Katy Trail Forum

Are there any groceries at the general store?

I was just at the General Store last Saturday. They have a small stock of sundries and basics food items such as milk, bread, snacks, water, beer, wine, etc. They sell ice cream and I think they have a small deli case with some cheese and meats. It is also a cafe, and they have great live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Check them out at www.rocheportgeneralstore.com

Thanks Wren.



Allen

How far is parking to the trail? Is there a bike trail from the trail to the parking lot? We are planning on having a shuttle pick us up at this parking lot and shuttle us up about 75 miles. That way when we finish, we are at our cars.

The Page/364 bridge parking lot is right next to the Katy Trail. However, the trail is at river level, and the parking lot is at bridge level, so there is a hill to climb to get from trail to parking lot. It's about 1/4 mile of paved trail, designed as switchbacks - you can see a partial picture at the Page Bridge Missouri River crossing web page.

Does anyone know if Steamboat Junction is open? Will be passing through there this summer on a thru hike (yes walking the KT) and would like to stay there.

They were last fall, but every time I talk to the owner she talks about closing. You might call before you start walking.

If Steamboat Junction isn't open, about 200 yards further is Rendleman's B&B and campground.

Anybody got the mile marker for the Mo Research Park connector? Any chance of adding

this to the Mileage Chart? I know it's approximately 6 miles from Greens Bottom, but I'm a

perfectionist!

Somewhere a bit south (1/4 to 1/2 mile?) of MM 052. 52.5? I was going to pin it down, but got a flat with catastrophic tire damage and had to turn around before getting to the actual connector trail. I was real close, though...



Next time I'm out there I'll get a more accurate location for you.

To be a little more descriptive, I was heading south, and had just passed MM52. Maybe 300 yards past. I could see the connector trail in the distance. So close, yet so far. :)

According to google maps it is 9.7 miles from the St. Louis airport to the trail in St Charles. But it is on interstate highway. Does anybody know a feasible bike rout?

You'll find some suggestions on this page: Getting from St Louis Lambert Airport to the Katy Trail.



Good luck!

I haven't ridden this whole route, but I recommend you avoid rush hour and try to do it on

the weekend, unless you are comfortable riding in traffic.

I'm planning a trail trip for early Sept. What do the experts think (Doug K?) is a reasonable number of miles to travel per day for a weekend trail rider? I'm crossing my fingers that the trail to Machens is finished by then.

Cycling the entire Katy in a 2 day weekend is do-able, but I wouldn't recommend it. When the trail first opened (Sedalia to St. Charles) my 11 year old son and I cycled the entire trail on a three day weekend (Columbus Day Weekend). We carried our tent, bedrolls, food, etc on our bikes. We completed all but the last 15 miles before we lost daylight, but we finished that off the following Saturday.

We didn't really have a lot of time to sightsee, but did get lots of beautiful pictures and made memories to last a lifetime. He'll be 24 this summer and wants to do it again this October. If your not busy over Columbus Day weekend, maybe we'll see you.

Not sure of biking it, I've just hiled it.

Sorry. Hiked

Thanks Ike and Doug. Ours will be a leisurely ride. We'll be a month ahead of you Ike, but maybe we'll catch you on one of our Oct day trips!



Any recommendations on must-see towns, markers, or B&Bs? I'm familiar with St. Chuck to Treloar but not beyond and not overnight.

Nice towns?? I would say Hermann (lots of B&Bs) Hartsburg is a nice little town (Globe Hotel?) Rocheport is always nice. Boonville is nice and The Frederick Hotel and Glenn's Cafe shouldn't be missed. Sedalia is good and had a number of lodging options (I liked the Hotel Bothwell). Clinton seems nice, too, but that's where I started on the hike and didn't get to see a lot of it.

I rode from Jeff City to Alton last summer (about 150 miles). I rode 65 miles the first day with all my gear for camping - not so bad. The second day I rode 85 miles and it did me in. I would suggest doing about 50-60 miles per day. I am doing this again this summer over 3 days instead of two.

One thing to keep in mind when guesstimating your mileage is the trail surface - it's

packed, crushed stone, not paved. What that really means is that you'll go slower for the

same amount of effort compared to riding on a paved road. How much is hard to say. For

me, I typicall found myself going 10-20% slower for the same apparent effort.



Other things to consider are direction - the prevailing winds are west-ish to east-ish, so

travel speed will be impacted. How much depends on you, and on the winds.



Also, when it rains, the trail softens up, making it slower. How much, again, depends on

how much rain in the past (weeks, months...) DNR is good at maintaining the trail but they

can't generally do miracles. (In one instance I sunk up to my axles in mud... blech)



Finally, the western sections do have some hills, so you might be a bit slower in those

sections (I sure am).

Appreciate the recommendations. I intend to start in Clinton, taking advantage of the winds and getting the hills out of the way. In the meantime, I'll keep my eyes open for progress beyond St. Charles - and for comments from the experts here.

