Katy Trail Forum

How far off the trail is the Amtrak in Washington and how practical is it to get there on bike? I would prefer to use this stop and avoid getting into St. Louis. Thanks, BF

We hitched a ride in a pickup truck to cross the river. The driver recommended the Sleep Inn in Washington and dropped us off there. It caters to business people, and I thought it was overpriced for what we got. It's about 3 miles down a steep hill to downtown Washington and the Amtrak station. No problem biking there.

Washington is about 4 miles, via hwy 47, from Dutzow trailhead. Be warned that this is not an easy ride. Highway 47 has a 55 MPH speed limit and a gravel shoulder. The bridge across the Missouri River has a 45 MPH limit, and no shoulder. I've heard of people doing it on bike, but they have tougher nerves than I do. If you are spending the night, you might be able to find a B&B that will give you a ride.



Good luck!

My wife and I did this in October. We are not young (67 & 73), there was a significant headwind from the Southeast and my wife wimped out riding to and across the bridge. We got a ride in a truck from the host of our B&B (Brick House), and after the ride I decided my wife's judgment was better than mine. Unless you can do 4 miles at a brisk speed followed by about 30 mph up the hill to the bridge it would be a really scary and ill-advised trip by bike.

We caught the train from Washington to Jeff City--then rode back. The Dutzow Deli is right

on the trailhead across the river from Washington and a nice way to finish. I chickened out

on riding over the bridge to get the car, so my husband went by myself. He admitted it was

not smart--no shoulder and dangerous bridge. I would recommend calling a cab from the

Deli to get to the station.

Is water available at the trailheads, and are restrooms open now...or is that later in spring?

Should be April 1 when DNR turns the water on. I've not been at a trailhead to see for sure...but the turn on date is April 1.

I was at the Jefferson City trailhead this past weekend and the water was turned on there.

HOw far off would I be from an Amtrak Station if I were to ride the length of the course from Clinton to St. Charles

Go to the below on this site and it gives you good information on using the AMTRACK. You'll be about 15 miles from the station once you finish the KATY in St. Charles. You can ride to the station, but I'm told the traffic is bad. You should be able to get a shuttle without too much trouble. The AMTRACK will only take you to Sedelia, so you'll have to either bike back to Clinton, or hire a shuttle.





http://www.bikekatytrail.com/amtrak.asp

March-"in like a lion and out like a lamb", not this year! My husband and 2 best friends found that the weather in March is just simply unpredictable. It was cold and rainy last week, but we came to ride and ride we did! The trail is very nicely maintained and very well marked. We stayed at the Healing Stone Retreat and Spa. The staff was wonderful! We felt like we were in our own home. The food was fresh, organic and filling. The hot tub and sauna were a welcome home after riding. The best part of course were the memories made and cherished.

Where is this spa? I have searched but can't figure out the location/city/town. Thanks!

It's a little east of McKittrick, although it's listed on the Hermann page of this website. If you go to this link, you'll see a photo, map, and other info on Healing Stone. Zoom out the map a bit (by clicking the "-" button on the left of the map) to get a perspective of the location.

Old Dale ...started riding the trail with all the hi tech lubes out there TEFLON-TRI FLOW and everything the bike shops told me to use..But then after arriving at the end of my first day I noticed a toxic gooball concrete mixblob had grown on my chain and gear system. It was truly alive absorbing everything from the trail. I bought a new chain and had a shop install it. Next day the same atomic gooball blend came back.

SOLUTION--I bought a can of brake cleaner ( safe for plastic) from an auto parts store and put cardboard under the rear gears and blasted the entire can untill it was clean. I waited untill it was dry and then blasted it with ICE WAX. This is so old school reminding me of the old days touring where people would melt candlewax and apply it to there chain. Nitro-cling limedust does not attract or stick to a parifin base lube. Many rides later I have not had to remove the chain or do any special gooball chain service. ICEWAX is the trail riders only lube. because it does NOT ATTRACT -the nitro-atomic powered gooball (concrete limestuff). Old Dale is a slow learner... but this stuff works for many trips with little to no build up. -ICE WAX- the BEST ( ANTI- lime concrete gooball gear and chain) system lube. Its is truly made for this lime powder- Katie trailride. Got to go... I need a drink of water just thinking about that wonderfull lime dust. Dale Cannon

I too am a fan of Pedro's Ice Wax...it works well for our riding style. A good investment tho is a chain cleaning kit. Pedro's makes a nice one that contains all the runoff degreaser and it does a nice job of scrubbing the chain when used with their Oranj Peelz Degreaser.

I too was wondering about this ICE WAX???? I have been reading about it and hearing people saying that you have to re-apply after every ride, or it will start to effect shifting, is this true????? Can you switch back and forth from regular chain lube, to ice wax??? I live a ways from the KATY and it seems that ICE wax may be a pain for everyday riding. Can anyone help?????

After every ride seems to be overkill.....something that I've not had to do, nor have I heard of anyone having to do that. The exception has been after a few very dusty rides and one 80 mile ride in the rain on the Katy. I would have cleaned the chains and relubed after those rides regardless of what type of chain lube I was using. I'm sure there are other lube types that others swear by. I started using it a few years ago upon the recommendation of a friend that was Cat 5 racing. I've used other lubes after degreasing the chain good so the lube types aren't mixed. I always seem to migrate back to Ice Wax though.

Planet Bike fenders help keep the drive, as well as the whole bike clean; and help prevent the destruction of a good chain.

