Katy Trail Forum

I have never eaten in this establishment. My only experience is with a parking situation.

I was going to take my family for a ride down the Katy Trail. It was a nice day and the trailhead parking lot was pretty full. I pulled into what I thought was a spot and began to unload the kids and bikes. An employee of the establishment was cleaning the patio and stopped to inform me of the following in a comabtive tone: "This is not parking for the Katy Trail. That is obvious. That should just be obvious." (I am hoping that I was not the first person who had done this and that was the reason of his agitation.)

While what he was saying was completely true, I certainly did not believe that it was deserving of a combative tone. I only post this to warn people to not my apparent and obvious act of stupidity. Don't park anywhere near this place if you are going to ride down the trail. From this man's tone, I guess that others must have been doing that, so I want everyone else to learn from my experience.

There is no excuse for rudness, however, as you saw parking is precious in Defiance and Katy Trail parking might cut into his business. I often park at Matson, which has never been full for me and is just 1.5 miles further west.

Thanks rdaines,

I will probably do that next time. Now that I think about it, Matson is usually really empty when I ride by. Good idea. I'm all for the small business doing well in towns like Defiance. I think that I was just taken aback by the immediate attitude I received for a simple mistake. I did not want any others (or the owners for that matter) to make the same error. Thanks.

How ironic is it that when you drive by the Defiance parking area after dark the parking lot is completely full of the bar crowd's vehicles and the KATY Trail staff have to spend a considerable amount of time picking up beer bottles and cigarette wrappers every Saturday and Sunday morning.

Interesting that the comment about cleaning up the Katy Parking lot in Defiance. I've been there the past few weeks to see if this is actually the case. Other than finding a few wine bottles from the next town south, and a few discarded plastic cups accompaning the bottles, there was no evidence of Bar abuse.

I like the place and have had nothing but good experiences there. They have even started serving delicious BBQ in the later afternoon on Saturdays and Sundays.

Its a great place to stop for cold long neck after a long harley ride in the country.Hello from texas to my friends i met there.Sandy, Mark,Terry and Kathy and all.

We ate there when we rode the KATY trail several years ago. It was a great place to eat.

We stopped by a few saturdays ago when biking down from St Chuck and grabbed a bite to eat. The waitress was very nice and no one fussed about us having our bikes up on the patio next to the table. Food was good. We arrived a little too early to enjoy the BBQ, but they were cooking it up as we left, and a band was setting up. Wish we could have stayed a bit longer, it smelled great. :)

I find it odd "Whiskey" said that the parking lot had no bar abuse, I used to work as a volunteer on the Katy Trail and I know for a fact this parking lot is one of the biggest headaches for the Katy Trail Staff to keep clean. On Saturday and Sunday mornings the Katy parking area is always littered with beer bottles and cups from Terry and Kathy's bar. The sad thing is, this parking area has never been on the State Parks official list of parking areas and could be closed at any time. The state has left it open due to it's popularity with trail riders and a fear of complaints if closed. The owners of Terry and Kathy's bar have continuously promised to help clean up the parking area and never once followed through with any action to do so.

A very sad end to Crestmead. The historic home burned Monday, March 3, 2008. Apparently caused by faulty wiring. So sad to think of all the wood fires in the fireplaces, the candlelight celebrations, and kerosene lamps used for more than 100 years, and then to have the house destroyed because of electric wiring! Only some remnents of lower walls and the front porch remained. Most antique furnishings in the house were also lost. The story is in the Sedalia Democrat newspaper, March 9, and can be found online in their archives section. The home was built by John Taylor in 1859. He was the son of James (Corn) Taylor, who was my great, great, great, great grandfather.

