the sun descended, we biked along a picturesque trail winding beside the Thames, noting the distinct architecture of English hamlets and listening to songbirds on our way to Slough. It was great to be on bikes again!
The New York-Montreal trekkers, guided by Dylan and Wyatt, started of this morning with a scenic ride along the Hudson. After a few miles on the trail, we headed inland to tackle the rolling hills of New York. We took a quick lunch stop in Peekskill, and completed a game of frisbee before heading to the local bike shop ” Herb’s Firearms and Bicycles” (formerly Herb’s automative and bike) to replace a bolt for Dylan. Just like the first, the second half was full of hills. During our “uphill battle” we faced some gnarly hills and a flat tire, but we’re rewarded with some Italian ice and a lovely 10 mile downhill where we found our Ramada home for the night. Tomorrow we head Mills-Norrie and the Roosevelt house. Stay tuned for more!
After a restful morning, we breakfasted on bagels and mac and cheese- a winning combination. We sauntered down to cascade lake for an hour and a half hike up Sunrise rock where we feasted on both the stunning views and granola. Our appetites fulfilled, we continued on the trail back to the lakeside beach. We swam, sunbathed, read, saw a bald eagle, and ate overpriced locally sourced frozen delicacies (ice cream). Back at the campsite, we were lucky to meet Ed the Woodsman. Despite his unassuming appearance, Ed is the lumberjack for the whole campground and happily shared stories about his various wood cutting machinery. Dinner included chili, toast, and veggies. Following warm showers, dessert was enjoyed around the fire. The group is feeling well rested with high morale, and excited to bike back to the mainland tomorrow.
Across the Pond in London, the European Grand Tour assembled their bicycles to begin their 30 day adventure. They spent their first day touring the royal Windsor Castle and getting to know each other while adjusting to riding their bikes on the left side of the road! In the coming days and weeks they’ll bicycle through the English countryside to Stonehenge, bicycle along the River Seine to Rouen & Monet’s Garden, tour Paris, visit the historic cities of Ghent and Bruges, experience bicycle heaven in Amsterdam, punting on the River Thames in Cambridge, and sightseeing in London! Follow the group as they document their travels & send their blog posts into us at the Teen Treks office.
We started our day making a wrong turn but eventually climbed a small hill making our way to Anacortes to catch the ferry to Orcas Island. We passed over the bridge at Deception Pass (very scenic and beautiful). We biked thru gorgeous pine forests and reached Anacortes. We did some supermarket sweep as we quickly grabbed supplies before riding to the ferry. We had a hearty lunch on the ferry while taking in the breathtaking views. Jesus enjoyed a novelty snack of a sandwich with cheese, spicy mustard, regular mustard, ketchup, relish, and jalapeno chips. After lunch everyone relaxed and read. Upon docking we got ice cream and did some mindfulness activities and stretching as we braced for an afternoon of hill climbing. Orcas Island has llamas, guinea hens, chicken, sheep, horses, deer, bald eagles, turkey vultures, and beautiful mountain and lake views. After we passed thru a quaint town (and climbed another hill) we stopped to chow down on cherries. We then climbed a mountain (note, not a hill) and enjoyed a nice cheese filled dinner by the fire at Moran State Park. We are excited for a relaxing day of rest tomorrow before we head back to the mainland and continue our adventure!
Today, we said farewell to our new bunny friends and headed north through Whidbey Island. We climbed hills and coasting down the other side, with gorgeous views of the Cascades throughout.
We stopped at a beach and had a delicious lunch while skipping rocks, building a fort and marveling at the view of forest, cliffs, snow capped mountains and the Sound. Lola and Peter led our group today, navigating 45+ miles towards our campground for the night, and Felix and Jesus cooked everyone a hearty Tex-Mex feast. We’re looking forward to our next 2 islands (and another ferry) tomorrow!
Today the New York – Montreal Teen Trekkers began their 400 mile Trek through the Hudson Valley, Adirondacks, Lake Champlain shorelines, & Quebec. They will visit New York State’s capital in Albany, Vermont’s quaint city of Burlington, & the bustling city of Montreal as they travel together for the next 16 days. Follow the group as they document their travels & send their blog posts into us at the Teen Treks office.
