Katy Trail Forum

Does anyone know where to get a Boathenge t-shirt?

They are listed as being sold at:

Flavors of the Heartland
Rocheport Gallery
201 second Street
Rocheport, MO 65279
(573) 698-2063

But I don't know if they still do or even if they are still in business. Maybe someone closer to Rocheport can provide some information on them?

How about a 40 year anniversary KSHE t-shirt with sweet meat?

Yea. How about a 50 year Mustang t shirt too. That has nothing to do with the Katy trail but I want to look cool like pseudo. Rock on fake cool guy!

Once, while in Dallas, I wore my "Sweet Meat" t-shirt. When I bought it, it was white, but it had been washed with something red, making it pink.

All I'm saying is that if you are looking for dates in Dallas, wear a pink "Sweet Meat" t-shirt........... If not, I'd generally reserve that type of shirt for in and around StL :)

Carey,

Email us and we can make arrangements to get you one of our BoatHenge shirts. boathenge@live.com

Carl and Anne, Easley/Columbia Missouri

Come on Anon, name calling is beneath you right, isn't it? Control that anger buddy.

Going to be in STL next weekend to see a Blues game. Would like to ride a bit on the trail while we are in town. Staying near Creve Couer. Wondering if the trail is too muddy to ride on after all the snow you have had down your way?

The predicted sun and wind for this week should put the trail in decent shape. Good luck!

Can anyone give me any information on any coin operated laundries close to the trail. We will be riding west to east from Sedalia to St. Charles. We will be camping in Hartsburg on a Tues. and at Steamboat Junction on a Wed.

Will the time be in the spring or fall or during the summer? Summer is trailheads rinse out and ride dry but cooler spring and fall is google boonville, columbia, jeff city, hermann with laundrymat business descriptions. Internet is amazing.

Pseudio nailed it. A bathroom with a basin with running water should be all you need to wash your clothes, and wash you too. If you don't use the bathrooms on the trail, use them at a c-store or another business. I'd recommend going light on the soap (if you use any at all). Bathrooms on the trail also provide pretty good shelter in a storm.

Thanks for the replies.. The trip I am planning will be in May. I am good with using the sink.. used a helmet many times.. I was looking for a place for my wife to use for her dainties.. If I can keep her comfy on this trip she might go again.

Haven't noticed many other than the larger towns. Have used the one in Hermann. Don't know of any in Hartsburg or near Steamboat Junction. I would use google for the other towns to check.

Great news from MO DNR's Facebook page:

You spoke and we listened! We received a suggestion from several trail users that we provide portable toilets at a few of the trailheads where the restrooms have been closed for the winter, and we've done just that. Dutzow, Marthasville, N. Jefferson, Boonville, Sedalia, Windsor, and Clinton trailheads now have portable toilets until March 31. Your fellow trail users thank you for your suggestion!

Thanks DNR. Will certainly make some winter riding much more pleasant.

Thank you Dawn, Ray, and company.

That's great! Big thanks to the DNR :-)

Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!

I have wanted to get rides in during winter, especially on the days when temperatures get to 50s or so. But the lack of bathrooms were holding me back. I am going to go check my tires right now. Thanks to the people that made the suggestion and thanks to DNR for listening.

Thanks!!!

Ray will there need to be a new restroom legend for the winter time at those locations on the website like a snowflake and the two people?

Hi I would like rates, information for 5-10 people/bikes to transport to Clinton from Sedalia on May 8th at 9:00 a.m.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest contacting them directly. I'm fairly certain that they could answer your questions and as a bonus let you know if they are already booked for that date or not. You would have to contact them to make the reservation anyway, so why not just call them to begin with?

Well Susan there is enough time, 4 months, to drive over and talk to them in person. That ain't no limb.

Does anyone have up to date info on the rules for taking trailers on the trains? Some say it is allowed and the train site says no. Just trying to get a clear answer before my trek.
THANK YOU.

I'd think the most up to date info on Amtrak would come from them. You might call and ask for clarification on their rules if the website is unclear. The bottom line when you show up with your trailer is their rule, not what someone else led you to believe.

Hello, A small group of us are going to be traveling from the DC area to MO by plane in order to bike the Katy Trail. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good bicycle outfitter (rentals, fitting, etc..) in St. Louis?

Thanks for your help!

I would take a look at the Katy Bike Rental website at http://www.nibordot.addr.com/index.htm and then give them a call.

