When Bobby Wrenn and his wife, Ann, recently visited a Richmond doctor for a routine procedure, the doctor suggested that Bobby see a psychiatrist. The couple erupted into laughter.
The doctor offered that advice after learning that his patient had just completed a 100-mile bike ride to celebrate his 80th birthday.
While some people his age may be sitting in rocking chairs, that's not the type of movement that keeps Bobby Wrenn motivated. Having just turned 80 in June, Wrenn followed his annual birthday tradition by riding his bike 100 miles, a practice he has been following for the past eight years as a way to celebrate another year on Earth.
Biking has become so much a part of his life that he and his wife of 59 years often take bike trips as vacations. He has ridden on six continents, all except Antarctica.
Wrenn estimates that he has ridden about 60,000 miles since the hobby began in 1979 when he finished his stint as national Ruritan president. "They knew I wanted a bike, so they gave me a gift certificate for a three-speed Schwinn," he said. "I've been riding ever since."
Known as a champion promoter of his native Emporia-Greensville County, Wrenn has served as the area's clerk of court for 43 years. His late father, Sol Wrenn, held the same job for 32. Community service also has been a foundation of Wrenn's life. Appointed to the State Board of Community Colleges by Govs. L. Douglas Wilder, George Allen and Jim Gilmore, he served for 11 years, with two as chairman.
Wrenn has also tried to boost the Emporia-Greensville economy through his passion for biking. He launched the Great Peanut Bike Tour, a one-day bike ride through a portion of Greensville, 33 years ago. The event has since grown from the 15 participants during the inaugural ride to attracting more than 1,600 bikers. The tour is now a four-day event, which ran last Thursday through Sunday and drew about 600 riders.
The weekend included meeting local peanut farmers, plus hands-on instruction about harvesting. The bike tour, along with the annual Peanut Festival in September, celebrates the harvest of the crops.
Linda and Bill Stainback of Emporia are two of Wrenn's fellow bikers and have countless stories of Bobby Wrenn adventures while riding. They were with the Wrenns on a trip to Ireland, as well as tours of Italy and Holland, and they are two of about 300 Peanut Tour volunteers.
"We all joke that once you volunteer for Bobby Wrenn, the only way you get to stop is to die," laughed Bill Stainback.
The Stainbacks, along with other Emporia residents, join Wrenn on Saturday bike excursions, riding 25 to 30 miles through the Southside Virginia community. Linda Stainback recalled the first time they did a 50-mile stint with Wrenn.
"We were exhausted and spent the rest of the day on the sofa," she said, "but when Bobby got home, he cut his grass and then went canoeing down the Nottoway River."
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement