The Ariston Cafe in Litchfield, Ill., is hosting a sendoff party tomorrow for a city administrator who will bicycle Route 66 from Santa Monica to Chicago to raise money for a history and Route 66 museum in the town, reported The Journal-News.
The historic Route 66 restaurant will start serving free coffee and doughnuts at 8 a.m. Wednesday. After the party, Andy Ritchie will drive to California:
They will then proceed to Santa Monica pier where they will meet Mark Stieren who will be riding his bike with Andy for 900 miles. The following day they all will be getting their bikes and equipment ready and reviewing plans for the beginning of their trip the following day, Sunday, May 6. A number of people will be present to send them on their way.
Stieren will ride to Albuquerque, NM, where he will end his bicycle ride and fly back to Litchfield. Ritchie will then continue his bike trip alone for the next 1,219 miles with his wife, Pam trailing along in the support vehicle.
He will arrive in Litchfield Sunday, June 3, late in the afternoon. He then intends to spend the next three days resting and preparing for the city council meeting on Tuesday, June 5. Two days later he will complete his bike ride to Chicago arriving Sunday, June 10.
Here is an artist’s rendering of the museum:
The Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center Association broke ground last week on the museum site, which is across the street from the Ariston. The group recently had gained federal nonprofit status.
The museum also has set up a placeholder website here.