Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Meetings on Route 66 Trail

Bicycle advocates in Macoupin and Montgomery counties are seeking your support of a proposal to convert a portion of an old alignment of historic Route 66 between Staunton and Litchfield, Ill., into a bicycle trail.

This particular alignment -- the final alignment of Route 66 used before the completion of Interstate 55 -- was a four-lane divided highway between the two communities and also skirted the community of Mount Olive. Today, only two of the lanes are being used. The other two lanes, which are paved with concrete, are partly covered with dirt and grass, which can be easily removed to reveal the concrete surface.

Trail advocates will be meeting Thursday (Jan. 14) with the Route 66 Trail Southern Region Committee to show their support for the bicycle trail. The meeting takes place at 10 a.m. in Room L104 of the Administration Building at the Lincoln Land Community Southern Region Education Center, 1 Lincoln Land Trail in Litchfield.

The Southern Region Committee is expected to bring its recommendation to the Route 66 Trail Executive Council meeting at 10 a.m. Jan. 21 at the Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington.

The advocates, led by Macoupin County native John Fritsche, is asking individuals, village boards and city councils, school districts, counties and chambers of commerce to support the bicycle trail. Here's a sample resolution that people can use to show their support:

"I or We, hereby endorse and support the development of a 17 mile Historic Route 66 Recreational Trail from Staunton through Mt Olive to Litchfield for the health and welfare of the citizenry in our region.  This unique trail would utilize the long abandoned and unused northbound lane of the Historic Route 66 “Mother Road” from Staunton, through Mt.Olive to Litchfield, Illinois."

If you can't make it to the meetings, you can express your support of the trail project by writing John at hroute66rectrail@gmail.com


The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is working with the Route 66 Trail Executive Council to develop programs and projects along Route 66 alignments between Chicago and St. Louis.


The roadway where the trail is proposed still belongs to the Illinois Department of Transportation. One thing that should work in the trail advocates favor is that the current IDOT director, Gary Hannig, was a longtime state representative who served Macoupin and Montgomery counties.

Labels: advocacy, Illinois, Route 66, trails

Roger 1 comments 2:50 PM

Sunday, November 29, 2009

In support of Route 66 trail

I have had the honor of working with John Fritsche and others in organizing the Tour de Coal ride in the Benld-Gillespie, Ill., area the past four years. John, a native of Gillespie, and others are trying to build interest in bicycling in Macoupin County, which is located between St. Louis and Springfield.

He recently wrote a letter to the editor to several Macoupin County papers, and he asked me to share it with you:

Letter to the Editor

Historic Route 66

Recreational Trail

Macoupin and Montgomery Counties

Recently, the League of Illinois Bicyclists had a promotional Route 66 Bike Ride from the Chain of Rocks Bridge, through Edwardsville, Staunton, Carlinville, Springfield and on to Chicago. The purpose was to promote a safe route from St. Louis to Chicago along the Historic Route 66 Corridor.

For a number of years now, various individuals, organizations and groups have discussed an Historic Route 66 Trail from Staunton, through Mount Olive to Litchfield utilizing the northbound lane of Old Route 66, which has been abandoned and unused for many years.

Our government officials and medical professionals are all encouraging people to exercise more and this section of pavement could be the place for many citizens to start on a path to better health. Moreover, trails encourage business development that could certainly benefit this region of Illinois.

The roadway belongs to the State of Illinois is still in place, so there is no right of way cost. All that must to be done is to remove some guardrail and dirt, repair any defects in the pavement and mark the alignment. This type of work can be done by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The Trail, which would be almost 17 miles long, would benefit the region, each community along the way, as well as new businesses moving into this area.  When this trail segment becomes a reality, a rider could safely travel from Litchfield, Ill,m to the St.Louis Arch by utilizing the Madison County and St Louis trail systems from Staunton south.

Right now this valuable section of what was once the "Mother Road" is abandoned and lying idle, providing no benefit to its owner, the citizens of the State of Illinois.

If you would like to have this section of abandoned history developed into a trail for all of us, talk to your family, friends and neighbors.  Let them know how you feel and encourage them to call or write their elected officials for their support.

Please, no more excuses!  Let’s get it done this time!

John Fritsche

Glen Carbon, IL

I fully agree with John on this one. Let's get it done!