There is a bike shop that rents in St. Charles and one in Defiance right on the trail. One of those may be an option if you don't have to rent in St. Louis.

Can anyone confirm camping is available in Clinton during non-music festival times?

Thanks!

While I'm not sure about the music festival times, camping is available behind the Community Center near the trailhead. Go on the left side of the center to the back, turn left for 50 feet +/-, turn right into the fairgrounds. The camping area is on the right just inside the gate. There's an aluminum pavilion there on concrete. You can use the Center but check there first.

I'm planning on riding the KATY in May, I've been calling around and just got off the phone with the Clinton Community Center less than five minutes ago. They said just to stop on in and they'd point the way, no reservations or anything like that and no cost. You can call them @ 660-885-2181

this place is not bad its like home away from home not to far from a grocery store, gas station, dollar store, laundry mat or the casino and the rates for here are not bad they are affordable checking the manager, housekeeping is there to meet your needs if you need to stay there they have reasonable rates from nightly, weekly, or monthly your choice but very reasonable rate I recommend if you need some thing go to 610 w. Ashley road Booneville, Missouri its relaxing.....

Has anyone completed this trail on a road bike with slick tires?

There have been many previous discussions about this in the past, if you want to dig around for more opinions.

I make day trips on the eastern half of the trail, and often ride a road bike with narrow tires. I have not had any problems (no flats, for example), knock on wood. After rain, the surface can give enough to slow you down a bit (compared to a wider tire that floats better) in some places.

Our road tandem and the hybrid half bikes all have slick tires. Actually we've not had anything but slicks or inverted tread on the bikes for several years. Our miles are both paved and chat, on or similar to the Katy.

As Dave said....a search here will provide many and differing opinions on tire size and type.

I'm a bit of a tire freak, so I'll jump in.

Dave makes a good point: The east side of the trail and the west side of the trail are different beasts as far as the Katy Trail surface is concerned. For that matter, Spring/Summer/Fall are different beasts, and wet vs. dry is different as well.

When it comes to Katy tire selection, I don't think I go out on too much of a limb by saying that 1) Mountain bike knobbies are not necessary, 2) Hybrid or semi-slick tires are the most common tires you will see on the trail. From there, you will have to make adjustments.

I would choose a mountain bike with 1 1/2 wide semi slicks (that you can pick up for not much money at Wal-Mart) over $50 Kevlar road tires for virtually every trip on the Katy. The exception to that would be if I was trying to ride the whole thing in 1 day--or cover some long distance. Even then, for a 1 day entire trail trip, I'd pick 28mm touring tires on a road bike. I would never use "Road" slick tires unless that is all I had: But if that was all I had, I'd use them and have a great time.

By the way, I have a new/unused set of Conti TouringPlus 700x 28's that I'd love to sell you at a good price.

Arky and Trek have at least a combined 100 years experience on the KT, Sandra. They have it "right on" with the tire selection. If you are CO roadie at least use 28 mm touring tires. The sharp rocks and ruts will get you real fast.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=68N43K5Y0Ek&autoplay=1&desktop_uri=%252Fwatch%253Fv%253D68N43K5Y0Ek%2526autoplay%253D1

Pretty cool, thanks, Happy New Year to you and the Mrs. And to all!

Pilot Grove has a new grocery store. Details from KansasCity Star.

Posted on Wed, Dec. 25, 2013
In a town of 800, a small grocery store is a big deal
By DONALD BRADLEY
The Kansas City Star

Loretta Kempf wasn’t messing around the day her town got its grocery store back.

She had her mind set on being the first customer and rejected a friend’s offer of a ride there.

“You’ll be late,” she told the woman.

Kempf, 91, walked. She got there first and bought an angel food cake mix.

She and others like her are a good part of why this town built a grocery store. Literally, the town. A bunch of farmers, the mayor, a doctor, an electrician, business owners, the high school FFA, regular folks and some retirees — 23 in all — pooled money and came up with $320,000 for the new store. It had its grand opening Dec. 7.

The old store closed about four years ago, and the nearest place for groceries had been in Boonville, 12 miles away. Not all that far, but Pilot Grove has a lot of senior citizens among its 800 residents.

And as Kempf put it, “When it snows and school’s out, the (transportation service) bus doesn’t run.”

In a metal building only 60 feet by 72, the new store won’t be confused with a Hy-Vee or Price Chopper. It doesn’t have a full deli, but you can get a ham sandwich; no fancy java bar, but there is a coffee pot and a place to visit.

