Travis cyclists pedal with the president

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Matthew Bates
  • 60th AMW Public Affairs
Travis Air Force Base, Calif. --  When the person on the other end of the line told Capt. James Weinstein to choose four of his cycling club’s best riders to join the President of the United States for a ride, he thought it had to be a joke. 

“I was like, yeah right, who is this really?” he said. 

However, after the captain dialed a phone number the person gave him and was connected to the White House’s switchboard, the “joke” became significantly less funny. 

In fact, it was no joke at all. 

The White House staffer explained that as part of a visit to Northern California, the president expressed an interest in biking through Napa Valley. When the president’s staff performed some research and discovered that Travis had its own cycling club, they wanted to extend the invitation for some of its members to join the president. 

“The White House staffer told me to choose cyclists I felt were advanced riders since the president is an ‘aggressive’ biker,” said Captain Weinstein, a dietician with the 60th Medical Diagnostics and Therapeutic Squadron at the David Grant USAF Medical Center and founder of the Travis Hawks Cycling Club. 

So, the captain chose three of his more experienced riders to join him. 

“When I got the call from [Captain Weinstein] I was completely taken by surprise,” said Staff Sgt. Brian Young, NCOIC of the 60th Medical Support Squadron’s command section. “It’s just not something you expect to happen.” 

But it did, and so it happened that the captain and three of his fellow cyclists found themselves speeding on a trail side-by-side with the president through a forest in Los Posados Park, April 22. 

Of course they weren’t alone. Surrounding them were various staff members, secret service agents and even a member of the local sheriff’s office. 

“I just kept thinking, man, we’re biking with the president,” said 1st Lt. Barton Boma, a KC-10 pilot with the 6th Aerial Refueling Squadron, who like Captain Weinstein is an avid mountain biker. “I kept telling myself, ‘Don’t pass him and definitely don’t take him out accidentally.’” 

The obvious anxieties aside, the cyclists still found time to enjoy the moment. 

“It was awesome,” said Staff Sgt. Dustin Diede, support NCOIC for the 60th Equipment Maintenance Squadron’s inspection section. “We got to ride with the commander in chief for more than an hour right in our own back yard.” 

To top it off, the president quickly abated any of the cyclist’s fears and made them feel right at home. 

“At first we were like, ‘Should we get him wet or dirty or not?’” said Lieutenant Boma. “But the president tore through the trail — puddles, mud and all — without even flinching.” 

In fact, the president impressed the four Travis Airmen by showing he could definitely hold his own on a mountain bike. 

“He is a fantastic bike handler and appears to be in great shape,” said Sergeant Diede. “And he seemed to enjoy himself out there, too.” 

While the bike ride itself was a great experience, and one neither of the four will soon forget, the toughest part was not being able to talk about it beforehand. 

“Because of security concerns, we couldn’t even tell our family members or co-workers,” said Captain Weinstein. “That was hard.” 

Still, the four men lost no time relating their experience after the event. 

“My cell phone’s battery was dead within an hour from calling so many people,” said Lieutenant Boma.