Labels: Illinois, Route 66

Roger 1 comments 11:40 PM

Friday, October 16, 2009

Cycle Route 66

Sometime later today, hardy cyclists will complete their 324-mile trek on historic Route 66 that began Sunday in Miami, Okla., and winds up in Route 66 State Park near Eureka, Mo.

The ride, sponsored by the Gateway Council of Hostelling International, is the group's first Route 66 adventure. In years past, the organization has sponsored rides such as Cycle Across Missouri Parks and its successor, Cycle Across Missouri, but the group decided to avoid the potential of searing heat and humidity in June and to link the ride of a piece of America's history.

Instead of heat and humidity, Cycle Route 66 riders have gotten a big dose of November-style weather: cool, cloudy and damp days. Still, riders seem to be enjoying the ride.

I've only seen one article about the ride, from the Waynesville Daily Guide, about the trip. The Elbow Inn in Devil's Elbow, Mo. hosted the cyclists Wednesday evening. Owner Terry Roberson says it's the first time the bar has hosted a large group of bicyclists.

"The weather has been a challenge, but the ride is still a lot of fun.” Linda Wheeler, a rider from Toledo, Ohio, told the newspaper.

After starting in Miami and traveling on an old alignment of Route 66 that went through the southeastern corner of Kansas, the cyclists stayed overnight in the Missouri communities of Carthage, Springfield, Lebanon, St. Robert and Cuba.

Although time wouldn't allow me to do the ride this year, I did play a small role in the planning of the ride. I drew the maps that cyclists are using this week. With lots of help from Tim Almstadt, who scouted the route and created cue sheets, and MapMyRide and Mapquest, I was able to draw maps with QuarkXPress. MapMyRide does a great job of providing accurate mileages, but I find I still have to draw the maps with Quark to do a suitable map intended for printing.

I just hope I did a good job and that few people got lost.

Labels: Gateway Council of Hostelling International, Missouri, Route 66

Roger 2 comments 12:42 AM

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Route 66 Trail Ride

In a matter of days, cyclists will be taking off from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis and begin a the League of Illinois Bicyclists' Route 66 Trail Ride up to Chicago. The route generally will follow the Route 66 Trail developed by LIB and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

At 8 a.m. Saturday, the ride will take off from the bridge and wind up in Carlinville, the county seat of Macoupin County. Macoupin County is the home of several old alignments of Route 66, the first going though Staunton, Benld, Gillespie, Carlinville, Girard and Virden. Today, most of that alignment is Illinois Route 4.

The ride is slated to end Sept. 3 near the Art Institute in downtown Chicago. The overnight towns are Carlinville, Springfield, Bloomington, Dwight and Joliet.

The cost of the six-day ride is reasonable -- free for LIB members, $25 for non-members -- but the Route 66 Trail Ride is a mostly self-supported ride, meaning cyclists are responsible for all meals, snacks and accommodations.

The big goal of the ride is to promote the Route 66 Trail. Representatives from LIB, DNR and the Route 66 Trail Executive Council will meet with the media and local officials in an effort to encourage route improvements including signage, paved shoulders, and off-road trails.

Not surprisingly, one of the stops is Staunton, the home of the Tour de Donut ride. I know it seems I'm fixated with Staunton, but that community knows that bicyclists can bring lots of money and attention to a small town. Staunton bicyclists, walkers and runners frequently use the recently completed MCT Quercus Grove Trail, which links Staunton with Edwardsville.

The Staunton Route 66 Trail Ride event is slated for noon Saturday at the South Water Tower Park. To coincide with the ride, the Illinois Traction System Trail Committee will be sponsoring a Bike Safety Clinic during the festivities from 10 a.m. to noon at the park. First- through eighth- graders and encouraged about riding safely on Illinois roads and how and why helmet wearing is important. Personnel from several community organizations will be on hand to talk to kids about safe bike riding and injury prevention.

Every participant will have the opportunity to have professionals from Rhe Cyclery in Edwardsville inspect their bikes for free. The first 100 youth completing the program will also receive a free bike helmet, water bottle and other goodies. The Staunton Chamber of Commerce will also be giving away one boys bicycle and one girls bicycle during the event.

You can see a schedule of events and communities at the LIB Web site.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis-based Gateway Council of Hostelling International is moving along with plans for its first-ever Cycle Route 66 ride. Cyclists will be bused Oct. 10 from Route 66 State Park in the St. Louis suburb of Eureka to the start of the ride in Miami, Okla. From Oct. 11 to Oct. 16, they will travel on sections of the Mother Road in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri.

