Project Location/Destination: Out of town - Northeast of Phoenix, Arizona
Faculty Leaders: Michelle Neely & Andrew Stroup
Dates: Sunday, March 12 - Friday, March 17 (Please note project begins on Sunday, March 12)
Cost: $2920
Special Considerations:
See below.
Objective
Students will experience the beauty of a desert climate by mountain biking the Sonoran Preserve and McDowell Mountain Park while tent camping each evening. Students should expect to be physically challenged, biking approximately 20 miles per day on some of the best singletrack in Arizona.
Description
We will fly to Phoenix on Sunday and meet the outfitter Monday morning. This will give us a day to get accustomed to the gear we will be using and learn more about the area we will be exploring. Each day will consist of several miles of biking over desert terrain along with meal preparation and cleanup. Evenings will provide amazing opportunities to watch the stars and get plenty of rest for the next day. We won’t have access to running water, but pit toilets will be available. Cell phone coverage may be unreliable in this area northeast of Phoenix.
Student Requirements and Expectations
Students should be prepared to participate in setting up camp on Monday and breaking down of camp on Thursday.
Students will clean up after themselves and assist with meal preparation in addition to biking each day.
Students are required to participate in all activities regardless of weather.
Students will need to pay careful attention to all safety precautions and listen carefully to instructions given to them by any adult.
Students should be experienced with riding a bike and willing to be outdoors and “off the grid” for a few days.
About the Faculty
This will be the twelfth Project Week that Mr. Stroup has taken students out of town. In the past, he has led projects to Central and South America, California, The Grand Canyon, Utah, and Oregon to hike, backpack, rock climb, mountain bike, white water raft, etc. He loves exploring nature and helping students in physically challenging experiences.
Ms. Neely has traveled with students to Moab, Jackson Hole, Telluride and Ouray on similar outdoor adventures biking, rock climbing, snowboarding and telemark skiing. She has also chaperoned projects to France and Spain and her favorite moments are when students realize they have more grit and resilience than they thought.
Last year, Ms. Stroup and Ms. Neely took students mountain biking in Moab for Project Week. This will be the first time either of us has mountain biked in Arizona.
Special Considerations
Ability to ride a bike - Students are expected to be able to ride a bicycle for extended distances
Accommodation considerations - Students will be expected to sleep in shared accommodations.
Accommodation considerations - Students will sleep in tents.
COVID related information - Some venues may require proof of COVID vaccination or negative test. Students are encouraged to travel with this information and provide it, if required. Please contact the project leaders or School Nurse with any questions or concerns.
Expectation for physical activity - This project will require a significant amount of physical exertion and possibly some physical discomfort. Students on this project should be willing to deal with discomfort, at times, in inclement weather. Students are expected to be able to participate fully in all these daily activities.
Food limitations and allergies - Students with food allergies and food sensitivities should understand that there may be times that food options will be limited. In addition, there may be cross contamination risk of allergens, as there will be times where outside food vendors will prepare our meals. Please contact the project leaders or the school nurses with any questions or concerns.
Supervision while sleeping - Students might be unsupervised for extended periods of time during sleeping hours (hotel, hostels, etc.).