Air Force Cycling Team Leadership
| Barksdale AFB | Lt Col David Davies, DSN 781-3503 COMM: 318 456-3503. This will be his sixth RAGBRAI, and first year as Barksdale’s Base Leader. Dave has ridden bikes for the past thirty years and he’s been running even longer than that. If it wasn’t for the first leg of the triathlon he’d call himself a triathlete but instead must consider himself a triathlete wannabe. If you need to track him down during RAGBRAI just look for the Taj Mahal tent just outside the ring of Tiki torches in the Team Barksdale area. |
| Buckley AFB | Maj Mark Gruenewald, DSN: 560-4543 Comm: 719 567-4543. Mark is a career Space Operations officer. He is standing up the Reserve Associate Unit for the Space Based Infrared System at Schriever AFB. This will be his 6th consecutive trip to RAGBRAI. He’s been an avid biker since he was a kid growing up on Long Island. “RAGBRAI is such a great time, especially being a member of the most respected team there. You are treated like Rock stars! It is a great venue to meet people from all over the country. The pie and pork chops are second to none!” |
| California | SMSgt Mark Borba, DSN 839-2279. Mark is full time with the Air National Guard's 162d Combat Communications Group and works out of their HQ in Sacramento as a CE Engineering Technician, although his weekend warrior job for the last 20 years is a Tactical Comm guy. Like most old Guard troops running to stay in shape stopped being an option several painful years back. Around 11 years ago cycling became his exercise of choice and he has seen the best and worst of RAGBRAI completing six. He always promises to not recruit any Active Duty types for the Guard but if your job is Comm, Intel, or Space maybe you should ride faster and if you hear the term “Palace Chase” don't stop. |
| Hill AFB | Lt Col Ron Phipps, DSN 777-3765. This will be Ron's ninth straight RAGBRAI as a member of the Air Force team and first year as the Team Executive Director. He currently works in the Ogden Air Logistics Center as the System Support Manager for the Ground Tactical Air Control System - just a fancy name for a mobile radar with a bunch of radios. In his eight years with the team, he has served as a team captain for four of those years and served as the deputy team director last year. A dedicated "roadie," Ron averages approximately 3000 miles a year on his bike. The annual pilgrimage to Iowa is always the highlight of the year since it's the only place you can find Mr Pork Chop, Tom Turkey, and the Mr Waffle along the route. With eight years of training under his belt (or has he had to switch to suspenders?), this is the year where Ron hopes he finally earns his membership pin for the elite Team Eatalot squad. |
| Keesler AFB | Capt Erik Vacarelli, DSN 591-3328. This will be Erik’s first RAGBRAI and first year as Team Keesler’s Base Leader. Originally from upstate New York, Erik is a long time mountain biker turned roadie. Not forgetting his roots, he recently completed half of the bike portion of the Iron Man Triathlon in Lake Placid, N.Y. on his trusty old mountain bike. Ouch! He currently rides with Team Keesler and serves as Vice-President for the Gulf Coast Bicycle Club. “The Air Force is a great way of life. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. The opportunities are endless. It’s a pleasure to serve my country, others, and the United States Air Force.” |
| Kirtland AFB | Rich Davies, DSN 263-8100 COMM: 505 853-8100. This will be my fifth RAGBRAI (2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007) and I’m looking forward to this years ride. While I consider myself new to biking, started in 2001, I have enjoyed it immensely and met a lot of people doing it. I commute to work at least 4 days a week in cold or hot. I then hit the road for longer rides on the weekends. I completed several century rides in 2007 and look forward to doing more in 2008. While I will be one of the senior members of the AFCT I will try to keep up with Team Buckley’s Great Riders. |