The cost of Cycle Route 66 is $500 ($450 for HI members) for people sharing motel rooms with an extra fee charged for private rooms. The cost of the ride includes motels, breakfasts and dinners, and SAG support.

Labels: Gateway Council of Hostelling International, League of Illinois Bicyclists, Route 66

Roger 0 comments 10:10 PM

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Suspect charged in Old Chain of Rocks Bridge break-ins

Nearly two dozen vehicle break-ins have taken place this year at the Illinois lot of the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, but there's good news for bridge visitors.

Madison (Ill.) police last week arrested a suspect, 18-year-old Kenneth A. Woods-Bey of St. Louis, and he has been charged four felony counts of burglary, the Suburban Journals report this week.

According to the story -- written by Scott Cousins, a longtime friend and a classmate of mine at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville -- Officer Scott Reynolds had dropped off a prisoner at the Madison County Jail in Edwardsville and was coming back to the city when he decided to do a quick patrol of Chouteau Island about 8 a.m. last Friday. As Reynolds was heading toward the Canal Bridge, a black Dodge Challenger that had been identified as being previously used in a break-in on the island was crossing ahead of him. The officer stopped the vehicle and took three people into custody.

Madison Police Chief Steve Shelby told the Journals that police were able to identify Woods-Bey through video from security cameras on the bridge and in the parking lot. The other two people in the car were not charged.

As I've unfortunately had to report several times over the years, Missouri and Illinois parking lots at the bridge have been plagued by car break-ins. Trailnet, which operates the bridge that is owned by the city of Madison, ultimately had to close the Missouri lot adjacent to the bridge -- except for special events -- because of the problem and a lack of funds to provide security every day.

The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge once carried Route 66 traffic over the Mississippi River; today it's a bicycle/pedestrian bridge that draws lots of visitors. Let's hope this arrest helps make visitors feel a bit safer.

Labels: Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, Route 66

Roger 0 comments 1:37 PM

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Mother Road bike path gets support

In recent days, the Normal City Council approved a bicycling-pedestrian master plan, and the McLean County Board approved an engineering contract for a proposed Route 66 bikeway.

That's good news as far as the Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph is concerned. In an editorial Tuesday, the Pantagraph says: "Don't take this area's links to the Route 66 for granted. Appreciate the potential it offers for recreation and tourism."

On Tuesday, the McLean County Board approved a $170,000 engineering contract for a 3.5-mile section of the trail between west Bloomington and Shirley, a small town southwest of Bloomington on the Mother Road, the Pantagraph reported.

County Board member Don Cavallini said private financing was made available for a portion of the bikeway around Lexington, and board member Stan Hoselton said Chenoa received $300,000 for a portion near that community.

"If it's extended, it would be quite an additional asset to McLean County," Cavallini said.

McLean County has been committed to a Route 66 bikeway since 1999, when the county reached an intergovernmental agreement with communities along the Mother Road to build the bikeway.

County leaders anticipate the bikeway will become part of the Route 66 Trail, a system of trails and roads mapped by the League of Illinois Bicyclists that links St. Louis and Chicago. While most of the trail is on roads, including old alignments of Route 66, efforts are being made to create more trails.

For example, Madison County Transit had made it possible to ride from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge to Staunton, Ill., on bike trails or designation bike routes. Folks in neighboring Macoupin County are looking into turning unused pavement on an old Route 66 alignment between Staunton and Litchfield into a bike trail as well.

To draw attention to the potential of Route 66 as a cycling destination, LIB is putting on the 2009 Route 66 Trail Ride from Aug. 29 to Sept. 3. The tour is a loosely organized and self-supported ride with several events scheduled to discuss the trail.

Labels: League of Illinois Bicyclists, Route 66, trails

Roger 0 comments 11:40 AM

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Riding the Mother Road a piece at a time

Few American highways have the lure of historic Route 66 -- the Mother Road -- and two Midwestern organizations are planning multiday rides this year on portions of the highway.

The League of Illinois Bicyclists will be putting on the 2009 Route 66 Trail Ride on Aug. 29 to Sept. 3 from St. Louis to Chicago. LIB is billing the ride as is a loosely-organized, (generally) self-supported bicycle tour meant to publicize and promote development of Illinois’ Route 66 Trail bicycle route.