A very sad end to Crestmead. The historic home burned Monday, March 3, 2008. Apparently caused by faulty wiring. So sad to think of all the wood fires in the fireplaces, the candlelight celebrations, and kerosene lamps used for more than 100 years, and then to have the house destroyed because of electric wiring! Only some remnents of lower walls and the front porch remained. Most antique furnishings in the house were also lost. The story is in the Sedalia Democrat newspaper, March 9, and can be found online in their archives section. The home was built by John Taylor in 1859. He was the son of James (Corn) Taylor, who was my great, great, great, great grandfather.

I am a good friend of the owners of Crestmead. This has been a tragic loss for our community. If you don't know the owners and would like to get in touch with them, call me, 660-834-4333 or 660-537-1786.

I am a good friend of the owners of Crestmead. This has been a tragic loss for our community. If you don't know the owners and would like to get in touch with them, call me, 660-834-4333 or 660-537-1786.

Tom, I was also sickened by the loss of this great place and the history and beautiful architecture of the house. I do research on Missouri's Little Dixie plantation culture and I have used the plantation history of the Taylor family many times in my research and programs. I have been out there several times and could see that the family who owns the place loved the old home and had much pride in it. I would like talking with you further about your family connection with this historic site, can you please email me at: garyfuenfh@aol.com ... I also have a web site with some of my research at littledixie.net . You can contact me also by phone 660-837-3199.

Tom, I was also sickened by the loss of this great place and the history and beautiful architecture of the house. I do research on Missouri's Little Dixie plantation culture and I have used the plantation history of the Taylor family many times in my research and programs. I have been out there several times and could see that the family who owns the place loved the old home and had much pride in it. I would like talking with you further about your family connection with this historic site, can you please email me at: garyfuenfh@aol.com ... I also have a web site with some of my research at littledixie.net . You can contact me also by phone 660-837-3199.

Last month I completed hiking the Katy Trail. I did it in a piecemeal fashion over the last 12 years. I have been informed there is a web site where you can register your name as one who has hiked or biked the whole trail and that the site assigns numbers in relation to how many hiker/bikers proceeded you. My web search has not turned up this site. Can anyone direct me to this web page.

Thanks,

Jon Palmer

Jon,

Congrats on making it!!! Not sure of anything official but you are in good company as one of the few who hiked the entire trail. There's one man, who's name slips my mind, that's hiked the entire trail a few times. Then there's GC from Columbia and myself who have each done it once.

anyone who has the will power and stamina to hike the katy once , not counting more than once has to be something special. congrats to john, doug, gc and the rest who have done it. ya;ll did something special.

Stamina and will power to walk 225 miles in 12 years? A good memory perhaps....

Congrats, Jon.

Some of those miles get rather long and dusty.

Here's to another 12!

Eddie's is very convenient to the Hotel Bothwell, and on a Sunday night, it was practically the only game in town in walking distance (and we weren't getting back on the bikes). But the Guberburger was a treat, the service was great with that old time diner feel. We just missed about 40 "biker" types (the motorized persuasion). We figured 40 bikers can't be wrong...and they left some for us.

Eddie's is very convenient to the Hotel Bothwell, and on a Sunday night, it was practically the only game in town in walking distance (and we weren't getting back on the bikes). But the Guberburger was a treat, the service was great with that old time diner feel. We just missed about 40 "biker" types (the motorized persuasion). We figured 40 bikers can't be wrong...and they left some for us.

OUTSTANDING!! My husband and I, along with 2 other couples, were bicycling the Katy Trail and chose this B&B from their website. We were so lucky to be welcomed by Maggie and Eldon. The rooms were great, the showers great, the views, the birds, everything. We both highly recommend this B&B to anyone, especially to those who may be cycling the Katy Trail. You are only 1/2 mile from the trailhead and it's so easy to find. Our breakfast the next morning was outstanding and certainly fit for cyclists. We all really enjoyed visiting with Maggie and Eldon and hearing their stories, especially laughing at some of these stories. This B&B is certainly among some of the top B&B's we have stayed in.

Thanks so much to Maggie and Eldon for welcoming us into your home. We really enjoyed our stay and hope to come back.

