FGBC

10. Back Room Bash – It's a little too early to declare it a classic, no doubt. But with treats from brewmaster Dave, Santa Lucia’s Greek Pizza, and an ultimate rock, paper, scissors throwdown, it wasn’t your average Tuesday Night Ride. If we squeeze it into the top 10, maybe it’ll become an annual event.

9. Haiku Cross – Composing poetry while racing bikes is harder than it sounds--especially when you're also dodging snowballs. The concept alone is enough to get this one on the list.

8. Scheissbike scouting ride – The race itself was a blast. Literally. -41 with windchill. The mere fact we were racing at all in those conditions is worthy of all kinds of overweening self-congratulation. But the scouting ride the day before, punctuated with mid-afternoon pit-stop at the Albert, was a classic.

7. Menno Cross, Vol II – The weather gods shone upon us. Best cyclocross weather of the season, by far. The bunker alone was one of my favorite cycling moments of the year.

6. Tour de Half Pints – The top-ranked Tuesday Night Ride. It took two tries before it worked. But in the end, our perseverance paid off. I heart brewmaster Dave.

5. ‘Stache Cross – The most talked about event of the season. How can it not be up there?

4. Red Ass – Epic. So epic, in fact, it warrants a top 10 of its own. Only a handful of FGBC racers, but having the Jonnys there at the Tinker Creek check point is enough to make it qualify.

3. Southern Cross – first ever FGBC race. And best ever FGBC participation in a race. A sign of things to come, I hope.

2. 24 Hours of Ass. – As much a party as a bike race. Plus a specially themed lap. And a dog fest of sorts. As it should be. There's even a movie about it all.

1. Spring Ride Vol. V – The best weekend of the year, five years running. Fittingly, it also has a movie. It just keeps getting better and better. I can’t wait to see what Vol. VI brings.

Honorable mentions: Supercross, Tour of Altona, Secretary’s Bike Build, The Parks Tour, Tour of Saint James, The Death Drive, Fall Dogfest, Grudge Cross.

I trust 2008 will be just as good, if not better. Time will tell. That the year begins on a Tuesday is a good omen. We will ride.

OTT: White Whale, One Prayer.