Our latest team roundup brought Passion Passport to the tranquil forests and lakes of the Adirondacks in upstate New York. For nearly a week, we were based out of a cabin at Morningside Camps and Cottages, taking in the beauty and colors of fall foliage on Minerva Lake. We came from near and far, driving in from Maine and New York City, as well as flying from San Francisco and Chicago. For all but two of us, it was a first visit to the area.

The trip started with members of the Passport Express group joining up for an entire weekend of activities. It wasn’t just us – an entire group of creative types from New York City and beyond took over Morningside Camps as part of an inaugural event put together by The Billycan. We painted watercolors and tried our hands at archery, learned about staying alive in the elements, and even met a wolf. With a focus on sustainability, from natural dyes and pigments to meals made with local ingredients, the group shed many of the comforts of home to focus on the tasks at hand. Each night, everyone gathered around the firepit at the edge of the lake before heading off to their cabins.

Once the weekend wrapped, members of the Passion Passport team stayed on in the Adirondacks, with the lake now all to themselves. Each day began with a sunrise paddle on the water and continued by a warm fire in the beautiful cabin. These were full days devoted to planning the remainder of 2015 and looking ahead to the new year. After the success of the Passport Express, the team is hoping to continue to provide incredible travel opportunities for the Passion Passport community. It was important to unplug from the daily routine for a few days, letting our minds wander and imagining what possibilities lay in the near future.