Paul and Lynne from Texas

OUTSTANDING!! My husband and I, along with 2 other couples, were bicycling the Katy Trail and chose this B&B from their website. We were so lucky to be welcomed by Maggie and Eldon. The rooms were great, the showers great, the views, the birds, everything. We both highly recommend this B&B to anyone, especially to those who may be cycling the Katy Trail. You are only 1/2 mile from the trailhead and it's so easy to find. Our breakfast the next morning was outstanding and certainly fit for cyclists. We all really enjoyed visiting with Maggie and Eldon and hearing their stories, especially laughing at some of these stories. This B&B is certainly among some of the top B&B's we have stayed in.

Thanks so much to Maggie and Eldon for welcoming us into your home. We really enjoyed our stay and hope to come back.

Paul and Lynne from Texas

Stayed here May 19,20 and 21. Will be back!!!! Felt at home from the time we drove up the curving driveway to the hilltop. If you love birds, this is the place. Many, many different species. Beautiful home set on top of a hilltop with a meadow of grass on all sides. Very seculed. Front porch a lovely setting to begin your day with a cup of Maggie's coffee before a tasty breakfast and chat with other guests at the end of a delightful day on the trail. Wonderful people and wonderful bed and breakfast. Get's an A+ from us.

Stayed here May 19,20 and 21. Will be back!!!! Felt at home from the time we drove up the curving driveway to the hilltop. If you love birds, this is the place. Many, many different species. Beautiful home set on top of a hilltop with a meadow of grass on all sides. Very seculed. Front porch a lovely setting to begin your day with a cup of Maggie's coffee before a tasty breakfast and chat with other guests at the end of a delightful day on the trail. Wonderful people and wonderful bed and breakfast. Get's an A+ from us.

You can also reach me at pete49@earthlink.net. Thanks maxine

You can also reach me at pete49@earthlink.net. Thanks maxine

Im getting ready to do the katy trail this week starting in St. charles. Does anyone know of additional camping? Also can you camp on sandbars on the missouri river? Any info regarding camping for free would be great. Just seems like there could be more info for those of us who like to rough it a little more then others.

I hiked the entire trail last year, camped 90% of the time along the way. There is one RV park in St. Charles but they don't allow tents. I'd suggest going up the hill to a hotel when in good ole St. Chas. You'll find most of the campgrounds along the way priced anywhere from 7 to 12 dollars per night. I chose not to camp at the Traders in Wilton because it was just plain unkept and nasty. There is a small tent site on the trail just outside of Hartsburg in the Hart Conservation area. Nice place, extremely primitive, not for the faint at heart. All the other campgrounds were run by friendly people who take pride in their establishments. As far as sleeping on a sandbar two words: FLASH FLOOD. HYOH

I might be a little late on this one, but “free camping” is available at Missouri Conservation areas. In addition, to Hart Creek mentioned above, you can also camp at the Davisdale Conservation Area near Rocheport. Locations per this website.



I have also camped at the Daniel Boone Conservation Area east of Hermann (it is an approx. 2 mile hike/bike up a very steep-in certain areas gravel road). The gravel road crosses the Katy near MM 97 (as I recall). There is a sign on Hwy 94 (94 parallels the Katy to the south in this area) at this gravel road turnoff, and I believe the Katy is close enough that you can see it from the trail, but you need to be looking for it. There are several camping sites in this area.



In general, what you get at these conservation areas, is some sort of fire pit, an old picnic table(if you are lucky), and a sign that says camping allowed.



I also know that there are a couple of conservation areas along the Missouri River in mid Missouri that allows boat in camping. It seems that could work with the Katy also, but I am not familiar with these areas.



Also, if you read the new “Captain America’s” blog mentioned below, he is hiking across the U.S. When he was on the Katy, he apparently camped at the trailhead in Mokane and the trailhead at McKittrick. This is illegal, but I am not sure if they really ticket people for doing this if they are caught.

