Katy Trail Forum

Admins: Favor please. Anyway to change the time the emails are sent? Mine comes in about 1:11AM. (East coast here) I can't put my phone to sleep mode in the business I am in. One less "ding" I have to deal with. Also I'd love to see a like button on some of these posts! LOL Information here is great and some comebacks are pretty good also.

This may reduce some sounds, but you or others reading may have to modify for your device (android) or apps. Apple: go to settings, then sounds, then change new mail alert to None. I checked this on my phone and it was already set to none, but I still get a sound with email so that told me the Gmail app I use was telling my phone to alert me. Gmail app: tap the “hamburger” (the three horizontal lines) then scroll down to settings and change email notifications from All to High Priority or none. Also on Apple you can customize FOCUS to allow or disable specific notifications (email, text, phone calls, apps) Focus is different than sleep mode because it allows you to choose what disruptions you want. I’m sure you can google or YouTube instructions on how to do this. What kind of Captain? Fire, Pilot, Kangaroo?

There are several types of E-bikes and now a whole bunch of manufacturers....it doesn't seem to just be Specialized and Trek on the E-bike scene. To help some of us that may be in the market: Do you ride an E-bike? Which type did you buy and why? Is it suited well for the Katy / rail trails? Are you happy with it....would you buy it again or another type/brand? What are the pros and cons of the E-bike you ride? What features would you like to see on an E-bike? What features are not worth the $$?

After much research into the subject, I bought the Xpedition by Lectric with dual batteries. Pros: 1) Dual battery makes for extended range (I’ve ridden from my home to Hartsburg and back on my test run, 44 miles plus a steep climb on a private gravel road back to my house). Had 50% battery left. 2) Lots of options available, I bought the panniers and running board supports because I wanted to make runs into Jefferson City for supplies etc. 3) Comes with hydraulic disk brakes, nice for when I go down that steep gravel road to the Katy. 4) Good responsive service, after I purchased they had a special with free options. They sent them to me when I asked about them without any hassles. 5) Excellant manual on how to easily set up power to meet your needs. 6) Even has cruise control. 7) Nice motor cycle type kickstand, holds the bike up without any fear it would tip over. Cons: 1) It came with cheap thin slime filled tubes. When I aired them up one popped. The rim had a burr inside where the rim was pressed together. I filed the burr down and replaced both tubes with a better quality tubes from a local bike shop. 2) Wish it came with quick release axels, or at least used the same nuts on front and back wheels. 3) Wish the dual battery bike came with two chargers. I ended up buying another charger so I could cut the charge time in half.

The option I chose was to convert a hybrid Giant Sedona 26" to a mid-drive electric. I chose a large battery in a back rack instead of the down tube. Water cages are more important in my case. I have a 750 watt motor. Loaded, peddling and use usually no more than 2 boost I have gone 75 miles and still have enough battery left. (Rail trails) I upgraded the tires, chain and a few other things for touring. Bought the bike on marketplace for $100. (stole it) and the kit was $1200. A factory e bike would be well over a thousand dollars more after setting it up. Standard tires, brakes, components if I have a mechanical breakdown. Fits standard bike racks a big plus. I converted the bike in 4 hours and I am not a bike mechanic by any means. Pushing 600 miles so far. And I can disconnect the throttle on trails like the C&O that don't allow them. This set up work for me.

Jon Was the kit a Giant kit or by someone else?

We have an end-to-end ride planned next week. Checking for any detours, trail condition reports. Curious about the MO DOT work around Rocheport. Went through last in June 2022 and detour was minimal. Any other trip precautions to be aware of at present? I've checked https://mostateparks.com/page/84206/katy-trail-state-park-advisory-map Thanks

On the KATY now. Started in Sedalia, presently inin Jefferson City tonight. We will ride to Hermann, Washington and end in St Charles. Trail is in very good condition so far, including Rochport. Enjoy your trip.

Thanks! hit the trail tomorrow

Finished our ride from Sedalia to St. Charles (September 14-19). The trail is in very good condition. We had a few short patches of loose/powdered trail but all less than 50ft in length. Highlight lunch spots were MCafe in Rochport and the Red Caboose just before Dutzow. Enjoy

100% agree about trail conditions. We just finished our girl trip from Clinton to St. Charlies. We stayed on the trail - did not take the highways across the river to the larger towns. I have ridden the Katy several other times over the past 15 years, and if I remember correctly, the conditions right now are the best ever. Kudos to the people in charge of maintenance. They are doing a super job.

