Travis cyclists pedal with the president

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Matthew Bates
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) --  When the person on the other end of the telephone line told Capt. James Weinstein to choose four of his mountain biking club’s best riders to join the president of the United States for a ride, he thought it was 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, he realized it was, in fact, no joke at all. 

The White House staffer said that as part of a visit to Northern California, the president expressed an interest in biking through Napa Valley. When someone on the president’s staff discovered that Travis had its own mountain bike club, the invitation was made 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, founder of the Travis Hawks Mountain Biking Club and a dietician with the 60th Medical Diagnostics and Therapeutic Squadron.

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 from the 60th Medical Support Squadron. “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 the Napa Valley on April 22. 

Of course they weren’t alone. Surrounding them were various staff members, Secret Service agents and members 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 Extender pilot with the 6th Aerial Refueling Squadron. “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 of the 60th Equipment Maintenance Squadron. “We got to ride with the commander in chief for more than an hour right in our own back yard.” 

The president quickly eased any of the cyclists' fears and made them feel right at home. 

“At first we were like, ‘Should we get him wet or dirty or not?’” Lieutenant Boma said. “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,” Sergeant Diede said. “And, he seemed to enjoy himself out there, too.” 

While the bike ride itself was a great experience, 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,” Captain Weinstein said. “That was hard.” 

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

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