Just wanted to make folks aware of a new shuttle option on the east end of the trail. Katy Bike Rental in Defiance now has a weekend shuttle running between Defiance and Dutzow (a distance of 15 miles). This allows you to cover more of the trail, since you can use the shuttle to handle 15 miles of your return trip. Cost is $5 if you rent one of their bikes, or $10 if using your own bike.

Here''''s a link to their brochure (this is a PDF file which is over 1MB in size, so it may open slowly).

They also offer regular shuttle service, but the idea of a regularly scheduled point-to-point shuttle really stuck me as a neat idea.

If you were riding the katy trail from west to east, and wanted to catch the Amtrak back to Sedalia, what would be the easiest way to get from the east end of the trail in St. Charles, to the station in Kirkwood? Not sure I'd want to ride in the city traffic.

You'll find some ideas on the getting to Kirkwood page. This web page offers several bike route suggestions. If you prefer not to ride, you may be able to get a shuttle.



If you haven't already, I'd also suggest looking at the Amtrak / Katy Trail page.



Good luck!

Hello,

I'm planning on going to Sedalia from the Page Ave Extension starting Friday, May 23. I would like to get to Sedalia by Tues at the latest to catch the 5PM train back to Kirkwood. Is anybody else doing a trip that weekend?



ka3751

The trail is closed near the soccer fields at Creve Coeur Park. In case you're planning to use the bridge to access the trail, you probably should come up with another route.

Too late for this weekend but the part of the CC Park trail that is closed isn't part of the Katy Trail Connector. There is a section on the west side of the lake that is closed but it isn't on the direct route and easily bypassed.



The connection runs from the roundabout near the Lakehouse Cafe to the Katy Trail. It is open, however there is a detour around some road construction. Watch the rumble strips and a couple of the corners are rather sharp with rock, otherwise, no problem. I was told that detour will be in place until late August.

Becky's Burgers and Cones is a terrific place to stop. The blue plate special (sloppy joe and wilted lettuce)came on a blue plate! And the greens were fresh picked out of the garden that day. The strawberry ice cream pie was amazing. It's places like Becky's that make the Katy and Pilot Grove special.



We even met the mayor! City eateries are okay, but I'll take small town, family-owned places over fancy any day. Thanks Becky's for making our trip special.

"The Doll House is beautifully appointed and very restful after a hard day on the Katy Trail. The bedrooms are nicely furnished and the bathroom facilities are more than adequate. Located very near the Katy Trail the property is ideally situated in beautiful Rhineland. A nearby tavern serves up good food with attentive service. Breakfast was the highlight of my stay at The Doll House and Amanda is a very pleasant and hard working hostess. I think that The Doll House is an excellent value and I highly recommend it to anyone needing a nice place to stay along The Katy Trail.

Joe G.

St. Louis, Missouri

May 2008"

Last Sunday I was riding on the trail and noticed a rather unusual looking individual...a man with a bright curly pink wig and blindingly pink shirt, and he had on a large backpack and was carrying an American flag. At the time I was around Marthasville, I believe, in the midst of riding a century in less than 6 hours so was rather preoccupied and didn't stop to talk...



Anybody see him? Is this the new Captain America?

Yep, saw him last Sunday, he is walking across America for breast cancer awareness. Pink wear for the cancer suvivors.. Interesting person. Spent sometime talking to him. Has interesting web-site.



trailjournals.com/roadtothecure. He updates almost daily

Are there shuttles avaiable that depart from St Charles and drop you off at any point desired along the trail?

St. Charles Yellow Cab will send a van to pick up bikers/gear in Defiance for roughly $30 per person between St. Charles and Defiance. Not sure what the cost is if you want them to go further out. Their number is listed somewhere on this website. The price was quoted to me a few weeks ago--not sure if it's gone up due to gas prices.

Planning a surprise trip with my husabnd. Going to keep the ride short since we are toting along our 2 year old son. Planning on Dutzow to Augusta and back. We will stay the night in Augusta if there is anywhere family-friendly.