Mike, I appreciate that you are trying to build trail use, but don't you think it would be more productive to thank people for coming and enjoying their trip and let them know about the variety of places to stay, eat, visit etc. rather than telling them they did "it" wrong? It makes you seem a bit elitist, which I don't think you are or want to come across as.

I'm told that Doug from Bluffton is a legend on the MKT Trail; even after a driver ran into his house and severly damaged his business.My wife and I have spent countless hours promoting our town of Hartsburg and the MKT Trail. I have even hauled stranded bikers to Jefferson City at no cost. I don't need "to do more to promote our town and the trail". We just need more people like Doug and Cathy who are in it for the long haul and not just a "one time rider' never to be seen again. We live here and see the good and bad every day

Mr. Rodemeyer If you would like, I would be willing to ride the Katy with you. It always brings a peaceful easy feeling to me. Just let me know when would be a good time for you and how far you would like to ride.

Sorry at age 81, I don't ride anymore, although I have an almost new Giant bike hanging in my garage. In the past I started the "Hartsburg Bike and Social Club" and have pictures of almost everyone in town with a bike. THEN the 1993 flood came. As far as promoting the MKT Trail my wife, Nancy, Cathy from PA, and myself worked our asses off promoting what we called "The Mo. River Bluffs Assn", a five county group designed to promote not only the trail but also the merchants in the area. The problem became the merchants were too busy so we became the worker bees for them. It cost us allot of money to promote this idea. I think the web page is still active if you want to take a peek. We of course bought into the trail and have spent our own money promoting it but that is a limited amount as we are retired state employees. I would be happy to meet with the rider but I'm done as a rider.

Sorry to hear you no longer ride the Katy. Approaching 70 myself, I’ve turned to e-bike pedal assist to remain on the trail. I did look up the web site you referenced, unfortunately it appears it is no longer active. The last post was in April 2016. I guess my point is, I believe everybody is entitled to enjoy the trail in any manner they choose. I made it a point to stop in at Dotty’s when passing through Hartsburg on my rides from home to Rocheport and back.

Gary, next time you are in Hsrtsburg look me up and we will discuss the trail as we know it.

Mr Rodemeyer Thanks for the invite. Currently I am cleaning out my gutters and have to call a “lid” at noon due the heat. I don’t do well in the heat. I did ride up a few weeks ago and noticed “The Berg” was doing well with live music being played on the porch. Unfortunately I was not able to stay long because it was getting late and I needed to get back home before sunset. I’ll need to plan better next time although it is generally not in my nature to plan anything. ;-)

The $20 $50 and $100 bills that some people spend on a single trip look exactly like the ones people spend on several trips. As one of the business owners trying to get by on the Katy I'm happy for them. Sure I like my repeat customers but I still benefit from the one time riders as well. Making them welcome and appreciated is the best way to get them to return. After all, the repeat customers came once first.

Enjoyed a memorable end-to-end ride on September 20-22. Stayed with Jerry at the Katy B&B in Pilot Grave (second stay) and Joey at the Victorian house in McKittrick. Both great lodging choices and each have a great breakfast available. We also learned once again you need to plan ahead for finding food in that stretch between Booneville and McKittrick. Seems there are fewer businesses open each year (sad). We were fortunate to have someone give us some fruit in Hartsburg. Saw plenty of wildlife. More snakes this year which I really enjoy seeing. Even saw 2 copperheads. Looking forward to coming back. This was my 7th trip since 2012. We live 3 hours south of Clinton in Arkansas so it is a bit of a drive and always challenging to plan shuttle or Amtrak options.

You might not have heard about "Happy Trails", a new enterprise run be Rachel Collins in Tebbets. They don't have a facility, but will leave a wonderful sack lunch or dinner in a frig inside the Turner Katy Trail Shelter. The key is available to get inside. We had a great lunch, and there was so much food that we were able to share with other folks sitting around the picnic table at the Tebbets Trailhead.

