Reply to Claysville

We decided to ride our bikes there today - September 12, 2010. We had not made reservations, our bad, but there were several empty tables inside and outside, yet we were told we could get in between 2:30 and 3:00 p.m. I understand that people who have made reservations may be coming, but inquired about the tables outside...beautiful day, would rather eat outside anyway. The staff (looked to be late teens) had no clue about the outside seating or seating us outside....we would just have to wait. So we waited...and waited..and waited. Another pair of bike riders showed up for just a glass of water and were turned away.?.? Lots of people leaving, a few showing up...still a few tables outside and inside....still waiting... 2:54 p.m. we FINALLY get seated. We were waited on right away, but did wait twenty minutes for our food, the # 1 Dinner...Fried Chicken (1 White Meat - 2 Dark Meat, Mashed potatoes and Gravy, Green Beans, applesauce, cole slaw and biscuits. The Biscuits, though not homemade were the best I HAVE EVER EATEN. The green beans were also good. Mashed potatoes and chicken were the same as I could get anywhere. Not real impressed..except with the biscuits. Due to the lack of knowledge by the staff, I will probably not go back.

We went there one Saturday evening and were told we would have to wait because we had not made reservations. I did not blame anyone at the Claysville Store for my failure to plan ahead. I met Mark Hooibrink working on his sign on the trail one day and talked with him for a while, he struck me as an honest and sincere individual. I have read articles on the Hooibrinks and the Claysville Store, never would I believe that bike riders were denied water. Empty tables? Maybe they were handling all the guests that they could at the time.

I rode thru Claysville about this same time Sunshine. There were two bikes parked on the trail. Was that you? All I can remember was "cars", parked everywhere. This place must have something. In any case this was my first pass thru the Clay when this store/restaurant was actually open. I happened by recently at 3:30 on a Sunday and the joint was locked up tight, so much for the 12:30 to 4 posted hours. I am glad you finally got in and had a decent meal at least. Apparently reservations are advised. Cheers.

Except for the highly traveled areas on the trail, like, Rocheport, Hartsburg, St Charles etc, us trail users looking for grub could remember that most of the bar-grills, cafes, campgrounds, and other eateries there depend mostly on their local/regional clients rather than on traffic from the trail itself, especially year round.

Some of these places will protect their regular clients by keeping their tables open as long as they can as tacit reservations from being regular often. Us bicyclists especially are not their main clients even tho they don’t mind our extra business if they have enough food and supplies on hand beforehand.

I wasn't planning to post a comment about the Claysville Store until I saw some of the comments suggesting that the restaraunt was hostile to bikers. Last Saturday afternoon I had a flat tire near the store. I was without a spare tube and it was about 95 degrees and I was exhausted. The store was not yet open for the day, but the owner let me, a total stranger, come in, gave me a cold coke, offered to let me borrow his bike to ride back to Jefferson City, allowed me to use the phone to call my wife, and allowed me to wait in the air conditioned dinning room. So don't try to tell me that Claysville Store sucks. By the way the food is great.

We went there for Mother's Day, yesterday, and even though we got flowers, I thought it was over priced. For four of us, it was over $60. The service was awful. Most the time the staff, which were teens, were gathered at the front desk talking. The chicken wasn't freshly cooked. We had to ask for refills on tea. They didn't bring biscuits, applesauce or cole slaw until we asked for it. Just not a good experience. Won't be going back.