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Tonight, sitting in front of the fire defrosting that numbness from the cold extremities, the mind wanders. The flames flick left and right. Grab more firewood. Eyes dart from open to shut. The mind wanders to beaches, lakes, warm sun, mosquitos, but mostly to finding that feeling again. You know the one. But we all have different ones. Resist the urge to poke or prod those embers. Instead, simply sit and admire what is right now. See the thing with right now is that it is just a moment. That moment is made up of the beings, people, entities, etc.. that happen to be there. Simply being there is important. However, being there is hard. I confess to succumbing to that. Fatigue is no excuse. Pride neither, except if you’re Simba. For we all know about Simba. I ain’t crying, that’s just Georgia dirt in my eye from some crazy cold WBL in the rain the whole time!

Now back on track. Humble prefers to keep in the eddy. That’s why this endeavor does drain. One wishes to be so Humble as to be able to express that humility. It does seem that there is a new demeanor about. I do believe this came about from the recent Supreme Court ruling on Finders vs. Keepers. One Gutcheck Gruber being the primary everything in this case. See Gutcheck had a hard upbringing in the WBL. Being dropped, feeling too cool for it, then turning the corner to remember what the other season is: community. We laugh, cry, we shut up and drive. Daisy taught us that. Now it seems that Ole’ Gutcheck took that Supreme Court Ruling and went to town on the plebians…but we all know how that ended up. For Julius Caesar’s murder spot is now a Roma bus/tram stop overrun by cats. So now, I ask of all of you ZEALOTS, Athenians, Romans, whomever, we accept all. To come out and explore the road network of the WBL. Say thank you. Come to a full stop after “pee-pee” breaks and wait for the follow car. But for now, Old Grey Beard Gutcheck ruled the coop…though he and Pat Rainman Raines are now bumped out of the non-pro category. (Broglio, Sevener, and Carney all agree). Results below…Though Gutcheck Cook has failed to sign in yet this year, so the points auto calculate formula’s are not working) SO PLEASE SIGN IN

Normaltown Brewing Non-Pro New Year’s Day Results:

  1. Gutcheck Cook – 10pts
  2. PJ “Wear More Clothes” Terry 8 pts
  3. Grain Chain Grainy 6 pts
  4. E. Murph! 4 pts
  5. Conrad the Crusader 2 pts
  6. General Patton Brown 1 pt

First American Bank’s March to Madison

ALL: 1 foul weather point.

Women’s Bishop Sprint:

  1. Greenthumb Norris- 3 pts
  2. General Patton Brown- 2 pts
  3. Molise Maria- 1 pt

Non Pro OC County Line Sprint:

  1. Rainman
  2. Gutcheck
  3. Wear more clothes PJ

Pro Flat Rock Sprint

  1. Gutcheck Cook – 3 pts
  2. Probably Tommy Morrison- 2 pts
  3. Most likely Ben Kolbie- 1 pt

FINISH:

Pro:

  1. Gutcheck Cook
  2. Rainman
  3. Candy Man Scarano
  4. Cool Kolbie
  5. Ptolemy Morrison

Women’s

  1. General Patton Brown
  2. Greenthumb Gruber
  3. Laura Matthews
  4. Maria Molise

Non-Pro

  1. Gutcheck
  2. Rainman
  3. PJ clothes please
  4. Grain Train
  5. King Conrad

 

Overall:

Place

Last

First

Total

1

Gruber

Jered

59

2

Brown

Morgan

42

3

Gruber

Ashley

35

4

Terry

PJ

35

5

Grainy

Brandon

34

6

Murphy

Eric

28

7

von Dziembowski

Conrad

28

8

Carrelli

Maria

25

9

Baker

Andy

24

10

Black

Kelly

24

11

Brown

Thomas

24

12

Desevaux

Cyril

24

13

Heeb

Mark

24

14

Martin

John

24

15

Raines

Pat

24

16

Dale

Nick

20

17

Morrison

Tommy

20

18

Yakowski

Heidi

20

19

Crumley

Frank

19

20

Scarano

Andy

19

 

 

 

2026

 

Moxie Cycling Ladies' Day Finish

  

1st

Morgan Patton Brown / Jenny Thornton-Brooks

  
   

3rd

Rachel Huang

    

4th

Ashley Gruber

    

OVERALL

Place

Last

First

Total

1

Brown

Morgan

21

2

Baker

Andy

16

3

Black

Kelly

16

4

Brady

Chase

16

5

Brown

Thomas

16

6

Carabello

Charlie

16

7

Crumley

Frank

16

8

Desevaux

Cyril

16

9

Grainy

Brandon

16

10

Gruber

Jered

16

11

Gruber

Ashley

16

12

Heeb

Mark

16

13

Martin

John

16

14

Murphy

Eric

16

15

Rogan

Baden

16

16

von Dziembowski

Conrad

16

 

 
 
WBL #1 and #2 2025-2026
 
The HUB Home Opener and The Ken Rosskopf memorial ride to Rayle.
 
