Goodfellow represents at RAGBRAI

  • Published
  • By Scott Jarmon
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AFB.Texas --  From July 19 to 25, the Goodfellow chapter of the Air Force Cycling Team rode across 500 miles of the rural roads of Iowa. Yes, 500 miles. 

Each year, the Air Force Cycling Team (AFCT) participates in the Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa® (RAGBRAI), a 450 mile journey across Iowa in 7 days, in a rolling Air Force recruiting and public relations effort. 

RAGBRAI began in 1973 and is the "longest, largest, and oldest organized touring bicycling event in the world." The route takes you through 4 to 10 small towns each day and provides a festival-like atmosphere. Each community has food, drinks, and activities for the group, and in turn these stops provide terrific opportunities to rest and talk to people in the community. 

Some have called the event "Mardi gras on wheels," without the party aspect, but with the constant upbeat vibe. Many people have the misconception of hundreds of riders in streamlined spandex riding across the state, but instead they find casual riders dressed in comfortable clothing, funny hats, and cool costumes. One man rode in a banana costume. One team rode the whole way with kitchen accoutrements like a kitchen sink, bar, and barbecue grill mounted on their bikes, another wore Viking hats, and another dressed like cows. "It's interesting to see how far they're pushing the envelope every year with what they can get away with." said retired Air Force Master Sgt. Susan Thurston, an AFCT support member. 

This year there were over 20,000 riders at RAGBRAI and the ride gets larger each year. "Since it was the first time I've gone, I had no idea what to expect." said Col. Mike Buck, the Goodfellow team captain, "It really bogs the imagination when you get out there the first day and you see the thousands and thousands of people along the way." Col. Buck quickly learned, when he arrived, that Iowa isn't as flat as he thought it was. On the second day, the team had to ride up 122 hills, all of them much larger than what we see here in San Angelo. The Goodfellow team took the hills in stride and was able to complete the Century Ride, which added over 30 miles to the course. 

Maj. John Gilliland and Staff Sgt. Bradley Graves also went for their first time this year. Both men were surprised as well at the number of people at the event. "It's such a great atmosphere." said Maj. Gilliland, "People are just so friendly. They're so happy to be riding with other people because most cyclists typically ride by themselves or in very small groups." The festivities brought in stands that served every kind of food. Staff Sgt. Graves loved all the different foods available to them; he described it as his favorite part of the trip. 

Though they were there to ride the course and enjoy the festivities, the main goal of the team was to be a recruitment tool for the Air Force. Whether it was fixing a flat, routing traffic for an accident, or ensuring someone got medical attention, the whole team took pride in aiding those who needed help and in spreading the Air Force message throughout the week. 

In past years, the AFCT received awards for being the most courteous and helpful team. This year's winner hasn't been announced, but the Air Force team is always near the top of the list. 

"Thousands of people cheered for us on the last day of RAGBRAI when the entire 135-member AFCT entered the last town in a two-by-two formation. People asked us when we'll be pulling into town because they wanted to beat us there so they could see us ride." said Staff Sgt Christy Compeau, who rode in RAGBRAI the past two years.

 This was the first year that Goodfellow hosted a base team. In the past, those who wanted to go to RAGBRAI met up with teams from other bases. The team is split into riders and support members. Support members didn't participate in the ride, but helped the riders by setting up and breaking down camp each day. 

The team consisted of seven riders including Col. Buck, Maj. Gilliland, Staff Sgt. Compeau, and Staff Sgt. Graves, and four support personnel including Tech. Sgt. Deonna Bernhardt, Staff Sgt. Paula Lasley, retired Army Master Sergeant George Thurston and retired Master Sgt. Susan Thurston. These members from Goodfellow joined up with the other members of the AFCT, totaling 135 riders and 15 support personnel. 

The AFCT was easily the largest team at RAGBRAI this year and included active duty, guard, reserve, retiree, civilian and family members. The Air Force team is five times larger than any other team there including teams from the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. 

Though it was the rider's job to go out to talk to people about the Air Force, being a support member was just as important as riding the course itself; the team owes heartfelt gratitude to the support members. For George and Susan Thurston, this was their third RAGBRAI to go as support. They volunteered their personal truck and took time off work to ensure the team had the best support possible. Despite numerous hurdles, all four support members are eager to participate again next year. Susan has ridden in the past when she was still active duty, and she says she will be riding next year. 

While the Air Force authorizes permissive temporary duty to participating active duty team members, it is up to the members to pay out of pocket costs. The team could not have participated without the phenomenal support from local community businesses. The support of these organizations saved the riders thousands of dollars and made this fantastic experience possible. The team salutes them all. 

The Goodfellow team is already discussing plans for next year's RAGBRAI. Meetings will start in October and sign up will start in December or January 2010. Several individuals are already planning to join the Goodfellow chapter. 

For information on meetings and joining the team, contact Maj. John Gilliland at 654-3203 or Staff Sgt. Christy Compeau at 654-4503.