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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 links to this post 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 links to this post 10:10 PM

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 links to this post 12:08 PM

Friday, January 23, 2009

Go to the Swap Meet and help Gerry Frierdich

If you're a cyclist and if you're in the St. Louis area this weekend, I definitely encourage you to attend the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation's Midwest Bicycle Expo & Swap Meet at the Gateway Center, 1 Gateway Drive in Collinsville, Ill.

I'll be there in two roles. I will be at the Gateway Council of Hostelling International's booth pushing the Tour de Stooges (May 2 in Highland, Ill.) and other rides the Gateway Council will be putting on this year.

Secondly, I will be selling raffle tickets for the second of two Bacchetta recumbent bicycles being given away to benefit Belleville, Ill., cyclist Gerry "Chief" Frierdich, who was seriously injured in an August 2007 accident when his recumbent bike was struck by a pickup truck on South Green Mount Road in Belleville.

I will be selling tickets at the Gateway Council's booth. Tickets are $5 each or three for $10. I hope you'll look me up and buy some raffle tickets for a worthy cause. This will be one of the last chances to buy a ticket before Feb. 7, when the second recumbent will be awarded.

(NOTE: I'm grateful to Mark Cockson, executive director of the Gateway Council, for allowing me to sell tickets at the group's booth during the Swap Meet!)

Gerry himself is expected to draw the winning ticket during The Gerry Frierdich Benefit Mouse Races on Feb. 7 at Panorama Bowl, 200 South Belt West in Belleville. Tickets for the benefit at $15 in advance and $20 at the door and includes draft beer, soda, chips and pretzels. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and racing begins at 7 p.m.

I hope to see you in Collinsville on Sunday!

Labels: Gateway Council of Hostelling International, Gerry Frierdich, St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:29 PM

Friday, November 14, 2008

Need something to do this weekend?

If you're a St. Louis bicyclist needing something to do Saturday night, here's a couple of suggestions:

Bicycle Bash -- A Salute to Cycling: The St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation will be putting on its Bicycle Bash -- A Salute to Cycling from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the William A. Kerr Foundation, 21 O'Fallon St. in St. Louis on the edge of the Laclede's Landing district. The party will celebrate another successful season of bicycling fun! Entertainment by Big Budget Blues Band. Bring a dish for the buffet table if you like, or just show up. Admission is a suggested donation of $10 at the door. Proceeds will go toward the Bike Fed's ongoing work.

Einstein on a Bike Trivia Night: Trailnet, the St. Louis-based organization that promotes the construction of trails in the St. Louis region and bicycle riding through its Bicycle Fun Club, will be putting on its first-ever Einstein on a Bike Trivia Night at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Central Reform Congregation, 5020 Waterman Blvd. in St. Louis' Central West End. The good news for Trailnet -- but the bad news for you -- is that all the tables are booked for the event. That means unless you know somebody who needs an extra player for his or her team, you're out of luck.

On its Web site, the Bike Fed apologizes for scheduling its bicycle party the same night as the Trailnet event, but the group is hoping that many people can still make both events.

Beyond this weekend, mark your calendar for these events:

• Highway 40 West End Opening Celebration: The STL Bike Fed and Big Shark Bicycle Co. are planning the Ride 64 bicycle event, which tiedto the Missouri Department of Transportation's West End Opening Celebration on Sunday, Dec. 14. The west section of the rebuilt Interstate 64-U.S. Route 40, better known as Highway 40 to the locals, reopens to motorized traffic on Dec. 15.
  
  Bike 64 consists of a fun ride on the westbound lanes of the highway from noon to 2:30 p.m. and a 9-mile time trial, also on the westbound lanes of the highway, also from noon to 2:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required for both events. The cost of the fun ride is $25 for adults and $10 for kids 15 and younger and go up to $35 and $15 respectively after Dec. 3. The cost of the time trial is $25. Proceeds from the fun ride will go toward the Bike Fed's efforts to install bike racks in St. Louis city and county.
  
  You better ride it while you can. Once the road reopens to motorized traffic, bicycles are prohibited from interstate highways in Missouri.
  
