Jacobino
09-07-07, 07:35 PM
Is anyone doing the Leadership Training Course that Adventure Cyclist is offering in Colorado next week? Has anyone ever done it before?
If you're going, I'll see you there! :)
If you're going, I'll see you there! :)
Touring - Adventure Cyclist's leadership class
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valygrl
09-07-07, 11:19 PM
Hey, if you can swing an extra day or two on one end of the trip, you should really come up to Boulder and ride a few Front Range classics. PM me if you decide to do that, maybe I can ride with you, or at least suggest some routes. :)
I was thinking about taking that class, but I'm now going on a short CC tour instead.
I was thinking about taking that class, but I'm now going on a short CC tour instead.
Peaks
09-11-07, 02:34 PM
I took the ACA leadership class a couple of years ago. It gave me a different perspective on touring. I was hoping to lead some ACA tours, but guess they don't want me.
Jacobino
09-11-07, 06:37 PM
Valygrl, an extra day or two sounds like fun, but I can't get any more time off of work.
Peaks, how do you apply to lead ACA tours? I'm taking the class because I want to organize and lead tours on my own, but it makes sense that ACA would hire people who have taken their training. I hadn't thought of that.
Peaks, how do you apply to lead ACA tours? I'm taking the class because I want to organize and lead tours on my own, but it makes sense that ACA would hire people who have taken their training. I hadn't thought of that.
Peaks
09-13-07, 03:02 PM
The staff of the ACA leadership training use the class to screen potential leaders. Guess I failed.
valygrl
09-18-07, 04:04 PM
Jacobino - can you tell us about it?
Jacobino
09-20-07, 09:25 PM
Jacobino - can you tell us about it?
I'm back, met some really cool people and had a lot of fun that you probably don't want to hear about. Sitting around the campfire singing "Kumbaya" and stuff like that.
But if you ever want to lead a group on a tour, the course is useful. There really wasn't a lot of info on biking and touring (we can get that from bikeforums.net :)). Most of it was about working with groups.
Basically the Adventure Cycling "philosophy" is teaching people to ride on their own and handle most of the things that come up. You set a simple, daily routine that everyone learns to follow, you divide up the chores (mainly just cooking), and then you let everyone pretty much do their own thing unless there's an emergency.
The instructor even told us a story about a tour he led where one of the participants didn't show up at camp in the evening.
The others were getting worried and asked "what should we do?" and he answered, "Let's make dinner." Sure enough, the missing guy was smart enough to take care of himself, and he showed up a few hours later.
I also learned that Adventure Cycling tour leaders don't get paid very much. "You do this to support your habit," is how the instructor put it. It's basically a subsidized vacation where you might earn enough to pay for some new gear.
I'm glad I did this because I'm leading my first tour (not with Adventure Cycling) this spring, and I dreaded being in a position where I have to tell other people what to do, especially when they're on vacation. It's good to know that ACA has had 30 years of success by not telling people what to do.
I'm back, met some really cool people and had a lot of fun that you probably don't want to hear about. Sitting around the campfire singing "Kumbaya" and stuff like that.
But if you ever want to lead a group on a tour, the course is useful. There really wasn't a lot of info on biking and touring (we can get that from bikeforums.net :)). Most of it was about working with groups.
Basically the Adventure Cycling "philosophy" is teaching people to ride on their own and handle most of the things that come up. You set a simple, daily routine that everyone learns to follow, you divide up the chores (mainly just cooking), and then you let everyone pretty much do their own thing unless there's an emergency.
The instructor even told us a story about a tour he led where one of the participants didn't show up at camp in the evening.
The others were getting worried and asked "what should we do?" and he answered, "Let's make dinner." Sure enough, the missing guy was smart enough to take care of himself, and he showed up a few hours later.
I also learned that Adventure Cycling tour leaders don't get paid very much. "You do this to support your habit," is how the instructor put it. It's basically a subsidized vacation where you might earn enough to pay for some new gear.
I'm glad I did this because I'm leading my first tour (not with Adventure Cycling) this spring, and I dreaded being in a position where I have to tell other people what to do, especially when they're on vacation. It's good to know that ACA has had 30 years of success by not telling people what to do.
Jacobino
09-20-07, 09:31 PM
The staff of the ACA leadership training use the class to screen potential leaders. Guess I failed.
Peaks, they told us that it could take a year or two to place every one of us on a tour, and that's just from one class. If you really want to work for them, be persistent and you'll probably get in. That's been my experience working for other tour companies.
Peaks, they told us that it could take a year or two to place every one of us on a tour, and that's just from one class. If you really want to work for them, be persistent and you'll probably get in. That's been my experience working for other tour companies.