2008 Tour of Missouri Cycling Race Features Route 66

An advertising supplement in last Sunday's Chicago Tribune featured a bicycle race that is to take place in Missouri September 8-14 and, instead of one long stretch, will feature seven stage races through 12 host cities and 120 of the world's best cyclists.

Four of the stages feature places along Route 66.

STAGE 2-- CLINTON TO SPRINGFIELD-- September 9-- Mentions the drive-through Fantastic Cavern, where Wild Bill Hickok gunned down Dave Tott in the first recorded western shootout in the Springfield square. Plus, the article acknowledges Springfield as being the "birthplace of Route 66" since it was in Springfield that officials first proposed the name for the new Chicago-to-LA highway on April 30, 1926. Traces of the old road can still be seen along Kearney, Glenstone and College streets.


STAGE 4-- LEBANON TO ROLLA-- September 11th-- The article doesn't mention it, but this one should be right along the Mother Road. One stop will be at Fort Leonard Wood. Of course, we know about the Munger-Moss, but the article didn't mention it. I imagine Ramona wasn't too happy about that. The ad did mention Gary's Catfish and BBQ, a favorite place. In Rolla, it mentioned the half-sized Stonehenge at the college and that Rolla is on historic Route 66. Hopefully they cyclists will go through Hooker Cut.


STAGE 5-- St. JAMES TO JEFFERSON CITY-- September 12th-- Wineries in St. James.


STAGE 7-- St. LOUIS-- CIRCUIT RACE-- September 14th-- Mentions the Gateway Arch and Museum of Transportation where you know part of a famous 66 motel is located.

Plus, the Missouri Route 66 Motor Tour will be around this time.


Sounds Like a Good Time to Me. --RoadDog