AAVE Trip BLOG » Bike Amsterdam Paris
August 5, 2008
Teen Adventure Bike Trip
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Dan had a great time on his trip! He bonded with some very nice kids, enjoyed the biking, and loved seeing the cities and towns. We felt very comfortable with the group’s leaders and the support from the company. -Peggy Klein
August 1, 2008
Are you Ready?
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HEY - CAMPERS … WAKE UP AND LET’S BIKE FROM AMSTERDAM TO PARIS????
July 23, 2008
Finale from BE1 and BAP2
Posted by AAVE Leader in : Bike Amsterdam Paris, Bold Europe , add a comment
Bold Europe Adventure
Hello Back home from AAVE Bold Europe!
Our time on the beach in Monaco and Cap D’ail was too short! But I suppose that’s something we could never get enough of. The water was clear, beautiful and refreshing. We all got some jumps off the rocky shore, including Sydney who on her b-day managed her first ever dive.
Off to the Mercantour we went to join our guides for the Via Ferratta. For those not in the know, this is a long mountain climb during which we are harnessed in, following a trail of large metal staples along sheer rock faces. Our climbing in the Caudies de Fenoulledes did little to prepare us for the staggering heights of this route, followed by the exhilarating zip line rides over deep ravines. We got another shot at canyoning, except this time it was, oh… 300% more intense! This excursion made the last seem a warm up. We rappelled down fast flowing falls, got to fly off a multitude of jumps the last of which was such a grande finale of a small man made dam.
Our next couple days; we experienced the French wilderness in an entirely new way. Our guide David (the man could be called a sage for all he knows about the wild and plant life in this region of the French alps) led us to the site where we would endure some real wild camping for a change. We went on two scenic hikes, entertained at every step of the way by David’s wisdom, sampling edible plants and identifying which ones to stay well clear of. We played capture the flag in the woods, prowling around, sneaking up on each other and having great laughs.
Finally we said our goodbyes to France to be welcomed by the culturally rich city of Firenze - well all right, we did a lot of shopping, but we’ll hit the sites on Wednesday!
We can’t believe it is almost over,
Cedric, Lauren, Nick and the Bold ones
July 7, 2008
BAP1 - Hey all back home!
Posted by AAVE Leader in : Bike Amsterdam Paris , add a comment
We are now in Sluis, a small town near the border of Belgium. So far we have visited Amsterdam, and seen the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank house. The great weather that day let us explore the city and have a great lunch at the park behind the Rijks Museum. We then biked towards the North Sea and enjoyed a few hours on the beach. The next day we biked 69 kilometers (45 miles approx.), along the coast with a slight detour thorough the Hague, ending up in Delft. The following day we woke up early and biked in the lovely sun across the many dams of the Netherlands, adding another 75 kilometers (or fifty miles) to our journey. That brings us to a total of 305 kilometers! Yesterday (7/5/2008) we stopped at a museum/theme park to learn about the dams and go on the water slide. So far that’s been one of the many highlights of the trip. Today we explored Middleburg and took a ferry on our way to Sluis.
The trip has been absolutely great so far, its been really fun getting to know everyone. We have been very creative making food for each other like, pancakes with cream and berries, french toast, chocolate fondue, grilled cheese, quesadillas, italian pasta and we always love to stop for ice cream on the way. Power food for the ride!
Tomorrow we leave for Brugge and the second half of our amazing trip! See you soon!!
Love to you all from everyone! (A bientot!)
Written by: Zach Kotel and Anette Broch Mathisen Tvedt
July 1, 2008
BAP1
Posted by AAVE Leader in : Bike Amsterdam Paris , add a comment
OH WHAT BEAUTIFUL SCENERY!!!
We love it! What phenomenal people and the food is amazing! Every where we look, we have to stop and take pictures even if it means slowing down the bikes that are in front - but that’s really okay - it’s worth it! We’re looking forward to sharing more with you about our journey of 300 miles and our explorations through the history found within the rolling hills of Holland. What a great experience! We are so glad to be embarking on this expedition with your campers. Talk to you soon!
