Katy Trail Forum

I am planning to be in Hermann MO on Sept 15th to bike around. This coincides with the "Tour of Missouri" segment which will pass thru Hermann on the way to St. Louis. It should extremely cool to see all the pros, but since part of the race will take place on the KATY trail, I'm concerned that the trail will be closed to public access on this day. Does anyone know? So far, none of the involved websites have any information.

On the Tour of Missouri website.....the map and the Tour Logic for that leg does not show the race on the Katy Trail. Where are you finding information that says they are going to ride on the Katy??

The race will be on highway 94 between Jefferson City and Hermann, which parallels the trail in places. It might cross the trail a few times. I actually have a Katy trip planned then too. Riding from Sedalia to Hartsburg on the 13th, then to Hermann on the 14th. There's a hill climb time trail on Friday night, and 30 mile bike ride Saturday morning at 8:00. The race should come through Hermann at around 1:00. I'm riding Amtrak back to Sedalia in the evening.

Hmm... Maybe you are right. Here is a route listing from the newsroom area of the Tour of Missouri website.



Saturday, September 15, 2007: Stage 5 – Jefferson City to St. Charles

123 miles (198 kilometers)

Start: 11 am

Finish: 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm







Stage Five kicks off at 11 am on the capitol grounds, passes through downtown and then takes the racers right through the heart of wine country. Wine-tasting spectators can watch exciting sprints for points in Hermann, Washington and Augusta. Crossing the Katy Trail at several points, the race will then travel up the punishing climb on Schulsberg Road for the KOM points competition, and then into historic St. Charles. The race will finish at the Depot in St. Charles, right at the end of the Katy Trail.



http://www.tourofmissouri.com/newsroom/show/33



Also the calendar page on HermannMissouri.com has a vague listing which refers to KATY. http://www.hermannmissouri.com/monthly.htm



Just trying to get to the bottom of route specifics. I looks like the race will merely be "crossing" the KATY trail.

A mere technicality! It will cross several times......once on each side of Rhineland for example. Some of the information has been somewhat confusing....that makes it difficult to determine the stategic spot to see Contador making the move of the day!



Check this link out for the leg that you were questioning J.B.



http://www.tourofmissouri.com/files/stages/ToM%20Stage%205%20Basic%20Log.pdf

Thanks. Also, which direction would provide more scenery...east of Hermann or west of Hermann? I do like the so-called "wine country".

Go west young man (or lady).....Rhineland....Portland.

We rode from Calhoun to Sedalia Fairgrounds on Satuday August 26,2007. It seemed like we were going up a gradual incline the whole time. We were worn out!!! OK maybe we are just out of shape! Well we ate at the 5th Street Brew Pub and it made it all worth it. We had a 1/3lb burger, fries and a draw for $3.50. (It was the special that day.) It was excellent and can't beat the price or service. If you are not familiar with Sedalia and you are riding the trail the best way to get to to the 5th Street Brew Pub is to reach it from the Sedalia Depot at mile marker 227.1 Follow 5th street a few blocks west towards downtown and it is on the corner of Ohio and 5th street.

We rode from Calhoun to Sedalia Fairgrounds on Satuday August 26,2007. It seemed like we were going up a gradual incline the whole time. We were worn out!!! OK maybe we are just out of shape! Well we ate at the 5th Street Brew Pub and it made it all worth it. We had a 1/3lb burger, fries and a draw for $3.50. (It was the special that day.) It was excellent and can't beat the price or service. If you are not familiar with Sedalia and you are riding the trail the best way to get to to the 5th Street Brew Pub is to reach it from the Sedalia Depot at mile marker 227.1 Follow 5th street a few blocks west towards downtown and it is on the corner of Ohio and 5th street.

We stopped by late morning and they weren't open yet, but the owner was there awaiting a delivery. He let us in to warm up and was very personable and accomodating.

We stopped by late morning and they weren't open yet, but the owner was there awaiting a delivery. He let us in to warm up and was very personable and accomodating.