  
• Cranksgiving Day Food Ride: St. Louis BicycleWORKS will be putting on its third annual Cranksgiving Day Food Ride at noon Sunday, Nov. 23 at BicycleWORKS' shop at 4109 Shenandoah Ave. in St. Louis. Last year, 72 riders donated hundreds of food items to those who needed them. BicycleWORKS hopes to triple the amount this year. Each participant on the 5- or 25-mile routes will be asked to buy at least $20 in food and be able to carry the goods with them on their bicycles. The rain date is Sunday, Nov. 30.
  
  
• Friends of Hostelling Trivia Night: The Gateway Council of Hostelling International, which puts on the Moonlight Ramble, Tour de Stooges and other great cycling events, will put on a Trivia Night on Jan. 16 at the Maryland Heights Community Center at 2344 McKelvey Road in Maryland Heights, Mo. The cost of the event is $120 for a table of eight, and all proceeds will be use for the development of a hostel in north St. Louis.
  
  
• Tour de Stooges: Speaking of the ride that I lead for the Gateway Council, the 12th edition of the Tour de Stooges will take place Saturday, May 2, in Highland, Ill. I expect to update the site in the next week, and registration for the event likely will open in the neighborhood of Jan. 1.

Labels: bicycling, Gateway Council of Hostelling International, St. Louis, St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation, Trailnet

Roger 1 comments links to this post 2:49 PM

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Think spring!

Today is the first day of spring. Woo-hoo!

Although we're expecting some late-winter temperatures for Easter weekend here in Belleville, Ill, the tide is gradually turning. It's time to be thinking about group rides. Here's some St. Louis area rides to whet your appetite:

• The Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society opens its 2008 season of Wednesday Evening Rides on April 2. During April, our rides will start at the Metro East Parks and Recreation Center headquarters, 100 United Drive in Collinsville, and we'll be riding the Madison County Trails system. We'll meet at 6 p.m. and take off at 6:15, although people may leave earlier if they want to get more miles in.
• Trailnet's Bicycle Fun Club opens its 2008 season on Sunday, April 13, with the Prairie Pedal Bicycle Ride in Hamel, Ill. Hamel is a small community just off Interstate 55 about 7 miles north of Edwardsville. Registration is from 8:30 to 10 a.m.
  
• The Team HopeRide for a Cure will take place Saturday, April 26, in Maryville, Ill. This fund-raising ride for the American Cancer Society includes routes of 13, 26 and 62 miles on the Madison County Trails system. Registration will take place from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Maryville. The cost of the ride is $15 ($20 day of ride) for adults and $40 ($50 day of event) for families. for more information and to get a flier, contact Mike Green at mjgreen6@charter.net or call Dean Mc Peak at 618-920-3418 or Robin Warfield at 618-781-1075.
• Early registration is strong for the Tour de Stooges on Saturday, May 3, at the ride's new home, Lindendale Park in Highland, Ill. The cost of the ride is $30 for adults and $20 for children, and if you pre-register for the ride, you will get a T-shirt in addition to lunch, rest stops and slapstick comedy. Tour de Stooges is the opening event of the Gateway Council of Hostelling International's new series of recreational rides, which includes the Strawberry Fields Forever ride on May 24 at Eckert's Country Store in Belleville.
• For those of you who love to ride centuries, the Gateway Council's 5-Star Century Series gets started Saturday, May 17, with the Indian Crossing Century in Portage des Sioux, Mo., and continues with the Flat-as-a-Pancake Century on May 31 in New Baden, Ill.
• Finally, there's The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride on Sunday, June 1, in Belleville. The ride is a fund-raiser for Gerry Frierdich, a Belleville photographer who was paralyzed from the chest down when a pickup truck struck his recumbent bicycle on Aug. 19, 2007.

If you know of any other great spring rides that people should know about, feel free to post them in the comments.

It's time to get out and ride!

Labels: Belleville Area Bicycling Eating Society, bicycle rides, Gateway Council of Hostelling International, St. Louis, Tour de Stooges, Trailnet

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:43 AM

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Billie Teneau faces life head on

The Suburban Journals has a nice feature today about Billie Teneau, easily the Gateway Council of Hostelling International's most dedicated volunteer. Here's a brief excerpt from the story:

"A tiny woman, Teneau (pronounced Tea-no) has a big presence. She does nothing halfway and believes in 'supersizing' almost everything she does."

The story focuses on Billie's 50 years of service as an actress and director with the Hawthorne Players, a St. Louis-area community theater group, but it doesn't talk about her contributions to the Gateway Council.

Let me fill in a few of the gaps.

