OVERVIEW
The main purpose of the Pedal Pioneers Training Course (PPTC) is to train people to lead bicycle adventures for groups of kids. Structured to address supported and self-contained tour leadership, over three days participants will experience a wealth of information and collective tour leadership knowledge. Instruction is given by experienced Adventure Cycling tour leaders and there are no prerequisites required for attendance.

The PPTC touches on participant recruitment and retention, budgeting, safety, logistics, public relations on the road, and more. Half of the PPTC occurs indoors in a lecture format that includes demonstrations and group activities. The other part consists of an overnight adventure and short daily bike rides. Role-playing activities put participants in situations that may actually occur on trips they lead in order to develop conflict-resolution skills.

Typically courses start at 7:00 AM Friday and end at approximately 5:00 PM Sunday. It is recommended to book flights home for the day after the tour ends or later. The course will have three leaders instructing and is limited to 20 participants.

Tour Costs
The tour cost covers the instructor and two advisors, group food starting with breakfast on Friday and ending with lunch on Sunday, overnight fees for Friday and Saturday, group equipment, preparation and instruction materials (including a copy of the Pedal Pioneers Guide), a T-shirt, safety triangle, and more.

Accommodations
Accommodations include a Friday night hotel stay and camping on Saturday night. The Course will be held at Adventure Cycling Association’s conference room and in the field.

Meals
The tour cost includes three meals per day. You will be included in a cooking and cleaning rotation with the rest of your group. This means that you and your partner (assigned by the instructor) will purchase and prepare one meal as well as performing clean-up duties after another meal.

Tour Leadership Requirements
All Adventure Cycling Association leaders attend the Leadership Training Course and must be at least 21 years old to lead tours, 25 years old on tours with vehicles. You can take the training at a younger age, but you wouldn't be able to lead a tour until you turn 21. Compensation varies depending on self-contained leadership positions, and covers meals and camping expenses during the tour, plus a daily stipend. Event staff are compensated a daily stipend plus meals and camping fees. All Adventure Cycling Association tour leaders are hired as independent contractors on a per trip basis and are not considered employees for the purposes of unemployment compensation at the end of the touring season.

GENERAL LOGISTICS
Trip Application and Sign-up
Upon signing up for a tour, you will receive a Tour Confirmation Invoice and preparatory materials, including a “Before You Go” booklet that contains a packing list and training tips. About 60 days prior to the tour or sooner, you will receive a Tour Information Packet with specific details about your starting location, recommended bike shop, travel tips, and much more.

Please feel free to contact the Tours Department if you have questions that are not answered here. Call (800) 755-2453 x3 toll-free or (406) 721-1776. Or send an email to

Bike Transport
The two most common options are (a) to ship your bike to the start of the tour or (b) transport your bike with you by plane, train, or automobile. If you decide to ship your bike, send it to the recommended bike shop at the start of the tour. For each tour, we select a local bike shop to manage this. They are able to provide several levels of service for you. They can assemble your bike before the ride and ship it home afterward for a reasonable fee. They can also simply accept shipment if you plan to assemble it yourself. Your best bet is to take your bike to your local shop and have them ship it to the appropriate place.

The other option is to take your bike with you whatever your means of travel to the tour. If you plan to take your bike on an airplane, the airline typically will charge an additional fee to take a bicycle. Please check with the airlines or travel agency directly for details.

Bike and Gear
You need to supply all of your own cycling gear (bike, helmet, shoes, and clothing) and camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, and pad). A suggested packing list is included in the “Before You Go” booklet. If you want to rent a bike, please visit www.adventurecycling.org/visitmissoula.cfm for a list of local bicycle shops.

Parking
We plan to accommodate parking on all of our tours shorter than 14 days. In most cases, cars will be left at the starting location. At other times, parking is available at another location nearby. On some occasions, there is a cost involved to park your car during the trip. Details are provided in the Tour Information Packet.