Cycling for a mission

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Anne Gathua
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  What does Goodfellow, bicycles and more than 400 miles have in common?

Riders from Goodfellow will put their helmets and gloves on, check their water bottles and embark on a journey July 25-31 during the Des Moines, Iowa, "Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa".

Goodfellow team members are: Col. Guy Parker, 17th Mission Support Group; Col. Michael Buck, Angelo State University Air Force ROTC Detachment 847; Lt. Col. Michael Rothermel, Air Force Reserve Command; Tech. Sgt. Kevin Boyce, 17th Security Forces Squadron; Master Sgt. Benjamin Passons and Tech. Sgt. Deonna Jacobs, 316th Training Squadron; Master Sgt. Jayme Cartwright and Tech. Sgt. Jeanette Passons, 315th Training Squadron; and Tech. Sgt. Josh Cartwright and Staff Sgt. Ruan Brits, 312th Training Squadron.

RAGBRAI began in 1973 and is the longest, largest and oldest organized touring bicycling event in the world. The route weaves through four to 10 small towns each day and provides a festival-like atmosphere the whole time. Each town provides food, drinks, and lots of things to see and do. These stops provide terrific opportunities for participants to rest and intermingle with the community.

The Goodfellow team will be part of the Air Force Cycling Team, which participates every year. The AFCT is the largest military team at RAGBRAI and includes active duty, guard, reserve, retirees, Air Force civilians and family members who come from as far away as Guam and Southwest Asia. Although the cyclists are there to complete the ride, the AFCT is also there as a part of the We Are All Recruiters program, an Air Force public relations effort.

The team has worked since January arranging supplies, transportation, sponsors and training. The Goodfellow team is part of the 30-person Texas contingent that will meet up with the rest of the AFCT in Sioux City, Iowa, July 24.

A two-time participant, Colonel Buck,  said although the training is mostly individually paced, the team meets weekly for a 30-40 mile group ride.

"For me training is going slow because I'm recovering from a minor knee operation which has slowed me down," the Colonel added. "However, I am ready for the ride. I enjoy keeping fit and cycling helps me train for other races I compete in"

This is the 16th consecutive year that the AFCT has ridden RAGBRAI. This year the team has more than 160 members, and a convoy of 12 vehicles to carry the team's camping and supplies to each day's destination.

Participating for the first time, Sergeant Cartwright, rides 20-30 miles every other day with longer rides on weekends.

Undeterred by the physical challenges he's been through, which include four surgeries and two strokes, the Fire Dawg's goal is not only to complete the ride, but to make a difference by changing at least one person's mind about the Air Force.

"I want to show that even after all I have been through, I can still do it," he added. "The Airmen that I am in charge of motivate me. Being older, I always challenge them to try and out run me to inspire them to do better."

Because the AFCT's participation is a recruiting effort, the whole team takes pride in spreading the Air Force message throughout the week by aiding those who need help, whether fixing a flat, routing traffic from an accident or ensuring someone gets medical attention.

"My goal is to meet and talk to at least 10 different people each day and obviously complete each day's leg which ranges from 65-105 miles long with daily climbs totaling 5,000 feet." Colonel Buck said.

The entire ride is 465 miles with an optional 30-mile addition on one day to do a century (100-mile) ride. Since Iowa isn't flat, the route has more than 20,000 feet of climbing and more than 100 hills each day. At the end of the week, the entire AFCT will enter Dubuque, Iowa, led by a police escort in a two-by-two formation through thousands of cheering spectators.

This is the second year running for the Goodfellow AFCT. Participation is open to any Air Force member, civilian or dependent.

"This year we have a mix of all three on the team," said Colonel Buck. "The group rides and fundraising efforts are building a cohesive team and we are all looking forward to representing the United States Air Force.