Apogee -- The point in the orbit of the moon or of an artificial satellite most distant from the center of the earth.

What do most 15- to 18-year-olds really want to do this summer?  Update their Facebook page?  Trade text messages? Play computer games? Hang out by the pool?

This road weary group of daring travelers was happy just to take advantage of a little precious shade and catch a quick nap on the sidewalk in Bonham yesterday.

The first thing you notice, once break time is over and everyone gets on their feet, is that this is a remarkable group of young men and women.  What else would you expect from teenagers that are riding bicycles across America and even stopping along the way to do volunteer work?

This all began June 29 when the group, under the direction of Apogee Adventures, ceremoniously dipped their wheels in the Atlantic Ocean at Folly Beach outside of Charleston, South Carolina and began pedaling west.

They covered a mere 11 miles that first day.  It is important to understand that this adventure tour packs cooking and camping gear, so these bicycles are loaded down.  But, as the group got accustomed to the routine -- they get up about 4:30 a.m. and go to sleep at 10:30 p.m. -- and as they got their road legs, the daily mileage quickly increased to 66 miles the second day and 77 miles on day three.

This Apogee Adventure group left Paris, Texas on Tuesday morning, had a brief rest in Bonham before rolling down Hwy 56 to Whitesboro and calling it a day.  The good folks at First United Methodist Church in Whitesboro allowed the bicyclists to cook the evening meal and then get a good night's sleep in a church facility.  The respite is fortunate because, if all goes well, Wednesday will be the group's first "century day," which means they plan to pedal at least 100 miles.  That should get them to Jacksboro and then Haskell, the halfway point in this ride across America.

The group will do a volunteer community service project in Roswell, New Mexico and then trek over the Continental Divide and start through Arizona, with the West Coast only days away.

The journey will culminate as the group runs laughing and crying into the Pacific Ocean after completing Apogee Adventure's "America Coast to Coast" tour.

"The kids make the trip," said Nick Smith, the young man in charge of this bicycle expedition across the U.S.  "They are just so thoughtful and so caring.  We have had six kids get a little sick in the heat, so they are really watching out for each other now."

The young men and women were bright-eyed as they relayed the group's experiences so far.  People have been courteous and friendly, they said, and willing to share the road. 

This has been an opportunity to see the Deep South from a bicycle seat, to appreciate the hospitality of the Wall family in El Dorado, Arkansas, to catch a little shut-eye at noon on the square in Bonham, Texas, one of the oldest towns in the area, and then get a great night's rest in Whitesboro thanks to more new friends.

Apogee, by definition, is a word applied to the moon or satellites when their orbit takes them to their most distant point from the center of Earth.  Perhaps as these young men and women pedal every mile across America, each rider will experience a personal apogee that finds them at the most distant point they have ever been from the center of the day-to-day life they had known previously. 

Far from their comfort zone, it will be a time of introspection, a time to grow as an individual and a time to bond with others that shared a dream and dared to tackle the challenge of a lifetime. 

No doubt, they will forever treasure what they found inside this great country of ours.  And they will never forget what they found inside of themselves.

Apogee Adventures offers a wide variety of exciting summer outdoor biking, hiking and community service adventures for students 11-18 in the U.S. and Canada. 

For example, this is how the company's website describes its "Coast to Québec" tour:

What if we promised you biking along the spectacular coast of Maine, rafting on the wild Kennebec River, moose spotting, stargazing, and the opportunity to try out your French in a foreign city? You’ll do all this and more on our exciting Coast to Québec trip. This goal-oriented adventure will have you exploring the back roads of both coastal and inland Maine, and making great new friends as you go. Whether cooking meals together or working on a service learning project, your group with bond with each day’s adventure. Together you will cross the Canadian border and make your way to historic Québec City, the grand finale of this amazing journey!