Ex DRAGON MONTAGUE

Ex DRAGON MONTAGNE 2022

Scribe: Sgt Shaun Elding

From June 20th until June 24th, members of 3 AAC Veh Pl and 7 BN REME attended a Mountain Bike Foundation Course in Chamonix, France; learning the basics in an amazing part of the world.

The week started leaving Wattisham Flying Station at 0300hrs on the Monday, and after a 13 hour drive we arrived in the French Alps. Once we arrived, the Instructors conducted a route recce for the following days, after finding a route a quick pit stop to taste the local beers was in order en-route back to the Hostel we would call home for the week.

MTB Skills

Sgt Nash’s wheelie

Waking up to the amazing views of Mont Blanc the team set about getting the 15 bikes ready for a day of riding. Utilising the techniques learnt during the “M” check lesson. Once the bikes were in good order, we conducted various lessons; starting with the basics on how to lift the front and rear wheels to clear obstacles and different riding positions. Below is an image of Sgt Nash’s first wheelie. Needless to say, he was “wheelie” proud of himself.

Due to the limited time available to us, we needed to make the most of each day. The team set off and started climbing the mountains around us, after what felt like hours we finally got to the turnaround point. As they say, what goes up must come down. It was time to put what we’d been taught into practice and send ourselves down the rocky paths in front of us hoping for the best. The bikes hadn’t been maintained very well by the previous owners leading to some very sketchy riding for a large part of the group, flying down hill with poor rear brakes is a sure-fire way to keep you on your toes!

Our second day was much more appealing, a 12km cycle to Les Houches greeted by Ski-Lifts, a sight for sore eyes. No more climbing for hours, time to enjoy the best part! At the top after a few more lessons, we split into ability groups and descended the mountain. A few good runs later everyone’s spirits were high. On the last run of the day things went a little pear shaped for 3 AAC AQMS WO2 Hilton who went for a little flight over his handlebars in the first corner. Coming out as a welfare visit and ending up as a welfare case. A visit to see what he believed to be Guildford nurses determined he had ripped the ligaments in his shoulder, his collar bone was a couple inches

out of place. Not how we expected the day to end, that’s for sure.

It was clear the Instructors from the REME Enduro team had saved the best day for last; we drove an hour to Les Gets. The trails were maintained a lot better, steeper and faster than the previous days, from the get-go everyone could tell it was going to be a good day. Although we’d only been riding for two days it felt like everything had come together nicely, my confidence was high, I was ready to push and see what I was capable of. Flying down the thin dirt track at 30mph got the adrenaline pumping, it made the travelling well worth it. While washing the bikes down the heavens opened soaking everyone who didn’t bring waterproofs. After our soaking we proceeded to head back to the hostel where we conducting our final M checks before packing the bikes away to head home the following morning. After these checks, there was only one thing left to do and that was go to the pub for a few shandies and some of the best Canadian food the French had to offer; this sorted us ready for our long travels the next day. The morning started at 0700hrs by completing all morning administration and before we knew we were on our way back to Wattisham, it took 10 hours to reach Calais and another 5 hours to get back to England and into Wattisham leaving the majority of us absolutely shattered. A Glorious week and a beautiful location for an outstanding AT package delivered by Sgt Elding.

“What goes up”

Group photo