Motorcycles on Route 66 in Cuba, Missouri

I first noticed the neat rows of bikes across from the Hayes Shoe Store.

Australia. England, Wales, Scotland. And one Yank.  The motorcycle group was with MCI Tours. The bikers were traveling Route 66 from Chicago to California.

I first noticed their bikes when I was at Hayes Shoe Store taking photos of the Robert Wadlow Shoes. A group of motorcycles sat in the Alps parking lot across the street–with no riders.  I thought they were in the grocery store.  But I took my photos and still no riders. I took photos of the bikes with the murals in the background. I wondered what you call a group of motorcycles–a pod, a pride, a group of motorcycles?

The group took photos of the murals in the uptown area.

I decided the riders must be eating down the block at the Back in the Day Cafe, so I headed there.  Sure enough I found them and struck up a conversation.  They all had mural brochures at their place settings, so we chatted about the murals.  I found that many of them-except for a lone American- came from the British Isles. They were traveling Rt. 66 and had stopped for lunch.

We exchanged contact information, and I told them they would be on the Viva Cuba’s blog, and they said Cuba would be on their blog.  They loved the murals and said on their last Rt. 66 tour that they had just ridden through Cuba, but this time they decided they would stop and eat.

These bikers flew there flag on their road trip.

We chatted, we all took photos, and then they loaded up and roared on down the highway.  While many dream of this type of trip, these travelers were making it a reality.  We hope they come again.