Roger Kramer's Cycling Blog, based in my old stomping grounds of St. Louis' metro-east area, has alerted me that the League of Illinois Bicyclists will mark National Trails Day by traversing all 369 miles of the Route 66 Trail in Illinois. The big event, called Route 66 Trail-Breaking, is June 2. There are 14 legs, … Continue reading Riders wanted
Category: Bicycling
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge to provide paid parking
A few months ago, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge that connects old Route 66 from Madison, Ill., to north St. Louis closed its parking lot on the Missouri side because of vandalism and burglaries. Trailnet, the nonprofit group that runs the bridge as a walking and bicycling trail, has announced that the Missouri-side parking … Continue reading Old Chain of Rocks Bridge to provide paid parking
Bicycle ride will assist Iraq veterans
The Desert Dispatch of Barstow, Calif., reports that Vietnam War veteran Ken Rhodes plans to bicycle Route 66 to Washington, D.C., to raise funds for Iraq War veterans and muscular dystrophy research. He's going to leave Santa Monica on April 4, the anniversary that the helicopter he was riding in was shot down in 1969. … Continue reading Bicycle ride will assist Iraq veterans
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge closes parking lot
In a column by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Matthew Hathaway, we learn that Trailnet, which runs the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge that connects a pedestrian/biking trail from north St. Louis to Madison, Ill., is closing a parking lot on the Missouri side of the river indefinitely because of vandalism to vehicles there. In an … Continue reading Old Chain of Rocks Bridge closes parking lot
Live chat with the Cancer Rider
American Road magazine is going to have a live Internet chat at 8 p.m. EST Jan. 14 with Michelle Thompson, the woman who recently cycled Route 66 to raise awareness of oral cancer and raise funds for her stricken brother. To participate or read the comments, you have to go to this site, then click … Continue reading Live chat with the Cancer Rider
Three Route 66 additions to the National Register of Historic Places
Three pieces of Route 66 were recently added to the National Register of Historic Places. One is the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, which links Madison, Ill., to north St. Louis over the Mississippi River. It was designated on Dec. 1. This story in the Suburban Journals of St. Louis provides a nice overview of … Continue reading Three Route 66 additions to the National Register of Historic Places
Home for Christmas
After completing her 2,390-mile trek on Route 66 on Sunday in Santa Monica, Michelle Thompson cycled south on Pacific Coast Highway and arrived at her brother's home in Costa Mesa, Calif., on Christmas Day afternoon, like she had hoped. KABC-TV in Los Angeles was there to see her ride through a congratulatory banner. There is … Continue reading Home for Christmas
She made it
Michelle Thompson, the woman who was trying to bicycle the 2,400-mile length of Route 66 to raise awareness of oral cancer and help her ailing brother, met her goal of finishing the Mother Road before Christmas. According to her Web site, Thompson pulled onto the fabled endpoint of Route 66, the Santa Monica Pier, at … Continue reading She made it
Eagle Days at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
The Edwardsville (Ill.) Intelligencer is reporting that the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, an old Route 66 alignment that connects Madison, Ill., to north St. Louis, is hosting its 12th annual Eagle Days on Jan. 13-14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. And the bridge is the ideal lookout spot to watch the … Continue reading Eagle Days at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
Cancer rider update
The Ontario (Calif.) Daily Bulletin has the latest about Michelle Thompson, the woman who's bicycling Route 66 to raise awareness of oral cancer and raise money for her stricken brother. Thompson made it to Ludlow, Calif., on Friday, hitting the 2,200-mile mark on her odometer. She's only about 170 miles from her goal of Costa … Continue reading Cancer rider update