Words From Some Former Trippers

Rachael Taylor
Joel Hatstat
Llana Friedman

What can I say about my SHP summer? How do I describe a month in which I grew as a person through experiences completely different from the rest of my life? I guess just like that.

In July 1996, I did something that I was always afraid of - I entered a situation where I knew no one, I was in essence alone. That didn't last for long! The people were friendly, and the leaders worked hard to make us feel at home. Friendships began forming immediately.

Of course, relations weren't perfect. With 13 teenagers thrown together 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for a month, people are bound to get on each other's nerves, even dislike one another. However, that potential negative turned into a definite positive as I learned how to deal with people I don't get along with. I also made several friendships that will last forever.

The other side of SHP, obviously, is the outdoor side. This is something that one cannot truly comprehend until experiencing it. Your bike is the only thing you have to depend on. It goes through the rain, wind, cold, heat, and sunshine with you. All of the gorgeous scenery you ride through, your bike "sees" too, The tents you carry on your rack will be a safe haven, a destination to be arrived at. For probably the first time, you will always be exposed to the weather, and chances are your appreciation of that power will grow tremendously.

I don't know if these words can begin to describe what SHP is. I do know, though, that I changed for the better from it. I became an able and willing leader, a skill that has already helped me at school. I learned that I can make friends all by myself, but also to depend on myself for anything I need. And most importantly of all, I had the best summer of my life.

- Rachel Taylor

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Bicycling is an activity that I have always enjoyed. And what better way to exercise my desire to bicycle is there than to tour with a group of other kids my age who equally desired to meet the same challenges as me every day. I chose Student Hosteling Program on a recommendation from a friend. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have ever had in my life. I went into the trip with expectations of not bring able to keep up, and I thought that I'd be with a group of other bikers who would be much more talented and in shape than I was. I quickly learned that the mentality of the trip was that of a group, and not of an individual. With a leader riding behind the rest of the pack I saw that I would always be ahead of somebody and that I would always have someone to stop with me if I fell behind. To my surprise I kept up just fine and everyone else could keep up with no problems at all.

The other kids and counselors on my trip were great. I instantly became friends with all of them and didn't experience any problems throughout the whole ride. I am still in contact with some of them even now. My counselor always provided plenty of food, and always was prepared to make any repair at any time in any condition.

The landscapes and terrain we encountered on the trip were unbelievable, from the verdant White Mountains of New Hampshire, to the crystal clear streams and lakes of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Everything on the trip seemed to go well, even the weather.

After the trip I didn't want to stop biking. I thought I would be sick of it, but when I got home I took my bike off of the car and immediately went for a long ride. I still ride at least twice a week even with the beginning of the basketball season going on and deeply enjoy it.

SHP renewed and increased my desire to ride a bicycle by providing me with one of the best bike trips I've ever been on.

- Joel Hatstat

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It is almost impossible to express how active, fun, and rewarding my bike trip with SHP was, but I'll try my hardest. I could not be happier that I chose SHP as the organization I traveled with. The staff members and trip leaders were well organized, safety conscious, and determined to make it an experience as close to perfection as can be imagined.

During my summers it is extremely important for me to get outdoors and be physically active so that when I go back to school in the city I am clear-minded and confident. I wanted an August bike trip that wouldn't interfere with my July summer plans, but would give me the chance to strengthen my body and mind.

The 1000 mile trip was perfect for this. Plenty of biking; that's for sure. Lots of time to get to know other people. And a great chance to have an incredibly rewarding adventure.

At first I was a bit nervous. I had never done any really serious biking and I was worried that I'd hold the rest of the kids back. And what if I didn't get along with them? Besides, I didn't even know what web straps were.

But once we started biking on the first day, I knew I was about to have one of the best times of my life. Very quickly, the other kids, the leaders, and I gained a special kind of respect for one another that came from knowing that we would be working hard together for the next three weeks. And the best part was that we were totally self-sufficient.

Our leaders were fabulous. Both had a sense of humor, outstanding leadership skills, and encouraging personalities. Their biking skills were exceptional, and they brought our small group together even more and inspired all of us.

For those three weeks of biking, we had a flexible schedule which gave us enough options to make it our own adventure, such as, how we would reach certain destinations by given times. We could choose our mileage for the day, where to stop for meals, and what to eat. The most rewarding part of each day was when we finally reached our destination and could then get ready for a delicious hot dinner, and even a shower.

We were discovering parts of the country for ourselves which gave me a new perspective on the world as a whole. We encountered interesting, generous, curious and hospitable people as we peddled from town to town. It was so exciting to tell people that we met how far we were traveling because they would look at us with an expression on their faces that could only mean "You're out of your mind! But that's incredible." The landscapes were glorious, the weather beautiful, and the route brilliant. It was rare that we'd find ourselves in a place that didn't have something worth seeing, whether it be the ways people live or in a particular aspect of the natural environment.

Though I was expecting the highest point of our trip to be the moment we reached the 1000 mark, it actually was the feeling of surpassing that distance by biking 100 miles on our last biking day. Yet each day was an achievement in itself, and that fulfillment provided the motivation for the next day.

Since I was usually the slowest biker in the group, I got to know the leaders quite well because one of them would always bike in the back with me, and I had so much support from my fellow cyclists. I had a fantastic experience.

- llana Friedman

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