Charlie Katzer Keeps Cycling with No Signs of Putting on the Brakes
After overcoming a health scare at only 33 years old, the now 77-year-old Monkey Island, Oklahoma, resident Charlie Katzer decided after he recovered that going forward, bike riding would be a perfect way to focus on his physical fitness and personal wellbeing, and he’s been riding ever since.
Charlie has logged thousands of miles in grueling long-distance events stretching up and down the eastern borders of Texas and Oklahoma through his 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. Even now, in his late 70s, this gentleman hasn’t slowed down much and said so far this year, he’s already pedaled more than 5,000 miles.
Recalling the illness that prompted his lifestyle change all those years ago, Charlie said he had an infection doctors couldn’t find, and it led him to a stay in the hospital.
“They ran some tests and found the infection, and I got over it,” Charlie said. “After the doctors found it, they prescribed the right medication, and the infection was gone quick after that.
“I smoked until dealing with that illness. I was worried about my health and feeling terrible, so I wadded up a pack of cigarettes and threw them away. Then I went out and bought a bicycle and started riding.”
It’s fitting this is the physical activity Charlie chose since he loved bikes so much as a kid.
“My first bike came from Western Auto,” he said. “I was a resourceful kid. I mowed a lot of yards to pay for that bike.
“I was in seventh grade and mowed the whole summer. I saved enough money to buy that three-speed bicycle. It was expensive, probably cost me about $100. But it was the nicest bike in town.”
Fast forward to adulthood and post-recovery from his illness when he began riding in numerous events that covered well beyond 100 miles and required much perseverance and persistence to finish.
“I rode from Houston, Texas, to Austin, Texas, many times,” Charlie said. “It was an MS (multiple sclerosis) fundraiser that was probably about 180 miles there and back. I also did the Hotter’N Hell Hundred in Wichita Falls, Texas, at least a dozen times.
“There was also a nurse’s school in San Antonio that did a Hill Country ride every year. It was to raise money for scholarships for the nurses, and I rode in it. That course was hilly, but it was a fun ride, and it was for a great cause.”
Desire, drive and determination is what it takes to finish these lengthy endurance rides. The way Charlie described it for himself is “just having an ‘I won’t give up attitude.’ They are challenging, but kind of thrilling.”
Charlie has also done some freewheeling bike ride events, where riders set their own pace and coast when they stop pedaling. These can range from week-long statewide tours to casual, community-focused rides.
Having done several of these events through the Sooner State, Charlie said, “They usually start in Oklahoma. You start at the border of one state and ride to the border of the next state.
“As an example, it would start at the Oklahoma-Texas border to the south and go to the Oklahoma-Kansas border to the north. It’s usually a seven-day event. You ride about 60 to 70 miles per day and spend the night somewhere sleeping on the floor in a gym or tent. It’s a lot of fun.
“One year, I did the Route 66 ride, where we started at the Oklahoma-Texas border and rode all the way to Joplin, Missouri. That was probably my favorite freewheeling event just because it was Route 66. That made it memorable.”
Over the course of his years in bike riding, another momentous opportunity for Charlie was the realization of a dream come true to go to the Tour de France.
“In 2019, I was in Paris and spent a couple weeks there,” he said. “I rode through part of the race route.
“I got to ride through the Arc de Triomph (serves as the backdrop for the final, celebratory finish circuit of the Tour de France). I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. I was happy to enjoy that experience.”
Although Charlie doesn’t do too many competitive events any longer, this longtime avid biking enthusiast still spends a lot of time biking.
“I ride tons of backroads in Northeast Oklahoma,” he said. “There are a lot of rural, paved roads.
“I’ll ride from the Grove, Oklahoma, area to Miami, Oklahoma, and the surrounding community, and then make my way to the Kansas state line and back. It’s all on rural roads that are in good shape, and there’s not much traffic at all.”
Charlie ventures a bit further west in Oklahoma as well. He said, “I ride from where I live (Monkey Island) to Vinita and about halfway to Tulsa and back. I’ve also gone riding in the Jay, Oklahoma, area.
“There are a bunch of roads in that area that the Cherokee Nation has paved. They’re nice roads and nobody’s ever on them. I’ve just found lots of places where the roads are all in good shape, and they rarely ever have traffic on them.”
His riding escapades have also taken Charlie a little further to the east, while crossing over from Oklahoma’s border into neighboring Arkansas, where he frequents trails that connect Benton and Washington counties from the north to the south.
“I participate in their Square2Square Bike Ride (biannual beginner-friendly cycling event that covers approximately 30 miles along the scenic Razorback Greenway, which passes through Bentonville, Rogers, Lowell, Springdale and Fayetteville.),” Charlie said. “It’s once in the spring and then again in the fall.
“I ride it both ways, there and back, instead of just going one way. I always like to turn around and ride it back to where we started. That makes it about 60 miles.”
Pushing toward 80 years old, Charlie is happy his health and stamina allow him to keep cycling.
“I like the fact that I can still go out and ride 60-plus miles,” he said. “It just seems normal to me.”
“I’m still riding just about every day. I like being outside. Bike riding is something I can still do. So, I just keep on doing it.”
Charlie Katzer Why I Ride Fast Facts
Age: 77 years old
Family: Wife, Jeanie Katzer-Valentine; children, Mike and Monica Katzer
Current Hometown: Monkey Island, Oklahoma
College Degree: Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology at Pittsburg State University/1972
Career Most of Adult Life: Worked in marketing at Exxon in Houston for 10 years; moved to Austin and owned/operated car repair business for 25 years, before retiring and moving to Monkey Island.
