Overview
New England Coast
for 7th-10th graders
Ride from the sandy beaches of Cape Cod Bay to the rocky coast of Acadia National Park on this three-week exploration of New England’s famous coast.
We’ll meet at Boston’s Logan Airport and then van to Cape Cod Bay where our ride begins. On daily rides that average 30 miles, we’ll work our way north, cycling from campground to campground through Massachusetts, cruising along New Hampshire’s seacoast and through southern Maine on our way to Portland and Freeport. Each day brings fun and exploration, and at day’s end, comfortable camping in state parks and private campgrounds awaits us.
From Freeport to Bar Harbor, our ride shows us the best of Maine: quaint small towns, busy harbors filled with lobster boats, quiet coves and rocky islands. We’ll take a break from the bikes to enjoy two days of sea kayaking in picturesque Casco Bay. Our riding ends in Acadia National Park, where we’ll cycle to the top of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on America’s Atlantic coast, and celebrate our ride along the New England coast. At trip’s end, we’ll van to Portland, Maine, to enjoy a dinner out as we look back on three weeks of beautiful riding, great friendships and fun on New England Coast.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Bike from Cape Cod Bay to Acadia National Park
- Explore coastal towns, back roads & beaches
- Sea kayak the Maine coast
- Explore Acadia National Park
GRADE
For students who will finish grades 7-10 in June 2009. We anticipate 2 groups per departure and students are grouped by grade—Typical groupings are:
- One group with a mix of 7th & 8th graders
- One group with a mix of 9th & 10th graders
Call us (800.458.0588) to check on current availability.
CHALLENGE LEVEL
4 (1-10, 1 is easiest)
START & END LOCATIONS
Starts in Boston, Massachusetts
Ends in Portland, Maine
2009 DATES & FEES
3 Weeks
Sunday, June 21 to Friday, July 10
Sunday, July 12 to Friday, July 31
$3195 (airfare not included)
APPLY TODAY
Most groups fill in January & February. To download an application, click here.
"Overland exceeded our expectations." Charles Lester, Ridgewood, New Jersey
Itinerary
Trip Start
We’ll meet at Boston Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. Overland’s leaders will meet arriving students and once everyone has arrived, we'll make our way by van to the coast south of Plymouth, Massachusetts. That afternoon, we'll take a practice ride on the Cape Cod Canal bike path to stretch our legs and prepare for the journey ahead.
Massachusetts
From Cape Cod Bay, we'll begin our ride, pedaling west of the busiest parts of Boston. The Massachuestts countryside is perfect for our first days of riding as we travel past cranberry bogs, beautiful lakes and rolling back roads. Biking from campsite to campsite, we'll visit quaint New England Towns and enjoy evenings camping in comfortable state parks and private campgrounds.
New Hampshire
We'll make our way back to the coast and cruise along New Hampshire's oceanfront. Although the small section of New Hampshire coastline is less than a day's journey for us, the ride is full of spectacular views of crashing waves and sandy beaches.
Maine
In Maine, the coast continues to impress us as long stretches of sandy beaches lead into rocky outcroppings and rugged coastline. We'll travel through coastal towns and seaports, past picturesque lighthouses and harbors filled with lobster boats. At day's end, comfortable camping awaits us in state parks and private campgrounds where we'll enjoy late afternoons and evenings swimming and playing games together.
Sea Kayaking on Casco Bay
In Maine, we'll take a break from the bikes to explore the coast by sea kayak. Paddling is a great way to enjoy Casco Bay, while experienced guides from Seaspray Kayaking lead us in and out of sheltered coves and past the many islands that line the coast. We'll even spend a night camping on a secluded island accessible only by boat. After two days of sea kayaking we'll be ready to hop back on our bikes and continue the journey north and east to Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park.
Acadia National Park
Once on Mount Desert Island, we'll bike to our campground, ideally situated a short distance from Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. We'll explore the island by bicycle, visiting downtown Bar Harbor and Acadia’s famous carriage roads. Built originally for horse-drawn carriages, this 45-mile network of scenic roads now provides an amazing way to take in the beauty of this coastal national park, as we pedal past beautiful granite hills above the Atlantic. We’ll also challenge ourselves with a ride to the top of Cadillac Mountain at 1,530 feet. Cadillac receives the first rays of the rising sun in the United States and our ride to the summit is a perfect way to end our three weeks of biking together!
Trip End in Portland
From Acadia we'll van to Portland, Maine for a celebratory dinner together before our final farewells and flights home.
Supervision & Safety
Overland’s two leaders, a man and a woman, provide 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week supervision of the highest standard. Our students feel safe and secure in our talented and conscientious leaders’ hands.
On an Overland bike trip the group stays together all day: biking together, playing games together, swimming together, and enjoying our evenings together as we prepare dinner and dessert and talk about the day’s adventures. We get up early (usually between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m.), have full, active days, and head to bed soon after dark (between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m.).
