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How many boys and how many girls on a trip?
We like to have a 50:50 gender ratio of boys and girls on our trips.
Who are the trip leaders?
Teen Treks leaders are adults who love hanging out with kids and who are knowledgeable about bicycling. Many of our leaders are teachers, human service professionals, graduate students, college seniors/juniors, and travel/hospitality professionals. The average age of our leaders is 28, and all trips have two leaders for the ride.
What is included in the trip's cost?
The fee for all Teen Treks adventures includes just about everything--meals, snacks, accommodations, transportation, all activities, and most camping equipment,
What equipment will my child need to bring?
Each tripper will need to bring a touring or hybrid bicycle with 10-24 speeds, saddlebags, a sleeping bag, a foam mattress, and a helmet.
How much spending money does my child need?
Trippers should bring some spending money (in travelers checks) for smaller items, such as: postcards, stamps, snacks, souvenirs, etc. We recommend $40-$50 a week for any of the US or Canadian trips, and $60-$70 per week for the European Trek, depending on the area visited, the thriftiness of the tripper, and whether or not the tripper plans on making any special purchases.
How does my kid's bike get to the departure point?
Shipping a bicycle on a plane with your child can be expensive and inconvenient. Depending on your preferred trip, we recommend that you Federal Express Ground or UPS Ground the bike to the trip's departure point. (usually an HI youth hostel)
Is Teen Treks associated with American Youth Hostels (AYH) / Hostelling International (HI)?
For Teen Treks' first 7 years, its bike trip program was part of American Youth Hostels, running self contained bike trips in their traditional style that dates back to 1934. Now it is an independent educational travel program promoting personal growth, adventure, and fun through biking and hostelling.
Where do the trips begin and end?
Teen Treks usually meet at a HI youth hostel in the departure city. Often that is where they will spend their first and/or last night.
Where are most of the teens on our trips from?
Teen Treks trippers come from all 50 states, Canada, Europe, and Israel.
Where will the groups spend the night?
Teen Treks groups spend their nights in hostels and campgrounds. This is what allows us to get to know the area in which we are visiting. Many major cities have AYH hostels right in downtown areas. Staying at these hostels is an inexpensive and safe way to travel and allows us to be right amidst the culture of the place. Touring is made easy, right outside the doors and our groups can prepare meals and hang out together in common areas in the hostel. In campgrounds we get to know the natural environment of the place we are traveling to. Despite common misconceptions, staying at hotels would not offer us these same awesome luxuries.
How much of the trip is camping?
All of our Teen Treks bicycle tours include camping. We stay in hostels in major cities and in between cities we pitch our tents in campgrounds.
What is the camping like?
Camping is an important component of a Teen Treks adventure. Being in a natural setting without the disturbance of televisions, movies and other urban noise encourages the group to get to know each other. A campfire in the woods is a perfect place to let loose. Teens find themselves singing, creating talent shows, swapping stories, and simply listening to the quiet of nature together. Our time camping is the glue for the road!
On your travel adventure we will stay in campgrounds reserved in advance by Teen Treks staff. We use private, municipal, and state and national campgrounds. Each campsite has a fire pit and picnic tables. Some campgrounds are fancy (with a pool or beach, rec hall, and facilities for various sports), while others are simple and rustic, in a beautiful natural environment.
We make sure that we have large enough tents for a roomy and comfortable sleep for all. We bring separate tents for males and females, and in each tent, your sleeping bag and foam mattress will keep you warm throughout the night. The tents are supplied by Teen Treks and returned at the end of each trip.
Do most kid's do a trip with a friend?
Most Teen Treks trippers do not do a trip with a friend. The structure of our trips really allows each group to become close and get to know each other. A lot of our trippers find that at the end of their adventure they have a community of friends more supportive than any they have found at school or elsewhere.
We do allow kids to do a trip with a friend. Simply indicate the name your teen's friend on your application material.
Are different age teens grouped together?
Our Teen Treks trips group teens with ages they commonly socialize with. Some of our trips, such as the European Trek and the Pacific Northwest Trek are only for older teens. While others like the C&O Canal Trek have trips designed for a younger age group. Under Trip Descriptions, you will notice that different trip times are for specific age groups.
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