Katy Trail Forum

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.. ?

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.

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.

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.

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

My wife and I had a wonderful time for our first ride on the Katy. After an early morning drive to Hartsburg we had a wonderful breakfast at Dotty's Cafe before hitting the trail. The weather was great; cool, cloudy, and light winds. Headed West and stopped at Coopers Landing for an ice cream and a look around, we will be camping there on our weeklong trip in June. Didn't see anything happening around Wilton. Lots of folks out enjoying the trail in the Rocheport area. Had the grilled rueben at the Trailside Cafe as we waited for checkin time at the Katy Trail Bed & Bikefast. As we left the Cafe a shower dumped on us and got us soaked before we got checked in, the only rain we got for the weekend, although it looked threatening at times. We wandered around Rocheport for the rest of the afternoon, browsing the various antique shops and galleries. Had the BBQ brisket at the Rocheport General Store and Cafe and listened to the local performing artist for a very relaxing evening. It stormed some more overnight as we slept in a very comfortable bed with our bikes locked up nice and secure in the garage. On the way back to Hartsburg we stopped again at Coopers Landing for a coffee refill. Ended our weekend where we started, at Dotty's Cafe for the pork tenderloin dinner. The trail was great for the most part after the recent rains. A little soft in some areas, but no mud, flooding or ruts. The only trouble spot was just West of Hindeman Junction, about 50 yards of the trail surface is washed away down to the ballast rock and ties. We were able to ride thru it on our mountain bikes, but road bikes would probably have to walk them thru. We saw deer, lots of squirrels and rabbits. Plenty of geese were out walking the trail and all the local dogs we came across were of the friendly sort. We are really looking forward to our June trip from Clinton to St. Charles.

Sounds like you had a great ride. Picked good spots to eat. Dotty's

is a great place.

And a lot of us that live on the trail are glad to hear you got out and enjoyed it!

My favorite section of the trail, and Dotty's is one of my top places to eat on the whole trail! Just be sure you have cash, as they don't take credit/debit cards.

My husband and I are riding the Katy Trail and trying to have our car along just in case we need/want it. Our plan is for him to drive to our next planned stop, leave the car, and get a shuttle back to where he left me & the bikes. We are looking for a shuttle from Klondike Park to McKittrick on Friday morning May 21, and then from the trailhead in St Charles back to Klondike Park on Saturday morning May 22. Any suggestions? Thanks.

I'm planning a hike on the Katy Trail with my 88-year old father (who is in great shape). Has anybody hiked it all and can you advise?

A few of us have. Be sure to map out the stops with water, since not all trailheads have water available. Probably most of what you need to know you will find on this site. Good Luck and have a great walk!

Another thought. The trail itself is fairly easy. The inclines are very small since it is a former railbed. However, to be on the safe side, I would suggest your father get checked out by his doctor. Much of the trail, while not exactly wilderness, can be somewhat remote from medical help if it is needed. Beyond that, you should have a great time.

I rode the trail from Clinton to Sedalia and back yesterday (very spongy from the rain). I ran into 2 guys from Arkansas at the Green Ridge trailhead. One was hiking the entire trail the other was supporting him (had a car and bike). He was taking 2 weeks to hike the trail and was 3 miles out of Sedalia (end of day 2 for him) when I last stopped and talked with him.



I would approach hiking all 225 miles of the trail this way, with a support person and don't skimp on the hiking boots and socks. Unless you like blisters.



PS: Anyone. If you are on the trail in the next 11 days I think the man's name was Terry if I remember right. He should be in the Pilot Grove - Boonville area today (5-3-2010) and heading east along the trail. He has a big walking stick and a grey backpack. If you see him stop and say Hi or at least give him a thumbs up.



thanks

R.A.,

I agree. I did the Clinton to McKittrick section of the trail solo and self-contained and it was a challenge. Oh, and I had the blisters to show for it. From McKittrick to Machens, my wife drove the support truck and that sure made a world of difference. While I was worred that she would be bored while I plodded along my way, she was able to pass the time at wineries and antique shops and had a grand time. I'll keep a look out in my area for the hikers. Good Luck to them.

This place is right on river! I havent camped, but I would! Coopers has the greatest meat sticks like gator, elk,and others! First time I have seen them and cant wait to get back for more!

This place is right on river! I havent camped, but I would! Coopers has the greatest meat sticks like gator, elk,and others! First time I have seen them and cant wait to get back for more!

Oh man the Ostrich is great, good cold beer too!

Oh man the Ostrich is great, good cold beer too!

And the skink is to die for! What a great use of our natural trail resources too.

And the skink is to die for! What a great use of our natural trail resources too.