The outdoors is free, but a person can do quite a business helping people enjoy it.
Take your front yard, for example. The sun and rain are free, as nature provides trees and grass, and hummingbirds humming by. And to enhance that, many landscaping businesses, lawn mowing services, tree trimmers, bird seed producers, and fire pit vendors make the outdoors more, well, outdoorsy.
Going for a walk or jog or bike ride is free. To maximize people’s experience, they depend on shoe stores, bike shops, athleisure boutiques, and supplement retailers.
And it’s not just for us locals, as many out-of-towners come here to enjoy our outdoors. In fact, COMO has amassed quite a portfolio of sports tourism attractions. The Show-Me State Games and companion Senior Games have been held here for decades. Numerous high school athletic finals tournaments are hosted here — we’re currently in the thick of a multi-year stint of several sports crowning champions right here.
The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA), whose headquarters is right here near Highway 63 and Broadway, estimates each of these generates many millions of dollars of local economic activity. For more info on how much, just quiz Matt McCormick of the Chamber of Commerce at the next area ribbon cutting you attend.
Near Tolton Catholic High School, there’s a world-class cross country course that has already attracted not just the state high school tournament, but also the SEC and NAIA championships. The disc golf course on Strawn Road as well as the top-notch Harmony Bends course bring in tourism from all over the Midwest.
When German farmers settled the Missouri River Valley two centuries ago, they brought their language, farming techniques, and the tradition of outdoor beer gardens. Apparently, a trend of bars hosting outdoor recreation has become a thing in COMO. Logboat greatly expanded its outdoor (and indoor) space. Midway Golf and Games has a bar and grill inside, and fun-lovers can step out one of many bays to the driving range. The newest one is the Trailside Brewery at Vawter School Road and The Kitchen near Discovery Ridge with pickleball courts.
While sporting goods vendors keep us in equipment, many a doctor fixes us up when body parts break. It’s sure nice of those local orthopedic clinics to sponsor local sports on scoreboards, printed program booklets, and fundraising events. Though it’s also helpful for them to stay close to the action when athletes pushing their limits come up injured.
That pickleball thing comes across as relatively low impact, but you combine older participants who are used to a sedentary lifestyle, may be overweight, and don’t stretch before a session, and it’s a perfect storm to pull all kinds of tendons and push joints out of whack.
My youngest son and I like watching the Red Bull Channel, which streams for free. It’s like X Games meets an REI store, with extreme skateboarders, surfers, rock climbers, and skiers going beyond the laws of physics. Sometimes gravity catches up with them in an instant, and their rad moves instantly seem less fun.
I’ve had fun as a quick bicycle commuter for a long time, but last spring I wiped out zipping through a roundabout. Some passersby used their mobile phone to reach the 911 center, who dispatched an ambulance crew from their garage near Nifong and Forum. Efficient first responders got me to the hospital, where trained medical folks got me patched up. Within a couple days, I was back up and at ‘em. Though as they say, you gotta learn to walk before you can run (again).
While the outdoors may be free, I’m sure glad for the many kinds of local people who are in the business of helping us enjoy it.
Steve Spellman is a lifelong Columbia-area resident and political observer.