No luggage transport will be provided. Cyclists should either carry their own or make arrangements for others to provide support. Also, no meals and SAG support will be provided. The good news is that registration is free for LIB members. Those not already members must pay a $25 fee for membership and registration.



What's an example of the promotion LIB is striving for? Macoupin County, Ill., cyclists are pushing for a portion of an old Route 66 alignment roughly between Mount Olive and Litchfield to become a bicycle trail. That particular alignment was a four-lane divided highway, but only two of the lanes are being used for vehicular traffic these days. The two unused lanes are in good enough shape that, with a little work, they could become a bike trail.

The second of the multiday rides is the Gateway Council of Hostelling International-USA's Cycle Route 66: America's Mother Road ride. The ride begins Oct. 10 in Afton, Okla., goes through a sliver of Kansas on an old Route 66, then makes through Missouri until ending Oct. 16 in Eureka, Mo., a St. Louis suburb.

The cost of the ride is $450 for HI-USA members and $500 for non-members (extra fee for people wanting a single room). While the registration fee is considerably more than the Illinois ride, you get a lot for your money. The cost of the ride includes vintage Route 66 motels, mouth-watering diner & cafe food (breakfast and dinner), rest stops, marked roads, luggage shuttle, mechanical/SAG support and a charter bus ride to the ride start.

Cyclists will have a choice of 335 or 375 miles. Be ready for some hills on his ride. Parts of the route have been used in the Tour of Missouri bicycle race, which is known for its undulating rolling hills.

If you're wanting to experience American history, these might be the ride for you!

Labels: bicycle rides, Gateway Council of Hostelling International, Illinois, League of Illinois Bicyclists, Missouri, Route 66

Roger 0 comments 12:08 PM

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Get your kicks on Route 66

For those of you who are into all things Route 66 -- or just want to get a few miles in on your bicycle -- there are bicycle rides the next two weekends on the Mother Road.

On Saturday, June 14, Trailnet's Bicycle Fun Club will be putting on the Route 66 Bicycle Ride & Festival at Cassens Transport Co., 145 N. Kansas St. in Edwardsville, Ill. The event includes routes of 11, 25, 37 or -- what else -- 66 miles. You can register and start the ride any time between 8:30 and 10 a.m. The cost of the ride is $8 for members, $12 for non-members and $3 for children.

After the ride, cyclists can take part in Edwardsville's Route 66 Fesitval. Families can expect plenty of food and beverage choices, live entertainment and music, history displays, local artists and a children’s activity area, along with many other events and activities.

On Saturday, June 21, the Gateway Council of Hostelling International-USA will put on its first-ever Get Your Kicks on Route 66 Bike Ride & Car Cruise. The ride begins at Route 66 State Park near Eureka, Mo. Routes of 9, 25, 34 and 41 miles are available. The cost of the ride is $15 for HI-USA members, $20 for non-members, and $10 for children. You can register and start any time between 8:30 and 11 a.m.

Route 66 State Park is on the site of the former dioxin-contaminated community of Times Beach, Mo. Today, the nearly 419-acre park treats visitors to nature and historical displays showcasing Route 66. Bridgehead Inn, a 1935 roadhouse, serves as Route 66 State Park's visitor center. It houses Route 66 memorabilia and interprets the environmental success story of the former resort community of Times Beach, which once thrived on the location of the park.

The routes also stretch through the communities of Eureka, Allenton, Pacific and Gray Summit. The long route also takes cyclists to the scenic Shaw Arboretum.

Even though the routes only are about 50 miles apart, you get two cdifferent views of the Midwest. The Trailnet ride gives you the rural version similar to what you see through all of Central Illinois, while the Hostelling International ride takes you on the edge of the Ozark Mountain range.

So, get your kicks on Route 66 -- on a bicycle!

Labels: bicycle rides, Route 66

Roger 0 comments 2:05 PM

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Must ride bike on Mother Road

While I'll never be as fascinated with Route 66 as much as Mother Road enthusiasts Ron Warnick and Emily Priddy are, I have to admit that I have some interest in the history behind Route 66.

As a participant in Saturday's Route 66 Trail "trail-breaking" event sponsored by the League of Illinois Bicyclists, I got a small taste of the Mother Road.

My intention was to ride either from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge or Edwardsville to Staunton, but a late night of copy editing and page designing at the Belleville News-Democrat on Friday night and the fact I was in charge of getting the paper out Saturday night meant I had to curtail my plans.

