Trip Report - Long - Sept. 2021

A little background, riders were my son and I. This is our fourth weeklong ride. Past rides are the GAP/C&O, Erie Canal and Ohio to Erie. I ride a Jamis Renegade Exploit gravel/adventure bike and my son, who is 6'9" rides a KHS Flite 747 road bike which was the largest production bike I could find at the time. He rides 32c tires and I ride 35c we both had new Panaracer GravelKing SS+ tires. We both have about 30+ pounds in rear panniers.

Day 1 - Travel
We drove from Columbus, Ohio to St. Louis airport and picked up a rental van at Hertz. Parked our car at the Lewis & Clark Boathouse and Museum and then drove to the Hampton Inn in Lee's Summit. Dropped everything at the hotel and then dropped the van off at Hertz in Lee's Summit and rode back to the hotel.

Day 2 - Lee's Summit to Windsor - 60.5 planned/66.4 actual
Started out to work our way down to Pleasant Hill. After looking at all the different routes, I decided to trust Google Maps and go down Smart Road. I thought this might be the gravel route everyone mentions but thought we try it and if it was too difficult for the road bike we could bail out to Ramson Road. Smart Road is gravel half way but very rideable.

The plan was to get to Pleasant Hill and hit the Subway for to-go sandwiches for lunch since it did not look like there was much in the way of food on the Rock Island spur. We made good time to the trail head but once we hit it, we looked back at a wall of black clouds. A quick weather check showed a severe thunderstorm warning telling us to take shelter immediately for a storm traveling 55 mph with 40+ mph winds. Needless to say we made excellent time getting to Pleasant Hill looking for a barn or some shelter along the way but nothing until we hit the Lathrop elevator on the outskirt. Big thanks to the folks at Lathrop who allowed us to take shelter in the offices and we only got a little soaked. After the main storm passed we rode over to Subway, ate lunch and waited another hour for the rain to mostly pass and headed out.

So now the answer to the question of whether you can use a road bike on the Katy (Rock Island) - This is the type of day you do not want a road bike. With the bigger tires, there is very little clearance on the frame. The Rock Island is a very soft trail, it was really very sloppy and his track was deeper than mine. For the next 30-40 miles he had trouble keeping speed and was often working hard to move 8-9 mph. It was tiring him out quickly. After a couple stops he figured out the wet limestone dust was now a mud and clogging his chain stays, gears and anything else it could. After cleaning out the bike he could make much better time (plus the trail dried a little) and we ended up averaging around 11 mph for the day, much slower than anticipated. I had no trouble with my bike.

Our stop for the night was Kim's Cabins in Windsor. Kim is absolutely fantastic. We were a couple hours late because of the weather and slow speed but Kim was very patient. Her cabins are all you could ask for after a day of riding. Two double beds, couch, table, chairs, full kitchen, bathroom, bike storage, outdoor space and all brand new. Highly recommended.

Our first learning experience for the trip is that everything in the small trail towns close early. Plan on being off the trail by 5 if you want to eat in a restaurant since they seem to close between 6:30 and 7. We ended up getting pizza and beer (not bad) at the Casey's convenience store which is the only pizza joint in town and only place still open within walking distance after we cleaned ourselves and the bikes up.

After a rough day we were not sure we wanted to continue if the Katy was in the same shape as the Rock Island and the scenery did not get any better. We did not feel the ride that day offered much motivation to keep going but we did.

Day 3 - Windsor to Rocheport - 65.9 planned/73.6 actual
Started out for a better day. Of course in the first 15 miles out of Windsor I get a flat. In changing the tube we noticed about a dozen of my spoke holes have cracks. This had to be happening for some time but it is strange that we just put the new tires on and did not notice them. The rims are three years old and I have never touched the spokes, I leave that up to my LBS. I was not real happy with the last service, I think they changed owners, and it seems they may have overtightened my spokes. Started looking like we would not be finishing this ride.

We rode into Sedalia and looked for a bike store to get a second opinion on how serious. We first stopped at the Sedalia station/museum which was really impressive. They told us to go downtown to Pro Velo Cycle Sports where we met Ebbi, the owner. Very impressive shop and a very knowledgeable owner which means we spent more time than planned talking bikes and trips. His opinion was I might be able to finish if I take it easy on the rim.