Hi, I am planning an RV camping trip and e-bike ride on the Katy trail mid Oct. 2023. I need some local knowledge re: where to camp. I am thinking of spending 4 nights at River's edge in Boonville, 4 nights in Herman City park in Herman, and 3 nights at Sandemier RV park in St. Charles. Does this seem like a good plan to ride most of the Katy Trail? Thanks in advance!

One thing to keep in mind as you plane your trip, depending on your E-Bike and charging capabilities, you need to take into account the west of Booneville stretch will require more juice due to the long inclines than the east of Booneville stretch which is mostly flat. Also since it is mostly a pea gravel trail, it will take more juice than paved roads will. All falling into the disclaimer of your mileage may vary from the stated range of your e-bike.

Thanks Gary!

My wife and I just did Clinton to Machens on our Rad Rovers. It was a blast! First timers, we packed too much but the bikes did fine. We stayed in Sedalia the first night and did notice the slight grade. I actually rode the first ten miles on zero assist, wasn’t too bad. We are used to riding in a hilly area where we live and it will use some battery for sure. We were not sure how far we could go on the Katy, not having the same terrain as we were used to, but they performed well. The next day, Sedalia to Boonville was better, I rode with more assist and finished with plenty of battery life remaining. Boonville to Jefferson City over 50 miles we rolled in with roughly a third of our battery life, we were more comfortable and did use more assist power. Being the weekend, our next planned stop was to be Hermann, however we could not get accommodations there. So decided to hang out in Jefferson City an extra day and see the sites. Well worth it! Our next section was the longest, Jefferson City to Marthasville , ended up being a 69 1/2 mile day! Not really what we wanted to do, but again no accommodations available in Hermann, so we decided we would drive back and visit Hermann after we finished the ride. This day was long but good, we actually stopped in Portland at the Holzhauser’s bar for lunch and some beers, and charged our batteries. They had no problem letting us plug them in. The remaining stretch to Marthasville went well, and had roughly a third of battery life remaining. We did Marthasville to St. Charles the next day 43 miles, no problem. And did the round trip to Machens and back to St.Charles! Ready to do it again! E-bikes are definitely harder to pedal than a regular bicycle when the battery is dead, but it is doable on the Katy.

If you want to ride some of our beautiful west end Windsor is a great place to stay and ride out three directions - toward Clinton, toward Sedalia, and into Amish country on the new Rock Island Trail State Park toward Pleasant Hill. Full servie RV spots at our beautiful Farrington Park

Hello Kimtus! There is nothing like the Katy! You will love it! For the southern/western/end of your ride (and anyone else), I would consider a town a little further down the trail for the last section. Windsor is where the Katy and Rock Island cross. There’s a couple of really nice places there. Clinton is the end on this side. One could even take the Rock Island from Windsor to Lee’s Summit to the trail station. Thank you for coming this way to enjoy this wonderful resource for bikes. Spread the news! Happy Trails!

Be the first to post that you found the railroad crossing that lights up and makes noise. Clue: somewhere Between Windsor and Boonville (locals to the area excluded) Give location, pic, or upload video with link. Winner gets….to be the one who wins!!! Have fun and enjoy!

Ate at Mona’s today in Green Ridge. Right off the trail in Green Ridge. Great cheeseburger. Prices great. Very friendly staff! Stop by there and give them some service. Trail is getting real pretty between Green Ridge and Sedalia. See ya out there! Tammy @tammyonthetrail.com

Transportation – We rode from Clinton to St. Charles and found 3 options for our return trip to the starting point. Amtrack – cheapest but most difficult to plan. The trains only allow 2 -4 bikes per run, and the times are limited. It’s really fun though if you can pull it off. I have done this on previous trips. Shuttle – St Charles for sure has a business – connected with bike shop - that will shuttle you and your bikes back to your starting place. Other towns may do so as well. Car Shuttle – this is what we did. They went to pick up our car and brought it back to our ending point. That worked great for us, and was a little cheaper than the shuttle.