I instead drove up to Staunton and did a short trip from Staunton to Mount Olive and back. Even though I'm a native of Macoupin County (Brighton, to be precise), I had never visited Mother Jones' gravesite in Mount Olive or Henry's Rabbit Ranch in Staunton.

Most people have heard of Mother Jones magazine, but they may not know about the woman the magazine is named after.

Mary Harris "Mother" Jones was a prominent labor organizer in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and she was known for her efforts to build support for the United Mine Workers. Before she died in 1930 at the age of 100, she asked to be buried with “her boys” in the Union Miners Cemetery in Mount Olive. Buried near her are miners who died in an 1898 riot in nearby Virden.

Upon my return to Staunton, I briefly talked with Rich Henry, the co-owner of Henry's Rabbit Ranch. Rich and his wife, Linda, have turned an old Mother Road service station into a Route 66 visitor's center filled with memorabilia about Route 66 and the trucking industry.

As part of the event, the city of Staunton dedicated the Duda Gardens, which eventually will serve as a trailhead for the ITS Trail from Staunton to Benld and a Madison County Transit trail that will stretch from Staunton to Worden.

There, I got to see an old friend from my college days, freelance photographer Dennis Garrels. Dennis was shooting the event for his hometown's weekly paper, but he's photographed scenes from Route 66. You can see a video of Dennis talking about his work at the Route 66 Today Web site.

The Route 66 Trail is a work in progress. Most of the trail is on road and often strays away from the Mother Road for safety reasons. The League of Illinois Bicyclists says the route will change as more off-road trails are developed and existing roads are improved.

Labels: cycling, League of Illinois Bicyclists, Route 66

Roger 1 comments 9:06 PM

Friday, June 01, 2007

Reminder: Route 66 Trail-Breaking

Don't forget, tomorrow (June 2) is the Route 66 Trail-Breaking event in Illinois.

Cyclists will be traveling segments of the trail between Chicago and St. Louis. Ceremonies are planned in the neighborhood of noon in these Route 66 communities: Edwardsville, Staunton, Springfield, Bloomington-Normal, Pontiac and Joliet.

You can still sign up for the event through the League of Illinois Bicyclists. Just fill out the requested information, choose the segment you plan to do, accept the waiver, and you'll be directed to the maps for the segment. You can do all or part of the segment.

Labels: cycling, League of Illinois Bicyclists, Route 66

Roger 0 comments 10:16 AM

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Edwardsville leg of Route 66 Trail-Breaking

Edwardsville is one of the communities holding ceremonies for the League of Illinois Bicyclists' Route 66-Trail Breaking on Saturday, June 2. LIB has maps available for a 15-mile trip from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge to Edwardsville or a 40-mile trip from Litchfield to Edwardsville. Cyclists can do all or a part of the ceremony. Below is the full text of the press release recently issued by the organizers of the Edwardsville ceremony:

Edwardsville will be a gathering point for bicyclists trail blazing sections of Illinois’ Mother Road, the historic Route 66, on Saturday, June 2.

A rest stop will be available in the Edwardsville City Park and will be staffed from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. to provide water and information to riders coming through town.

Edwardsville will be one of six locations along the route from Chicago to the Missouri border celebrating Route 66 as welcoming to bicyclists, who can ride the distance they choose on trailblazing day.

“This will be a major event for bicyclists and all Route 66 fans,” said Stephanie Robbins, event coordinator. “Route 66 allowed thousands of travelers to stop and sample our community’s local history and special flavor, but the Interstate Highway System changed that. This trailblazing event will allow us to refocus attention on our community on June 2 and attract future travelers on bikes and in cars.”

Ed Barsotti, executive director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists, said, “Bicycling Route 66 gives riders the chance to recapture a bit of the past in an enjoyable, healthy way while imagining what the route was like during its heyday. Our hope is that thousands of bicyclists and others will follow, traveling Route 66 for exhilarating and nostalgic rides.”

"The trail breaking ride is a chance to sample what we believe will be a great recreational and educational experience for bicyclists at all levels from local recreational riders to cross-country tourists," said Donovan Gardner, chair of the Route 66 Trail Executive Committee.

Bicyclists will travel one of 13 sections of the Route 66 Trail all on June 2, covering the entire distance from downtown Chicago, the route’s starting point, to the Mississippi River north of St. Louis. Bicyclists can ride a whole segment or a part of a segment, starting anywhere along the route. Participants can select their own starting times to arrive in the towns at noon. The charted individual segments range from 15-50 miles.

