Directions to Jefferson City
- + We plan to stay in Jefferson City for one night. Are there signs directing bike traffic from the trail into Jefferson City?
Discussion started 08/31/2012 09:28 PM by Dridger biker - 4 replies (last reply by KB at 10/23/2012 02:53 PM)Dridger biker from Moundridge, KS on 08/31/2012 09:28 PM
We plan to stay in Jefferson City for one night. Are there signs directing bike traffic from the trail into Jefferson City?
Tom from Jefferson City,MO on 08/31/2012 11:54 PM
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.
Dridger biker from Moundridge, KS on 09/03/2012 03:22 PM
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.
Melissa, Chicago on 09/06/2012 05:00 PM
Thanks for the info its really helpful to know what to look for.
KB from Lee;s Summit on 10/23/2012 02:53 PM
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.
website recapturing our ride
- + 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....
Discussion started 10/23/2012 01:37 PM by denise wallace - 0 repliesdenise wallace from Fulton on 10/23/2012 01:37 PM
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 Check out the site: dconn143.wix.com/the-wallace-ride There's a link to see where we are, but it's no longer valid.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!
Trail Conditions / Saturday ride invite
- + 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...
Discussion started 10/18/2012 09:21 AM by Figs - 18 replies (last reply by denise wallace at 10/23/2012 01:34 PM)Figs from Olathe, KS on 10/18/2012 09:21 AM
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.
Robin from Macon on 10/18/2012 09:34 AM
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!
Mark from Boonville, MO on 10/18/2012 09:41 AM
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!
Figs from Olathe, KS on 10/18/2012 09:52 AM
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.
Mark from Boonville, MO on 10/18/2012 10:12 AM
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!
Robin from Macon on 10/18/2012 10:29 AM
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!
Figs from Olathe, KS on 10/18/2012 03:03 PM
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!!
Mark from Boonville, MO on 10/18/2012 04:42 PM
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!
Go For It on 10/18/2012 08:20 PM
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.
one speed on 10/18/2012 09:44 PM
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.
aNdRuMx from Kansas City on 10/19/2012 11:14 AM
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?
Figs from Olathe, KS on 10/19/2012 01:02 PM
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?
Cathy from Jefferson City on 10/19/2012 01:15 PM
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.
Figs from Olathe, KS on 10/19/2012 01:46 PM
Thank You Cathy, I definatley want pics from the tunnel.
Mark from Olathe, Ks on 10/19/2012 01:56 PM
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.
Mark from Boonville, MO on 10/19/2012 04:11 PM
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!
Figs from Olathe, KS on 10/19/2012 04:37 PM
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.
Anonymous on 10/21/2012 08:40 AM
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!
denise wallace from Fulton on 10/23/2012 01:34 PM
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
- + 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 defin...
Discussion started 10/23/2012 06:45 AM by Bernie Swegman - 0 repliesBernie Swegman from Pittsburgh, PA on 10/23/2012 06:45 AM
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.
Overnight parking at Rocheport
- + We need to leave a vehicle in Rocheport overnite on the 19th of October. Is this allowed in the trail head parking lot?Thanks.
Discussion started 10/02/2012 04:12 PM by Dion - 9 replies (last reply by Dion at 10/22/2012 09:53 AM)Dion from Raymore, MO on 10/02/2012 04:12 PM
We need to leave a vehicle in Rocheport overnite on the 19th of October. Is this allowed in the trail head parking lot?
Thanks.
Anonymous on 10/02/2012 10:14 PM
Yes. It's okay to park in the trailhead lots overnight,
Dion from Raymore, MO on 10/15/2012 11:48 AM
Thanks for the reply. Is there somewhere on a website that I can see this written? I trust, but verify :)
David Jensen from Blue Springs on 10/15/2012 11:55 AM
We have parked our car at Rocheport overnight before. Someone in my group had called about doing it and they told us it was fine.
Anonymous on 10/15/2012 01:34 PM
Why not just call the park office and find out for yourself if you don't trust us? Park Office: 573-449-7402
Of course if you post your findings here, we won't beleive you either.
Dion from Raymore, MO on 10/17/2012 12:08 PM
Trust "anonymous"?
There have been many times where "I heard it somewhere that this or that is true" didn't turn out so well.
So, thank you very much for taking the time to post, especially the phone number. It is help like this that makes this site so valuable. I might add that including more than "anonymous" to your posts might allow it to carry a little more weight...or not.
Dion from Raymore, MO on 10/19/2012 10:43 AM
Ok folks. I called the Parks number anonymous posted. A very kind lady named Mary answered the phone. I asked the question about leaving a vehicle in the trail head parking lot overnight.
Her response is that overnight parking really isn't supposed to happen since it is a day use park, subsequently the parking lot is as well. But, since I called, she would take the make and model of our vehicle and notify the rangers, who are in charge of security for the lot.
Now, I'm not saying that I know what would have happened if I hadn't called or Mary hadn't informed the rangers, but I'm glad I called.
I still haven't read it in print where it says that overnight parking is or is not allowed.
Your mileage may vary.
Dawn Fredrickson, Katy Trail Coordinator on 10/19/2012 04:17 PM
I apologize for the misinformation. 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. Again, I apologize for the conflicting information and hope this clears up any confusion.
