Edmond Life and Leisure - November 4, 2021

November 4, 2021

Inaugural Cycling Festival Sunday

Cycle 66 expected to be annual event

Cycle 66, a bicycling tour and festival hosting its inaugural event on Sunday along iconic Route 66, today announced its list of sponsors.

“We are thrilled to have such overwhelming support from local businesses and the broader community,” said Cycle 66 founder and executive director Mike Osburn. “From title sponsor OU Health and 10-mile route sponsor City of Edmond, who both believed in our vision from the beginning, to all the many businesses who have jumped in to join the fun, we are very thankful.”

Edmond Mayor Darrell Davis said he believes the event will grow and begin to reap economic rewards for the city.

“Cycle 66 is going to be a fantastic day for the city of Edmond, and I am honored that our great community is hosting this special tribute to Route 66. Not only will Cycle 66 showcase Edmond, but it will also provide citizens from across Oklahoma and beyond an opportunity to learn more about the unique history of Route 66, stay fit and give back to important causes,” Davis said.

The event, an inaugural urban and rural bicycling tour along portions of Oklahoma’s Mother Road, will take place Sunday, November 7, beginning at 7:30 a.m. The tour will begin and end at Festival Market Place in downtown Edmond and will feature a free community festival, called

Celebration 66, from 8am to 3pm, with music, food trucks, face painting, a kids’ bouncy house, shopping and more.

“Celebration 66 is destined to become a hallmark community event that people look forward to attending year after year,” said Sherri Banister, of Hilton Garden Inn and Edmond Convention Center, one of four Celebration 66 sponsors.

Also sponsoring the Celebration 66 finish line festival are AT&T, Evans & Davis, and Mercedes Benz of Okc.

More than 400 cyclists are expected to tackle three distinct routes of 10-, 33- and 66-miles, which will travel portions of Route 66. The 10- mile route sponsors include the City of Edmond and Visit Edmond. United Health Care and Echo Investments are the 33-mile route sponsors. The 66-mile sponsors include HiTech Plumbing and Leak Detect, OnCue, Transportation Revenues Used Strictly for Transportation (TRUST), and Walmart.

Jennifer Seaton, Cycle 66 board president and tourism director of Visit Edmond, said, “The support we have received from our sponsors is amazing and we can’t wait to welcome cyclists from across the state and region.”

Cyclist care and support wagons are being supplied by Bob Moore Porsche of Oklahoma City, and seven rest stops along the route are sponsored by Cherokee Nation Businesses.

“Cycle 66 would simply not be possible without the tremendous commitment of our supporting sponsors,” said Osburn. “Oklahoma is fortunate to have so many businesses and organizations that support a variety of great causes and events across the state. Cycle 66 is honored to be one of those events.”

Oklahoma Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell, the state’s Secretary of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage, said, “As an avid cyclist and daily promoter of Oklahoma, I could not be more excited about Cycle 66, not only because of the unique attention it brings to Route 66, but also the opportunity to promote Oklahoma tourism and healthy lifestyles. I am looking forward to participating in the ride and commend the Cycle 66 organization and its partners for an event that is going to be really special for years to come.”

Cycle 66 is governed by Cycle 66, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, in partnership with the City of Edmond, the State of Oklahoma, Visit Edmond and OU Health. A portion of proceeds from each Cycle 66 event benefits the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, and Autumn Life Behavioral Health Center, a dedicated geriatric psychiatry inpatient program at OU Health Edmond Medical Center.

Cycle 66 offers three fully supported routes for amateur to competitive cyclists. Support will include relief wagons, signage, rest stops, first aid stations and critical traffic control. The three routes are:

10-Mile Route: This leisurely ride is for families and recreational riders, and showcases downtown Edmond, notable public art, the University of Central Oklahoma campus, and the community’s best parks and bike paths.

33-Mile Intermediate Route: This moderate ride is for intermediate and recreational riders who like a challenge. From Edmond the ride dips south to the State Capitol where riders will enjoy the “Party at the Turn”, powered by OU Health, before cycling back to downtown Edmond.

66-Mile Advanced Route: This adventurous ride is for advanced and intermediate riders looking to push the distance. It travels through five communities including Edmond, Oklahoma City, Jones, Luther and Arcadia and features the nostalgia and thrill of the Mother Road up close and personal.

Sponsors include: Title Sponsor - OU Health 10-mile Route Sponsors - City of Edmond / Visit Edmond 33-mile Route Sponsors - Echo Investments / United Health Care 66-mile Route Sponsors - HiTech Plumbing and Leak Detect / OnCue / Transportation Revenues Used Strictly for Transportation (TRUST) / Walmart Celebration 66 Sponsors - AT&T / Evans & Davis / Hilton Garden Inn Edmond / Mercedes Benz of Okc Rest Stop Sponsor - Cherokee Nation Businesses Cyclist Care + Support Sponsor – Porsche Oklahoma City