Adventure Cycling Association

We’ll get things underway at 4:00 p.m. After saying our hellos and giving personal introductions, the course staff will present an overview of the coming days. You'll begin to understand why you're going to find this course personally relevant, regardless of whether you harbor hopes of leading a long weekend trip, plan on organizing a cross-country tour, or simply want to hone your personal leadership skills.

After an early breakfast prepared by the staff, we’ll jump into the day’s agenda, covering Adventure Cycling’s tour-specific leadership, bicycle safety and group touring techniques, and public relations on the road. After lunch, during which we’ll discuss nutritional requirements and get a demonstration of the safe use of camp stoves, we’ll bicycle to a nearby grocery store to stock up on food for our next few meals. We’ll get back to our base in time for the evening’s designated cooks to prepare the group meal while non-cooks can take an optional bike ride. After dinner, we’ll break into small groups to talk about tour logistics, planning, and administration.

After another hearty breakfast, it’s time for role-playing exercises and a discussion of group dynamics, how to improve them, and how to use them to your favor as a leader. Later in the day, we’ll discuss group cooking and camping equipment and delve into repairs on the road. After another ride, we’ll all enjoy dinner prepared by the afternoon’s designated cooks before we regroup to learn about map meetings and on-the-road navigation. We’ll close the evening with the always-entertaining Leadership Training Course talent show.

Following our final breakfast together and another role-playing session with our advisors, we’ll conduct a group awards ceremony. Before we all bid farewell, each participant will have a chance to meet with an instructor to receive an evaluation and invaluable feedback, especially important to continue to fine tune your skills.