Anonymous on 10/19/2012 04:26 PM
Thanks Dawn. I thought you could clear things up for us here.
Dion from Raymore, MO on 10/22/2012 09:53 AM
Mary called me back Friday afternoon while we were headed to Rocheport and advised me of the same information that Dawn posted.
Thanks again for the help.
B & B Reviews and Free Advertising
- + For many of us, lodging reviews are good to see here. Although we may often hold a different perspective than others, we like to see what patrons have to say about their nights stay. Because of that w...
Discussion started 10/16/2012 02:33 PM by Trek - 4 replies (last reply by Trek at 10/22/2012 09:35 AM)Trek on 10/16/2012 02:33 PM
For many of us, lodging reviews are good to see here. Although we may often hold a different perspective than others, we like to see what patrons have to say about their nights stay. Because of that we tend to read the reviews here and on Trip Advisor, etc.
We recently rode the Root River Trail in Minnesota and didn't have the advantage of a site like this to read about the B&B's in the area.
We do most of our trips where we start riding early and then late afternoon enjoy the local culture at a restaurant, winery, etc. and then enjoy time to relax at a B&B. Because of that, our lodging is just as much a part of the trip as the direction of the wind for the day.
Some lodging owners to me, seem to over do in their use of this site to advertise for free. A post or comment once in a while seems okay, but when everything in the world all of a sudden is related to the little hotel in town X as if it is the center of the universe now, is a bit too much. That does nothing for me other than solidify the thought that I need to look elsewhere to stay in town X.
DSD on 10/18/2012 06:16 AM
Most states have B&B websites for their locations. I disagree about advertising on this forum. I rarely see B&B owners advertise directly here. Usually the posts are new management or different hours. What is the difference if riders or walkers talk about the B&Bs or the owners talk about them. Most of the time both are all pretty positive.
Trek on 10/18/2012 03:10 PM
The difference is one person is selling you something and telling you what you get, and the other person is on the other side of the money telling you what they got for their money.
At the end of the day, I'd rather know what I can get for my money. That means more to me than than a hot line from a used car salesman.
Pam O from Independence on 10/20/2012 12:10 AM
Trek, How was the Root River? We are looking into it next summer for vacation.
Trek on 10/22/2012 09:35 AM
Pam O....the Root River trail ride was great! We really enjoyed that it was all paved and will probably return, but with the tandem next time. Some parts were not as smooth as others, but that wasn't an issue. There were bridge repairs being made east of Lanesboro so we had to drive past that to ride the eastern part.
There is lots of energy around Lanesboro, similar to Rocheport I guess with several nice places to both eat and stay. We stayed at the Scanlon House in Lanesboro and at the Jailhouse in Preston. Both were nice and would recommend them, although there are plenty of other options.
The trail is right next to the Root River in several places. And we seemed to cross it several times also. A bit further for us to drive than the Katy, but well worth the trip for us.
Great ride and food Saturday 10-20-12
- + I made my first visit to KT yesterday. A friend and I had been planning it for a couple weeks, talking about it for a couple months. I chose a route starting in Rocheport. We got there before sunrise ...
Discussion started 10/21/2012 08:51 AM by Figs - 4 replies (last reply by Trel at 10/22/2012 09:14 AM)Figs from Olathe on 10/21/2012 08:51 AM
I made my first visit to KT yesterday. A friend and I had been planning it for a couple weeks, talking about it for a couple months. I chose a route starting in Rocheport. We got there before sunrise (an early start was recommended by folks from this board). We started riding East at 0735 and 42 degrees. The initial plan was to ride to Hartsburg and turn around, but both of us felt pretty strong, so we kept going. We made it to N.Jefferson and got photos to prove it, then turned around. We did end up stopping in Hartsburg for lunch, and chose the Hartsburg Grand. I highly recommend them, the food was very good and service was great. They had a chicken and mushroom soup that was fantastic!! Then we headed back to Rocheport. We went East nearly alone on the trail, but there was alot of people after noon. We saw lots of neat costumes along the way and saw nearly every attraction Mark from Boonville suggested: didn't find the Burr Oak, and too tired to ask.. But, we will both be back, and enjoy this wonderful park.
Go For It on 10/21/2012 09:48 AM
Figs, Glad you went for the full 70. Did you feel like Lewis or Clark along the river? Now your hooked. Congrats!!!
Figs from Olathe on 10/21/2012 10:25 AM
I doubt that I felt like Lewis or Clark.. I do know that I prefer a bicycle for the journey! It was a beautiful ride. Be back soon!
Robin from Macon on 10/21/2012 07:08 PM
Glad you had a great ride and made it comfortably the full 70! It is beautiful on the Katy and the weather was perfect from mid-morning on! The Burr oak is off of the Katy at McBain...2 ways to get there: turn at the TH and ride down the highway or turn further up the trail (West) onto the highway...it is worth seeing! The Monster Bike Bash was so much fun too...glad you got to enjoy all of us whacky costumed riders - perhaps you should think about that ride sometime too! =)
Trel on 10/22/2012 09:14 AM
Saturday and Sunday were great days to ride. It was good to see so many people out...and the Bash riders were great fun. Looked like Lance still doesn't get it....riding on the Katy now with his dope bag attached to his bike!