STAUNTON - The ITS Trail Committee is coordinating a 17 mile ride to celebrate the trailblazing ride by bicyclists.

The ride will begin at Niehaus Cycle Sales in Litchfield, with a rest stop at Mt. Olive City Park and end at the newly completed Duda Garden located at 205 N. Union St in Staunton, where refreshments will be served to the riders and a dedication ceremony for the garden will be held at 12:30.

Staunton will be one of six locations along the route from Chicago to the Missouri border celebrating Route 66 and welcoming bicyclists, who can ride the distance they choose on trailblazing day.

"This will be a major event for bicyclists and all Route 66 fans," said Nelson Grman, Chairman of the Staunton Tourism Committee and a member of the Route 66 Trail Executive Committee.

"Route 66 allowed thousands of travelers to stop and sample our community’s local history and special flavor, but the Interstate Highway System changed that.

This trailblazing event will allow us to refocus attention on our community on June 2 and attract future travelers on bikes and in cars."

Ed Barsotti, executive director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists, said, "Bicycling Route 66 gives riders the chance to recapture a bit of the past in an enjoyable, healthy way while imagining what the route was like during its heyday. Our hope is that thousands of bicyclists and others will follow, traveling Route 66 for exhilarating and nostalgic rides."

"The trail breaking ride is a chance to sample what we believe will be a great recreational and educational experience for bicyclists at all levels, from local recreational riders to cross-country tourists," said Donovan Gardner, chair of the Route 66 Trail Executive Committee.

Bicyclists will travel one of 13 sections of the Route 66 Trail on June 2, covering the entire distance from downtown Chicago; the route’s starting point, to the Mississippi River north of St. Louis. Bicyclists can ride a whole segment or a part of a segment, starting anywhere along the route.

Those wishing to bike or walk only a mile or two are also invited to join.

Participants can select their own starting times to arrive in the towns at noon.

The charted individual segments range from 15-50 miles.

The other towns participating in the trailblazing event with their own festivities are Joliet, Pontiac, Bloomington, Springfield and Edwardsville.

For more information on the event, the 13 routes with cue sheets and free registration forms, go to www.bikelib.org/route66. While supplies last, riders will receive free t-shirts commemorating the trail-blazing ride.

Sponsors of the trailblazing event are the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the League of Illinois Bicyclists and the Route 66 Trail Executive Committee.

Local Contacts: Nelson Grman, 618-635-2527. League of Illinois Bicyclists Contact: Ed Barsotti, 630-978-0583.