Katy Trail Forum

I tried Philly's this week and it compares to other high-quality non-chain pizza restaurants. The pizza and salad was made fresh in front of me and staff seemed very friendly. The pricing was very reasonable.

We agree with your comment 100%. Great service and good food and a reasonable price.

We tried Philly's yesterday, and we agree, too.

I was looking for information or maybe help trying to find about a great uncle who worked for the railroad at Kansas City missouri. He was a engine wiper when he was there but when he went to parson kansas he worked inthe spring department this was in 1910 according to census.I haven't been able to find anything since that time. where could I look
charlie minor




parson

I just did a ride on the Katy Trail starting out at St. Charles and ending in Sedalia. We stayed at the Lococo B&B. I highly recommend them. They went far beyond our expecations as far as taking care of us. They Picked us up at Kirkwood (train station) arriving back at their B&B around 10pm on a Thursday night. They found out our last meal was in Sedalia around 4pm and that was also our lunch so they made us (4 in total) sandwiches, chili and drinks. THey provided our shuttle and were 1/2 the price of other shuttles. If you stay at St. Charles you can't go wrong with Lococo.

The Critter Cottage seems to be defunct and Monettes is a no response. Is there anywhere else that anyone could recommend for lodging for one night next week? (6.12.12)

I stayed at The Little House last September and it was awesome! The lady met us there, took our info and payment, gave us the key to the front door, wished us well, and left us alone to enjoy the place. It was clean, the beds were comfy, and the shower head put out a bunch of water. Self serve breakfast was nothing fancy but it was good--exactly what we needed for another day on the trail. I'm used to B&B's being hosted: This was not. It was renting a stocked house for the night. Loved it! Loved not being on anyone's schedule but mine. It's 100 yards off the trail, near restaurants, and bars. Highly recommend.

The only BnBs still in business at or near the Marthasville trailhead or the Dutzow trailhead are The Little House and Heaven On Earth Bed and Breakfast. The Little House is within blocks of the Marthasville trailhead but the Heaven On Earth BnB will pick you up from and deliver you back to either the Marthasville trailhead or the Dutzow trailhead. They have even been known to pick-up from or deliver back to the Washington, MO AMTRAK station and other trailheads in the area. Their service can't be beat.

Monettes cabin is still open...sometimes my phone does not ring through, but if you leave a message, I will return your call. Sorry for any inconvenience...

Acorn Ridge is a new B&B run by Natasha and Mike, two very energetic people dedicated to making our experience in their historic home a wonderful adventure. We were their very first guests (ever!) and I am sure they are going to be a success. Everything from the welcome we received to the linens are of the highest quality. Natasha's love for cooking was clear to us from the moment we arrived, finding fresh baked cookies and pastries to be eaten next to the warm fire on a chill day. They are running a top-notch operation!

Hello Jean and Jerry, it was a pleasure having you, we our glad you enjoyed your stay with us www.acornridgebb.com Mike and Natasha

We just came back from a two week ride on the trail and we passed through Mokane,so we stopped for lunch at the bar and grill. I must say they had the best food ever it was the biggest cheese burger I had ever had. The staff was very friendly and we enjoyed our conversation with Mel the owner,I know other people said that the market wont fill water bottles up for you but the bar will weather you buy there our just rest. I recommend every one to stop at the bar for the food and service!

Mary Ann,
Refreshing. To many people knock Mokane, Good folks here. Next time in town tell Mel to call Billy and I will come over and buy you a beer.

I keep reading comments about there being some lingering negative feelings for Mokane by some of the trail users: I don't understand where they come from. I've stopped lots of times. That includes at the Mokane Bar and Grill and Mokane Market. I have nothing but good to say about either. Really. Cool places if you ask me. I've filled up with free water, used the bathroom, and made pleasant small talk with the good folks working there. I've also bought plenty of pizza, sandwiches, and drinks--so I'm not just a taker, I'm a customer.

Could it be that people are coming off the trail tired, cranky, needy, and cheap? That would get old for anyone. Especially for a business owner. What gives with Mokane? I like it.

Hello all,

I live in southern Illinois and I am very much into cycling. I am planning a trip in Spring of 2013 to ride the entire trail from start to finish and back (Machens to Clinton and back to Machens). I have some questions though before I do it and need your assistance :)

1. Is there anywhere I can park (free or paid) for about 9 days while I am on this trip. Obviously somewhere legal and safe parking.

