Bike Across Missouri Stopping In Cuba, Bourbon

Crawford County will be a stop on the 2018 Big BAM (Bicycle Across Missouri) cycling tour this June, which covers 310 miles of Route 66.

More than 550 rides will traverse the historic route that begins in Joplin and ends in Eureka. Six communities, including Cuba, will host an event. Bourbon will be one of the water stops on Friday, June 22.

The ride begins Sunday, June 17 in Joplin and makes daily stops in Willard, Lebanon, Waynesville, Cuba and finally Eureka.

A free nightly concert will be held each night at 6 p.m. Cyclists will stay at the various lodging and dine at local establishments.

Patrick Tuttle of the Joplin Visitors & Convention Bureau, spoke on Tuesday to Crawford County commissioners about the week-long event and how there will be a push to designate Route 66 as a “Bike 66” route.

“Twenty-five stats have dedicated biking routes,” Tuttle said of the effort, which helps market the route to cyclists and creates biking lanes. Tuttle said the demographic of cyclists traveling Route 66, which spans Chicago to Santa Monica, Calif., is older and retired with money to spend.

“They come through, they rely on local communities for supplies as they travel,” he said.

Even though Kansas has just a dozen miles of Route 66, Tuttle said the state is proud of that portion and heavily markets it.

Presiding Commissioner Leo Sanders hoped that the event could create bicycle safety awareness. Crawford County Sheriff Darin Layman is on board with that and promoting the event.

“From a law enforcement perspective, if we can get people to slow down and pay attention (to cyclists), it’s a win-win,” said Layman, who described himself as a runner and cyclist. “I’m all about awareness and promoting it. If it creates tourism, I’m all for it.”

Layman said the sheriff’s department is prepared for BAM.

The Missouri Department of Transportation will address signage issues and BAM will use lanes of traffic.