We had a similiar experience. We were entering Augusta on a 103 degree day. The last 6 miles or so into town from the west had very little shade, and we were wearing out. We made it to the river witch, but there weren't really open. The bartender invited us in and we had gatorade while we cooled off and he told us the history of the place. Very nice guy! Interesting place too!

We had a similiar experience. We were entering Augusta on a 103 degree day. The last 6 miles or so into town from the west had very little shade, and we were wearing out. We made it to the river witch, but there weren't really open. The bartender invited us in and we had gatorade while we cooled off and he told us the history of the place. Very nice guy! Interesting place too!

I stopped in 8-25-07. We rode from St. Charles, camped at Klondike and went to Augusta for supper. Along with Augusta Brewery we stopped in here. Cold beer (all AB products as far as I could tell) and we had a frozen pizza which was a TJ's ( which is very good for a frozen pizza at a small bar). The bartender was informative. I never did ask if they would let us look around in the wine cellar. They had various pickled products for sale also.

I stopped in 8-25-07. We rode from St. Charles, camped at Klondike and went to Augusta for supper. Along with Augusta Brewery we stopped in here. Cold beer (all AB products as far as I could tell) and we had a frozen pizza which was a TJ's ( which is very good for a frozen pizza at a small bar). The bartender was informative. I never did ask if they would let us look around in the wine cellar. They had various pickled products for sale also.

Hi...we would like to try to base ourselves in one hotel for 2 nights. Our thought is that we could do long bike rides from each direction but not have to doubleback. Then we are hoping the hotel (or other shuttle service) would pick us up each day after riding the trail. Does anyone have any suggestions or we would appreciate any pointers on how to work out a few days of biking with easy access to lodging and dining at night. Wineries might be nice too!

check out Lococo House ll, Bed & Breakfast ------ we have a number of options for shuttling and overnight accomodations -------www.lococohouse.com or 636-946-0619

We are hoping to ride Rocheport, Hermann and Sedalia areas or more west on the trail. Any options there -- taxis even? Thanks!

Use the "Plan a Ride" feature above to find shuttle options and call them for price, availability, etc. While in Rocheport, plan time to visit Les Bourgeous up on the hill. The bistro has great food and wine. The view is pretty cool too. Looking west from the A-frame you can see Boonville in the distance...pretty neat to see how far you've come....or how far you need to go.



Hermann Hill Vineyard and Inn in Hermann is a great place to stay. They have a nice B & B on the west side of town as well "cottages" on the northeast side of town that overlook the Missouri River. Stonehill has a nice resturaunt that was once an old stable, a good tour and tasting, and some pretty good wine also. (Although not easy to get to by bike, Adam Puchta south of town has a couple of very good wines that are available at Loutres Market between McKittrick and Herman. Their Vignoles and Adams Choice are worth looking for...if you like German style whites.



Some of the information on this site about the Hermann bridge is outdated. The new bridge is open and the old bridge is being removed and is no longer in service.



Enjoy your trip.

Stayed at Maxines and Petes during the Missouri State Fair. Would definitely go back. Am thinking about the Scott Joplin Festival or the Katy Trail in October.

Stayed at Maxines and Petes during the Missouri State Fair. Would definitely go back. Am thinking about the Scott Joplin Festival or the Katy Trail in October.

Thanks for posting. We were planning a trip in October, and thought about staying here, but were wondering about it. Sounds like a great place for the price!

Thanks for posting. We were planning a trip in October, and thought about staying here, but were wondering about it. Sounds like a great place for the price!

Is the Katy open all year? Is it possible to ride in Dec/Jan? Is snow a problem (not concerned about the temperature)?

Dick,

Check the weather section on the site. The trail is open all year. I live in central Missouri and pretty close to the Katy. I have been on the trail in Dec/Jan in basically shirt sleeve weather, but other times, like last year, we had about a foot and a half of snow after one storm. The best thing to do is check the weather and the forecasts before you go and hope the weather guy is right.

Also remember that some of the businesses will be closed or operating on winter hours. You might want to call ahead to see who's going to be open, if you're counting on stopping in a particular small town for food or water.