2. I plan to just camp by tent. I plan to ride about 65 miles a day, will there be plenty of camping options for me?

3. Am I allowed to ride at dark at all?

4. Anything else you think might help me :)

very kind regards,
Shawn Gossman

A friend and I rode the same distances from Clinton to Machens and we camped in Pilot Grove, stayed in the Turner shelter in Tebbetts, and camped at Klondike park near Augusta. All were really good places to stay. Can't help you with the parking situation though. The Katy is closed from dusk to dawn so no riding at night legally anyway. Enjoy your trip the Katy is a pretty cool adventure.

There is no parking at Machens, but plenty of parking in St. Charles at the trailhead. I would start out in St. Charles and do the Machens out and back on the first day. There are many camping options, use the Trip Planner above to see where they are located, then use the Mileage Chart to plan your daily distance between camping spots. Riding on the trail after dark is not legal. Be prepared to fix flats if necessary and a means to carry plenty of water. Bring some energy food especially in the western section, many shops and diners are closed Mon-Wed.

You might also check the town of Portage De Sioux. It is very close to Machens and has several marinas. If you asked I would think one would let you park there and then an easy bike ride to Machens.

We did the whole trail and started in Clinton where we could keep our car at the Hampton all week. In St. Charles we stayed at the Quality Inn, a bit off the trail and they do the same thing. It's about 12 miles from Machens.
It gets pretty darned dark out there, and like the other post said, legally you can't ride past dark.

I asked about overnight parking at one of the trailheads and this is the response:

"For all of you wondering if you can leave a vehicle overnight at a Katy trailhead, the answer is yes. The Katy is a day-use only park, which is why we don't allow camping along the trail. However, we do allow overnight parking but ask that you call the Katy Trail office at 573-449-7402 to let us know the following: your contact information; at which trailhead you'll be parking; how long your vehicle will be there; and make, model and license of your vehicle. This information is then passed along to our maintenance and ranger staff so that they don't assume you've abandoned your vehicle and also so they can keep an eye on the vehicle."

We've done the entire route 3 times and I trust that you will really enjoy your trip. We always use b&b's and motels so can't help on the camping question.

Just this September, I did the entire trail Clinton-Machens-Clinton doing 50/50 camping/B&B. Here are some camping choices between Machens and Clinton: Klondike Park (just before Augusta); Bluffton; Portland; Hartsburg; Cooper's Landing just past Easley; Katy Roundhouse at New Franklin; Pilot Grove, Sedalia, Clinton. I recommend you spend your first night at St. Charles at the Lococo House. It is well worth the money (about $75 w/ a MONSTER breakfast), and they will probably agree to let you park there for your trip. I did not find any good tent camping options at St. Charles - just an RV park. St. Charles to Machens is only worth doing to say you did the entire trail. The Rendlemann Home at Bluffton offers tent camping and Doug R. is a really interesting character, not to miss. Cooper's Landing has live music on weekends, a store, and good food. Take the turnoff to Hermann to find a really good grocery store just as you enter the highway. Groceries seemed to me harder to find than camping places. Use heavy duty tires. I met plenty of people with flats and even one guy had a ruptured tire casing he'd booted with a dollar bill and duct tape. I used Panaracer RiBMo tires 700c x 35, heavy duty tubes and Flat Attack sealer on my camping bike, and had no problems at all. A camping bike is heavy anyway, so the extra tire weight was not noticeable. And Katy is almost flat; unless you leave the Katy you will use only one or two gears, but if you leave it, better have a granny gear (for example getting up to Klondike Park!).

The ride from Portage de Souix to the Machens TH is 2 miles. We had our ride pick us up there. Not sure about parking if you want I would contact the police dept or sheriff dept and let them know you are leaving your car. St Charles request that you call the police dept so they know about your car.

I rode the trail 2011 from Clinton to St. Charles the end of March and I ran into a wide range of weather. Started out cold, 40s, misty rain and 20+ winds from Clinton to Boonville with mushy trail and then the skies cleared and the sun came out and the wind calmed, seriously and it was in the mid-high 60s the rest of the way into St. Charles. But these warm days were unusual for early April plus the trailheads hadn't opened yet. I would pack cold and rain gear and rags to wipe your wheels and chain if you plan on riding this time of year.

We stayed a second time this October at Joey's bb and new room was great. Easy bike ride over the bridge to Herman to get your funk on at night. Joey's new resturant was wonderful. Breakfast included in the room. Perfect spot for bikers on the trail. Cant wait to go back int he spring.