January 26, 2008
European Bike Trip for Teens
Posted by AAVE Camper in : Bike Amsterdam Paris, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Celebrating our Success!
My son had a great time on his BAP2 trip! He really enjoyed the leaders as well as the other participants. He seemed to gain a lot from the experience, and adored everyplace he went. I appreciate the fact that you gave us information on other participants before the trip, so that they could contact each other. Your packing advice (the list) was great–I don’t think there was anything my son was missing, and he used just about everything, even the long underwear was needed though it was summer. I felt I could call your office when I had questions, and the staff was receptive and helpful. We were very happy that a blog was posted about mid-way through the trip! This is very important to parents! Since this was his first trip, we didn’t know what to expect, but when we saw the photo posted and read the blog, we absolutely knew he was having fun. I like the fact that your trips have a limited number of participants–this way the kids can really bond, I think; they can have some flexibility and not feel herded around by the leaders. Thank you for giving my son such a wonderful experience.
-Parent, Paul Flood, BAP
I think almost everything about the trip was successful, a little more freedom would be nice, but other than that the whole trip was a success, I met amazing people and saw some fantastic places; overall a great trip!
-Camper, Tim Flood, BAP
Ruth came home from the Bike Amesterdam Paris Trip filled with stories about her thoroughly enjoyable experience she had on AAVE. I was very happy with the care and attention each camper was given and would most definatley send her on a trip again.
-Parent, Jane Thompson, BAP
My summer with AAVE had so many highlights, too many to mention!
-Camper, Ruth Thompson, BAP
I think the trip was a wonderful experience for Micah. He developed confidence in the physical requirements (i.e. he could keep up with the biking each day) and he enjoyed the social aspects. The destinations, particularly Holland and Belgium were spectacular. I think Paris was a little disappointing (maybe because Micah was a little young and the big city felt too dirty and expensive for him to fully enjoy in only a couple days). The leaders were great - even though Micah and Henry were the youngest of the group, the leaders did a good job integrating them in. They didn’t make them feel like little kids, so Micah was able to rise to the occasion and be more grown up. In fact, he noticeably matured over the few weeks. Also, he had a lot of just plain fun during the down times. The people in the office were very helpful as we prepared for the trip, always willing to answer my neurotic questions! The weather could have been better, but I can’t blame AAVE for that. Overall a very successful experience!!
- Parent, Linda Loewinger, Bap
It was great! Totally successful. From the first phone calls we knew that we were dealing with experienced and serious people whic was crucial when we made the decision on which camp to choose for our son. We will for sure use you in the future, Holden is the oldest of three brothers and we will be planing our future summer vacations around the camp dates.
-Parent, Celina Benon, BAP
Wonderful biking trip. I wanted to stay another 2 weeks! Great program!!
-Camper, Brett Glosser, BAP
My summer with AAVE was super successful. From the biking, camping and cooking to meeting new people and visiting sights, I had a blast! I made great new friends from all over the world, many of whom I hope to keep up with. I enjoyed pushing myself on the really hard days, and then appreciated the more relaxed times. I grew a lot this summer with AAVE. I saw how much I was capable of doing on my own and the trip forced me — in a good way — to go outside my comfort zone. It was so much fun — I’m sad it’s over. I really can’t think of anything that was unsuccessful about my summer with AAVE except that I didn’t really like the way the t-shirt fit!
-Camper, Cory Berg, BAP
Our experience with AAVE was incredibly wonderful. AAVE is a very well run organization and I felt secure sending my child to Europe with it. Between the website and the staff, all my questions — of which I had many — were answered completely and honestly. I found the staff very responsive. My only suggestion to improve communication would be to make sure that something is posted on the blog within a day or two of the kids’ arrival to relieve parents’ anxiety. While I realize it was difficult for the group to find the time and place to get on the internet, a more active blog would have been nice. Cory’s experience on Bike Amsterdam exceeded our expectations. She loved the biking, the camping, Europe, the way things were organized (with responsibilities rotating through the kids), the leaders, and her group. Cory has had many great summer experiences, from 4-weeks at overnight camps and weekly sport camps to college programs; nevertheless, Bike Amsterdam was by far the one she has enjoyed the most. As parents, we appreciate not only the good time she had, but what this experience has meant for Cory’s development. Cory came back a more independent and confident kid. We couldn’t be happier!