Other than that, winter's a great time to enjoy the trail. You'll pretty much have it to yourself, and the scenery can be spectacular after a snowfall.

I would like to know if there is any safe overnight parking at trailheads or places near the

katy trail? I am thinking of riding over Labor Day and spending only one night out and

then riding back to my car the next day.

The one place that comes up repeatedly that most don't feel comfortable leaving their car at overnight is the North Jefferson trailhead. I've left my car for several days in Sedalia, Boonville, Rocheport, and Hartsburg and never had any problems with doing so. I've also left it in the motel parking where I've stayed the nite before a ride too.

Check out Lococo House ll -----we are three blocks from trail headin St. Charles ---- we could help you out ----call 636-946-0619

You are welcome to park your car at Comfort Inn, Boonville, Mo in the Parking Lot for a couple of nights at no cost to you. Comfort Inn is located less than one(1) mile from Katy Trail and off I-70 at Exit # 101. Please exit trail at the entrance between milepost 194 and 195 to get to Comfort Inn when you return. Please feel free to contact us anytime if you need further assistance. Sincerely,



Rick

I was wondering the same thing, except for the starts and finishes like St. Charles and Clinton?

From above post.....Check out Lococo House ll -----we are three blocks from trail headin St. Charles. I don't know about Clinton, but have left my car at the Depot in Sedalia extended stay without a hitch.



Rick @ Comfort Inn....we have stayed with C.I. and left our vehicle there several times also. You all couldn't be more biker friendly. Thanks! (Now, how bout a few extra Choice Priveledge points??)

My wife and I go to Boonville in July and rent a motel, visit family, and check out the casino. We had been staying at the Comfort Inn, and each time we were met with some sort of problem. Lights didn't work. Coffee pot in room didn't work. The bedsheets on the bed had hair on them! We told management and they were very hateful.They made a rude comment about us getting a free room through the casino. We did get the room for free, but the sheets should have been clean! On top of this the ice machine didn't work! It's summertime, and no ice for our drinks! Well, we packed up and headed for Fredrickson a lovely hotel downtown by the casino! Nice very nice! The staff was eager to help us with every need! We will be back!

Sounds totally out of character for the Comfort Inn. We've stayed there several times as well as other Comfort Inn's and have never had sub par accomodations or rude staff encounters. How is it that your comp room was at the Comfort Inn anyway?.....I would have thought it would have been at the casino hotel. They don't like giving their expensive rooms away??

I am sorry, but we show NO RECORD OF ANY JEFF MASTERS staying at Comfort Inn of Boonville, Missouri during the month of July 2007 or any other time before that. We have also checked the names of casino's guests at our hotel in July, 2007---No Jeff Masters on that list either.



We take great pride in offering CLEAN, COMFORTABLE Rooms at reasonable prices and excellent service at all times. Comfort Inn of Boonville is AAA APPROVED HotelWe have several guests from Katy Trail who stay with us each time they travel to our area due to this reason and also because we are within one(1.0) mile from the Katy Trail at milepost 194.Comfort Inn, Boonville is Bike Friendly....Hose and towels to wash your bikes, bike racks outside for easy storage and guests are welcome to take their bikes into their rooms if they wish to.



Trek Biker , thanks for your support -----We appreciate the business and we will continuosly strive to be the best! Thanks



Sincerely,



Rick Thawani, GM, Comfort Inn, Boonville, Missouri

Friendly owners, good burgers, cold beer. Opens at 4pm. On Modays and Tuesdays it is the only place in town to get food.

Friendly owners, good burgers, cold beer. Opens at 4pm. On Modays and Tuesdays it is the only place in town to get food.

Hi Michele ~ (eileen here)

I had noticed your string back in July. How'd the knees hold up? How'd you do on tracking your cadence? And not to be blunt, but how'd your hind end hold out? And yep, that heat was unbelievable (just figures it would hit while you were out!).