170 miles total. 20.2 mph average.
 
Ken Rosskopf was an idol of mine. Simply one of the nicest guys around. A husband and father who did so much advocating for cyclists, becoming the preeminent lawyer representing cyclists all over, pioneering a bike share program before any other, and being a WBL regular. Ken took me to some of my first WBLs before I could drive. He carted us all around to races for years. Ken passed doing what he loved: riding his bike. So, let’s remember and honor Ken by doing just that: riding our bikes. 
 
Now it’s time. Go on ahead and put the heavy on us. We can handle the weight. Though we might wiggle, wander, or wave- we will not fall. We will not quit. We will push through the fog, the mist, the pine tar laced air, the manure scented clouds, the cold, or even the nice sunny days. We are the WBL. A community of like-minded pedal pushers. Not paper pushers mind you, well maybe some on the board might push some paper around (the money type you know). Either way, these pedal pushers (known around the world as Zealots) are the type that look out for each other. We’re home to the best structured training ride on the planet. This year alone over $5,000 in cash is up for grabs. With that, let’s remember our ride guidelines. 
 
Ride Guidelines and Etiquette 
 
The WBL has its own special flavor and we specialize in long winter rides at a solid, steady tempo. But we are more than just a ride, we are a community, a social network, a family, and we look out for our brothers and sisters of the road. Safety and a great training ride are two of our more important objectives. All riders must (1) obey the rules of the road, and (2) riding double-file at all times...at all times...at all times. More on this below.
 
The WBL rides are inclusive rides and are not designed to intentionally drop riders, but neither do we coddle the sniveling masses. Rides are ridden at a steady tempo and our goal is to ride smooth and steady, avoiding rapid accelerations and decelerations, the entirety of the ride. We try and hold a steady, solid, tempo for 4 hours, usually averaging 20 or more miles per hour, and if you cannot hold that type of tempo and pace, these rides are not for you.
 
OUR MANTRA: CRUISE THE FLATS, KICK BACK ON THE CLIMBS, PUSH THE DOWNHILLS. 
You should have experience riding in a pack before attempting a WBL ride. These are not the rides to learn how to ride in a pack. Interactive Maps for all rides are available on the website - load it into your Garmin. It is up to each rider to get through the ride and get home on his/her on! The WBL will assist all we can.
 
We try and provide a Sag Car (follow car), but we cannot guarantee one. Riders must be prepared to fend for themselves; take what you need to survive without assistance. The Sag waits on those who flat or have a mechanical but you should not rely on the Sag Vehicle to get you home because it may be attending someone else, etc. 
 
*Riders should have the route on his/her Garmin (or be with a friend who has it), have money, spare tubes, a cell phone, food and proper clothing. The Sag is not for dropped riders, there isn't enough room, simply follow your map and ride in at your own pace and have a great ride anyway. Some riders will be riding a "short loop" oftentimes. 
 
You ride these rides at your own risk. You assume all risk of injury. These roads are open to traffic. Be smart and patient entering and leaving Athens. Obey stop signs and lights, we'll regroup. Never take your hands off the bars. Show respect for the communities we ride through and the motorists we encounter.
 
If you follow these guidelines and the ones below you will have a great ride:
1. *Ride two abreast at all times. Obey all rules of the road. (Red lights and stop signs). If the pack splits on the way out of town, don’t worry, we’ll regroup. Keep your eyes and ears open.
2. Essentials/what to bring: the map, money, food, drink, spare tubes, adequate clothing, a cell phone, common sense and a helmet. Load the map into your Garmin, print the que sheet, or know the route by memory. We have 1 pre-announced pee break (@ 1 hour in) and 1 store stop (@2 hours in). 
3. Sign in online – you must sign in to earn points.
4. No whining. You may silently curse your wretched fate. 
5. You ride at your own risk. Participating in these rides, the sprint-attack zone, and sprinting is optional and you assume all risk of injuries. You agree to ride safely at all times and obey all rules of the road. You have to be able to get back to the start of the ride on your own. All Attack Zones and Sprint Zones are listed on the WBL site and announced before each ride. YELLOW LINE MUST BE OBSERVED // AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION. 
6. We will try and have a follow vehicle (Sag wagon), but can never guarantee one. If you flat, switch wheels out quickly and rejoin the pack, either by chasing or hopping in the car. If you can't hold on, don’t worry, follow your Garmin home and have a great ride. The Pack will keep moving forward at all times except store stops and pee breaks.
7. We have a handicapped points system that allows Cat. 3s, 4s, Vets and Females to compete on an equal footing with Pros.
8. If you flat, the SAG car will provide a spare wheel if available. Change you wheel quickly and either motor back to the pack, or hop in the SAG car and it will drive you back. If you flat before the store stop, fix your flat at the stop so we can make the spare wheel available for someone else on the return trip. If you flat after the store stop, return wheel to the SAG car at the finish of the ride. 
9. Please show respect to motorists and the communities we cycle through. Stay two-across and obey the rules of the road. 
10. In case of rain or other inclement weather, we may shorten or cancel a ride, but we will always try to do a shortened ride for points and prizes. CHECK THIS SITE, SOCIAL MEDIA and WBL FACEBOOK for weather updates as each ride draws near.
11. Learn to love to pull. If you pull, never coast, especially downhill. To pull is to pedal. Always and forevermore. 
13. Never forget to have fun, every ride is an adventure. 
 