What a great way to start the Katy Trail: spending the first night in a caboose! Very spacious, morning coffee in the observation chair. Fire pit in the evening was very welcoming. Damon picked us up in Calhoon and would have dropped us back at the trail the next morning, but we got directions and rode to it, which was not hard. Definitely recommend staying here!

We're staying at the cabooses later this week with the grandsons....can't wait!

I called before we ever left for our Katy Trail trip to confirm hours of all the places I thought we might pick up lunch/dinner. Unfortunately, I assumed that if they were open, they served food. Bull's Eye IS open till late, but they don't have their deli going on Sundays. They do, however, have convenience store-type cheese and crackers.

Todd at Katy Bike Rental went out of his way(literally,) to make sure our trip ran smoothly. His communication with us regarding the details of the shuttle and bike rental put my mind to ease as I planned this trip 2 months before we started and from 3 states away. He is one of the most enthusiastic people we've met, and resourceful as well. What a great resource to have KBR for the Katy Trail.

Very bicycle friendly folk!! We stayed in lococo II, next to Lococo House III. Hot tubs felt GREATafter a week on the trail. Snacks welcomed us, and a cozy fire on the patio ended our day. Shuttle to airport was prompt. What a great way to end a great ride!

We just returned from a week on the Katy Trail and this was undoubtedly a true gem along the trail, not to be missed. We felt we were staying in a piece of living history. I could have stayed in the mansion a week and still been discovering its rich details. Don and Joe were the perfect hosts, and the breakfast was fit for royalty. Very large, quiet, comfortable room on third floor. Would love to come back just for one of the "murder mystery nights" if we get the chance.

We plan to stay in Jefferson City for one night. Are there signs directing bike traffic from the trail into Jefferson City?

There are signs. You will see a gravel path that parallels the road going South to Jeff. After about a mile the path ends and you turn right on the street. It is marked. About 3/4 of a mile (the third street I think) you will turn left- it's marked on the blacktop. That road will take you to the river. There is a big milti-level ramp to get you in the bridge. Once acrossthe bridge you are in Jeff City. I hope you know where you are staying.

Thanks for your help. We found the path easily. We stayed at the Baymont Inn which is fairly close to the bike bridge. The staff there was VERY friendly. They let us put our bikes in their conference room overnight. I would highly recommend that hotel to other bikers.

Thanks for the info its really helpful to know what to look for.

We took your advice on staying at the Baymont and were not disappointed. Great staff, bar and breakfast. Could use more protein items for breakfast but got my carbs in.

We got back from the whole Katy a couple of weeks ago, and had a blast. I've re-capped our experiences and have some recommendations for riders if you are interested. Check out the site: dconn143.wix.com/the-wallace-ride There's a link to see where we are, but it's no longer valid. Enjoy!

Planning a ride this Saturday 10-20-12, from Rocheport to N.Jefferson and back. If anyone has ridden this stretch recently and can tell me what trail conditions were like, I would be greatful. And, if anyone is looking for someone to ride with this Saturday, we'll be at the Rocheport Trailhead (across from the bike shop) at about 9 AM. The plan is to ride to N. Jefferson, turn around, ride back as far as Hartsburg and stop for lunch. We are flexible if speed and distance dictate a new plan.

Be prepared for ghosts, goblins, and other freakish/fun riders to be sharing the trail with you on Sat. Off-Track events "Monster Bash" ride is that day. Registration is in downtown Columbia from 9 - 10...riders will take the MKT spur to the Katy, with stops at Lucy's (McBain), Katfish Katys, and finally Rocheport (lunch, then costume parade and tunnel dance at 3:00 p.m. I think)....there will be several riders - including myself and 4 other "Biker Gang" members =D...enjoy your day, it is a beautiful stretch of trail!

Rode through that stretch last week. Trail is covered with leaves, which hide the walnuts and acorns. So you have to be careful when riding fast. You're looking to do about 70 miles round trip with a stop for lunch, and starting at 9:00. Sun sets about 6:15. That gives you about 8 hours max riding, including lunch. So you would have to average 9 mph, not including potty breaks. That is a pretty good rate depending on who is riding. Things I would ask: 1) Are you up to a 70-mile ride? 2) Can you start a couple hours earlier to make it a less-stressful ride?
It's no fun being rushed to finish before dark. Been there, done that. Good luck!