We then headed to Pilot Grove which was our lunch stop. I hadn't warned my son that this was the "hilly" day on the trail and we ended up with a headwind. So another day of grinding and slower going with our average speed at 11.5 for the day, much slower than normal. Rolled late into Pilot Grove expecting a couple dining choices but only Deon's Bar and the Casey's was open. Ended up eating at Deon's which was OK for a local bar and enjoyed the conversation.

Onward to Rocheport. Enjoyed riding through Boonville but I have a problem with heights and the bridge was a challenge for me. Rode into Rocheport a bit late because of the tire fiasco and of course, everything was closed. We ended up taking an Uber into Columbia where we ate at Flat Branch Pub & Brewing which was very good and I would recommend. The Uber cost more than the dinner. We probably should have stayed in Boonville which seemed to be a much livelier town than Rocheport.

That night we stayed at the Schoolhouse B&B in the South Dorm Room of the Dorm House. Again, another excellent choice. This was a single room with bunk beds and sleeper sofa and bath. There is a secure bike storage shed and the facilities were immaculate and very new. The fridge was stocked for a continental breakfast and there was a microwave and coffee.

The Katy is in much better shape than the Rock Island. The locals explained that because it is older, it has a much more solid base which is very believable. It also was bone dry which helps considerably. The only issue was the closed bridge, we chose the unofficial crossing which was also dry and no problem. The next several hundred yards of trail was pretty chewed up but that was the only really "bad" section of trail we encountered. We thought the state should cut a deal with the farmer for a detour but realized that in wet weather that crossing may not be safe. The Katy picked up our spirits after the Rock Island.

Day 4 - Rocheport to Hermann - 79.6 planned/66(?) actual
My phone GPS acted up and Ride with GPS only recorded the first 25 miles so we were on our bike odometers. This was a much better day but of course the wind switched from the north to the east so we were still riding with a headwind. For the East vs. West debate, I went with West and we had a headwind the whole trip. I don't think it matters but I think West to East was still easier since it seemed more downhill going East.

We were surprised at how few riders we saw on the trail but that ended today. The trail was much busier and we ran into several through riders. We picked up a group of about five women from San Antonio that were riding light. They took turns driving their car to the next stop and then switching so they did not have to carry gear. We ran into them at about every stop until Mokane where they went back into Jeff City for the night.

The scenery also became much more interesting heading into Rocheport and then along the Missouri River. Soon out of Rocheport we found Cooper's L

Sorry if this is too long for the forum but I find trip reports helpful. Just noticed the whole thing did not post.

The scenery also became much more interesting heading into Rocheport and then along the Missouri River. Soon out of Rocheport we found Cooper's Landing and stopped for a brief 10 minute break that turned into a good 45 minutes. We met the owner, Richard, and a couple other bikers and really enjoyed the ambiance, it was hard to pull ourselves away. Richard is a real advocate for the trail. Our lunch stop was going to be Jeff City but we decided to look for something in North Jeff City and save the miles. There was really nothing but the Canterbury Hill Winery and Restaurant which was 0.6mi off the trail. I figured we would have an uphill going off trail and we did but the Canterbury is worth it (we walked a bit) with a stunning view over the valley and good food and good wine. At the North Jeff City stop we had met two couples from Syracuse who were day riding sections of the trail. When I mentioned wine, one of the women really perked up. As we sat out on the patio our San Antonio friends showed up and then the two couples. Seems they had enough riding and wine was too much of a temptation.

With our meanderings in the morning and a 6-8 mph headwind we had a late lunch. I told my son that we could consider trying to find a shuttle part of the way into Hermann. I had actually planned this knowing an 80 mi. day could quickly become a nightmare with weather or mechanicals and had a list of shuttles. I called Doug at Bluffton Barn and asked if we rode to his place could he shuttle us into Hermann. Our concern was we could make it to Hermann but it would be late and everything would be closed. We averaged around 13 mph but the headwind slowed us down enough we ended up meeting Doug at Portland instead. Doug is another trail treasure and his praises have been sung before and the trip into Hermann was educational and very interesting.

Hermann turned out to be a Jewel and the highlight of the trip. It is the type of trail town we really enjoy. We stayed at the Vinchester Inn which was every bit as quaint as advertised and very accommodating to bikers. I think it was Hannah who met us just after we arrived and helped us get settled and hearing we were interested in simple food and cold beer suggested we get a pizza from 4th Street Pizza and take it over to the 1837 Cellar Bar for live music. Yes, we both like pizza and I have to say that I wish 4th Street was back here because it is very good. 1837 Cellar Bar is a gem and we really enjoyed ourselves.

