Katy Trail Home  The Katy Trail and Rock Island Trail Rock Island Trail Home

Feedback Requested on our Trip Plan


Go to Forum
CericRushmore from Washington, DC on 10/2/2021 5:08:17 PM:
Hi all, thanks everyone for your previous comments. I've just discussed with my friend and I think we have a plan. Can I get some folks feedback on if anything in this plan is crazy or a bad idea? Are there any good travel ideas that we are missing?

Planning on going in April.

Day 1 - Fly to Kansas City Airport (from Washington DC and Oakland). Spend night at a Kansas City airport hotel.

Day 2 - Go to the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Kansas City Sport Complex Area via public bus (for 1 person and the other person may bike there if they bring there bike on the airplane). Go to the Kansas City Royals game.

Day 3 - Have a pedal assist bike dropped off at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Kansas City Sport Complex Area by Bike Stop Cafe from St. Charles (this appears to be about $400 to drop off the pedal assist bike plus $400 for the pedal assist bike for the week). I will either have my bike I had taken on the plane or just rent a hybrid from them for the week as well.

Day 4 Pleasant Hill April 17 Private Mulberry Hill Bed and Breakfast 24.1 (miles)

Day 5 Clinton April 18 Hilton Hampton Inn Clinton 66.8 (miles)

Day 6 Sedalia April 19 Choice Hotel Bothwell Sedalia Central District, Ascend Hotel Collection 39.2 (miles)

Day 7 Booneville April 20 IHG Holiday Inn Express Boonville 34 (miles)

Day 8 and 9 (spend 2 nights here) Jefferson City April 21 Courtyard 57.9 (miles)

Day 10 Hermann April 23 Vinchester Inn 47.6 (miles)

Day 11 St. Charles April 24 Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, St. Charles, MO. 63.5 (miles)

Day 12 Go to Bike Stop Cafe to drop off pedal assist bikes/get bike boxes. Take their shuttle to the airport with the bike box if needed. Travel back home (Washington DC and Oakland).

 
Cathy from Pittsburgh on 10/2/2021 10:49:45 PM:
I see you are spending 2 nights in Jefferson City. I lived there 30 years before moving to Pittsburgh. If you want ideas on things to do: do a tour of the Missouri State Pennitentiary (MSP), I'm not positive they start tours in April, but they probably do. Google it and you'll get who to contact. Also do a tour of the State Capitol Building. Especially see the Thomas Hart Benton Mural. Suggestions on where to eat: O'Donohue's on the Eastside, Prison Brews, Ecco Lounge in the Southside (close to your hotel), Madison's and The Grand are downtown, and Paddy Malone's on West Main (again close to your hotel). But most importantly get ice cream at Central Dairy. By the time you are there the new bridge to Adrian's Island should be open. Be sure and ride on that. You know, maybe your should plan for 3 days in Jefferson City.

 
CericRushmore from Washington, DC on 10/3/2021 11:17:21 AM:
On thing I'm noticing is that it appears that Pleasant Hill MO Mulberry Hill Bed and Breakfast is no longer open. I don't see any recent reviews and can't figure out how to contact them. Does anyone know if they are planning on opening again or if there is somewhere else to stay in Pleasant Hill. Not seeing any options on the Towns and Services page.

 
Bill in Houston from Houston on 10/4/2021 11:30:25 AM:
Looks like a fun trip.

Seems you will have to look at AirBnB and VRBO and Warm Showers to find a place to stay along the RI spur.

 
Jack from Columbus on 10/4/2021 12:52:38 PM:
I could not find a place to stay in Pleasant Hill which impacted the daily trip locations. We ended up in the Hampton Inn in Lee's Summit. Lee's Summit has a lot of options and the ride down to Pleasant Hill was not bad at all and did not take long.

I'm not sure why you could head south to Clinton after hitting Windsor. We overnighed in Windsor and then headed north. If you read my trip report, we were not overly impressed with the scenery on the Rock Island and even the Katy up past Sedalia. The only reason to hit Clinton is to say you started at the beginning from our experience.

 
Eric McCollom from KCMO on 10/4/2021 5:28:32 PM:
I had that issue with P Hill also. I ended up having my wife pick me up and drop me off....i was a pain since I live by the airport KCI. There actually is an AirBnB there. Change your search to a two night accommodation and it will show up. Once identified perhaps you can get a hold of them since you have time and arrange a one night...maybe. Lees Summit is about 9-10 miles away from P Hill and has plenty of options....just know you have some street riding involved. I stayed at Bothwell and Vinchester as well. Drury Inn is nice in St Charles...free drinks and food in evening plus decent free breakfast. I am hoping this link will work for my Strava below. You might find me on Gaarmin Connect also, but I struggle with the technology and sharing rides, etc.
https://www.strava.com/activities/6034731364/overview

 
TC from tucson on 12/11/2021 12:41:58 PM:
I contacted the AB&B houses in Pleasant Hill thru the app. They are not flexible concerning 1 night stays even mid week in May. Too bad, it would be convenient for us.