| Lackland AFB | Larry Gallo, DSN 945-7323 COMM: 210 925-7323. Larry currently works at Lackland AFB as a MOC controller for the C-5 Aircraft. 2008 will be his 3rd RAGBRAI, Larry started running Marathons in 1997, Competing in the Clydesdale division of the USAF Marathon placing 1st-3rd,4 years out of 5. He has completed 20 marathons to date and started competing in Triathlons and Duathlons in 1998 up to ½ iron man distances. Since 9-11 due to constant deployments he mainly ran. He started training more on the bike in 2006 for his 1st RAGBRAI. He enjoys any activity that involves endurance. |
| Langley AFB | SMSgt Richard J. Vargas, DSN: 574-6341 COMM: 757 764-6341. Rich is a 4-time RAGBRAI AF cycling veteran. Originally from California, Rich is currently the Network Systems Flight Superintendent in the 83rd Network Operations Squadron. Having been a cyclist since he was 20 years old, he is not a newcomer to the sport. He and his wife Louise, who is also stationed at Langley and is a 4-time RAGBRAI AF cycling veteran, enjoy the fun and freedom of being on the bike and the friends you make along the way. We are members of the Peninsula Bicycle Association in Hampton VA. If you live in or visit the Hampton Roads Area, look us up and we will go for a ride. Come on out and ride! |
| McGuire AFB | 2d Lt Julie Mages, DSN 650-6175 COMM:609-754-6175. While new to the ranks of RAGBRAI, Julie is a veteran of bicycle touring. Her aspirations to join the team began after her second civilian completion of Ride the Rockies, where she saw AFCT jerseys pedaling up the peaks of Colorado. She is a Civil Engineer and a native to Colorado who misses those peaks now that she resides in the hills of "Dirty Jersey." She has been preparing for RAGBRAI by spinning her wheels and going nowhere in the tents of Iraq for 6 months. As soon as she washed the grit out of her ears, she purchased a brand new steed in anticipation of the many miles ahead. She and Team McGuire are eager to see what Iowa has to offer! |
| Offutt AFB | TSgt Roxanne Baxter,Cell 402 926-9829. Offutt’s team leader, Roxanne Baxter, has been a supporter of the Air Force Cycling Team since she discovered its existence in 2005. She has been on active duty and in the Reserves, and she is currently serving in the Nebraska Air National Guard. Â Roxanne rides a cherry red Co-Motion touring bicycle, and she can be seen pulling her little ones around the lake during training rides (when the weather cooperates). |
| National Capital Region | Maj. Alexander Walan, DSN 425-2121, Comm 703 588-2121. This will be Alexander's 3rd year on the Air Force Cycling Team. He is stationed at the Pentagon in the office of the Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) as a Program Element Monitor. Last year, his 2nd RAGBRAI, he rode with the National Capital Region (NCR) team. One thing he can promise is that he will never be the first one on the road in the morning. |
| Scott AFB | Lt Col Greg Hoffman, DSN 779-4363 COMM 618-229-4363. 2008 will be my third consecutive RAGBRAI. I’m originally from Washingon State, but currently call Scott AFB home and I work as a planner at HQ Air Mobility Command. I’m a lifelong cyclist and long distance runner with a focus on fitness--first marathon last year (yea!!). Unfortunately, I have a weakness for great pie and roasted corn so I’m drawn to RAGBRAI like a moth to a flame. I’m looking forward to meeting new riders this year and renewing friendships again with riders from past years. |
| Wright Patterson AFB | Maj Gerri Kail, DSN 986-0814 COMM 937-656-0814. This will be Gerri’s EIGHTH consecutive year riding RAGBRAI with the Air Force team. Gerri lives by the motto “2 wheels are better than 4.” She owns a 1995 Harley-Davidson Softail Custom and a 2007 Independent Fabrication custom bicycle. Between the two, she rides over 15,000 miles annually on 2 wheels. When asked why she has ridden RAGBRAI for 8 years Gerri’s response is, “The people, the scenery, the sweet corn, the pie…I just can’t get enough!” |
| If you do not see your baseleader’s info here, email him/her and AFCTWEB@gmail.com ... so we can get it done. |