By using the Forum’s planning features it is easy to find available food and lodging. But you must make the calls and reservations for lodging or you could easily find yourself without a place to stay. We spent 5 nights along the Trail: Clinton was start for 2 of us, Sedalia for the other 2, Pilot Grove, Hartsburg, Rhineland, and Defiance). Lodging & Food – Every place we stayed provided comfortable beds and pillows, clean rooms and nice bathrooms with plenty of hot shower water. A refrigerator and microwave were always available, but not always a coffee maker. The hosts were all accommodating and kind, and our bikes were always secure. Breakfast and dinner were either provided or available except Rhineland, but a quick Uber took us in to Hermann. I don’t think you can go wrong with any place you chose – you just have to make sure to have the reservations, and confirm the eating establishments are open. Now that Happy Trails is in Tebbets, we didn’t find any “food deserts” where we were unable to find food. Favorites for me were Sedalia Bothwell Hotel, and Rhineland Doll House. Least favorite was the Bunkhouse in Defiance. We were warm and dry, and the Bunkhouse bed was comfortable and rooms were clean, so check all those boxes. But it was pricier than the Bed and Breakfasts that gave us so much more, so it ranks lower.

We spent 5 nights along the Trail: Clinton was start for 2 of us, Sedalia for the other 2, Pilot Grove, Hartsburg, Rhineland, and Defiance). The Trail – Oh my gosh! We were all so impressed. The conditions were perfect for nearly the entire trail. Just a few sandy patches mostly east of Sedalia, and a few here and there along the way. A handful of shallow ruts, mostly between Defiance and St. Charles. Maintenance does an excellent job of keeping the weeds off the trial and the surface compacted down. Please note there are really no bike shops or available bike maintenance that we could find between Sedalia and Defiance.

Can so send room rates. Can you have a small anxiety pet

You’ll do much better to contact any business directly with your questions, as most probably do not monitor this forum for inquiries such as yours. ;-)

We just stayed here a couple weeks ago, great place and highly recommended!

Completed our 4th trek on the KATY yesterday. Sedalia to St. Charles. Thought I'd list our itinerary and hotels for those planning for their first ride. Day 1: Amtrak (Kirkwood) to Sedalia. Bike to Booneville. Hotel Frederick. Day 2: Booneville to Columbia. Holiday Inn & Suites Columbia University Area (Stadium/63) Day 3: CoMo to Jefferson City. Courtyard JC Day 4: JC to Hermann. Hermann Crown Suites Day 5: Hermann to Washington. Old Dutch Hotel Day 6: Washington to St. Charles. We like all of the hotels. Highlights of each: Hotel Frederick - great restaurant stays open until 9. Main St Diner across street for bfast with lightning service. Bike friendly. Holiday Inn Como. Don't skip Como, it has an extensive bike trail system going east /west. The HIEX is at the east end of that trail system. UBER to dinner. Bistro Les Bourgeois is excellent, especially if you can sit outside. Best view of the river. Courtyard JC. NEW! Very nice and not far from the bridge. Bfast is good but not free. Madison's for dinner. Not a lot of non-chain restaurant options in JC. UBER exists but may have to wait for a ride. Hermann Crown Suites. Not a fan of the decor but well run, good bar in the basement, live entertainment in their courtyard and have multiple bedroom options. Wurst House or Tin Mill for lunch/dinner Old Dutch Hotel. Love this place. Good service, great restaurant and bar. Short walk to waterfront. Lunch on the trail favorites: MCafe - Rocheport - Fresh! Red Caboose - Marthasville - fresh food, friendly owner I hope this helps. Happy to answer any questions.

Sorry you didn't know about the local restaurants in Jefferson City. Next time you are there check out: JQ's on High O'Donoghue's Ecco Lounge Prison Brews The Grand on High Sapphire's (top of the Coubletree Hotel) Arris Pizza Oscar's Classic Diner Nick's Family Restaurant Daisy Delight Bone's Restaurant Veit's Das Stein Haus Paddy Malone's Cork and Board Yanis Coffee Towne Grill I lived there 27 years and can personally say all of the above are excellent. I moved away 2017, there's probably more that have opened since I left. And they are all locally owned, not franchises. That's a big thing in Jefferson City and the locals support them, and keep them going.

Cathy Did you forget about Central Dairy ice cream already?

Please next time try the small lpcal places, NOT the luxury places you listed. You might as well drive a car. The Katy is for the experience, not the fancy places. sorry you missed it.

Thank you for sharing you itinerary...so much of it is familiar as we've had very similar experiences throughout our years on the Katy. Traveling by bike is a grand way to capture local mid-west rural life from the old renovated hotels to the local one off restaurants and cafes. The view from Les Bourgeois as well as the food and wine at the A-frame makes for a very pleasant rest stop. Thank you for visiting our state to experience the Katy for the 4th time. Out of curiosity, what other trails do you frequent?

