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CurtM from Fort Worth TX on 5/22/2018 10:39:46 PM:
Rode the KT end-to-end May13-16 and had a great trip. Actually started in Warrensburg on May 12 and traveled via Amtrak to Kirkwood Station, where the folks from the Frenchtown Inn met me and transported me to St Charles. Other comments concerning the Frenchtown Inn are spot on and it's a great place to stay. I did go out to Machens and back the first afternoon for a shakedown ride, and while it is pretty spare, an interesting detour is to Portage des Sioux, only a couple miles more. I found the entire trail in great shape, although there were two thunderstorms in four days with warm temperatures in between. Be aware the only station with water between St Charles and McKittick is at Dutzow, although the small towns along the routes have water and cold drinks for purchase.

 
Anonymous on 5/23/2018 9:16:07 AM:
How did you get back to Warrensburg from the trail?

 
CurtM from Fort Worth TX on 5/23/2018 4:47:27 PM:
I am fortunate in that I have relatives in the Warrensburg area and thus when I arrived in Clinton I had family there. Now, if I did not have family nearby, I would have contacted one of the shuttles in the area and arranged local transportation. (I had originally planned to do this as I thought the folks would be away). People I'd met in Pilot Grove when I rode the KT last year had started from Clinton and were planning to ride the train back to Warrensburg from Jefferson City (where they stayed on their second day), as they had left their auto in Clinton. They had pre-arranged their post-trip transportation in Clinton. Note that Clinton has lots of pretty nice lodging, restaurants, etc., as does Warrensburg, and many have accommodated cyclists. I think it's worth it to arrange shuttles, even though I realize it's an additional expense, because 13 Highway between Clinton and Warrensburg is a route I wouldn't ride, and I'm used to riding on streets and roads with vehicles all around. One last tidbit: It is possible to get to Warrensburg from Clinton via the side roads, most of which are not heavily used (watch for horse and buggy). It can be a jigsaw puzzle though. Hope I haven't been too wordy, but the trail is worth planning for.

 
Anonymous from Lincoln, Ne on 5/23/2018 7:28:30 PM:
I rode the Eastern half of the Katy Trl (Jefferson City to St. Charles and back),from May 5th-11th. As far as water goes, bring your own. Stores were all closed when we rode through. Dutzow water fountain was off. I did manage to buy 2 water bottles from a vending machine in one small city. The Western half of the trail has many more trailheads that provide water. So, in that regard was much better. More hilly than the East half. Saw a post that the Machens end was shut down due to flooding about 5 miles out from St.Charles, so didn't make it that far.

 
CurtM from Fort Worth TX on 5/25/2018 11:54:03 AM:
I should have clarified my comment about water at the Dutzow station. The outside fountain was in fact not working, but the sink in the restroom was fine. The bike shop in Defiance had plenty of cold drinks, and that's where I'd stopped. Just my two cents, but three 20 oz wattle bottles (or maybe 2 quarts (64 oz)) per person is plenty of water for a 60-mile run such as that between St Charles and McKittrick.