The mileage all depends on you! For a recreational, occasional cyclist, 30-40 miles might be an effort. If you ride fairly regularly, 50-60 miles is doable. For seasoned, rabid, trained cyclists used to long distance riding, doing 100+ miles on sequential days isn't that bad. Many people have done the whole trail in one go...had to use lights for an hour or so. Heck, Lance Armstrong and the other pro's just did 190 miles in one day for the Milan San Remo race, and they had mountains to contend with! Have fun!

I agree 50 miles is doeable, but 40 may be a better goal (remember, you have to do this

several days in a row). However, two factors can affect that. Like above, we estimate we

are 2 mph slower on the Katy than the road. If the trail is damp, it could be more. Also,

if it gets HOT in the afternoon--you may want out of the heat by then. We set a brisk

pace so we can be at our destination around lunch. Then shower, nap and explore.



Also, some stretches require a longer ride. As I recall, there are some places out west

where the B&B's (if that's your goal) are farther apart. For our trips, that can be the

biggest obstacles--stringing together our ideal transportation, food and B&B's.



Another option is some longer days and some shorter days.

We recently rode the trail all the way from Clinton to St. Charles. We stayed at Meyers Hilltop on March 17th. Maggie and Eldon are great hosts. They gave us a ride into Herman for Dinner and even stopped at the grocery store for us so we could restock our energy bar supply for the next day's ride. Breakfast was fabulous - Oatmeal buttermilk pancakes! We were the first riders of the season and this was a welcome stop. I would highly reccomend this B&B - thank you Maggie and Eldon.



Mike T

We recently rode the trail all the way from Clinton to St. Charles. We stayed at Meyers Hilltop on March 17th. Maggie and Eldon are great hosts. They gave us a ride into Herman for Dinner and even stopped at the grocery store for us so we could restock our energy bar supply for the next day's ride. Breakfast was fabulous - Oatmeal buttermilk pancakes! We were the first riders of the season and this was a welcome stop. I would highly reccomend this B&B - thank you Maggie and Eldon.



Mike T

We ate at Abigails this past week (March 15th) and the food was outstanding. The best meal we had on our ride.



Mike T

We ate at Abigails this past week (March 15th) and the food was outstanding. The best meal we had on our ride.



Mike T

We stayed at the Hotel Bothwell on our recent ride on the KATY (March 14 -19th) A wonderful place to stay. They stored our bikes with no problems and were very nice. The Ivory Grill had good food and is right on the first floor. Also, the 5th street brewery has a great porter and it is just down the block on the main square. We enjoyed our stay at the Bothwell.



Mike T

We stayed at the Hotel Bothwell on our recent ride on the KATY (March 14 -19th) A wonderful place to stay. They stored our bikes with no problems and were very nice. The Ivory Grill had good food and is right on the first floor. Also, the 5th street brewery has a great porter and it is just down the block on the main square. We enjoyed our stay at the Bothwell.



Mike T

My wife and I rode from Clinton to St. Charles this last week (March 14th - 19th). We think we were the first to ride the whole trail this season? We had the week off for spring break and took a chance on the weather - it was beautiful. 70's most days.



Meyers Hilltop(McKittrick) was wonderful. The buttermilk oatmeal pancakes were great. Free transport into Herman and Maggie and Eldon were outstanding hosts. The Lindenhof in Augusta was also excellent. The rasberry french toast was out of this world. The amtrack ride back to Sedalia worked out really well. This was our first long term ride and we loved it!



The only negative was in Jeff City - the motel listing at Holts summit is not anywhere near the trail and they do not have a shuttle - I would not stay there again. They promised a shuttle and then when we go to the trailhead they said they didn't have one.



Also, if you stay in Rocheport, Abigail's is a great place to eat - we had the best meal of the entire trip there. Sounds like all we did was eat - sorry. We visited winery's in Herman and the wine we shipped home is already here.



I would encourage anyone to take a ride on the KATY, it was a great trip!!



Mike T

My wife & I are planning a trip from St. Charles to Boonville in June. Is that section of the trail open? Is there anything we should know about it before we go?

Plan ahead.



MO can be hot in June so always carry more water than you think you need.



Make sure you have some bike tools,pump/compressed air,a couple spare tubes and a patch kit. Know how to change a flat before learning how on the trail.



Carry a phone. It may not work everywhere, but its better than nothing.



Lodging. Get reservations at B&B,Hotel,or campground. Make sure you have a place to stay before you leave.



Read some of the past theads on this site about others experiences on the Katy. That's what helped me plan my first trip.



Enjoy the trail and have fun !!!



Paulie

Right on target Paulie.



When it's hot out...don't let water become an issue. Always top off your bottles/camelback when you come across water. That way you're always packing all that you can. I'd reather carry the extra weight and not need it, than need water and not have it.



If you are not a seasoned trail rider, make sure your bike seat gets along well with your hind side. Several days in a row on a bike seat can be pretty rough if you are not used to it. And, know that the rolling resistence on a chat trail is not as good as the pavement. Although the trail is generally flat and level, you'll have to pedal to keep moving.



