Katy Trail Forum

How do you all lock up your bikes when you are camping at the different camp grounds along the trail? I will have a bike and a BOB trailer. Thanks!

I purchased a Cable With Looped Ends 15 Feet By 3/8 Inch Diameter and lock to take care of this. I will have a bike and trailer as well.

Like this one:



www.hardwareandtools.com/Cable-With-Looped-Ends-15-Feet-By-3-8-Inch-Diameter-72DPF-by-Master-Lock-8258493.html

We are considering riding the entire Katy trail early October. We are new bikers but very active so I am not concerned about the distance but more about what we need to purchase to carry our stuff. I have read a lot on panniers but it seems that a trailer may be a better investment. Can anyone tell me the pros and cons? We plan on packing light and staying at B&B's along the way. Also, if we go with a trailer does anyone know if we can take a BOB trailer on Amtrak?? Thanks so much!!

Trailers are not allowed on Amtrak but I've heard of people getting them on. But I wouldnt plan on it.



I've been using one seatpost pack just over my rear wheel. I'm able to carry just what I need for 3 days but its tough. Last month,I picked up some panniers. I use them and the seatpost pack and now I have plenty of room. With a BOB you can carry everything including the kitchen sink. I guess it depends on how much cargo you have and how long you plan to stay on the trail.



Good Luck, Paulie

I would avoid the trailer if you can, and I think you can. The panniers give you much more flexibility and is all self contained on the bike. I have used a rear rack with a pannier on each side for months at a time. You should be able to pack adequately for the entire length of the trail with this option. If not, review the items you are bringing and downsize. I will assure you that if you have a trailer, you will fill it because you can. Good luck and foremost, have a good time.

I would avoid the trailer if you can, and I think you can. The panniers give you much more flexibility and is all self contained on the bike. I have used a rear rack with a pannier on each side for months at a time. You should be able to pack adequately for the entire length of the trail with this option. If not, review the items you are bringing and downsize. I will assure you that if you have a trailer, you will fill it because you can. Good luck and foremost, have a good time.

You can put everything you need for credit card touring in a rear bag with expandable sides that fits on a rack. Then a small handlebar bag for stuff like sunglasses etc. Check out Topeak.

We use a burley nomad trailer with a bag. We traveled with backpacks in the trailer, then took them out, packed the trailer in the bag, and carried it on to Amtrak with no problems. Where we had trouble though, was when we found out our reserved bike spots had been given to other bikes. So, the trailer/bag was not a problem and we really like the flexibility of traveling with a trailer.

This week I completed a 3 day (camping 2 nights) trip, using new panniers:



http://www.rei.com/product/780451



One held my sleeping bag and pad, the other clothes, food, stove, etc. I strapped my tent & a few other supplies to the top of the rear rack. Since you are doing B&Bs, you can fit more clothes, etc., without all of the camping materials.



If you will be doing a fairly short trip (>5 days), I believe panniers are the way to go, but longer might call for a trailer, which would hold more gear. As mentioned elsewhere, you might have trouble getting a trailer on Amtrak if you plan on taking the train.

If you are staying in B&B's you need to carry very little.. I just put a few things in a back pack and use a bungee cord to fasten on a small rack. You can make it three or four days easily this way without all the weight and nuisance. Buy what you need along the trail..

If you are staying in B&B's you need to carry very little.. I just put a few things in a back pack and use a bungee cord to fasten on a small rack. You can make it three or four days easily this way without all the weight and nuisance. Buy what you need along the trail..

We are going to ride the trail this summer and it will take us 7 days (We are going one way them back about 1/2 the way). We are camping 1/2 the time and staying at B&B the other 1/2. We got a trailer that folds up so we can take it on the trail back with us. Has anyone taken a trail on the trail how does it ride? I am know thinking if we should have just gone with the panniers but I do not know if we would have enough room?

I have done the trail twice from end to end and once from Boonville to St. Charles using panniers. If you are doing B&B and hotels you really don't need much. The panniers change the center of gravity but it is just nice to be completely self-contained when you roll in. The little trailers look neat but I would personally wind up carrying uch more than I needed.