Gary I am humiliated that I left out Central Dairy. I suggest you not eat for 3 days before you go there. The servings are huge. Really, as others have said, there are many local options in Jeff City, as well as all along the Katy. I don't know if Mokane and Portland still have their bar and grills, but when I biked those parts both places had awesome bugers. Mike Rodemeyer, please give my regards to all the good people in Hartsburg.

Michael A. Rodemeyer from Hartsburg Mo what on earth is it that you continually think that everyone doesn’t understand about riding the Katy? Most of the places the OP listed are local one off places….not luxury chain establishments. Yet you comment that the Katy is for the experience and you are sorry that they missed it. What was missed? To fully experience the Katy as one should, where do you stay in each town when you ride the trail? Where do you eat in each town along the Katy to get “the experience?” How does one “miss it” whatever “it” is when the majority of places money is spent is at local establishments? Perhaps you would be better served with gratitude that someone has traveled from miles away multiple times to our state to experience the Katy and stimulate the local economy in several small towns along the trail. Instead, “The Katy is for the experience, not the fancy places. sorry you missed it.” Do better Michael A. Rodemeyer.

I'll add to the rebuttal re: Michael R.'s odd commentary... First, I personally don't consider any of the lodging options listed as "luxury", although your mileage may vary. Second, it would seem to me that each user of the KT is free to make decisions about his/her personal "experience". When I traversed the trail just last week I stayed in nice hotels along the way, mainly because I wanted certain amenities available (and restaurants that were actually open while I was there) after a long day of dragging my fat bike and fatter body along the trail. I would argue quite easily that my experience was fantastic, and unique, and not at all diminished by my stopover choices. The freedoms of choice offered by a KT trip are just that, for better or worse and in many cases, somewhat driven by what's available (and open). For any one person to jump on this forum and dictate how these choices should be made is a tiny bit ridiculous (please note strong use of sarcasm in the word "tiny").

Oh my, how did we get here? I don't know. But here's the deal. To the original poster, thank you for biking the Katy Trail and posting your take on what you experienced. Your reviews will help others planning their trips. effe As I noted in my comment, I lived in Jefferson City for many years and am somewhat passionate about the local businesses. I mentioned many, but there are probably more since I moved on 10/2017. Mike Rodemeyer is very knowledgeable about the offerings in Hartsburg and other small towns along the trail. He, Gary, Kim, Doug and others are cheerleaders who remind all about the magic that is offered through the heart of Missouri. So don't be dissing my peeps. God I miss that place.

Why are my critics always "anonymous". If more of the riders would use our facilities they could afford to stay open more often. The unknowns failed to mention the claysville Store restaurant (of course it's only open on weekends. I'm told the Globe Hotel in Hartsbrg is an excellent choice for lodging. You could also drop into the Hitching Post Bar for a little bit of trail "color". Without your participation our locals can't make a living from the one time you might stop in. We need more trail users to use our facilities. We have had several good places try and make a go of it only to die on the vine because users prefer the establishments previously mentioned. I don't have any stake in this matter other than I support our locals attempts. I'm certain the new Rock Island Trail will suffer a similar fate which is a shame because several of these small towns are looking for the trail to revitalize them. At least I publically support them and I always sign my name.

Cathy- I dissed your "peeps" because one of them decided it was in the readers' best interest (or his) to judge someone else's KT experience based upon a simple and relatable description of said experience that didn't jive with certain core values he holds. I can appreciate your willingness to defend local businesses along the trail, but Michael R. probably could have professed his beliefs and observations in a manner that wasn't inflammatory to begin with. I lived next to the KT for several years, about 4 miles from the St. Charles trailhead. I would characterize my personal relationship with the mileage to Machens and all points west to Boonville as "extremely familiar". That said, I made food and lodging choices during my latest ride (last week) based upon certain elements, including whether or not a particular business was open during the day i was riding through. I was comfortable, as was my wife and her sister, but in no way was this analogous to "driving a car along the trail" as Mr. R. alluded to. I also appreciate how certain businesses along the KT are hanging on by their fingernails business-wise, made potentially worse by a global pandemic. This is an unfortunate fact of life, however. Truth be told, even in the best of economic times any business located adjacent to a rails/trails project that relies on a certain percentage of cyclists visiting and spending a threshold amount of cash is built on a flimsy business model. And when circumstances cause a business to limit hours to save overhead, this just worsens the chances of a mass influx of random cyclists showing up. Perhaps, as an alternative to being critical of those who make choices that don't directly support these businesses - while aligning with your ideals - a better approach may be to spend time/energy promoting the trail itself while encouraging NEW groups of cyclists to use the trail. Just a thought.