Anyone ever stayed at one of the B and B's with the rugrats? He really is a good little boy, but we know not everyone likes kiddos.



Thanks!

If you're not against spending the night in a cabin, Klondike Park has several that anyone can rent. The park is relatively new, located right off the trail, and is in the Agusta area; you can find a link on this web site.



Oh, be sure to have a meal at the Dutzow Deli. Great food and service. My wife and I have eaten there many times.

I lost an earring on the Katy Trail somewhere between Rocheport and North Jefferson City on Sunday, April 27. Most likely between Rocheport and Hartsburg, but it could be anywhere in between. It is all silver, a cutout profile of a woman's face with her hair flowing behind her. There is a reward. Please email me if you have found it.

Thanks!

Pat

I forgot to include my email! Here it is love2hike2@hotmail.com. Please, if you have found my earring email me. A reward awaits you!

I found this web site that provides current wind and wind forecasts (a couple days out).



http://www.intellicast.com/National/Wind/WINDcast.aspx?location=USMO0787



Ray you might want to add the link as part of the weather information on this site.

That's a great resource. We all know how much the wind can change the dynamics of your bike ride. I have added this link in the "Useful Resources" section near the bottom of the Katy Trail weather page.



Thanks Gary!

Ray here's an even better site with wind speed and direction plus other weather data including humidity. Site is set-up for aviation people but can also be useful for trail riders.



http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/code.cgi?Submit=Go&sta=KJEF&state=MO



Trail riders will need to pick a city (probably most useful to pick Sedalia, Columbia, Jefferson City, or Saint Charles) for the part of the trail they plan to ride.

Great site!

Thanks Gary. Their graphical layout is the best weather web page format I've seen yet. I have added links under the "Additional Resources" section of the weather page, and bookmarked their site for my own use too.

My girlfriend and I are planning a one / two day ride probably using Augusta as center point and going both directions. Anyone have any suggestions on best places to see / do on the trail? Is there a better area to start at? We are not long distance riders but love the scenery and ride the trail. Thanks for your help.

To me, two of the most scenic stretches are from Bluffton mm110 to Steedman mm 121 and then from a little west of Treloar about mm 90 to close to Case mm 95. Along both you find benches overlooking the river and tree covered sections of the trail.

The Isle of Capri offers a FREE shuttle to the hotels along I-70! (Tips are appreciated.) All you have to do is roll in and ask. This is true even though the Isle has its own hotel. The free shuttle also goes to the other I-70 businesses, like the truck stops and fast food joints. It runs M-F from about 3 p.m. to about 2:30 a.m., and weekends from 11 a.m. to about 2:30 a.m.



They also offer a FREE bike locker so you can explore the town.

The Isle of Capri offers a FREE shuttle to the hotels along I-70! (Tips are appreciated.) All you have to do is roll in and ask. This is true even though the Isle has its own hotel. The free shuttle also goes to the other I-70 businesses, like the truck stops and fast food joints. It runs M-F from about 3 p.m. to about 2:30 a.m., and weekends from 11 a.m. to about 2:30 a.m.



They also offer a FREE bike locker so you can explore the town.

Do you pick up in St. Louis for transport to Sedalia? If so, cost for 4 with bikes?

Do you pick up in St. Louis for transport to Sedalia? If so, cost for 4 with bikes?

You can also contact Doug at the Rendleman Home. He can take up to four riders and gear.

You can also contact Doug at the Rendleman Home. He can take up to four riders and gear.

Ben Franklin Coffee House also serves sandwiches and salads for lunch. They're very good!

Ben Franklin Coffee House also serves sandwiches and salads for lunch. They're very good!

Yes, they have excellent sandwiches and salads. Plus, the service is very good, and they sell antiques, coffee, sweets, homemade baked goods, plus they have Wifi! Everyone is very nice and the cafe is very clean.