The other towns participating in the trailblazing event with their own festivities are Joliet, Pontiac, Bloomington, Springfield, and Staunton.

For more information on the event, the 13 routes with cue sheets and free registration, go to www.bikelib.org/route66.

Sponsors of the trailblazing event are the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the League of Illinois Bicyclists and the Route 66 Trail Executive Committee.

Labels: cycling, League of Illinois Cyclists, Route 66

Roger 1 comments 12:29 PM

Saturday, March 31, 2007

Riders needed for Route 66 Trail-Breaking

The League of Illinois Bicyclists is looking for riders -- especially in downstate Illinois -- for the Route 66 Trail-Breaking ride on Saturday, June 2.

Bicyclists and other "trail-breakers" will traverse the entire 369 miles of Illinois' new Route 66 Trail, a route of quieter roads and trails showing off the best of the old "Mother Road." The event will highlight bike tourism on the Route 66 Trail while giving a boost for road and trail improvements along the way.

Bicyclists will each ride one of 14 legs of the Route 66 Trail, simultaneously covering the entire distance of the route. They will converge at six different Route 66 towns, where ceremonies will be held at noon. Cyclists choose from one of these 14 segments, covering the main route and western alternate route. You can ride a whole segment or start anywhere along the way.

In a recent e-mail, LIB Executive Director Ed Barsotti told me that there's been great response to the ride in the Chicago area, but that riders are needed for the segments of the ride leading to ceremonies in Edwardsville and Staunton.

The Edwardsville segments are 15 miles from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge and 40 miles from Litchfield. The Staunton segments are 17 miles from Litchfield, 26 miles from Carlinville and 40 miles from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge.

The Staunton ceremony will have added significance because it includes the dedication of the Leroy Duda Garden, the southern trailhead of the ITS (Illinois Traction System) Trail. The ITS Trail eventually will link Staunton and Benld, and the long-term goal is for it to be part of a trail system that will link St. Louis and Springfield.

Other Route 66 communities where ceremonies will be held are Joliet, Pontiac, Bloomington and Springfield.

The ride is free, but you have to register with LIB. To register or to get more information about the ride, visit http://www.lepirtle.com/lib/route66/rt66form1.cfm.

Labels: cycling, League of Illinois Cyclists, Route 66

Roger 2 comments 1:15 AM

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Route 66 Trail-Breaking

The League of Illinois Bicyclists is inviting you to be a part of history on National Trails Day 2007, which will be Saturday, June 2. Bicyclists and other "trail-breakers" will traverse the entire 369 miles of Illinois' new Route 66 Trail, a route of quieter roads and trails showing off the best of the old "Mother Road".

Bicyclists and other users will each ride one of 13 legs of the Route 66 Trail, simultaneously covering the entire distance of the route. They will converge at six different Route 66 towns, where ceremonies will be held at noon.

The following communities will be hosting ceremonies: Edwardsville, Staunton, Springfield, Bloomington, Pontiac and Joliet.

The ride is free, but you need to register to get a packet of information and a T-shirt for the event.

You can view the route on these PDF files:
North-to-South
South-to North

Speaking of LIB, the organization is selling Illinois Pedal Power jerseys, and they appear to be a fine addition for any Illinois cyclist's wardrobe. They come in sizes ranging from XS to XXXL. Including postage, the cost of the jersey is $63.05 for LIB members and $69.05 for non-members. To order the jersey, just download this PDF order form, fill it out and send it to LIB.

Also, LIB once again is offering its National Bicycle Month plate for Illinois motorists. The plates are approved for use by the Illinois Secretary of State's office for use during the months of April and May in place of your normal Illinois plates. The plates are $28 and can be order by downloading this PDF form, filling it out and sending it and a copy of your Illinois vehicle registration to LIB.

LIB has done a lot in recent years to promote cycling in the state. LIB received funding from the Illinois Department of Transportation to produce a video on motorist-cyclist safety. Copies of the video have been distributed to 900 high school and private driving education programs and to more than 900 police and sheriff's departments. LIB also has been active in cycling advocacy issues, including the effort to make cyclists intended, rather than permitted, users of Illinois roads.

Labels: cycling, League of Illinois Cyclists, Route 66, trails

Roger 0 comments 2:13 PM