2010 AFCT Base Leaders
   
Barksdale
 AFB		 Lt Col David Davies, DSN 781-3503 COMM: 318 456-3503. This will be his seventh 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		 Lt Col Jimmy Mindoro, DSN: 847-7710 Comm: 720 847-7710. Jimmy serves in the Space and Missile Operations arena. He is in the Reserves supporting national space initiatives and operational systems from Colorado's Front Range. He started riding with the team in 2000, and has served as the team's treasurer, co-captain, and captain. His son, Teryk, is back for his second consecutive ride. "We are excited, thrilled and privileged to be part of the AFCT and RAGBRAI! The ride is spectacular, the pies are delicious, and the friendly communities and excellent hospitality are ideal. Team Buckley looks forward to the camaraderie of this ride each year!”
   
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.
   
Goodfellow
 AFB		  Col Mike Buck, DSN 477-4434 COMM 325-942-2036. This is Mikeís 2nd RAGBRAI since starting cycling in 2008. Having to give up flying fighters to chase college students around as an ROTC Det CC, he has moved over to marathons, triathlons and cycling to vent his energy. After hearing about the AFCT and riding RAGBRAI last summer, Mike is ready and looking forward to another great RAGBRAI ride this summer. With a very active biking community in San Angelo, Mike and a few others are trying to build a base cycling group...and they have a strong Goodfellow support base. They look forward to another great year on the roads of Iowa!
   
Hill
 AFB		  2Lt Bryan Ralston, DSN 586-3317. Bryan is currently a Structural Engineer for the Advanced Composites Office at Hill AFB. 2009 will be Bryan's second year as an AFCT member and 1st year at Hill AFB. Bryan has been cycling for 4 years but became a dedicated roadie last year (More than 5,000 miles!) He is currently a USCF Cat4 Road Racer with several top ten finishes. After graduating from University of Missouri- Rolla in December he has had to trade climbing in the Ozarks for climbing in the Rockies, but is not complaining. Advice for your first time RAGBRAI, in the words of Eddy Mercx, “Ride (and eat) Lots.”
   
Keesler
 AFB		 Maj David Hunt, DSN 591-3200 COMM 228-376-3200. 2008 was Dave's first RAGBRAI and this will be his first year at team captain. He has been riding bikes consistently since 99 and prior to that rode mountain bikes in college for fun and transportation. He has many irons in the fire with the local cycling community including race director, USA cycling coach and official. Maj Hunt is a Bioenvironmental Engineer and has been stationed at Keesler for the last 3 years. Keesler has a number of training schools and we constantly have folks that are TDY asking about rides. If they want to find a ride, road or mountain, have them give me a call or email.
   
Kirtland
 AFB		 Rich Davies, COMM: 505 238-3358 or 505 294-1122. This will be my seventh RAGBRAI and it has been great fun riding with the AFCT and meeting all of the great people of Iowa. I commute to work at least 4 days a week and then hit the road for longer rides on the weekends. I completed several century rides in 2008. I'm starting 2009 riding the bike portion of the Mt Taylor Quadrathlon which includes biking, running, cross country skiing and snowshoeing. I'm looking forward to meeting all of the new AFCT riders and seeing those I have met in the past.
   
Lackland
 AFB		 Larry Gallo, DSN 945-7323 COMM: 210 925-7323. He currently works at Lackland AFB as a MOC controller for the C-5 Aircraft. 2009 will be his 4th 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 enjoys any activity that involves endurance. He works at the Lackland Gym as a Lifetime certified Spinning Instructor.
   
Langley
 AFB		 SMSgt Richard J. Vargas, DSN: 575-5082 COMM: 757 225-5082. Rich is a 6-time RAGBRAI AF cycling veteran. Originally from California, Rich is currently the Superintendent of the 83rd Network Operations Squadron and is celebrating his recent selection to Chief Master Sergeant! Having been a cyclist since he was 20 years old, he is not a newcomer to the sport. He and his wife MSgt Louise Kefelian, who is also stationed at Langley and is a 5-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		 Lt Col Joel Wahlsten, DSN 650-3093 COMM:609-754-3093. Lt Col Wahlsten is the Executive Officer for the 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, and a former C-5 and T-1 pilot with over 17 years active duty. Joel was a recent addition to the McGuire cycling team and has stepped up to take his first RAGBRAI by the horns. He is an experienced cyclist with roots in USCF road racing, mountain bike racing, and many centuries over the years. A typical year on the bike is down to about 3000 miles because of life getting in the way of his cycling habit. He rides either his "Huffy" or an Eddy Merckx Premium. It's more fun to talk about riding a Huffy though
   
Offutt
 AFB		 Lt Col Matt O'Donnell, Home 402 315-1852 Work 402) 294-0189 Cell 402 541-6642. I rode in 2001 and 2008 making this my 3d year riding RAGBRAI, all as part of the Air Force Team. I've raced bicycles off and on for over 20 years and have medaled at Military Nationals (when they existed). After a 4-year, accident-induced hiatus, I'm re-entering the racing arena. I figure if a year in Baghdad didn't kill me, racing bicycles won't either and I enjoy racing bicycles more than being in Baghdad.
   
National Capital
 Region		 MSgt Thomas Toth, DSN: 229-7867, COMM: (703) 877-6867. This will be my 2nd year riding on the Air Force Cycling Team at RAGBRAI. Prior to AFCT I had been riding on the LiveStrong team in Philadelphia and Austin as well as local century rides in the Northern Virginia area. This year I plan to break 1,000 miles on my bike by riding in events in New York, Northern Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania as well as Iowa. In 2001, I completed the Hawaii marathon (not fast, but finished) and plan to run in the Marine Corp Marathon or Air Force Marathon later this year. I am active duty and currently in a Joint Assignment as a Communications Flight Chief stationed in the National Capital Region.
   
Scott
 AFB		 Chaplain, Capt Mike Carey, DSN 576-3938 COMM 618-256-3938. Mike has been an Air Force Chaplain for 3 years and is assigned to the 375th Air Mobility Wing. Mike is one of those American youth who were influenced by Greg Lemond’s feats in the peloton. He bought his first road bike in 1989 and has been hooked ever since; his garage looks like a small bike shop with multiple road bikes, mountain bikes and tandems hanging on the walls! He loves cycling is all its forms, particularly mountain biking, track racing, and tandeming. Mike also worked in two local bike shops over the years and enjoys bike mechanics; he’ll probably bring some wrenches and a stand – just in case. One of his favorite bike experiences is taking someone for a ride on one of his favorite trails or roads and watching them fall in love with cycling as well. In fact, he proposed to his wife on a mountain bike trail in Maryland! Cycling is also something he has always done with his family. He and his wife ride together and his kids’ first experience with bikes was on the back of their Burley tandem. The Carey “peloton” is often found on the bike paths around Scott! He joined the Air Force Cycling team last year as the support personnel for the Scott team. This will be Mike’s second year at RAGBRAI and his first year riding the event. He is looking forward to catching up with friends from last year and meeting new ones.
   
Wright Patterson
 AFB		 Maj Gerri Kail, DSN 875-0981 COMM 850-883-0981. This will be Gerriís NINTH 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 Gerriís response is, “The people, the scenery, the sweet corn, the pie I just canít 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.