Yes, they have excellent sandwiches and salads. Plus, the service is very good, and they sell antiques, coffee, sweets, homemade baked goods, plus they have Wifi! Everyone is very nice and the cafe is very clean.

On the lighter side, I saw mucho indigo buntings near Portland the other day. Although these birds are seen along most of the trail anytime, they were swarming in places between Rhineland and Mokane that morning. It was like coming upon a school of fish during a feeding frenzy. They were on both sides of the trail and in front and back of me. I’m surprised one didn’t land on my handlebars. :):) Reckon that’s common for those parts of the trail?

They seem to like that area as well as between Boonville and Rocheport.

Enjoyed our stay. We met two other friend-couples who motored in. This is a perfect place for three couples -- each can have a room of own -- plus there is a roomy additional common room & a lovely veranda. I could imagine this space would be good also for a "girls' weekend." I'd love to stay for two nights next time.

Enjoyed our stay. We met two other friend-couples who motored in. This is a perfect place for three couples -- each can have a room of own -- plus there is a roomy additional common room & a lovely veranda. I could imagine this space would be good also for a "girls' weekend." I'd love to stay for two nights next time.

We love this place. It has grown in size substantially since about 5 years ago. So there is a much bigger crowd than there used to be. But what has remained: very friendly service, generous wine tasting, and the view is one of the best among the wineries in Missouri. We rode in a car with friends we met in Augusta. I would not cycle the road to Montelle because of lack of safety.

We love this place. It has grown in size substantially since about 5 years ago. So there is a much bigger crowd than there used to be. But what has remained: very friendly service, generous wine tasting, and the view is one of the best among the wineries in Missouri. We rode in a car with friends we met in Augusta. I would not cycle the road to Montelle because of lack of safety.

A welcome respit very near the trail: location a plus. Lunch was good enogh--we were hungry! Dinner dishes were uneven. Some were great - mussels, a wonderful soup -- but some were not so great - tenderloin appeared in fact to be a cheaper cut of beef The sevice was fine & some of the beers good. Note this place is fairly large. We were really happy to sit outside: the many asian poppies in May were beautiful! We'd go there again.

A welcome respit very near the trail: location a plus. Lunch was good enogh--we were hungry! Dinner dishes were uneven. Some were great - mussels, a wonderful soup -- but some were not so great - tenderloin appeared in fact to be a cheaper cut of beef The sevice was fine & some of the beers good. Note this place is fairly large. We were really happy to sit outside: the many asian poppies in May were beautiful! We'd go there again.

Wondering if anyone rides the stretch from North Jefferson to Hartsburg regularly, and would like to ride in a group. I ride occasionaly as my job allows me, but prefer riding with someone. Also prefer a slower pace! LOL Thanks, Ron

Wednesday May 14, 2008



JEFFERSON CITY – Gov. Matt Blunt announced today that Missouri’s Katy Trail State Park has received national recognition as the newest inductee into the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s new Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.



http://www.gov.mo.gov/cgi-bin/coranto/viewnews.cgi?id=EkEpZlFAuVIpjrcECj&style=Default+News+Style&tmpl=newsitem

Actually the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy inducted the Katy Trail to the Hall Of Fame in September 2007.

www.railstotrails.org/newsandpubs/trailofthemonth/archives/0709.html

it was originally featured in September 2001

Sooo...Matt Blunt is 8 months behind.....not bad for a politician! If only Dubya was so efficient.

FYI: The actual name is "Cafe Napoli", not "Napoli". If you were looking for the phone number, that could have been tricky. (It's 660-882-0250.) They have good salads here, and I am very picky about my salad! They're really big, too.

FYI: The actual name is "Cafe Napoli", not "Napoli". If you were looking for the phone number, that could have been tricky. (It's 660-882-0250.) They have good salads here, and I am very picky about my salad! They're really big, too.

The Texaco Minimart has closed. It needs to be removed from the listing.

The Texaco Minimart has closed. It needs to be removed from the listing.