-Parent, Ellen Berg, BAP
August 8, 2007
Bike Amsterdam-Paris #2: Update
Posted by Jenny at AAVE in : Bike Amsterdam Paris, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Dear Families,
After surviving the long flight over the ocean, we finally arrived at Schiphol (Amsterdam airport) - all of us with our luggage but only some of us with enough sleep. We camped in “Amsterdamse Bos”, a nice forest just outside the city, where we oriented ourselves with the new sights and environment.
The next morning we rode into Amsterdam - a visit to the Van Gogh museum, followed by a visit to the Anne Frank house for some of us. Both sights were amazing.
The following day we had our first real biking with the beach and a swim as our goal. It was a very cool campsite on the dunes at the beach, in an area called Bloemendaal aan Zee. At night, some brave campers slept outside on the beach.
I woke up early to cook breakfast - a very new and enjoyable experience. Then we embarked on the 2nd longest bike ride of the trip. A very nice but windy trail along the coast side, up and down the beautiful dunes.
After waking up the next morning, we started the longest and the most amazing bike ride of the trip. We arrived in Noordwelle after pedaling for a tiring 86.5 km (that’s over a 50 miles!!). We are very proud of ourselves! Yesterday we traveled to Middelburg, followed by a visit to the town itself the next morning.
Today we continued to our last campsite in the Netherlands, situated in Sluis. At the midpoint we could relax for a moment on the ferry that took us to the other side of the river. And, of course, we didn’t forget to have a last beach stop at the North Sea.
As you see, we had an amazing time in the Netherlands. Tomorrow we’ll enter Belgium. None of us can believe that this trip is halfway over already, but we are all looking forward to the adventures that have yet to come.
Written by Cody Shulman and friends
Trip leaders want to thank all the parents for having such a wonderful sons and daughters!
Cis, Evie & Anette
September 21, 2006
Teen Camp Bikes Europe!
Posted by Jenny at AAVE in : Bike Amsterdam Paris, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
“ I had an unbelievably fun summer experience. It truly surpassed my wildest expectations! Absolutely everything was successful. The leaders were possibly the best part of the trip. Their energy, friendliness, and general knowledge really added a huge dimension to my experience. Their friendship is something I will cherish.”
- Gabe Lezra, BAP camper, 2006
August 13, 2006
Teens Biking from Amsterdam to Paris
Posted by admin in : Bike Amsterdam Paris, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Courtney Martin one of the BAP 2006 participants wrote this evaluation of the trip. We posted it because it gives a good perspective of what the trip was like. For 2007 we will be pacing the trip a little differently AND we do not anticipate temperatures in the 90’s as we experienced this year.
1. What was successful or unsuccessful about Bike Amsterdam/Paris?
Unsuccessful–
I realize this was a biking trip, & that we would primarily be well, biking which takes a lot of time, while seeing beautiful scenery along the way. Which it was and we did. However, I do wish we would have had more time to enjoy the sites. In particular, when we were in Amsterdam, due to time constraints, we had to choose to either visit the Van Gogh or the Anne Frank Museum. I was really interested in the latter, but after having AP art history my jr. year, I also wanted to visit van gogh. So I had to make quite the decision. Moving on, I loved Belgium; it’s such a magnificent country, so beautiful. I’m sure Maarten would agree 
Anywho. It would have been nice if we would of had more time there to explore; the same goes for Paris. More than anything, I desired to visit the Louvre, but with us only having a few hrs, I didn’t feel that that was adequate. I decided instead, to do some shopping to get some gifts for the familia.
