Skip to main content

Road Trip on 2 Wheels Instead of 4 Along United States Bicycle Route 66

By Mike Richard Aug 6, 2018 2:03 PM

route 66 road train — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Route 66 is in peril. As the heyday of the old-school American road trip faded in the mid-20th century, the iconic cross-country highway fell into serious disrepair. Now, Adventure Cycling Association (ACA) is looking to rekindle a love for America’s “Mother Road” by paving the way for the great American cycling trip.

The first official miles of United States Bicycle Route 66 are now open in Missouri. Once the ACA approached the state with their plans, including turn-by-turn maps, state officials hopped aboard almost immediately. The meager beginnings of USBR 66 begin in St. Louis and wind westward through Rolla, Springfield, and Joplin. The western end of the route currently dips into Southeastern Kansas as well.

Recommended Videos

Cyclists on USBR 66 ride on two-lane rural roads that parallel or exactly follow the original Route 66 motorway. The ACA is working hard to balance cyclist’s safety with preserving the road’s history and authenticity. While much of the route’s vintage nostalgia has succumbed to “progress,” glimmers of its past remain. There are still filling stations, classic chrome diners, quirky roadside attractions, and other bits of road trip-related kitsch. As many of the small towns along the way realize the potential for tourism, more of that memorabilia is sure to follow. Even the small, initial part of the route has already proven wildly popular with cyclists.

The route is (for now) a tiny part of the ACA’s official United States Bicycle Route System of cycling trails that criss-cross the country in nearly 30 states. The association boasts more than 13,000 miles of trails with the goal of topping 50,000. USBR 66 will be at the heart of that network — literally and nostalgically. The hope is that it will one day follow all 2,400 miles of the original Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. That, of course, requires a monumental amount of time, money, resources, and a dozen states working together in concert. It’s a project that will have to unfold one small piece at a time, but the ACA is hopeful that their dream will one day be realized.

To plan your own bike trip down Route 66, Adventure Cycling Association offers free maps of USBR 66 and tons of other bike routes across the country.

Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He’s kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South… Read Full Bio

Topics

Outdoors

New Serengeti safari camp launches with discounts of up to 50% through 2027

Nature, Outdoors, Machine

Travelers dreaming of a safari in Tanzania now have an added incentive to book. Enduata Camps has introduced four limited-time offers to celebrate the opening of Wild Wakati Camp, its new luxury tented camp in the heart of the Serengeti.

Available through the end of 2027, the promotions include savings for families, honeymooners, and travelers celebrating special occasions. The launch offer gives guests a complimentary third night when booking a three-night stay, while honeymooners can receive 50% off one guest’s stay. Families can take advantage of a free stay for one child, and those celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, or other milestones can save 25% on one guest.

Copenhagen: Five days in Scandinavia’s most livable city

City, Architecture, Building

Some trips spend years on your wish list before they finally happen. Copenhagen was one of those destinations for us. We had talked about visiting Denmark for years, drawn by its reputation for clean design, remarkable quality of life, and a city where bicycles outnumber automobiles. When we finally spent five summer days there in 2026, we discovered something even better. Copenhagen isn’t just attractive—it is remarkably easy to enjoy. Everything works. Public transportation is outstanding, the harbor is alive with boats, the food is excellent, and almost every neighborhood feels welcoming, safe, and effortlessly stylish. And, in the summer, everyone is living outside and basking in the sun. This was reinforced for us when my wife chatted with an American woman who had spent the last four summers in the city with her family. She felt that it was both an exciting change from suburban America but also safe enough to give their kids a longer leash than they would at home.

If you’re thinking about a first visit, here’s what stood out.

Copenhagen was just named the world’s most livable city. After spending half my year here, I’m not surprised.

Copenhagen

Every few months, I swap Ohio for Copenhagen.

For roughly five or six months of the year, Denmark’s capital becomes home. My boyfriend lives here, which means I’ve had the rare opportunity to experience Copenhagen beyond the typical long weekend itinerary. I’ve settled into routines that make the city feel familiar, from stopping by Netto for groceries to grabbing what I still maintain is the best cinnamon roll I’ve ever had from Lagkagehuset. I’ve spent warm afternoons swimming at Ofelia Plads and Nordhavn, wandered through neighborhoods that rarely make first-time visitor guides, and discovered that some of the city’s best moments happen when there’s no plan at all.