So don't be dissing my peeps....Michael A. Rodemeyer from Hartsburg Mo reminded no one about the magic that is offered through the heart of Missouri. But he did sign his name so I guess that rabbit is out of the hat.

This is all good discussion. I hope Mike will be ok with me sharing that he, his wife, myself and others were part of a movement to promote all things local in a 5 county region along the Missouri River in central Missouri. Our organization, Missouri River Bluffs Association (MRBA) worked very hard to market the small businesses, culture, artisans, wine, restaurants, etc. in Cole, Boone, Callaway, Moniteau and Osage County. This was about 7 or 8 years ago. One of our biggest challenges was that the business owners who "had skin in the game" didn't have the time or resources to help our efforts. I believe the group eventually disbanded. I learned a lot from that experience, and still remember the wonderful people and business owners who wanted to see the organization succeed. We all want the experience along the Katy and now Rock Island Trail to be the best possible. that takes businesses for bikers to use. It's a 2 way street. The businesses need the bikers, the bikers need the businesses. Figuring out a way to improve the success rate of businesses along all of these trails is the challenge. It will take teamwork, problem solving, and a willingness to listen.

On my upcoming ride I plan to spend a half day in Columbia. Can I camp at the "MKT Trail - Jay Dix Access?" Any other recommendations on camping in Columbia?

I am planning a early November ride of the KT, West to East. My plan is to ride town-to-town and spend each night in a hotel (or B&B) meals in restaurants - so, will ride with a small amount of clothing, repair kit, etc... Riding a Trek FX4 that is set up for touring. Plan to average 30miles a day, with a 50mile day (or 2) in the mix. Anyone have thoughts or specific advice about such a ride? Weather? Places to stay/places to avoid? Thanks, in advance, for your comments.

The weather can be iffy early November as you may know, so prep for cool mornings and evenings. Day temp may be cool as well. Water is shut off at the trailheads November 1 so plan accordingly to carry water. Some services along the trail may not be available beings its the end of the season. It's best to call and verify if places of interest are open or not. Posting here will probably not generate results. If you are passing through on a weekend of a Mizzou football game, know that lodging may book up in the outlying area of Columbia...Boonville, Rocheport, etc. The Hotel Bothwell in Sedalia and the Hotel Frederick in Boonville are both nicely renovated old hotels that are worth the stay if they meet your travel requirements.

Maybe read further back posts from riders who had "good and bad" experiences on lodging. I made a list of the good and bad for a future ride.

Concur with what's been said already about the weather "iffy-ness" for November. I would certainly prepare for rain and cooler temps. Here's my itinerary including lodging and places I ate during my 6-day Sept trek last week. https://bikekatytrail.com/talk.aspx?tid=13594&tonly=1