This year alone, she will be one of the ride leaders for the Flat-as-a-Pancake Century Ride on May 31 in New Baden, Ill.; the Peach Pedal Ride on July 26-27 in Belleville, Ill.; and Cycle Across Missouri on June 8-13 in central Missouri. Those are just the major rides. She also leads lots of smaller rides for the Gateway Council over the course of the year.

She's always willing to lend a hand on other people's rides. She is a regular volunteer on the Tour de Stooges that I lead for the Gateway Council. After helping out with registration, Billie then goes out and rides the 30- or 42-mile route.

Billie truly is one of the unsung heroes of the St. Louis cycling scene. If you're on a bicycle ride in the St. Louis area and see her at registration or on the road, be sure to thank her for all she does for cycling in our community.

In the article, Billie is coy about her age, describing herself only as "being a senior citizen for years." I roughly know how old she really is, but in deference to Billie, I'm not saying a word. Let's just say that I hope I have a fraction of her energy when -- or if -- I reach her age.

Labels: cycling, Gateway Council of Hostelling International, St. Louis, tours

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:09 AM

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Indian Crossing Century

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Gateway Council of Hostelling International's Indian Crossing Century is on for this Saturday, May 12.

The coordinators of the event, Darryl Fabick and Susan Feldman, were sweating it out this week because of the threat of Missouri River flooding in St. Charles County, Mo. So far, the river stages aren't as high as feared, so the ride is on as planned. Registration will be from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Francis of Assisi Church Senior Center, 1235 Farnham St. in Portage Des Sioux, Mo.

The threat of flooding isn't gone yet. Participants are urged to visit the Gateway Council's Web site Friday night to make sure that a late storm hasn't pushed the Missouri River over the levees.

Labels: cycling, Gateway Council of Hostelling International

Roger 0 comments links to this post 7:13 PM

Friday, January 26, 2007

Busy, busy, busy

The Tour de Stooges and the Tour de Grape are more than three months away, the Tour de Belleville is about six months away, and the Tour de Coal ride is about eight months away. But I haven't written much here because of planning and other projects related to those three rides.

Because of the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation's Bike Swap Meet on Sunday at the Gateway Center in Collinsville, Ill., I had to pick up the pace on getting the brochure on Tour de Stooges ready to go. I normally don't print those until late February or early March, but the meet and the deep discounts we're offering for early registration have forced me to get them printed this week.

The swap meet also forced me to attempt to fix the problem with the mailing list for the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society so I can get the word out about the meet and upcoming events. I had to download an update to the Dada Mail program we use to send the newsletters, and as far as I'm aware, just about everyone received it.

I will be spending all day at the Tour de Grape booth at the meet. I have to work solo because the rest of the ride main organizers will be recovering from HavenHouse St. Louis' annual HopeFest auction that raises money for the group, which provides lodging for the families of children receiving treatment at St. Louis-area hospitals. Meanwhile, Gateway Council of Hostelling International-USA Executive Director Mark Cockson and hardy volunteers will be giving out information about that group's great rides, including Tour de Stooges and Cycle Across Missouri.

From what I understand, some people over at STLBikeFed were a little concerned about having the event in Illinois instead of Missouri. I don't think that's a big worry. People from Missouri are used to coming to Illinois for weekend bicycle rides, and it's not that difficult to drive from downtown St. Louis to Collinsville. I'm certain the Gateway Center will be a much nicer venue for the event than the previous sites, and it will help build the visibility of STLBikeFed on this side of the river.

On Monday and Tuesday, I met with organizers of Tour de Belleville and Tour de Coal.

This year's Tour de Belleville will be Friday, July 13, and will feature routes of 7 and 14. Money raised from the event will be used to purchase emergency phones for the Richland Creek Greenway/MetroLink Trail. Last year was the first year for the event, and it drew about 500 cyclists.

Tour de Coal, also in its second year, will be Saturday, Sept. 22, in Benld, Ill. Organizers were encouraged by the turnout on a cool, cloudy day, and they're expecting a nice turnout for the event. Tour de Coal features routes of 15, 30 and 63 through the flat-to-rolling rural scenery of southern Macoupin County.

Here's hoping next week I have more time to spend on the indoor trainer!

Labels: cycling, Gateway Council of Hostelling International, Illinois, St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation, Tour de Coal, Tour de Grape, Tour de Stooges

Roger 1 comments links to this post 12:20 AM