Maintainer part of Air Force cycling team Published Sept. 29, 2006 By SrA Benjamin Mota 434 ARW Public Affiars GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind -- Exhausted and out of breath he reached the top of the first hill just to find four more hills ahead. The strong crosswinds added to the mental stress of knowing that there were 60 more miles of rolling hills before the second day of the event was over and six more days left before he would reach the finish line. Richard Scully, a quality insurance inspector for the 434th Maintenance Group, is an avid cyclist and part of the Air Force cycling team. His most recent accomplishment, the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, is a 461-mile bicycle ride from the western border of Iowa and ended on the eastern border of Iowa all in seven days. "I have always enjoyed cycling," Scully said, "and decided to enter after reading about it (the RAGBRAI) in an article." Scully says he rode in the past but quit for a period of time until he injured his knee, and then began cycling again to help strengthen it. He also uses the sport as a means of stress relief. Even though he's been cycling for more than three years, two months of preparation and more than 600 miles of riding time were needed in order to be prepared for this event. During the ride you must keep hydrated and eat properly, he added. There were times when he was not hungry due to the heat and the humidity but still ate in order to keep up his endurance. All in all, the Air Force allows 100 members to ride in the event each year. Air Force nominees were selected on a first-come-first served basis. Twelve thousand other cyclists from around the country, including the seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong rode in the event. He says that the diversity in the large group of people participating in the event gave him the opportunity to build Air Force public relations and help with recruitment by talking with civilians about the Air Force on his down time. "It is amazing the amount of people who support us and what we do," said Scully. The fact that they all share the common interest of cycling helps set a foundation for building friendships, he added. The general public views the Air Force as a single unit and by meeting people and riding with them it shows them the human aspect of who we really are and that we are people like everyone else, he said. Scully said that he plans on participating next year as well. Finishing the tour gave him a sense of accomplishment, he said, but the best part of finishing the bicycle ride was having his wife and two children at the finish line with him to celebrate.