Day 5 - Hermann to St Charles - 63.6 planned/64.9 actual
Since we shuttled in, I got to experience another bridge on the way out. The Hermann bridge is not bad, it has a dedicated bike lane separate from the roadway and very wide berms on the road. I took the wide berms because the bike lane was a little too close to the edge for me. The only trouble we had was getting back on the trail on the far side, they could use some signage over there.

We got a good start in the morning but had a harder headwind than the day before. According to the weather it was 10+ and really noticeable when out in the open in the fields. We took turns drafting but really appreciated the cover of trees. We still were able to average around 13 mph, normally we would average around 14 based on past rides on limestone with weight. We had planned a break in Treloar but ended up pushing on to Marthasville and glad we did. Rolling into Marthasville we saw the KT Caboose and thought it was too interesting to pass by. I am very glad we decided to stop, what a trail treasure. First, smoothies - we never pass smoothies on any ride. The proprietor (I forgot his name) said he had been opened for 3 months and he was renting the place. He was a through rider, saw the empty building and decided to come back and open it up. He is another trail advocate and we really enjoyed his company and his smoothies. We really wanted to try his food, the menu looked really appealing but it was a bit early. I highly recommend making this a stop, the Katy needs places like this.

I had planned on stopping in Dutzow for lunch but we were rolling and my son insisted we go on to Augusta where we heard there was a brewery (get the idea we like beer?). We ended up stopping in August, checking out the Kickstand bike store which is pretty new but seems to decent. They only have a mechanic a couple days of the week but hope to expand. Then up to the Good News Brewing Company. The beer was good but we were pizza'd out and went with their meat, fruit and veggie boxes. Those were disappointing, I guess this is a place to get pizza. But the beer was good, that patio comfortable and we had to drag ourselves back to the bikes. Another place I could spend an afternoon. The rest of the ride into St. Charles was uneventful outside the headwind which continued to challenge our pace.

Lessons learned
After 270+ miles we felt like we had a good ride. I hate to say it but we should have just rode Sedalia to St. Charles. The Rock Island was not as interesting and not in nearly as good a shape as the Katy. I am not sure what the Katy is like after a good storm but the Rock Island was very mucky. I know the Rock Island and the bottom of the Katy needs time to mature and riders to justify trail towns and services so I hate to say I would not ride that again but it just does not compare to the rest of the Katy. The Rock Island is maybe a decent day ride for exercise but not a destination trail like the upper Katy.

Road bikes are good for shorter rides but if you are going to do multi-days you are risking misery if the weather turns or the trail is saturated. Also make sure your bike is in good working order and don't assume it is, I made it to the end but my rim is trash with quite a bit of wobble and I worried with every bump.

Speaking of bumps, the trail was really in good condition. But it is limestone and there are wash outs. I know on some trails they spray paint the actual gullies in the trail which makes them highly visible. There were some ribbons tied to trees to denote bumps but the gullies are hard to see in the limestone. The DNR may want to consider marking the trails a bit better.

Get off the trail early, by 4:00. We normally plan on 5-6 but that is too late for the smaller trail towns, especially if you are delayed and we had to scramble for food.

In hindsight we should have taken 5 days but we had other commitments that limited our time. Another reason to start in Sedalia.

Water was not really an issue but it also is not at every trailhead. Each of us carried two bottles and two 1 liter Nalgenes. After the second day of riding we only filled one Nalgene and never ran out of water.

The GravelKing tires are really nice. I'm thinking I may set them up as tubeless on the new rims. We will have to see how they wear.

The GAP/C&O blew us away and is still our top ride. The Erie Canal is a close second but the Katy Trail is definitely worth the ride and gave use everything we could ask for but a tailwind.

Appreciate the write up. Planning on starting on Saturday so it was good to hear a recent report on conditions/etc.

I've done the Katy end-to-end 9 times and your comments ring true.

My wife and I did the GAP and C&O in June on a tandem. Loved the GAP. Glad we did the C&O but wouldn't do it again. Too much dirt and mud plus the cicadas this year.

Erie is on our bucket list.

Thanks for the trip report. Glad your rim survived! And glad you were able to find something to eat each night. We shared a house with some folks who got in late and had no dinner one night. I think they ate all of their emergency granola bars.

Jerry, After 10 end to end rides do you get a free pizza?