Page 59 - QDG 2023

I can’t believe I’m missing the season for this Why the long face?
Ex MUIR EAGLE
1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
57
Having deployed to California for Ex DIAMONDBACK, B Sqn were in prime position to exploit their location and spend a week doing their favourite activity: Leave Adventurous Training. Initial concerns over the clash between AT dates and G4 closedown were quashed when our valiant seniors stepped up to do what they do best and allowed the Officers and 80 junior ranks to go galivanting off to the Grand Canyon National Park.
The AT consisted of rock climbing, mountain biking and hill walking. Unfor- tunately for the climbers, the Grand Canyon isn’t suitable for such activity, so instead Lt Mower and his group of 6 had to settle for Red Rock Canyon, Nevada. Missing out on one of the greatest natural sights caused an initial dip in morale for the group, however this was swiftly remedied when the climbers realised they were climbing only 40 minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip.
After a significant road move and crossing timezones, the remainder of the Sqn arrived at their campsite at the Grand Canyon slightly after dark. Within only a few hours, temperatures at the campsite had dropped to below -10°C and any hesitance to share tents quickly went out of the window.
Having braced for what could have been a fairly arduous week of freezing temperatures and icy treks, the teams
were grateful to wake to a beautifully sunny day. As the bacon baps were prepped, some of the soldiers took great interest in the herds of elk that cohabited the campsite, not least Captain Carter (fortunately for the elk not equipped with his .308 and lurchers).
The following week consisted of chal- lenging hikes and rides in and around the rim, followed by joyous evenings around the campfire. The natural beauty of the
Severe lack of kebabs
canyon was consistently commented on, and some soldiers made extremely astute assessments, notably Cpl Moon – ‘it’s actually quite big isn’t it.’ In all, Ex MUIR EAGLE was a great expedition, with all participants developing their physical and mental resilience, gaining cultural enlightenment, and for those who frequented Vegas, valuable lessons in financial responsibility.
ACW