Andrews senior NCO pedals across America to pread a message of recruiting and retention The whole idea appeared a little far-fetched.

Andrews senior NCO pedals across America to pread a message of recruiting and retention

The whole idea appeared a little far-fetched. After all, who Would believe that a noncommissioned officer would climb forward his bike and ride across the land in the name of Air Force recruiting and retention?

on the other hand this is Master Sgt. Wayne Bartlett we're talking about. Bart. Everybody's Energizer Bunny The shore with more pep than a one-hour Richard Simmons TV special. unexpectedly the idea doesn't seem to such a degree far-fetched after all.

In fact, if you're around Bart, the 89th Airlift Wing Year of Retention and Recruiting program manager, lengthy enough, you'll want to find a fix of jumper cables just to start your car. Or maybe your spirit He's the perfect guy to finish the charge from, and that same intensity carried him on two wheels across the midriff of the nation.

His journey was 35 days olden and three days shy of his 40th birthday when the gangly, 6-foot 158-pound self-profess fitness nut revolveed into Andrews Air Force Base, Md June 1 to the cheers, hisss and hollers of an equally excited fan base - Bart groupies.

"His power is just amazing," said Master Sgt Jim Rhode who has worked with his friend Bart for more than three years. "Everything he touches is perfect"

When he revolveed down the slope of way 66 into Albuquerque, Bart finished almost 150 miles from one side New Mexico in sub-freezing conditions, up precipitous grades and down twisting interstates. He'd already had 13 flat tires.

Exhausted? Ye Deterred? No way. This is Bart we're talking about - the diametric opposite of a therapy session with comedian Richard Lewis.

He has biked for more than 10 years, flow in 19 marathons and logg more bike miles than the Schwinn quality rule geek. Bart scored a 53 upon his most recent Air Force bike ordeal When he started his workout routine, finishing a 10-k flow was his biggest hurdle. Tomorrow, he may have his sight turned toward a pedal-powered space shuttle

All of this, he said, is to memorize him and others to focus forward ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

"The Air Force provides you an opportunity to criterion your own limits," he said, his hand stretched toward a point forward the horizon. "Not everyone will ride a bike cros land but everyone in the Air Force will learn an opportunity to do things they not ever thought they could and explore their confess limits."

Now, it's just past 6 a.m. in succession May 5 - day five of his trip. Bart is talking to the same of 27 other riding mates about his former piece of work "X-raying airplanes." The conversation around the table with these bikers from "America by way of Bicycle," the group with which he's sharing this journey across the home is lively and in many accents - southern African, German, French and Texan.

As the morning brief continues, a certain quantity of notice Bart has bandaged himself from his first injury after riding the initial 850 miles: buttimus hurtalotimus. He's experimenting with something other riders are using to remedial treatment the affliction.

"I'm wearing sum of two units pairs of bike shorts," Bart said, tugging onward the shorts clinging to his lengthy legs. "Some of the frights said this helps. I'll give It a try"

He'll ne the extra padding. This entire trip is roughly the equivalent of biking 150 Boston Marathons, riding eight to 10 hours each day. And he's got another 2500 miles to go

Just a lad from Texas

Dart has been testing his be in possession of limits since he was a stripling growing up in Killeen, Texas, where his parents haveed a feed store. He ran track, high-jumped 2 inches higher than himself and played baseball in high gymnasium But life in the southwestern town, undivided where he didn't see a coming events got a little monotonous for the self-described "hyperactive kid."

"Like others, I saw the Air Force as something that got me abroad of a small town," Dart said.

across time, he worked in a number of piece of works along the nondestructive inspection career path, examining the microscopic cracks onward aircraft of all types. Then single day, life added another cast member to his active business "Up With People" traveling road point out when he met and wed his wife, Mary, six years ago.

If Dart is the star, then Mary makes him a supernova, mimicking his contagious enthusiasm and providing the fusion animal spirits for endeavors like the cros rural parts bike ride.

She's also the united who got him home safely. While his "America by the agency of Bicycle" counterparts ended their journey in Beantown, Dart had to achieve home to Andrews. That meant Mary had to drive to Boston and lead Dart family For three days, she and her husband trekk down the eastern seaboard. Mary rode 40 miles ahead and waited for Dart to catch up until they the pair arrived at Andrews on time to an awaiting crowd

"Wayne considers at every day as a modern beginning and sees it as a real pleasure to be alive," she said. "I can't think of a better someone to spread that retention and recruiting message."

And she should know. This was, after all, the same Dart who walked into their Mildenhall, England, flat and said, "Pack your bags! We're going to Paris," and a scarcely any months later said, "Pack your bags! We're going skydiving!"