TO BEN -MEADVILLE MO. (ICE WAX UPDATE)- Ice wax comes in (very small)containers and I always take a little from a started container on the day rides. NO we (can not switch) back and forth from regular lube because regular lub is an (oil base) and Ice wax is a (parifin) type of product and drys to a (dry condition) that does not seem to absorb the lime dust. I like a bike that shifts sharp and crisp because ol Dale does not have a lot of power and shifts a lot to keep the (2 leg motors) at full power during a long 50 or 60 mile day. CLEANING the Ice wax chain after a few rides is where people get messed up. You can buy a chain cleaner kit but I use liquid speed wax (anything works) the kind you use on your car for a quicko wax. I put cardboard behind the gears and BLAST with this liquid car wax. EVERYTHING falls off the gear system till sparkely clean....then I dry the chain and gears and reapply the ICEWAX. Bike shops do not seem to like ICE WAX because if they do not know it is on the (chain.gears) and put it in TUNEUP rack mode they get a really thick nasty oily parifin mix that is really hard to deal with.I use Triflow on my roadbike but my hybird and mountain bikes I always use ICEWAX ...The other thing I remind folks -there are no toxic fumes- from Icewax and is real easy to apply .I have done this in my living room with a trash bag under the gears...no toxic lube smell, no spray, and very easy to apply. PLEASE BEWARE --this lime dust is not to be taken lightly, it gets absorbed and sticks like (concretegluemix.) *new word just for the Katy Trail* This special lime stuff is atracted to (anything) with an OIL BASE-LUBE. Nothing else works.(GO ICE WAX) you will love it. Old Dale needs a glass of water just thinken about that magic CONCRETEGLEMIX....

Where can I get ice wax and how much will a person riding the whole trail need to take with them to keep their bike from jamming up for a week.

You should be able to find it at your local bike shop...if not Dick's Sporting Goods has it....or online, click on the Performance Bike or Nashbar links on this website.

Here's a direct link to Ice Wax products at Performance.

My husband and two best friends just came back from riding the Katy for a couple of days. We stayed at the Healing Stone Retreat & Spa. It is absolutely the best place I've ever stayed. The house is beautiful and the cleanest place ever. I looked forward every morning to the delicious BIG breakfast. The staff was most accomodating and pleasant. Just could not have had a better time. We also loved the Katy. Wished we had more time to ride. Maybe next year. Do make plans to stay at Healing Stone. The Best!

Hey BFF-next time we will ride in sunny warm May and we will have our backsides prepared for all those miles in the saddle.

Oh, we just loved our stay here. This is the classic, quintessential B&B. Doris has added so many thoughtful touches to make her guests feel at home, including a fresh pot of coffee just outside your room in the morning with the press of a button, a refrigerator to store your leftover cobbler from American Bounty (excellent restaurant!), and a heavenly bathroom. Breakfast is excellent, and served via antique silverware. Wonderfully appointed home that has been featured on national morning TV programs and major magazines. I wanted to take her kitchen and bathroom home with me, but they just wouldn't fit in the panniers. We'll definitely stay here again on our next ride.

Oh, we just loved our stay here. This is the classic, quintessential B&B. Doris has added so many thoughtful touches to make her guests feel at home, including a fresh pot of coffee just outside your room in the morning with the press of a button, a refrigerator to store your leftover cobbler from American Bounty (excellent restaurant!), and a heavenly bathroom. Breakfast is excellent, and served via antique silverware. Wonderfully appointed home that has been featured on national morning TV programs and major magazines. I wanted to take her kitchen and bathroom home with me, but they just wouldn't fit in the panniers. We'll definitely stay here again on our next ride.

Mr. Sharples, what a remarkable accomplishment! (I just read the "entire trail in a day" thread.) Kudos to you on your record and plans for another trip this year. Best of luck.



I’m actually planning to do the same thing with a buddy on June 6th. While we are aiming for a respectable time (and to survive in the process), our primary goal is to raise funds for breast cancer research/awareness. My wife was diagnosed exactly one year ago and is a survivor today.



In the process of training I’ve been inviting friends and family to sponsor me, with proceeds benefiting the Komen Foundation through my wife’s Race for the Cure team (Bridget’s Brigade). I also invite others to join in this worthwhile endeavor by sponsoring meat $1 per mile (up to 225 miles, or more if you’d like!). Since it’s all for a good cause, I’m including my site link on Komen that includes details:



http://www.komenstlouis.org/site/TR/Race/General?pg=personal&fr_id=1000&fr_id=1000&px=1061203



By the way, Mr. Sharples, what is the secret to your success?!

hey ben, just read your entry. like your wife, my wife is also a breast cancer survivor. cancer free for now 2 1/2 yrs and counting. good luck on your ride. let us know how you do. be safe.

Does anyone know the safest bike route from Clinton to KC? I will be biking cross-state late May, from STL to KC. I'd like to avoid the major highways, but that might not be feasible. Any feedback would be immensely helpful.

Don't know the backroads in that area. But your route might depend on whether you're stopping over in KC specifically, or if you're just wanting to get past it to the Kansas side. Assuming you're taking the Katy Trail from St Louis, Highway-7 NW out of Clinton has a shoulder to ride on. From it, one can catch several highways west, including Highway-2 just south of Harrisonville. Otherwise, check the maps best you can.

Hwy 7 is divided hwy but not expressway. Shoulders are wide and is probably safest way to get close to KC. HYW13 north out of clinton has no shoulders and is pretty hilly; you'd be toast on this road.



stay safe, peddle fast!

Just wanted to share with everyone the wonderful time we had staying @ The Isle of Capri. My husband & I stayed 2 nights and we were treated VERY well. Sal and his team made sure our bikes were taken care of and that we had a pleasant stay!! Our rooms were super clean the food was awesome and we even enjoyed the fun of playing in the casino. If you are riding the trail and staying in Boonville try the Isle of Capri for good times,good food and a great nights sleep all under one roof!!