And, last question, what about the winery in Hartsburg ~ we turned around at Huntsdale, cutting our roundtrip by half just because of the heat. But we are going to go again (such a pretty stretch!), and visiting the winery is on our list of places to visit in Hartsburg.

Hi Michele ~ (eileen here)

I had noticed your string back in July. How'd the knees hold up? How'd you do on tracking your cadence? And not to be blunt, but how'd your hind end hold out? And yep, that heat was unbelievable (just figures it would hit while you were out!).

And, last question, what about the winery in Hartsburg ~ we turned around at Huntsdale, cutting our roundtrip by half just because of the heat. But we are going to go again (such a pretty stretch!), and visiting the winery is on our list of places to visit in Hartsburg.

Hi, My knees held up better than expected. I think the hills here are what's hard on them. Other "parts" did ok too, but felt much better after being off the bike awhile! I didn't worry too much about the cadence since my knees seemed ok. In fact, with the trail being so flat, I hardly ever switched gears.



The Winery in Hartsburg looked very nice. Unfortunately it is not open on Mondays or Tuesdays, so we didn't get to try it... Same for Dotty's. The Hitching Post, however seems to be open every day by 4pm, and it has good bar food. Other than these three places and a farmers stand that had tomatoes and watermellon, there wasn't much happening in Hartsburg. We took naps from 11am until 1pm, read books and then went out for a burger and read some more.... Got up early and rode on. The trail was pretty, though! Have fun!

Hi, My knees held up better than expected. I think the hills here are what's hard on them. Other "parts" did ok too, but felt much better after being off the bike awhile! I didn't worry too much about the cadence since my knees seemed ok. In fact, with the trail being so flat, I hardly ever switched gears.



The Winery in Hartsburg looked very nice. Unfortunately it is not open on Mondays or Tuesdays, so we didn't get to try it... Same for Dotty's. The Hitching Post, however seems to be open every day by 4pm, and it has good bar food. Other than these three places and a farmers stand that had tomatoes and watermellon, there wasn't much happening in Hartsburg. We took naps from 11am until 1pm, read books and then went out for a burger and read some more.... Got up early and rode on. The trail was pretty, though! Have fun!

Thanks Michele!

Thanks Michele!

How cool can a hotel get! The rooms are awesome! I've never seen a bathroom like the one we had in our room...glass walls! But even for as sharp and chic as it was..it was still very comfy and welcoming.And the view was amazing! I totally recommend this hotel.It's rare to find sometihng this stylish with all the history and an awesome bar/eatery attached. I'm totally going back there!

How cool can a hotel get! The rooms are awesome! I've never seen a bathroom like the one we had in our room...glass walls! But even for as sharp and chic as it was..it was still very comfy and welcoming.And the view was amazing! I totally recommend this hotel.It's rare to find sometihng this stylish with all the history and an awesome bar/eatery attached. I'm totally going back there!

agreed! We stayed there on Aug 7th. It was so convenient to be right downtown, near the river and restaurants. Great towels and soaps and a safe place to store the bikes. They let us hose off our bikes on the sidewalk outside the hotel.

agreed! We stayed there on Aug 7th. It was so convenient to be right downtown, near the river and restaurants. Great towels and soaps and a safe place to store the bikes. They let us hose off our bikes on the sidewalk outside the hotel.

Wow! I'm a biker, and after seeing the reveiws on here, I stayed there! It was great being so close to the Katy Trail! The rooms were the nicest I'v seen in a motel/hotel! My wife loves the colors of the towels, and sheets. She is sick of the traditional white! We also liked having someone carry our luggage to our room after being tired from a long drive.

Wow! I'm a biker, and after seeing the reveiws on here, I stayed there! It was great being so close to the Katy Trail! The rooms were the nicest I'v seen in a motel/hotel! My wife loves the colors of the towels, and sheets. She is sick of the traditional white! We also liked having someone carry our luggage to our room after being tired from a long drive.

What a great little country store! Homemade sandwiches created before your eyes by a super courteous staff! It is much easier to get to than places in Sedalia, with there being minimal and usually no traffic to contend with. I highly recommend even if you only want to pick up a cool drink or just refill the water bottles and use the airconditioned potty!

