What does my registration fee include?
Well that varies depending on which Cycle Route 66 ride you sign up for, so check each ride's individual description for specifics. However, all Cycle Route 66 rides include detailed maps & cue sheets, beverages and snacks during each day's ride, baggage transport for up to two bags, SAG support, commemorative ride T-shirt, and Route 66 dinners each evening for the duration of the tour. And part of your fee goes directly to help develop a hostel in Old North St. Louis!

Will Cycle Route 66 be a good choice for new riders?
One of the perceptions out there is that you have to be a very good cyclist in extremely good shape after having trained year-round to do a weeklong ride. The Gateway Council has been hosting weeklong rides for over 20 years, and during that time the routes have had varying degrees of difficulty. Designing the Route 66 rides was done with the intermediate rider in mind. Route 66, by the fact that it is an old highway, provides a "somewhat flat" riding surface. Second, the daily riding distances were determined in such a way where virtually anyone can complete the days mileage in five to seven hours, with each day's mileage falling between 40 and 70 miles. Route 66 has hundreds of sites to see ... too numerous to see in one week-long trip. But we wanted to leave the riders enough time to visit as many of the sites as they want each day without having to spend most of the day pounding the pavement.

How difficult is the route?
Again, due to the fact that we will be spending the entire tour on the old Route 66, by the shear nature of what it is, it provides a "somewhat flat" riding surface. If you are a cyclist who rides your bike a couple times each week you should have no problems with the rides' difficulty.

Do I have to finish riding each day by a specific time?
Course support services are available only during the course hours. If you leave before the course opens or are still riding after the course closes, there will be no support services available. All Route 66 riders still on the course after 5 p.m. will be offered a ride to that evening's overnight stop. If you choose to not take the ride you will be on your own to get there.

What happens if I can't finish the day's ride?
There are SAG vans on the course each day that are available to transport cyclists as needed due to mechanical problems or medical injuries, and are occasionally available to transport cyclists so that they're able to finish the day's ride. The vans also have extra water and snacks, if needed. If at any time you need assistance, please signal a SAG van with a "thumbs down" signal. If you do get into a SAG van, you might not be transported directly to the next overnight stop; the SAG vans usually wait until a majority of the riders have completed that day's route before they head in for the evening.

What if I wake up one morning and don't feel able to ride? How can I get to the next overnight site?
There will be a SAG van available each morning to transport cyclists from site to site if they don't feel well, are injured, or need a break from riding.

This is the first time I've done a Gateway Council weeklong ride. What support do you have for first-time riders?
We have information on our website about how to get your body ready for Cycle Route 66, what to pack, and how to get your bike ready.

What do I need to bring?
This depends on your style of traveling, but veteran riders have been kind enough to provide us with a list of suggestions. Remember that this list is just a guideline, and also remember the two-bag limit.

I can't fit everything into my two bags. Do you mind if I bring one extra bag?
Each rider may bring only two bags (duffle bags are ideal). We ask you to be considerate of the baggage people and volunteers who will be handling your bags each day by honoring this request. If honor is not enough to keep you to two bags, well, you might end up carrying some extra items in your jersey pockets.

Can a non-rider come with me?
Yes! Many of our riders have family or friends who want to join the event but not ride. The cyclist just needs to make sure that he or she has appropriately chosen a single instead of a shared room, and the guests can pay for their meals on their own.

Note: Rider guests and all others in vehicles are not to drive the route with the riders each day; they must drive independent of the group to each day's overnight site. Rider guests are also asked to not ride the route each day on a bike - they are not insured, registered riders.

How much should I expect to spend while I'm on the ride?
With all of the classic Route 66 diners and cafe's, don't be surprised if you finish your week feeling stuffed to the gills! However, that being said with all of the attractions available throughout the week there are extras you may want to buy along the way. So the amount per person will vary, but bring some spending money.

Will I have phone/e-mail access during the ride? Will there be a way for me to charge electronic devices?
Due to the fact that the point of the ride is to explore Route 66 staying in many of its original roadside inns and motels, you shouldn't expect to have uninterrupted cell phone and/or Internet access. But most of the time we should be riding through areas or stay in towns that have service. Recharging will be available at each day's overnight location.

What is HI-USA Gateway Council's Mission and Vision? What does this ride help support?
HI-USA is a nonprofit organization dedicated "to help all, especially the young, gain a greater understanding of the world and its people through hostelling." All proceeds from the ride go to support the vision for the Gateway Council, which is "to open a quality hostel in St. Louis to inspire cultural exchange and understanding through hostelling activities and programs."