Overview
Nova Scotia & Acadia
for 8th-12th graders
Canada’s maritime province of Nova Scotia delights cyclists with its breathtaking shorelines, charming harbors and friendly people. Maine’s Acadia boasts similar delights: waves crashing into rocky coves, lobster boats in morning mist, gulls overhead and seals in the distance. Come explore these extraordinary destinations with a small, spirited group (no more than 12 students or fewer than 2 leaders) by bicycle on Nova Scotia & Acadia.
We’ll meet in Portland, Maine and make our way by van and ferry to Nova Scotia where our ride begins. In Nova Scotia, we’ll bicycle quiet country roads over rolling hills, through bustling towns and past sandy beaches. Averaging 35 miles a day, we’ll ride across southern Nova Scotia past the Bay of Fundy and along the famous Lighthouse Route. Our route will take us to Kejimkujik National Park, where we’ll enjoy a day exploring the park and beautiful Kejimkujik Lake. Camping in excellent provincial parks along the way will keep us comfortable during cool nights. Taking a break from our ride, we’ll spend a day exploring the coast by sea-kayak as we paddle the waters of Nova Scotia’s picturesque bays. From Yarmouth, Nova Scotia’s southernmost tip, we’ll ferry across the Gulf of Maine to Acadia National Park. In Acadia, we’ll bicycle quaint carriage roads and ride to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. At trip’s end, we’ll head south to Portland, Maine to celebrate our accomplishments and our time together on Nova Scotia & Acadia, a life experience with value and resonance that extends far beyond the boundaries of a single summer.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Ride across southern Nova Scotia
- Visit Kejimkujik National Park
- Sea-kayak & swim Nova Scotia’s coastal waters
- Explore Acadia National Park
GRADE
For students who will finish grades 8-12 in June 2008. We plan on 1 group at each departure with 8th & 9th graders, 1 group at each departure with 9th & 10th graders and 1 group at each departure with 10th-12th graders. Call us (800.458.0588) to check on current availability.
CHALLENGE LEVEL
5 (1-10, 1 is easiest)
START & END LOCATION
Starts and ends in Portland, Maine
2008 DATES & FEES
3 Weeks
Sunday, June 22 to Friday, July 11
Sunday, July 13 to Friday, August 1
$3095 (airfare not included)
APPLY TODAY
Most groups fill in January & February. To download an application, click here.
“It was incredible!” Charlotte Holtz, Stamford, Connecticut
Itinerary
Trip Start
We’ll meet at Portland International Jetport in Portland, Maine. Overland’s leaders will meet arriving students and once everyone has arrived, we'll make our way by van to Bar Harbor for our first night together. The next day we'll ferry across the Gulf of Maine to Nova Scotia to begin our biking.
Nova Scotia
We’ll travel by bike along the coast of southern Nova Scotia, Canada’s most beautiful maritime province. From our bikes we’ll take in the breathtaking scenery: a shoreline filled with beaches, coves and mini-fjords and an interior boasting beautiful lakes and rolling countryside. While crossing the interior, we’ll swim in large lakes carved out by glaciers during the last Ice Age and ride through Kejimkujik National Park. Biking from campsite to campsite, we’ll visit quaint seaside towns and stay in some of Canada’s beautiful provincial parks as we make our way back south to Yarmouth.
Kejimkujik National Park
Along our route through Nova Scotia, we’ll visit Kejimkujik National Park, the only inland national park in Canada’s maritime provinces. Here we’ll enjoy a break from our bikes as we explore the hiking trails and swim in beautiful Lake Kejimkujik.
Sea-Kayaking on Mahone Bay
We’ll also spend a day sea-kayaking the pristine waters of Mahone Bay on the southern coast of Nova Scotia with experienced guides from East Coast Outfitters. On this full day excursion, we’ll explore the sheltered coves, rugged coastline and sandy beaches that make Mahone Bay famous.
Acadia National Park
From Yarmouth on the southern tip of Nova Scotia, we’ll ferry to Maine’s Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island to ride 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 back to Portland for a celebratory dinner together before our 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
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
Nova Scotia & Acadia is rated 5 on a scale of 1- 10 (1 is easiest). This rating places Nova Scotia & Acadia 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 Nova Scotia & Acadia average 35 miles over varying terrain, with our longest day at approximately 55 miles.
Many Nova Scotia & Acadia 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
Grade: We generally group 8th & 9th together, 9th & 10th together, and 10th-12th together.
Gender:
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
Leader Comments
To give you an idea of what this trip is like, here is a description from a recent Nova Scotia & Acadia leader:
“Nova Scotia & Acadia is a great introduction to bicycle touring. We spent almost three weeks exploring Nova Scotia's scenic inland and dramatic coast before heading to Acadia. Our group found that 35 miles a day was challenging at times, but completely manageable, allowing time for other activities such as swimming and relaxing at camp in the afternoon. Sea-kayaking was the best! We were treated to a beautiful sunny day on the water, a nice change of pace from our bikes. Acadia National Park was magnificent—we hit the carriage roads for some day rides, biked to the top of Cadillac Mountain and enjoyed exploring Maine's rocky and rugged coastline. Our last day was spent reminiscing about our time together, laughing about our adventures and wondering how three weeks had gone by so fast!”
“This was my first Overland trip and my first time camping and it was awesome!” Vi Wood, Williamstown, Massachusetts
Trip Details
Getting To & From the Trip
Families are responsible for making travel arrangements to 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