Take your time and enjoy. There is always something to see...a butterfly, a green snake, wild flowers, the limestone bluffs, the river, etc. Hermann is a good stop if you have interest in the wine thing. Some good food there too. Jefferson City is a nice detour off the path to see the capital grounds, Madisons (sidewalk cafe), etc. Either shuttle via cab or be cautious riding across the river bridge here though. The spur to Columbia is a decent side trip too. The key is to plan time in your trip to stop and enjoy.

If you are staying overnight in Boonville, don't miss staying at

Hotel Federick--a beautifully restored hotel--such a welcomed

alternative to the glitzy casino not far away!

We are trying to plan a two day end-to-end on the Mickelson this spring and was wondering if any of you have ridden it and could provide some sound advice.



I have the Mickelson Trail guidebook and quite honestly.....it pales in comparison to The Complete Katy Trail Guidebook by Brett Dufur. And to complicate the matter.....there is no website like this to find info, or to ask other riders. Brett....Ray.....we really need you to branch out some here!



We'll be riding our hybrid bikes with panniers, etc. and understand the issues of gravel/chat, tire size, carrying water, blah, blah, blah, so am not interested in that type of info.



I'm more interested in travel logistic type info....cool places to stay, things that are on the must see list, who to shuttle back to the start point with, etc. What is the road like from the Mick to Mt. Rushmore....level, have a shoulder, ridable without getting killed??

Hey Trek,



I've been looking into riding the Michelson Trail for several years now. And your right,you can hardly find a thing on the web about this trail. Try this forum-



http://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowForum-g28962-i673-South_Dakota.html



Maybe you can find some help there.



Paulie

Has anyone heard what the progress is on the extension from Sedalia to Kansas City? I have emailed the DNR twice now but get no replies.

Given the current state of the economy and its effect on the Missouri State budget, I would be surprised if the extension of the trail is not put on hold until things improve.

Can anyone recommend a route for bicycling from Clinton or Sedalia to Kansas City? Or is

such an undertaking not recommended at all?

Riding on the shoulder of large 4 lane highways and interstates can actually be pretty safe.

The shoulders are 10 feet wide and have a rumble strip between the right lane and the

shoulder to wake up drifting motorists.



Many people think that its against the law to ride on the interstate but Missouri law only

prohibits riding in the TRAVEL LANE of the interstate which i doubt anyone would want to

do anyway.



I've ridden hundreds of miles along those roads and actually feel safer than I do on rural

two lane roads because of the extra space.



Modot has actually put "share the road" signs pretty liberally on highway 13 from clinton

to springfield but I dont know about north.



MODOT has decent bicycling maps online and they have surveyed which roads have

shoulders and which do not.

MODOT has posted what they plan to do with the economic recovery funds being made available to them. http://www.modot.org/FirstinNation/ However, you will note when looking at the project list that the Katy Trail extension and bike lane over the Missouri river at Jefferson City is not one of those projects they anticipate starting within the 90-180 days requirements of the economic recovery package.

Just be patient. With the giveaway mode this administration is in, it's just a matter of time until they will be putting up more of our hard earned tax money to give away.

Unfortunately its not anyones tax money.



Its borrowed from communist china.

And how is political propaganda related to the katy trail?

The Katy trail is highly political. The fact that the Katy brings in more tax dollars in tourism than are spent on it doesn't negate the fact that it does cost tax dollars to maintain. Getting the Katy in the first place required a lot of lobbying, and even now if we didn't constantly watch out it would be gone in an instant.



I heard the extension to KC was getting some of the stimulus package.

Stayed here on our way thru on the Katy Trail. Very nice and clean place with hot tub, and washer and dryer. Yes this is not typical bed and breakfast, but if you read their website you would know that. We would consider going back with friends and rent the whole house for the weekend and do some biking.

Stayed here on our way thru on the Katy Trail. Very nice and clean place with hot tub, and washer and dryer. Yes this is not typical bed and breakfast, but if you read their website you would know that. We would consider going back with friends and rent the whole house for the weekend and do some biking.

K Reed - Glad to hear you enjoyed your visit. The leaves are starting to turn real nice right now, so the hot tub has been getting extra thumbs up lately! We look forward to seeing you back in Rocheport soon!

K Reed - Glad to hear you enjoyed your visit. The leaves are starting to turn real nice right now, so the hot tub has been getting extra thumbs up lately! We look forward to seeing you back in Rocheport soon!

Spring has sprung in Rocheport! The daffodils and crocus are unfurling their petals, and the trail is hopping! The Katy Trail B&B is open for the season with many improvements our guests have been asking for. I just fired up the hot tub yesterday, and the grill is ready for your BBQ. Keep us in mind for your spring Rocheport adventures!

Spring has sprung in Rocheport! The daffodils and crocus are unfurling their petals, and the trail is hopping! The Katy Trail B&B is open for the season with many improvements our guests have been asking for. I just fired up the hot tub yesterday, and the grill is ready for your BBQ. Keep us in mind for your spring Rocheport adventures!

Barb will tell you wonderful stories, ask her about the Ghost!

Barb at the Peers Store that is...