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"Team Aim High"
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HQ, California Air National Guard (8/13/2002) — Lance Armstrong may have the "Tour de France", but the United States Air Force Cycling Team, Team Aim High, has the "Tour de Farms!" This cycling event is RAGBRAI (RAG-bry [rhymes with dry]), officially known as the Des Moines Registers' Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. This year the race covered more than 480 miles (over 500 miles for those that completed the century ride on day three), spanning seven days of cycling. It also marked the 30th anniversary of RAGBRAI and the eighth year of the Air Force Cycling Team participation. This bicycling tradition began in 1973 as a challenge between Des Moines Register feature writer/copy editor John Karras, an avid bicyclist, and Don Kaul, author of The Des Moines Register's "Over The Coffee" column. Karras suggested to Kaul that he ride his bicycle across Iowa and write columns about what he saw from that perspective. Kaul liked the idea but issued the challenge that he would ride across Iowa if Karras rode with him. Karras agreed. They then invited a few friends, the public, to ride along….and RAGBRAI was born. Team Aim High is a 100-member "Total Force" cycling team composed of active duty Air Force, Air National Guard (ANG), Air Force Reserve, retired and civilian employees of the Air Force, from around the world, with all the riders wearing the Team Aim High uniform while cycling. Team Aim High participants tend to be hard core cyclists. One couple was on their honeymoon (he rode and she was part of the support team), another couple celebrated their eighth anniversary (she rode and he supported) and one rider flew in from Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Last year a Team Aim High rider flew in from Korea for the annual event. Riders are not limited to just the rank and file of the Air Force. Dr. Sheila Widnall, former Secretary of the Air Force (1993 - 1997), was again a member of the team. Dr. Widnall first rode in RAGBRAI XXIV in 1996, while actively serving as the secretary. She said it was quite a media event and that she did about 30 on-air radio interviews before the end of the ride. When asked, she indicated that Team Aim High's participation accomplished three goals: Recruiting, visibility and camaraderie. "Our primary purpose, of course, is recruiting," Dr. Widnall said, "that's why we're here. But also visibility, and a chance for the team members to get together, make new friends and renew old friendships." "Riding for and supporting Team Aim High was one of my most fulfilling accomplishments," said Lt. Col. Susan Wasserman, Chief, Expeditionary Combat Support, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Andrews Air Force, Md. "I was proud to represent the ANG and Air Force. I had never before experienced 'small town America,' and the friendliness we encountered all across Iowa was amazing! For hundreds of miles, people took time from their daily lives to support thousands of riders: some sold or gave free food or drinks, some waved and cheered, and many put their farm machinery on static display for us city-folk to view. Red, white, and blue was everywhere! I think we experienced America at its best and helped show them a personal side of America's Air Force." The route this year started in Sioux Center, on the northwest edge of Iowa, with overnight stops in Cherokee, Emmetsburg, Forest City, Charles City, Oelwein and Anamosa, ending in Bellevue, where the annual ritual of dipping their bike tires in the Mississippi River, signifying the end of the ride, took place. The Air Force Team joined up and rode side-by-side, in formation, the last 1.5 miles to the Mississippi River. The other teams and the local crowd stood along the route and just applauded. For the first time in RAGBRAI history, a formal opening ceremony was held to honor "Team Escape", made up of riders from the Fire Department of New York, the military teams (Air Force, Army, Army Reserve and Navy), as well as a special remembrance to reflect on the events of September 11. The teams entered the football stadium to a standing ovation that seemed to last for hours. "Now I know why they ride across Iowa," Col. Ed Fager, Commander, HQ 162d Combat Communications Group, California Air Guard, said, "the people there are so friendly. Maybe the friendliest I've met in this country and I've been to every state." The riders had the whole spectrum of weather, from very hot and humid, to overcast and cool, to rain all night and most of the last day accompanied by plenty of thunder and lightning. There were rolling hills with as little as 1000 feet of climb in 70 miles to 2800 feet of climb in the last eight miles. Who said Iowa was flat? And after cycling and driving the width of Iowa, many folks decided that Iowa really only grows two crops…Corn and Not Corn. For miles and miles, you could see corn on one side of the road and a crop that was not corn on the other. Occasionally, both crops were actually on the same side of the road. RAGBRAI is the Woodstock of cycling events. It drew an estimated 12,000 riders from around the world. Many people just showed up to ride, without officially registering. Registration is only required to take advantage of the many benefits available during the week, such as a camp site, reduced shower rates, restrooms, and discount on food and beverage purchases. Each night RAGBRAI riders pitched their tents on school athletic fields, behind churches, in city and county parks and on the lawns of people who had volunteered to host teams and individual riders." Last 10 Stories
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2004 National Guard Bureau |
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