I did not camp; I "glamped". My ride was a 6-day pedal, west to east. I rode a mountain bike with hybrid tires. My overnight backpack was a simple book backpack tied to a bike rack. I wore a day-pack that contained my 3-liter Camelback. Clothes / Kit 1. 3 biking shorts 2. 2 biking jerseys 3. Helmet 4. Biking gloves 5. Biking rain booties (VXAR waterproof rain shoe cover) 6. Bike backpack (Camelback) 7. Trek water bottle (for electrolyte) 8. Cool Rag 9. Sunglasses 10. Handkerchief 11. Emergency Whistle 12. Undergarments (incl. post-ride) 13. Running Shoes 14. iPhone & phone charging cord 15. Portable charging battery 16. Pajamas 17. 1 pair Jeans shorts (for post-ride) 18. 1 Tshirt (for post-ride) 19. 1 long-sleeve t-shirt 20. Bike Leg Warmers / Arm Sleeves 21. Knee (stabilizer) brace 22. Rain Jacket / Poncho (Spmor brand) 23. Go Girl / TP / Ziplock for trash 24. ZipLock Bags (for packing / ice) 25. First Aid Kit 26. Travel Chamois Butter 27. Chamois cloth 28. Blue garage cloth (for tires/chain) 29. Small pad of paper / pen 30. Cash / Credit Card / ID / Med Card 31. Printed Itinerary / Plan 32. Trash Bag to cover backpack (rain protection) (Camelback) 33. 3 Stuff Sacks for packing overnight backpack Bike Gear 1. 2 Tubes 2. Lubricant 3. Multi-purpose tool 4. 3-4 bike tire levers 5. Trash bag to cover overnight pack on bike rack (rain protection) 6. Bike lock & combo 7. Bungee cords / cordage 8. Bike headlight / rear flasher 9. Mini portable bike air pump (attached to bike) Toiletries 1. Travel Toiletries / personal hygiene 2. Small brush 3. Kleenex pack 4. Eye Glasses cleaning cloth 5. Over-the-counter sleeping pills 6. Tylenol 7. Mixture BCAA / Glutamine (recovery drink) 8. BioFreeze tube 9. Vicks vapor rub 10. Eye drops 11. Lip Balm 12. Sunscreen 13. Travel Woolite for laundry 14. Hand sanitizer / WetOnes FOOD 1. 18 GUs (3/day) 2. 12 Trail Bars (2/day) 3. Propel electrolyte formula Because I was handwashing my kit or my overnight location had laundry facilities, I could've gotten away with 2 bike shorts (rather than 3).

One can complete the Katy Trail in 4 days, but that's a rather aggressive ride and leaves little time (IMO) for exploring and enjoying the towns and history. I "glamped", not camped. Here was my itinerary - west to east: DAY 1 - Clinton to Sedalia (35.6 miles) Historic Hotel Bothwell DAY 2 - Sedalia to Boonville (37.2 miles) Hotel Frederick had no vacancy, so I stayed at Isle of Capri Casino Hotel. Main Street Diner for breakfast is a great option. DAY 3 - Boonville to N. Jefferson City (48.6 miles) Katy Trail Cottage, Jeff City Breakfast at Meriwether's Cafe in Rocheport. Tried to eat lunch in Hartsburg at The Burg, but it was closed. DAY 4 - N. Jefferson City to McKittrick Joey's Birdhouse, McKittrick Breakfast at Landing Zone in Jeff City. Ate mid-day in Portland at Holzhauser's Bar & Grill. DAY 5 - McKittrick to Washington (Dutzow)(26.8 miles) Best Western Plus, WA Snacks at Peers General Store. Ate lunch at KT Caboose in Marthasville. NOTE: The route from Katy Trail to WA is at least 4 miles via Augusta Bottom Road--6 if you stay at the Best Western Plus. So add these miles to your total. DAY 6 - WA to Machens (St. Charles) (47.1 miles) Comfort Suites, St. Charles Snacks at Defiance General Store. Lunch at Bike Stop Cafe, St. Charles. Celebratory dinner: Imo's Pizza (St. Louis style) or Hendrick's BBQ. Shuttle back to Clinton: Bike Stop Cafe Lunch in Clinton: Square 109 restaurant on Historic Square.

Heading West to East, if you're looking to shorten a day's ride, you might consider an overnight in Washington. A safe route from the Katy Trail is approx. 4 miles (plus any add'l miles from the MO River to your destination in WA). Take Augusta Bottom Road (ABR), which is located +/- halfway between Dutzow and Augusta. It'll be a paved road just before a little wooden inclined bridge on the trail. At the time of this writing, there is no sign indicating ABR. Heading from west to east, turn right on ABR: ~1 mile is presently paved; ~3 miles is grated very rough gravel. It is extremely rough and jarring. It'll end at Hwy 47. Cross the 47 and go left for < 1/4 mile to cross the MO River. There is a pedestrian/bike path on the right of the bridge. I stayed at Best Western Plus on 5th Street (add an add'l 2 miles). WA is hilly. IMO, it's safer to take 5th Street to the hotel--as one can always walk the bike up the hill--rather than taking routes including Hwy 100. Hwy 100 also has a considerable incline AND much more fast traffic.