Exercise WAGONERS ADVENTURE 2 was a 150 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps Level 3 Mountain Biking (MTB) Adventure Training expedition in the vicinity of Morzine, France. Thirteen service personnel from across the Regiment deployed on a 10-day package for novice riders, to challenge individual goals. Implementing and adopting the Army Leadership and Resilience Training (ALeRT) system to develop participants leadership, resilience, and coping strategies by exposing them to the rigors of MTB activities with controlled risk. Future MTB Leaders were identified, and the current Leaders were able to progress their personal development and provide updates for their log-book currency and competency. SSgt Smith also facilitated a Distributed Training (DT) Joint Services Adventure Training (JSAT) Mountain Bike Foundation (MBF) course concurrently to the expedition for 6 of the participants.
The location, Morzine France, has the biggest MTB park in Europe, consisting of 6 World Class bike parks offering some of the best mountain bike trails. With over 650Kms of epic mountain bike trails which are all connected by lifts and graded to riding ability (we stuck to Green, Blue and Red routes in accordance with military rules). Les Portes du Soleil is up there with the biggest bike parks in the World! Morzine is the main area in which people base themselves for their MTB holidays due to its epic riding and easy connection to all the routes. The location is simply outstanding for anyone who has an interest in MTB be they a complete novice or expert rider. We had a mixture of personnel, mainly inexperienced to some very experienced instructors.
The self-catering accommodation we stayed at was the Chilly Sheep 158 Traille de Mas du Grand 74110 Morzine. This was superior and more than fit for purpose, providing free Wi-Fi, 5 x 2-person ensuite rooms and a three-person room, a TV/cinema room with garage and workshop facilities as well as a BBQ and hot tub jacuzzi all within a few hundred meters of both lifts that provide access to the day’s activity area’s. We also took one of our Chefs, Cpl Isles who cooked the majority of our meals and participated in the MTB when she could. Allowing the majority of the group to maximise their time on the various trails and routes.
The routes were selected daily by myself and SSgt Smith based on individuals’ ability, progression, and local weather conditions. We stayed local on the first day to maximise time and tuition. A basic reminder on braking and speed, body position, momentum, balance and line, sight, and trail etiquette, as well as explaining how to put the bikes onto the lifts. The following 5 days saw a mix of MTB specific Green, Blue, and Red trails and Cross Country (XC) in Super Morzine, Avoriaz, and the Les Gets, Portes Du Soleil areas. In accordance with Joint Services Publication (JSP 419) the routes were demanding and challenging but rideable at walking speed with an obvious line of choice and plenty of chicken runs around the numerous obstacles if required. There was certainly a variety of terrain on every route with plenty of large and small berms, rolling features, wooden ramps, humps and bumps and tabletop jumps, which were all great to learn and progress on. Road riding was kept to an absolute bare minimum, and the routes were all unfamiliar to the group.
A typical day began with breakfast for the whole group followed by a briefing of the day’s activity including a weather report, Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) reading and the trail or routes we would be taking that day. On occasion, tuition would often take place on the route’s to improve individuals skills, riding berms as an example. The group often split down into ability but remained in the same area typically getting around 3hrs riding in before lunch. We would then go back out after lunch and get another 3hrs riding in. This certainly tested individuals leadership, resilience, and core values over the duration.
The weather conditions were generally good throughout and whilst all activities were conducted under control, we did venture out prior to and on occasion during torrential rain fall which surprised some of the students, this made the riding conditions even more challenging. A few individuals did quote, should we be riding in this? A number of students challenged by the physical exertion, overcame their fatigue, cracked on and persevered. The expedition certainly provided the opportunity for every participant to challenge themselves throughout. Testing, and enhancing individual riding skills to see if they had the general requirements and capability to become future Mountain Bike Leaders/Instructors through either the civilian or military routes. Three of the 6 MBF students, proceeded to gain a recommendation to complete the Mountain Bike Leaders course.
This unit cohesion and retention positive Level 3 Adventure Training opportunity to reward members of the Regt, by conducting Adventure Training in challenging conditions, to enhance leadership qualities in all ranks, build on confidence, skill, and ability in accordance with ALeRT. The expedition certainly achieved all of its primary aims of developing resilience, coping strategies, decision making, physical fitness, courage, confidence, skill improvement and camaraderie across all ranks. Individuals were clearly taken to the limit of their stretch potential and comfort zones (in a controlled environment). A considerable distance was covered each day around (35Km+) over the 6-day period of riding, with only one minor injury. Personnel from each of the Regiments 6 different Sub-Units participated, aiding unit cohesion and catering extremely well from an Army Reservist’s perspective.
The last 3 days of the expedition also coincided with the UCI World Cup MTB Championships being held in Les Gets. This provided us with the opportunity to watch the World’s best athletes in the sport and was certainly one of the highlights for all personnel.
All this would have not been possible without the generous support, very kindly provided by the Ulysses Trust. It certainly made a difference for all the participants and more so for the less fortunate individuals in the Regiment who have never had the opportunity to undertake this, once in a lifetime opportunity and level of training. It without doubt significantly enhanced the lived experience and will most certainly aid in the retention of our personnel.
