Biking Builds Relationships Amongst Like-minded Outdoor Enthusiasts

By Don Lowe

Tom Swartz Fast Facts

Age: 55

Wife: Angela, married 23 years in November.

Children: Alyvia and Dylan

Hometown: Pittsburg, Kansas      

High School Alma Mater/Year Graduated: Pittsburg High School/1988

College Alma Mater/Year Graduated: Pittsburg State University/1992

College Degree: Bachelor of Science in Technology (Technology Management & Sales)  

Professional Career: Outside Sales, Airgas & Grainger  

Hobbies: Cycling, “Fox Body” Mustangs and Rock Concert

Although Pittsburg, Kansas, lifelong resident Tom Swartz has never gotten into competitive mountain biking or any other serious biking races/events, he has a passion for this leisurely recreational sport that has continued for many decades.  

“Of course, as a kid, I rode my bike everywhere as general transportation,” Tom says. “And then I got into BMX bikes, and I was hooked on that as I got older.

“Later, I switched to a 10-speed bike and decided to start riding out of town to local lakes and different places like that. It’s just grown a lot from there for me.”

As for what made him continue to stick with biking as he got older instead of various other indoor/outdoor activities, Tom says, “I just really enjoy bicycling a lot.

“You can travel a good distance easily to see different things and get in a good workout at the same time. But it’s not extremely hard on your body since it is more of a low-impact exercise.”

Now in his mid-50s, biking remains a fun activity but there are other factors that serve as incentive to keep on pedaling. Tom says, “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve used bicycling to help keep myself in shape physically as well as mentally. It’s a way to de-stress and help keep me as healthy as possible.”

Health is a big part of it but there is a combination of things that help keep Tom climbing on his bike day after day, and he says, “I really do like the low impact as I’m getting older, and that’s important with my knees hurting more and more.

“I also like the camaraderie with bicycling. I do ride with several other people on a regular basis. So, besides getting my miles in riding, we all get to spend time catching up and talking about what’s going on in each other’s lives.”

While he continues to spend time cycling on his own, building relationships with other like-minded individuals who enjoy this recreational sport by joining the Whose Tires Flat? Cycling Club (WTF) has proven beneficial from that standpoint and Tom describes this affiliation simply as “a group of guys who just like to get together and ride and drink a few adult beverages.

“When we meet, normally sometime during the week, we discuss our plan for the weekend. There’s about five or six of us. We ride about 30 miles, normally on a Sunday morning. We’ve just been lifelong friends.”

Tom says, “WTF has been around for about 30 years. It’s really about friendship and fellowship. We like to discuss everything from politics to religion, and all those things you don’t want to talk about with other people.

“We always keep our upcoming rides posted on Facebook. We invite people to come along with us. We have a few people we see on a regular basis. We have some new faces every now and then. It’s an easy group to have fun with and we enjoy the camaraderie. It’s just a group of guys hanging out together.”

Interestingly, Tom and a friend connected with a group that focuses on running instead of cycling, and an alliance, so to speak, came about. He says, “I met Renato and Katherine Pinto (with Running Collective). My buddy, Brian Jackson, invited me to go on an evening walk/run with their (Renato’s and Katherine’s) group.

“From there, they (Renato and Katherine) wanted to talk with us, and we shared information with them about our biking group (WTF). They asked if we’d be interested in trying to coordinate some bike rides along with some of the Running Collective group who wanted to join us.

“So, that’s where the marriage with The Running Collective and WTF started. And, then from there, Renato wanted to get the Coal Miner’s Gravel Ride (five separate timed rides in early May) going here in Southeast Kansas. I was excited to help Renato with that since all the proceeds go to charity.”  

Whether it’s WTF and Running Collective or just going solo, Tom keeps an active schedule cycling, and he says, “I ride five to six days a week as Mother Nature allows. The springtime (with a lot of rain) can be tough. But I like to ride about 20 miles in the evenings. On the weekend, I ride 30 to 40 miles each day (Saturday and Sunday).”

When it comes to locations he prefers to go cycling, Tom says, “I really enjoy riding my gravel bike out in the mile section here in Southeast Kansas and Southwest Missouri. There’s a lot less traffic.

“I might get to see a few friendly cows. There’s just a lot of different scenery versus riding on pavement in town and on highways where everyone is going 70 miles per hour and faster.”

No matter how much he enjoys cycling, there are obstacles along the way and elements can be more difficult. “Probably the biggest challenge is just the weather conditions, because we ride year-round.

“November to February can be the toughest times. It can be extremely cold in the winter, then there’s all the rain in the spring. Of course, we get a lot of wind around here and then with Standard Time there’s not as much daylight in the evening (winter months). Those are some of the biggest things.”

Regardless of any roadblocks that come with bike riding from time to time, Tom says, “It gives me a way to unwind after a busy day at work or any other personal issues I might be dealing with one day to the next. It’s also allowed me to lose some weight and really get to feeling better physically and mentally. It’s a good outlet for me.”

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