The Story
Barron loved life, he loved an adventure. Hi, I'm Rob Boice. It's my privilege to write the story of Barron Clarence Smith, a devoted father, loving husband and a life long adventurer.
Barron was an observer. He watched people. He was impressed with those men in their 50's, 60's, 70's and beyond who continued to actively enjoy life. These tough old guys were not spectators - they challenged themselves, competed against time. Tough guys like his dad, Irvin and my dad, Bob. These men, even now in their 80's, continue to actively work and play!
The idea of Tough Old Men was Barron's. The lightbulb over Barron's head flashed brightly one day while traveling between plumbing jobs (Barron was owner, Forman, and head laborer of a sole-proprietor plumbing business). You see, their was a group of us guys (Zane, Matt, Alan, Scott, Justin, Dave, and myself) that would meet most every Saturday for many, many mile bike rides at the corner Baptist church in the little country town of White, Georgia.
When we first started riding all the guys in our group were in their early to mid 40s, but me. I had all ready hit the big 5 0 - but I could keep up! And usually on the hill climbs, I would be one of the first to the top. It must have impressed Barron that I could hang with him and the "young bucks", take my turn pulling the pace-line and complete the century rides we participated in. I had also done some long distant riding (Atlanta, GA to Jekyll Island, GA and Canton, GA to Topsail Island, NC) with a younger guy in our group, Dave.
This went on for three or four years - short rides durning the week when possible and long rides on Saturday. The Saturday rides my have been local, long distance rides around White, Adairsville, Cartersville, Cantor, Rome or we may head to the North Georgia mountains and suffer riding over the three gaps, Woody's, Hog Pin, and Suches, or race to the top of Fort Mountain and back down!
I remember one Saturday ride that was tough - it was a typical hot summer day in Northwest Georgia - temperature approaching 90 with the humidity about the same! (And by this time all the guys in our group were starring 50 years old square in the eyes if they hadn't already ran smack-dab into it!). So it was a tough Saturday ride with lots of fast flat riding and long slow climbing. We, Barron and I, had just crested a hill and he turns to me and says"man, you're a TOM"! I don't know what he's talking about - I'm a TOM? So I ask him what he means and he repeats you're a TOM, but explains - T.O.M. : Tough Old Man! I think - Yea I'm a TOM! But Barron is the real TOM! He's so strong, has unexplainable endurance and amazingly quick recovery. All with a smile and a compliment for others. Calling someone a TOM was his way of complimenting others and their accomplishments.
For the rest of the ride all Barron and I talked about was defining, refining Tough Old Men. From then on, we started talking abut it on every trail run, bike ride, swim, hike, to and from every adventure race, triathlon or camping trip. TOM became main topic for discussion when ever we were together.
We determined that the focus of Tough Old Men was to make into a profitable business where we would take 20% of net profits and help others, motivate men to get outside, have an adventure and, of course, finance our activities and adventures!
Well that's the story of how Tough Old Men came to be - Barron wanting to put a positive moniker on those that made an effort to get outside and play, no matter the age.
Thanks Barron!
Rob Boice
Trying to be a TOM
Barron was an observer. He watched people. He was impressed with those men in their 50's, 60's, 70's and beyond who continued to actively enjoy life. These tough old guys were not spectators - they challenged themselves, competed against time. Tough guys like his dad, Irvin and my dad, Bob. These men, even now in their 80's, continue to actively work and play!
The idea of Tough Old Men was Barron's. The lightbulb over Barron's head flashed brightly one day while traveling between plumbing jobs (Barron was owner, Forman, and head laborer of a sole-proprietor plumbing business). You see, their was a group of us guys (Zane, Matt, Alan, Scott, Justin, Dave, and myself) that would meet most every Saturday for many, many mile bike rides at the corner Baptist church in the little country town of White, Georgia.
When we first started riding all the guys in our group were in their early to mid 40s, but me. I had all ready hit the big 5 0 - but I could keep up! And usually on the hill climbs, I would be one of the first to the top. It must have impressed Barron that I could hang with him and the "young bucks", take my turn pulling the pace-line and complete the century rides we participated in. I had also done some long distant riding (Atlanta, GA to Jekyll Island, GA and Canton, GA to Topsail Island, NC) with a younger guy in our group, Dave.
This went on for three or four years - short rides durning the week when possible and long rides on Saturday. The Saturday rides my have been local, long distance rides around White, Adairsville, Cartersville, Cantor, Rome or we may head to the North Georgia mountains and suffer riding over the three gaps, Woody's, Hog Pin, and Suches, or race to the top of Fort Mountain and back down!
I remember one Saturday ride that was tough - it was a typical hot summer day in Northwest Georgia - temperature approaching 90 with the humidity about the same! (And by this time all the guys in our group were starring 50 years old square in the eyes if they hadn't already ran smack-dab into it!). So it was a tough Saturday ride with lots of fast flat riding and long slow climbing. We, Barron and I, had just crested a hill and he turns to me and says"man, you're a TOM"! I don't know what he's talking about - I'm a TOM? So I ask him what he means and he repeats you're a TOM, but explains - T.O.M. : Tough Old Man! I think - Yea I'm a TOM! But Barron is the real TOM! He's so strong, has unexplainable endurance and amazingly quick recovery. All with a smile and a compliment for others. Calling someone a TOM was his way of complimenting others and their accomplishments.
For the rest of the ride all Barron and I talked about was defining, refining Tough Old Men. From then on, we started talking abut it on every trail run, bike ride, swim, hike, to and from every adventure race, triathlon or camping trip. TOM became main topic for discussion when ever we were together.
We determined that the focus of Tough Old Men was to make into a profitable business where we would take 20% of net profits and help others, motivate men to get outside, have an adventure and, of course, finance our activities and adventures!
Well that's the story of how Tough Old Men came to be - Barron wanting to put a positive moniker on those that made an effort to get outside and play, no matter the age.
Thanks Barron!
Rob Boice
Trying to be a TOM