We set high expectations for each student’s behavior—we expect respect and consideration for others, a positive attitude, and an eagerness to help make the trip a success in every way possible.
In every decision we make, safety comes first. We plan our trips carefully choosing bike paths and bike routes wherever possible, and where they are not available, choosing the best available roads. We ride with care, with a leader at the front and a leader at the rear. We only ride during the day; we always wear helmets, and we attach an orange safety flag to every bike. Since our first trips in 1985 our safety record has been superlative.
For nearly 25 years our caring and competent leaders, our 24/7 supervision, our high expectations, and our commonsense approach to safety have made Overland the number one choice for summer bicycle trips.
Overland Leaders
In a world where strong leadership skills make the difference between the average and the exceptional, Overland recruits and trains only the best to be our leaders. Not only do these remarkable people capably lead our groups, they also offer our students the kind of role modeling for which Overland has long been recognized. Bright, charismatic and accomplished, our leaders ensure the safety and well-being of every Overland student, and then they provide much, much more, inspiring our students to reach for their potential in every way.
You won’t find a more dynamic and talented group of people than Overland’s leaders. Most Overland leaders have played varsity sports and many have captained their teams; they have served as student government officers, volunteered as peer counselors and directed campus organizations. They are high achievers who come to Overland with a lifetime of leadership experience—but just as importantly, they are warm, wonderful people who are eager to work with Overland’s students.
Overland’s leaders prepare carefully for the summer. We know of no other program that requires certification in First Aid, CPR and lifesaving—every Overland leader has all of these plus our own 10-day training program that focuses on safety, supervision and leadership. All of our efforts prepare Overland’s caring and committed leaders to create safe, supportive and valuable programs where each of our students can flourish.
Meet some of our spectacular returning leaders.
Trip Difficulty
New England Coast is rated 4 on a scale of 1- 10 (1 is easiest). This rating places New England Coast in a moderate category. The length of the rides and the difficulty of the terrain are more demanding than Vermont (Level 3). Daily rides on New England Coast average 30 miles over varying terrain, with our longest day at approximately 50 miles.
Many New England Coast participants are first-timers on a trip like this—so few, if any, students come with prior experience. There is always a range of physical ability and fitness in each group. As long as you are motivated and reasonably fit, you will keep up just fine because the trip is designed to be a cooperative, non-competitive group activity where everyone contributes and helps one another.
Fully Self-Contained Bicycle Trips
Overland bicycle tours are self-contained—meaning there is no van support. You will carry all of your belongings, plus some group gear, on a sturdy rack mounted over the back wheel of your bike. You will hang panniers (these are saddlebags, pronounced “pan-yers”) off the rack and attach gear like your sleeping bag and sleeping pad to the top of the rack using bungee cords.
How We Put Our Groups Together
We have a number of important criteria for every group:
Size: Every Overland group is limited to 12 students.
Grade: We generally group 7th & 8th together, 8th & 9th together, and 9th & 10th together.
Gender:
Groups are coed; the male/female ratio is always carefully balanced (6:6, 7:5 or 8:4).
Friends: We allow two pairs of friends in a group (we never allow three or more friends to travel together). With a maximum of two pairs of friends there will always be space available for at least eight students to come on their own without a friend. Furthermore, if we enroll two pairs of friends in a group and both pairs are of one gender, we generally try to: (1) enroll three or four more students of that gender in that group, or (2) close the group to additional students of that gender.
“Rebecca had a fantastic time! She loved the group and enjoyed the challenge.” Al & Ilene Dobler, Darien, Connecticut
Trip Details
Getting To & From the Trip
Families are responsible for making travel arrangements to Boston Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts and from Portland International Jetport in Portland, Maine. Overland’s leaders will be on hand at the airport to provide supervision and assistance at trip start and end.
Equipment
Please see the Preparing & Packing page for a complete packing list. Note that the main pieces of equipment needed for this trip are: a bicycle (available for rent from Overland), a helmet, panniers (saddlebags—available for rent from Overland), a sleeping bag and a sleeping pad.
The Bicycle
You will need a good quality bicycle for this trip. You can either bring your own or rent a bicycle from Overland. Complete information to help guide you in the selection of an appropriate bicycle or arrange for an Overland rental is available in the Choosing the Right Bicycle and the Bicycle & Pannier Rental Form pages of the Enrollment Forms.
Renting a Bicycle and Panniers From Overland
You may choose to rent a bike and/or panniers from Overland to use during your trip. Please see the Bicycle & Pannier Rental Form for more information (click above on Enrollment Forms).
Additional Costs
Transportation to and from program start and end locations, spending money and personal gear are not included in the program fee. Overland provides group gear including tents and stoves; students provide all personal equipment (e.g., bicycles, panniers, sleeping bags).
“When William arrived home he stated ‘If I could rest one day, I would turn around and do the trip all over again!’ I don’t think we could say it better. Thank you for providing William with his second ‘dream trip’ with Overland.” Irene Bradley, Peachtree City, Georgia