Successful–
Crews. Such an awesome concept & effective when applied. Cooking, Camping, Leader of the Day, & Day Off–all of which we rotated through, each had their pros and cons. These jobs so to speak, kept us grounded and busy, fostered & strengthened our bonds with one another. Learning to prepare meals, to use the stoves, & to set up the “shelter” was great. Previous to this trip, I didnt know how to set up a tent. Sad, I know. But I’d never been camping before so I have an excuse. Now however, I’m pretty skilled if I do say so myself. & I can attribute all of my new found abilities to this trip. Oh, and lets see. Leader of the Day. I rather liked that. It felt as if I was truly involved in what we were doing the next day, where we were traveling to, our “destiny” as Marteen often called it, & what we would encounter along the way. I loved being informed, knowing which cities we would ride into, the dams we would cross, & so on. Seeing a sign and knowing, on your own, that you’re going the right way, not just following blindly, was cool I must say. Those nightly meetings were fantastic as well. Glows & Gripes–these allowed us to focus on & voice our opinions about the good & bad of the day. All in all, the crews specifically, gave me a greater appreciation for the comforts of home, & especially for all that my parents do.
2. Did you like the leaders; Maarten, Bonnie and Kequyen?
Maarten–fantastic leader. patient. great sense of humor.
Bonnie–kind. helpful. always positive w/ a smile on her face. encouraging.
Kequen–kept everyone in line. down-to-earth. amiable. easy to talk to.
They all seemed to complement each other. Perfect combination of leaders!
3. How was the food?
Wow. So I never imagined that we (the kids) would be cooking the meals. I was a wee bit apprehensive since my cooking at home consists of boiling water for ramen noodles or poppin’ a hot pocket in the microwave. So yeah. That was a new experience. When we were first told this, I thought the food was gonna be horrible; at the very least, I didn’t have high hopes for anything I would prepare. My group was the first cooking crew. Great. Good thing Gabe often cooked at home ’cause we would have be lost. My apprehensiveness was assuaged however when we received positive feedback on our cuisine. It was a success. In general, the food was always good, & we always had a variety. I liked how it was our job to create the menu; this allowed us to constantly have some type of input in what we ate.
4. Was the biking enjoyable? Too hard? Too easy?
It’s pretty cool that I’m able to say that I biked over 600k. So I definitely enjoyed the biking. We had some tough times as a group, but overall, I’d say that it was average as far as difficulty is concerned. On the days that we got lost, be it for whatever reason, it was a little strenuous seeing as how we’d often do double the said k(s). Of course, it was nothing we couldn’t handle; we persevered. & that’s what matters in the end. It was all good.
July 24, 2006
Bike Amsterdam to Paris Teen Adventure
Posted by admin in : Bike Amsterdam Paris, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Greetings from Belgium! Nearly a week has passed since we set out on our bicycles to explore The Netherlands, Belgium and France. After visiting the Anne Frank House and Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, we worked our way to the coast where we had our nightly meeting on the beach at sunset. Since leaving the coast we have covered a lot of ground, almost 400 km!!!!
The dunes were extremely challenging. We persevered and we are positive that the upcoming rides will not only test our skills but also bring us closer as a group.
The last two days we have been taking it a bit easier. Shorter bike rides and enjoying visits to Bruges and Gent. We surely tried our fill of chocolates and waffles, had a great dinner out of typical Belgian food, slept in a bed, and enjoyed the festive scenery of Ghent!!!
Only a few more days and we will be parking our bikes and hopping on the train to Paris.
Many greetings from the hardcore BAP bikers!!!
Erin Lewis says: Hey mom, Kimberly and John! I miss you a lot and it is almost as good as Kimberly’s trip.
Gabe says to dad: a por ellos oé!!!!
Courtney says: miss you guys and love you.
Alison says: I am hanging in here and trying my hardest and I think I am going to make it. I love and miss you all and have bought you all lots of presents.
More soon!!
Love,
Everybody