Just my 2 cents, but - as a trailer lover - I am inclined to recommend against the trailer for your approach to this trip. I have used my trailer along with my panniers for my solo camping trips along the C&P, GAP, Le Petit Train du Nord, North Bend Rail Trail (WV), and have always loved it! I carry loads of stuff. One can adjust to the drag behind the bike and even forget it is back behind you. However, you wrote that you are packing light and using B&Bs for your lodging. I'd guess that you are also opting for restaurants over preparing your own food. If that's a good guess, than I can't think of a reasons for you to want to use a trailer. The trailer adds a non-negotiable increment of weight to your rig, adds wear and tear to your bike, another tube-tire that can go flat, and it is another lengthening encumbrance as you cross roads, hits bumps, and go round the bends. Moreover, like any extra suitcase, it invites you to pack more things than you really need. So I'd vote against taking the trailer - even if you own one. I wouldn't in your circumstances, I'd stick with the approach of light'n'easy.

Wow, thank you everyone for the info! Looks like panniers it is! Can't wait to ride!

If you go the trailer route and Amtrak doesn't allow trailers you can buy a shipping bag for the BoB trailer for about 100 bucks.

Then it's a piece of luggage.

Another belated vote for panniers...you only need one or two changes of clothes because nearly all of the B&Bs have a washer and dryer.

Dan of Centennial and daytoncapri got it down...watch the trap of filling 'cause you can and

you'll be fine. I own both panniers & trailer. Regards

Hello everyone. I haven't ridden a bike in about 10 years, but it's about my only choice to getting in shape because my knee's hurt too bad when I run and gym memberships are rediculous. Besides, who wants to be stuck inside when the weather is nice. I live in St. Charles, and wanted to ride the trail regularly but I have no idea what a good distance would be to start. I'm a 21 yr old female and am in decent shape, so I was thinking about going from St. Charles to Weldon Spring round trip. Would that be too much to start? And does anyone know about how long that would take? I'd like to go about 3 times a week. I also have no one to ride with...so if anyone likes to ride early in the morning-like 6:30 or 7 let me know. I'd REALLY appreciate any comments! Thanks!

Most of the time one of three, if not all, of the following will prevent us from riding further.....lung capacity, our legs ability to keep pedaling, and the soreness of your rear end. Just starting out, I'd ride a few miles at a time keeping track of those three. Keep in mind that you have to turn around and ride back home so make the U-turn around half time or so. A 30 mile round trip may be too much the first time...and you may do fine. It all depends on your physical condition. Start small and work your way up in milage.

Good advice from Trek: "Start small and work your way up" If you're starting at the St Charles trailhead, I would suggest your first time out, don't go any farther than the Page bridge, or maybe where highway 40 crosses the trail. Turn around and if you're still feeling good by the time you get back to where your started, you can aways do another out-and-back. Just be very conservative with your mileage that first time - you don't want to be somewhere in the woods south of highway 40 and have your legs turn to rubber, still miles away from your car. Based on how you feel that first time, you'll have a pretty good idea of where your limits are distance-wise.

Good luck and have fun!

I also live in St. Charles and ride this section regularly. A good "first ride" would be from Frontier Park in St. Charles to the Greens Bottom Trailhead and back which is about 12 miles. Or you could even go up the Page Bridge and loop Creve Coeur.



From here to Weldon Springs trailhead (and back)is my normal ride and even that's tough to do after taking the winter months off. Have to build up to it. Hope to see you on the trails!

It's also not a concern of just fitness. Since you mention to be new to riding a bike, there are other concerns in taking a longer trip. The main one has already been mentioned (I call it "biting off more than you can chew").



The others include making sure your bike fits well (that was my main Katy Trail problem when I went). Something that may not take effect on a short ride will become a concern the longer you go. There's nothing that kills a ride quicker than getting sore somewhere (knees, back, ankles) because you're doing something unnatural. This includes riding technique - most of us as kids didn't ride the right way as to be natural and our parents didn't likely bother to teach us. Being older, it effects us a whole lot more than at that age.



