Biking and Camping in the Texas Hill Country was no joke. A group of 16 students, led by Upper School history teacher Debbie Linder and Upper and Middle School nurse Justine Venegoni, met at 5 a.m. Monday to begin their journey through the hills of Texas.

“I took kids to Texas to share my passion for cycling with students,” Ms. Linder said.

The group spent the first day setting up the tents and getting used to the bikes that would become a new best friend (or enemy) for the upcoming week. They then spent the next three days biking 107 miles and climbing 7,000 feet across the hills of Texas. The scenery, longhorns, and food were fan favorites that provided necessary boosts to help overcome challenging moments.

Junior Miles Daly said, “Awesome views and hard biking, but this should be renamed to Texas mountain country—the name hill country is misleading.”

The hard work and hills did not, however, dissuade the bikers. “One thing I didn’t appreciate when I went into this was how hard it would be for so many students to cycle these distances with so much climbing,” Ms. Linder said. “I am continually impressed by how much kids are able to do, even when they are struggling.”

The challenges required persistence and collaboration, and the students formed many friendships along the way. Fitting to the purpose of Project Week, the trip proved a time to try new things, get out of one’s comfort zone, and continue getting to know the wonderful Latin community.

“I had a great time on the biking trip,” freshman Theo Villers said. “I had fun camping with my friends, and I got a lot closer with all the other freshmen on the trip. The biking was very hard, but finishing it gave [me] a feeling of accomplishment that made it worth it.”

“I am so proud of the kids,” Ms. Linder added.