Thanks Mark,

We are aware of the distance and time issue. I will discuss leaving home earlier with the Mark I am riding with. On our rides near home, we usually average 12-13 mph, and we have some large hills to climb. I know that we'll want to stop for photos on KT, but we should still be able to make it in under 7 hours. BUT, if time looks like it's gonna be an issue, we can alter our turn around point, maybe Hartsburg. I want to do at least 50 miles, that's what I've been training for the last couple months.

Have you been training on asphalt or crushed limestone? I average 14mph on paved surfaces, but only about 10mph on the Katy. Also, it seems that I pedal harder (read: my butt hurts more) when riding on the Katy!

I agree, 70 is a long ride. We rode from N. Jefferson City to Washington last month (73 miles). We left at 7:30 a.m. and arrived at about 7:00 p.m. with a hour lunch and a few short breaks - the guys average 14 and up on asphalt and my average is 11 - 12....10 is our average on the trail tho. And yes, our backsides hurt very, very much at the end of the day! 50 is now my magic number!

I have been training mainly on asphalt, most of the trails that we have in Johnson County are beautifully maintained and paved. There are MANY miles. I am aware, on advice of many people, that our time will be slower on the gravel. I think we are going to adjust plans, thanks to so many helpful folks, and plan Rocheport to Hartsburg and back. We will be flexible enough to go further if we are more studly than appearances suggest; or, go shorter distance if we are being too egocentric!!

Figs, you will have a great time from Rocheport to Hartsburg. It is one of the most beautiful parts of the Katy (and the whole US). Take a good camera and be sure to keep glancing up at the bluffs for great shots. The leaves are perfect this week. The two places to eat in Hartsburg get crowded on Saturdays, so be prepared for that. Enjoy!

Figs, Just start earlier and go for the 70 with some good advice from us. Be vigilant watching the trail surface, slow down for the ghosts and goblins and the nice scenery. Take some good pics too. That is the best section on the entire trail. Take it all in. Go for it.

There is a new restaurant in Hartsburg called the Hartsburg Grand. Open Thursday thru Sunday at 11AM. Its on the main strip, seconds from the trailhead.

We are planning also for this Saturday. It will be our first time and I wonder if road bike would be a good choice for this time of the season, or should I just bring mountain bikes?

aNdRuMx>>> the two of us are going to be riding hybrids..700c tires, doing so because that's what we have.

Will we run into you on the trail? Sunrise is 7:25 tomorrow. We have adjusted our time to arrive in Rocheport by about 7 to check out bikes and suit up and ride by 7:30. Rocheport to at least Hartsburg.

ark, thanks again. I have my good digital Cannon packed with a tripod. part of the reason we changed to 50 miles is so we can slow down and get some pics.

Where exactly is the tunnel on the trail: East or West of Rocheport?

Tunnel is west of Rocheport, very close, You may see it if you are on trail at trailhead in Rochport and look west. Definitely check it out. Have a great time on your ride. Tomorrow should be wonderful weather.

Thank You Cathy, I definatley want pics from the tunnel.

Just wanted thank everyone for the comments. I cannot wait until tommrow. This is going to be a great ride. Distance is not that big of a deal if we make 70 great if not great. Just going to enjoy the trip and not kill ourselves.

Figs/Mark: The tunnel is about 3 blocks west of the Rocheport trailhead. Other good pics where you're going: probably fog over the river that time of day; the MKT explosives bunker near Rocheport (door in the bluffs); you have to get your pic under the Bur Oak in McBaine (1/4 mi off trail); Boathenge at Cooper's Landing. Have fun!

Wow Boonville Mark! You are quite the tour coordinator. Thank you. We will certainly attempt to soak it all in. This is really a test run for Olathe Mark and me. If all goes well, I am sure we will plan other rides on KT. I would eventually like to be able to say I've ridden the whole thing.

Mark, Boonville; we did 72 miles! I had planned to knock it down to 50, but we got to Hartsburg and I felt pretty good, so we kept going. Next thing I know, I see the signs for N. Jefferson... the last 20 miles heading home,, well, not easy, but we made it and enjoyed it very much!

My husband and I were on the trail that day with the Monster Bike Bash. Raggedy Ann and Andy if you saw us. That's the best part of the trail in my opinion.

Joey's Bird House was Great! Joey made the best veggie sandwich and Squash soup I ever ate. Great coffee at the Farmers Mercantile. I got to meet several locals. On my next visit to KATY, I will definitely visit Mckittrick and stay at Joey's.