Walt Disney. Mark Twain. Newscaster Walter Cronkite. Retailer JC Penney. WWI General John "Blackjack" Pershing. Outlaw Jesse James. The Pony Express. These people all have ties and connections to northern Missouri and a new bike route celebrates their contributions and influence, tying together a path taking cyclists among some of the most scenic and rural riding in the Midwest along with cultural experiences and historic sites that explore their contributions to American history.
Known as the "Way of American Genius" these famous Americans all come from towns along U.S. 36, a four-lane, divided highway that goes completely across northern Missouri. It connects Mark Twain's hometown of Hannibal, Mo., situated on the Mississippi River on the east side of the state with to St. Joseph on the west, where the Pony Express started and Jesse James met his end. Along the way, you'll find dozens of number of historic sites along the route that highlights the lives of these people and others and their contributions to American culture.
When the Missouri Department of Transportation developed an audio tour for motorist to listen to as they drove the Highway 36 corridor, I thought that a bike route along Highway 36 was a natural piece of this as well. Bikers, either on short trips or extended tours, could enjoy the terrific riding offered by the quiet roads in the area as they explored the historic sites, state parks and other natural and cultural attractions along the way. So I approached the Missouri Highway 36 Heritage Alliance with the idea, and they were immediately on board. These tourism boosters from cities in the region are keen to see more cyclists in their area.
Here are some of the cities along the way and highlights to be explored:
- Hannibal: Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum
- Bethel: Historic Bethel German colony
- Macon: Long Branch Lake State Park
- Marceline: Walt Disney Boyhood Home and Museum
- Laclede: General John J. Pershing Boyhood Home State Historic Site
- Sumner: "Maxie," the world's largest goose
- Chillicothe: dozens of colorful murals showing the history of the city painted on downtown walls
- Hamilton: JC Penney Museum; Missouri Star Quilt Company
- St. Joseph: Jesse James Home, Pony Express National Museum, Walter Cronkite Memorial
Creating the a bike route was a fun experience for sure. Using Google maps and detailed maps provided by the state highway department with vehicle counts and other information, I aimed for low-traffic, high scenery state and county roads that paralled the main four lane highway and hit as many of the scenic attractions, historic sites, state parks, and charming little towns as possible along the way.
Once the route was complete on paper, we sought feedback from local cyclists and others who could give us feedback on the suitability of the routes we picked. Then we did a full-blown test ride to get a first person look and to ensure the route followed the roads that were the best options for cyclists. We took three days to cover the 260 miles, covering 80-90 miles a day. You can click here to see a video on the ride that came from the local news station, which did live coverage of our arrival into St. Joseph.
The route continues to be promoted by the Missouri Highway 36 Heritage Alliance, and the group is optimistic that there will be increasing numbers of cyclists out on the road. In fact, a number of business in towns along the way are offering special rates and deals for cyclists. Additionally the new route has received a lot of attention from regional and national cycling groups, and there is talk about its eventual inclusion in the U.S. Bike Route System, a national network of existing bike routes.
Highway 36 - Way of American Genius Bike Route website: maps, GPS link, local attractions guide, plus turn-by-turn directions.
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