What a great little country store! Homemade sandwiches created before your eyes by a super courteous staff! It is much easier to get to than places in Sedalia, with there being minimal and usually no traffic to contend with. I highly recommend even if you only want to pick up a cool drink or just refill the water bottles and use the airconditioned potty!

I've been reading your comments and it sounds like so many of you are serious bikers! I just turned 50, my aunt is 63. We both just bought new bikes...the comfort type. Mine is a Specialized Crossroads 21 speed and hers, a Giant Suede Coasting Automatic 3 speed. We are so excited about biking a small part of the Katy Trail in October (1st time) for the sheer enjoyment, scenery, shopping, stopping for lunch and dinner, and to say, "We did it." Since we are new to all this...and not as "in shape" as most of you, what would your suggestions be for a quaint little town to stay in and start our ride from? We would like to cover maybe 10-15 miles out and then turn around and come back to our starting point. Any suggestions for good little restaurants and shopping along the way too would be most appreciated. We are so excited about our new sport and all this information on the website has boggled our minds! Thanks for helping!

Augusta, Hermann and Rocheport would all be nice places. Fun B&B's and plenty of good restaurants.

Weekends in October can be pretty hectic at times, especially when the leaves have turned and the weather is nice.



Rocheport is always a favorite...quaint town....Les Bourgeois winery and bistro up on the hill with good food, wine, and a fantastic view...and on the trail the tunnel, bluffs, river, petroglyphs, ammunitions bunker, etc. all within a few miles of town.



If you are around the Rocheport area the weekend of October 13, the 5th Annual Missouri Chestnut Roast is in New Franklin on that day. It’s an interesting side trip with several vendors and information booths. You can buy roasted chestnuts, chestnut seedlings, and even quality crafted wooden bowls that are hand turned from chestnut and other woods. http://www.centerforagroforestry.org/events/chestnut/flyer07.pdf for more information.



Herman is a pretty cool little town with several wineries and nice restaurants. Every weekend in October is Oktober Fest though. Expect B&B’s to be booked well in advance. Herman Hill Vineyard and Inn on Wein Street and their cottages overlooking the Missouri river offer superb accommodations with nearly every amenity provided and seemingly nothing overlooked. Simons on the Waterfront is a good place to eat while downtown. The same owner has River’s Edge Restaurant on Ferry Road in Morrison which is a short drive west of Hermann on highway J. The highway dead ends at the Gasconade River where you ferry across the river to the restaurant.



Plenty to see and do along the trail in October. Enjoy!

Thank you Trek Biker and Arkie for your input to our trip planning. We look forward to a fun couple of days! Your time and knowledge is much appreciated!

These people couldn't be nicer. Don't hesitate to stay here. Friendly people, clean campgrounds, and right off the trail. What more could you ask for?

I agree, these folks couldn't be nicer. They have a refrigerator with gatorade, soda, snacks, and they use the honor system. You put your money in a slot for what you want. And they don't gouge you. The campground with showers, was excellent. I'll use this again.

We were riding to Herman a few weeks ago, & stopped here for "shaved ice". There were several tables with umbrellas for shade, a place that we could fill our water bottles, & friendly people all around. Definately a welcome site in the over 90 degree heat. There were also some basic snacks (candy, peanuts, sports drinks..)

The owner is very friendly and helpful. We stayed on a Tuesday night and were the only ones there. The day we arrived it was 103 degrees so we were happy to be staying in the cabin with airconditioning. It has 2 twin beds and a black and white tv with one channel. It is spotless and was heaven! Portapotty was spotless, and the shower room was very clean as well. Very good place to stay and a great value. Only $30 for two people! We ate our "dinner" out of the honor snack bar. We had chips, drinks, candy and a sandwich. It was a welcome feast because we didn't want to bike an extra 5 miles and back to the next town in the heat. We felt very safe there even though we were all alone. Great place! FYI, the two story cabin for $75 sleeps more people and has a kitchenette and indoor plumbing!