Communities lose a lot when they lose the grocery store — convenience, identity, pride. The idea to pass a hat to build a new one says a lot about this little town in Cooper County, and probably something about rural grit.

“When you want or need something bad enough, sometimes you have to do it yourself,” said Joe Stoecklein, one of the farmers who pitched in.

Going way back, Elwood Gerke ran a grocery store in Pilot Grove.

But he got old and sick and finally had to sell the place. For

We rode the Katy a few years ago from Defiance west to Portland. We'd like your recommendations on the most scenic section of the trail west of Portland. Thank you.

It depends what you like: If you like river and people, go Jeff City to Rocheport. If you like remote tree tunnel, go Booneville to Sedalia.

I'd vote for the Jeff City to Rocheport section.

We've ridden both sections Arky mentioned several times, and enjoy each although they are quite different. The limestone bluffs east of Rocheport at the trails edge are pretty awesome. Rocheport has a lot to offer from the winery/bistro, good places to eat and some nice B&Bs. The Hotel Frederick in Boonville is a good start or end point riding in either direction.

Jeff City, Rocheport, Boonville are much better sites than the eastern section. Lewis and Clark liked them better too.

Pollys B & B has been sold to a new owner. Will open again in the spring, new and improved !!! :-)

Polly, we enjoyed our stay at your place a year ago. You are a wonderful lady and I hope you enjoy this next stage in your life. We look forward to staying with the new owner(s).

Thank you Doug. I so enjoyed all the friends I've made over the years. The new owner is going to name the B & B " Katy Junction". I love the name. He is making all kinds of improvements also. When he opens, I'm going to make a reservation so I can stay at a B & B once. :-)

Come join us for a First Day Hike on the Katy Trail! Two hikes are being offered on New Year's Day, one at the Boonville trailhead at 1 p.m. and one at the McBaine trailhead at 1:15 p.m. For more information about the Katy hikes or to see locations of other state park First Day Hikes, visit http://www.mostateparks.com/page/59235/first-day-hikes.

First Day Hikes are promoted by America’s State Parks and you will be joining hikers from all 50 states. For more information, visit www.americasstateparks.org.

I use a pot-bellied stove marked with MK&T to heat our home. It came from Denison, Texas where my dad's nephew worked for the railroad. When Tinker Air Force Base expanded the runway for larger planes, they bought up surrounding land. They then piled up all the metal from farms and homes purchased which included wood burning stoves, irons, bed frames, iron pots and some of the pot bellied stoves from the railroad cabooses. This collection was thirty feet tall and one hundred feet long. They later dug a hole at the end of the runway and buried all the old collectibles, making a foundation for the new runway. Our stove came from that pile before the runway was built in the early fifties. We had to modify the top to accept wood instead of coal but it is very functional and cherished for its historical value.

The Rendleman Home (or "Club Doug's" as I call it!) is a very unique and cozy space so inviting, you want to hang out all day by the open outdoor fire pit or inside the artistically decorated kitchen. Doug is a gracious Host making every effort to see to it you are comfortable and happy!:-) Doug has become not only a great host to visit when in town, but also a great friend! Love you DOUG!!

OK, since the board is really quite, thought this would be a good time to remind you all it is not to late to plan a bike ride around Mokane's 65th Worlds Fair coming up this labor day. See you all there. In the mean time have a happy,safe and Merry holiday season. Special thanks to Ray for this website.

So the Mokane World's Fair is having a sponsored bike ride on Labor Day? Is that through the Lion's Club? Good idea, Billy.

Now that's a pretty good idea Pseudio, will run it pass them to see if we can get a buy in...

What would experienced riders recommend as the best 100 or so mile stretch (i.e. 200 miles round trip)?

If you are going to do 200 miles, you should consider just doing the whole trail end to end.

The above comment is viable and worth consideration. Go west to east with an end in St. Charles and then shuttle back to the start in Clinton.

If I had to do your best 100, I'd stretch it out to a 120 and do Rocheport to Defiance and figure that I didn't miss much.

If you are coming from Chicago, I'd park in Washington, take the train to Sedalia, and ride back to Washington.

Bob, you may know but the Lakefront, North Branch and Des Plaines River trails will get you about 100+ out and back and save you at least $200 in gas money.

Planning a trip in the spring of 2014, has anyone stayed in Tebbetts Turner Katy Trail Shelter Hostel.

If you click on Tebbetts in the map above and then select the link to the hostel, you will see several reviews. Yes someone has stayed there.