THE BOARD OF THE WBL!

 

2025

WBL # 10. 2024. Parks Law Bowman Bounty Hunter Classic. 100 miles, 21.4 mph.

 Pulling into the HUB’s parking lot, I heard it. The hard snap of that bull whip. It cracked through the air. The clouds all around turned black. Now granted it was a blue bird day. So, it looked more like chocolate chips against a soft blueberry meringue. A kind of inviting temptation with a sinister undertone. But an undertone that you ldike. The kind of undertone that buys an old motorcycle to fix up in the garage, add tape to his rims to “balance” them, and frankly is just dang particular. That wrangler that snapped that bull whip is a not an unknown ZEALOT. He is Brockstar. Brock Mason. A creature.

History: Clay Pettifogger Parks is one of the original cast members of the WBL. One of the good ones. They continue to fill the general fund. The rule of the general fund is simple: there must always be cash, candy, and the devil’s liquid. It’s a curse sorts to win because the board loves to see the winners end up fat and drunk. But note that this year’s budget has a surplus, so next week’s Lula World Cup will have a record-breaking prize purse.

So back to that 10th WBL of this year: the journey to the Bowman Bounty Hunter’s home. But Mecole cannot compete with these ZEALOTS. See there are too many factors during the ongoing era of time. We cannot get a formula or algorhythm to quantify this whole endeavor. It’s too much. That’s why we love it. A love that you get anxious about. It gives a connection to the ground, to the roads, to the towns in the empire, it’s community. The WBL is our own kibbutz. It’s a place where if everyone does their part, it works. Simple rules. If you’re strong enough to sprint at the end, you have to pull during the ride. Sign in. Our record keeping is beyond any forensic accountant’s wildest dreams.

So, at the end of the Bowman Bounty Hunter, we have two new entries into that history book. Brock “Brockstar” Mason took his first ever WBL win (though he forgot about pulling during the ride rule if you sprint- granted the Brockstar has a history of overzealous pulls).  And Matthew the Crustaecean Crabbe took over the HUB’s overall lead as a 15-year-old.

Sprints-

Jackie Crowell Women's Sprint

·         3 pts. Jenny Thornton-Brooks

·         2 pts. Tatiana

·         1 pts. Izzie Harden

Non Pro: Bowman City Limit

·         3 pts. Michael Sanders

·         2 pts Matthew Crabbe

·         1 pt Louie Schramm

PRO: Tommy Mulkey’s Gene Dixon Hill

·         3 pts. Brock Mason

·         2 pts Michael Sanders

·         1 pt Matthew Crabbe

FINIS

Pro Finish Sponsored by Parks Law:

·         10 pts Brock Mason

·         8 pts. Gutcheck Gruber

·         6 pt Matthew Crabbe

·         4 pts Noah Nwinski

·         2 pts Andy Scarano

Ladies Jackie Crowell Finish: 

·         10 pts. Jenny Thornton-Brooks

·         8 pts Izzie Harden

·         6 pt. Tatiana

Non Pro Finish sponsored by The Gear Attic:

·         10 pts Matthew Crabbe

·         8 pts. Noah Niwinski

·         6 pts PJ Terry

·         4 pts Michael Sanders

·         2 pts Brandon Grainy

OVERALL:

Place

Last

First

OVERALL

1

Crabbe

Matthew

92.5

2

Sanders

Michael

89

3

Niwinski

Noah

68

4

Thornton-Brooks

Jennifer

67

5

Terry

PJ

65

6

Magner

Ty

61

7

Gruber

Jered

57

8

Harden

Izzie

51

9

Morrison

Tommy

47

10

Schramm

Louie

47

11

Scarano

Andy

44.5

12

Cornett

Brendan

44

13

Grainy

Brandon

44

14

Desevaux

Cyril

42

15

Smith

Kaison

40

The Bill Boonen Alto World Cup

25th Anniversary Edition. 

[110 miles. 5.