Then if you get too far from home (a few miles) you will want to learn some basic bicycle maintenance (and obtain the right tools to do it and carry them with you) so you won't be marooned if something mechanical goes wrong. Then there are the usual safety concerns to address as well (for anyone), like having contact information for different things along the way, along with a working (my big problem on my last Katy ride) cell phone.



Then there will be nutritional management issues as well. It won't be a concern for a short (5-10 miles) ride, but it will become a factor for longer rides. This means getting the right amount of water and right amount and kind of food so you don't "bonk" or have any of the other possibilities happen. This takes some experimentation, but some research (generic and specific, food and water locations are part of that contact information above). Different people handle it different ways at different times, so if you continue into things like spending a day on the trail, you'll figure out what works well for you.



Hope all that helps.

It is good you're new to bicycling. Don't be afraid to ask questions of other experienced

riders. We like to help and we had to learn too. Evaluate the advice as what works for one

rider may not work for you. Experience is a good teacher. There are probably some bicycle

clubs in the St Louis area you can ride with too. Ask at your local bicycle shop.

Another thing to consider is the direction of the wind. If the wind is at your back when you are heading out, you may be biking against it on your way home. I prefer to have the wind at my back on the way home when I'm more likely to be tired. Since I live in Jefferson City I can go east or west on the trail. Before I leave home I check weather.com to figure out if there is wind of 10 mph or more and what direction it's coming from. Then I try to ride against the wind on my way out. Wind does fluctuate throughout the day, but if you're a rookie you might want to try to avoid riding against it on your way home.

I just starting back riding myself this spring. The thing that got me was my seat. That second day was very hard, but has gotten better with more time in the saddle.

Ditto what Kathy said about the wind. My only other advice is a good pair of bike shorts. They make all the difference in the world. A gel seat helps too. Good luck and enjoy!

Sorry, Cathy. I spelled your name wrong!

Distance - just listen to your body



Essential Equipment:

Helmet - $50.00 and up at bike shops or REI, cheaper ones are not advisable. And wear it properly, with the front down near your eyes, never pushed back on the head. There are more things on the trail to bang your head on.

Eye protection - Impact resistant sunglasses, preferably wrap-arounds. Branches, small rocks, bugs, dust in the eyes aren't fun.

Riding gloves should be an early purchase. The padding will be helpful and protect your hands when you fall.....and everyone falls sooner or later.



A pair of high quality riding shorts, typically $60.00 and up at bike shops or REI. Look for established brands, PI, Canaria, Specialized, etc. You do NOT want shorts with a HUGE pad, just find a womens pair from a name manufacturer.



Two water bottles, 32 to 48 oz total capacity, there aren't any water stops before Defiance.



Virtually no one ends up with the seat that came on their bike. Just ride yours until you get a feel for what is comfortable. AND don't fall for the gel saddle. They are horribly uncomfortable and defeat the purpose of good bike shorts. Oh yeah, I know this may sound odd but DON'T wear underwear under the bike shorts. No one does, cotton holds moisture which quickly leads to rashes.



Once you have some time in the saddle (who cares about miles), go to a good bike shop and get fitted for a saddle. Trek and Specialized have devices that measure you for the correct size and usually have a return period if you don't like that particular saddle.



One last thing, learn to fix a flat and what you need to carry (see bike shop), BUT before you do that, get two inner tubes that fit your tires and carry them with you. Myself and many others would happily help you with a flat but chances are, we wouldn't have the correct size innertube.



Now, get your gear, get on the bike and ride, ride, ride.

