Image Credit: Jay Kudva on Unsplash
(Joplin, MO) – Missouri Life Magazine’s Big BAM (Bicycle Across Missouri) will ride across Route 66 in June, starting in Joplin as the first overnight town. The six-day recreational ride across our state will continue through Willard, Lebanon, Waynesville, Rolla, Cuba, and Eureka.
Cyclists from around the country will stay overnight in Joplin on June 12, with the Big BAM basecamp being located at Landreth Park. The City of Joplin’s Convention and Visitors Bureau asks for area commuters to be aware and watchful of riders departing at first light until 10:00 am the next morning.
“We’re excited to include Joplin as an overnight host for Big BAM again,” says KateLynn Ketsenburg, marketing and events coordinator for Missouri Life. Big BAM included Joplin in the same route in 2018. Participants of the ride loved Route 66 so much that the organization decided to have it again this year.
Patrick Tuttle, the tourism director in Joplin, says, “Route 66 is America’s longest museum and therefore it’s got a lot of Americana on there that you won’t see anywhere else.”
The town will be hosting a party to kick off the ride on June 12, featuring Smith Brothers and Zane Grimes. They will be performing from 7:00 to 9:30 pm on stage at Schifferdecker Park. Patrick says, “We invite the community, who will be able to enjoy food from various food trucks. So bring your chairs/blankets, your friends and family, and enjoy this great event.”
Big BAM encourages the local community and groups to enjoy the entertainment and raise funds for their nonprofit organizations with food and refreshment stands along the route. In the past, groups such as 4-H and others have stationed themselves along the route to sell lemonade, cookies, bananas, and even pickle juice popsicles, which can help prevent leg cramps for some cyclists. Approximately 200 cyclists will be exploring the area throughout the day on June 12.
Big BAM is a fully supported ride, which includes a camping area each night, gear transport, hot showers, water, and relief stations every ten to fifteen miles, SAG support, and bicycle mechanics. Plus, there is a concert every night that is free and open to the public. For more information, visit BigBAMRide.com. The sponsor of the event, Missouri Life Magazine, is the state’s largest paid circulation travel and lifestyle magazine.
Reference:
Greg Wood
Missouri life Magazine
660.537.2521
greg@missourilife.com
