Who would imagine that athletics would inspire art in rural Missouri? But in two separate cases that I’ve witnessed personally, the Tour de Missouri bicycle race did exactly that.
I blogged about a street mural that was painted in Farmington, Missouri the evening before the Tour de Missouri Stage 3 Kickoff in September, 2009.
On Saturday, I discovered another public art display inspired by Tour de Missouri, this one in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri.
As I crouched down on the sidewalk to photograph these brightly painted bicycles chained to a street-tree-bed, the proprietress of shop called Lulu’s walked up to explain the bikes to me. She painted the bikes for Tour de Missouri, and once the race ended was asked by local officials to remove the bikes.
Although the bikes are resting on the sidewalk, the sidewalk is not city property, but is part of the property owned to by the proprietress. So despite the wishes of officials, this colorful public art display remains as a reminder of the internationally recognized Tour de Missouri bicycle race.
Chalk one up for the creative community of this small Missouri town – sometimes small town Missouri life surprises me in very good ways.
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For other posts related to Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri:
Pickle Springs State Natural Area
Ste. Genevieve Chocolate Walk Pt. I: Hats