St. Charles should have a "bigger" LBS (Local Bike Shop) who will sometimes have "beginner"

maintenance classes that cover the essentials for bikin' the KATY. These classes are

sometimes women only classes so you can get into a comfort zone for learning. Believe me

its not rocket science, but the skills taught are critical. BTW my ride in middle April '10...4

flats in three days. I couldn't remember when I had 4 flats in a month while riding when car-

less for 8 years!! Yup those skills are critical. Kindest Regards

Nice front-page article in today's St Louis Post Dispatch on the Katy Trail's 20th anniversary. Here's the online version: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stcharles/story/8A9EE3ADFE3FBDE38625771C000A9E4E?OpenDocument

I rode from my house (MM134) to Hartsburg tonight (5/6/2010). Between MM134 and MM137 there are several places where the recent rains have damaged the trail surface. The worst spot is around MM136 in front of the house with the white wooden fence. It has been completely washed out and has a rut crossing the trail about 1 to 2 feet deep and 1 to 2 feet wide. Be prepared to walk your bike through that area until the DNR people have time to fix it.



Saw Terry (the hiking guy) just west of Jeff city and met a couple hiking the entire trail at the Big Muddy in Hartsburg that said he had passed them around Coopers landing. Apparently he has blisters on his feet but that hasn't slowed him down much.

We will be in Jefferson City for a soccer tournament and would like to bring our bikes for an

approx 25 mile round trip out of Jefferson City. Will it be more scenic to go East or West out

of Jeff City on the Katy?

My vote - go west to Hartsburg and back - has a nice overview of the river with a picnic table and benches along the way and of course Dotties in Hartsburg - a must for first timers.

If you are riding on a saturday or sunday Hooibrink's claysville Store is the best food on the trail. Laura makes all their pies and cobblers (others buy theirs at Sams) Mark makes incredible chicken and ham and great brisket or ribs when he gets in the mood. Claysville is just 3 miles east of Hartsburg. To make a reservation look up Mark Hooibrink as the store is not listed.

I agree, this time go west towards Hartsburg. Then, the next time you come (you'll be back, after you've seen how great the Katy

Trail is you'll give up soccer and be addicted to riding the trail) you can go east.

This is an excellent restaurant. We got the buckets of crab and shrimp. They have the main entree along with new potatoes and corn on the cob. This is served along with bread made fresh. All of the food is very good and the prices are reasonable. I would recommend it to anyone.

Steve - You're making me hungry. What is the name & location of the restaurant?

A friend and I made the trek to Rocheport from Columbia yesterday and ate lunch at the Cracked Crab. I would concur with the previous writers that this is a good place to stop. It is right off the trail - you can't miss it. Numerous choices for beer, good seafood choices, and very accommodating for cyclists. The food was great (I had the Crab Louie) and the beer was cold. It was tempting to have a second (and maybe a third?) brew, but with a 92-degree temperature and a 15-mile ride back to Columbia, we overcame the temptation. Prices were reasonable. My friend and I plan on a return trip to the CC very soon.

Not that great you could tell the bread is frozen par baked bread. The staff leaves something to be desired. The seafood isn't fresh like they portray. At least they have alcohol something postive for so many negatives.

Sarah must have caught them on a bad day. I was there three times last summer, and each time the service was excellent as was the food. The last time I was there I had the bucket of shrimp, and it was great. No negatives about this place whatsoever. Can't wait for it to open in April so I can go back.

been to the CC twice and the food and hospitality were execellent. the smoked brisket melted in my mouth and they don't shurk on portion size.

Evidently this is closed now... we attempted to go a couple of weeks ago and it was for sale.. ?

It is hard to make a living on the Trail as the small towns in which many of the businesses are

located don't have enough population to support these businesses. Another reason why it is

important to support the businesses along the trail to keep them open.

I WORKED THERE AND IT ISN'T WHAT IT APPEARS TO BE. THE FOOD WASN'T ALL THAT GOOD AND HOW IT WAS COOKED...YUCK. IT DIDN'T LAST THERE OR IN JEFFERSON CITY. A LOT OF LITTLE LIES AND ONE BIG CLOSED DOWN.

Uhhhhh.......calm DOWN Beavis. The thread was over 4 years old.