What does the Katy Trail need?

If you could add one service/business/accommodation to the Katy Trail between Rocheport and Easley (or in Columbia), what would it be?

We would love to get out of the rat race down here in the next few years and come be a part of the trail community.

Cyclists need: food, drink, a safe shower, a safe, comfortable place to sleep, possibly bike repairs ... and probably more ... restocking of snacks, bike gear, etc.

Here's what I meant to say earlier (copy and paste on a phone is challenging):

Cyclists need: food, drink, a safe shower, a safe, comfortable place to sleep, possibly bike repairs ... and probably more ... restocking snacks, bike gear, etc.

"How about an upscaled "Turner-style" place that costs less than a BNB or hotel?"

Also, another idea, if it can be mostly self-serve, that would be nice. e.g., pay-per-use shower (perhaps similar to www.viptogo.com).

WOW! That would be GREAT if you could do that, that is, "Turner-style" place that costs less than a BNB or hotel?" Also, another idea, if it can be mostly self-serve, that would be nice. e.g., pay-per-use shower.

But I bet if you check into doing that you will find that with the cost, buying the property, insurance, setting it all up, you would need to charge MORE than a BNB or Hotel, just to get your money back, not alone make anything for keep it up and taking care of it.

Beer.
Otherwise known as
"bier."

Rustic, small cabins would be great. Some amenities such as picnic tables and cozy seating areas for small groups would be outstanding. Offer various food items for purchase and safe storage for the bicycles. It's been done before but I bet that you can do it better! The location is key. I like the idea of offering cabins near the turnoff to Columbia. Bet you would pick up some local student interest. Of course, when the Rock Island is constructed, all the better. The whole trail loop system will be even more of an international destination!

I live in Hartsburg and we have found that there is not enough business, year round, to keep a business going. It is busy 4 or 5 months a year and then dead in cold weather. Many have tried but no luck. We need a rich person who just wants to do it for kicks and not profit.

Thanks, everyone!

Mattmacc, I like that idea, and have thought about something like that. Like Marna says, though, I doubt you could break even. If I end up building other accommodations, I'd probably add a camping shelter with a bathhouse as well.

Marna, did you guys ever have guest housing at your place? I'd love to find a place right on the trail like y'all's.

Hank, yes, touring cyclists travel on their livers. ;)

TC, you are right in line with what we were thinking. A nice, calm, quiet place to spend the night as a pair or as a larger group. We know we don't want to start a restaurant, but I think a simple kitchen with basic food for purchase could be handy for folks who couldn't find something else along the way. McBaine has basically ceased to exist, but would be a cool place to have cabins right at the junction with the Columbia spur.

Michael, I hear ya. I would not have to make a ton of money doing it, but I'm sure not going to run it as a charity. I can see from watching the business listings along the trail over time that it's tough to keep a business going. I know that many hard-working people have tried.

Who else has thoughts? I appreciate the input so far.

Bill, I think the easiest and most likely to succeed without a substantial investment would be a campground with showers. If you wanted to add a small concession with the basics that would be a plus. If you want to try something like bare cabins ( think Klondike ) that gets into money fast.

Bill, you should contact us through an email:
GlobeHotelBedandBreakfast@gmail.com

Leaia and Mark Clervi

I'd be glad to talk to you about this too Bill.

Doug, if you can email me at
zippydooda
at
yahoo
dot
com
that would be great. Thank you.

Yes, Jim from St Thomas, when I look at cost, as soon as I put plumbing and electric in a cabin, expense goes wayyyyy up. Which is fine, I guess, as long as I keep them rented out.

One thing I am wondering is whether places like Rocheport or Hartsburg see increased traffic and high occupancies on Mizzou football weekends, from fans who want something fun and different for them and their friends.

Leaia and Mark, I sent y'all an email.

We’ve seen lots of MU fans on game weekends in Boonville in years past. I imagine Rocheport experiences the same.

There was a similar discussion recently on the Silver Comet Trail Forum. It's a long way from the Katy Trail (Georgia/Alabama) but this post had good ideas that are just as relevant in MO:
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These kinds of trail-targeted businesses tend to do very well during times the trails are busy. I would think about having a diverse set of offerings for all sorts of people on the trail. Things I was thinking about:
-Nicer accommodation/cabin for people who like higher-end places to stay
-larger dorm-style accommodations for groups or rentable by the bed when not reserved (perhaps partitionable for flexibility)
-Cheap camping area (grassy field with picnic tables) for people trying to minimize costs
-small general store with ice cream, cool drinks, snacks, and a few emergency and bike supplies. If you have a treat or snack that you do well and is sold at a competitive price point, you can become known for that and become known as a "must-stop" place along the trail.
-a water spigot near the trail for people to fill up water bottles for free.
-Shower rental
-Cold beer

My view of businesses like this is that they do best if they cater to a wide variety of potential customers. A business that caters to a specific "ideal" customer comes across as less friendly and fails to attract sustaining customers.
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Here's the full thread on the Silver Comet website:
https://bikesilvercomet.com/talk.aspx?tid=2842&tonly=1

Everyone has great ideas,but they all will cost at least $100,000 to $200,000 to implement. Most of the land is farmer owned and they still don't like the trail or trail users. To try and make money several places have brought in music groups which have generated music; too loud for locals (see Huntsdale news. KatFish Katies closed because they pissed off the locals). It's a tough go when you can only make money for 3-4 months out of the year.

Have you contacted Kim who runs Kim's Cabins for the Rock Island Trail? She may have some thoughts.

I used to live in Jefferson City. You might consider buying a building with easy access to the Katy in Jefferson City and running it as an Air B & B, maybe you could live in part of it. There's some residential neighborhoods in the area close to the pedestrian biking bridge that you may be able to buy for this. I believe there is at least one on W. Main like this.

I now live in Churchill, PA in Southwest PA, and use the GAP Trail. There's a lot of interest in camping. You might check the Cedar Creek Trail Head on the GAP Trail. There are several lean to shelters that are popular. If you are within a few miles of easy biking to a town with restaurants and food it may be doable.

Also think about tiny houses. Is that an option? Sounds like you are thinking of moving to the area. Maybe you could offer camping, some tiny houses, and maybe other options.

Pay attention to the risk of flooding.

I'm sure Doug and the Globe owners can offer some great insight.

Good luck. I envy you. What a great idea. Go for it!

PS Hi to Mike Rodemeyer in Hartsburg. I would love to hear how you and the good people of Hartsburg are doing. Email me: cathy.bordner@gmail.com.

Ray,
Thanks for pointing that thread out. We have family over there, and I keep thinking about riding that trail some day. Nice to see folks thinking about making improvements. I'd like to have the kind of place that they describe.

Michael,
Yeah, that's why I was wondering about being able to bring in traffic related to the University in times when the trail is dead. If you can keep a place 60% full, your odds of surviving are way better than if you're at 35%. Seeing Katfish Katy's get shut down was disappointing, and reminded me that whatever I do has to be OK with the neighbors. There was someone running a trail BnB next to the Mayor's house in Huntsdale. I wonder how she felt about that.

Cathy,
I have thought about just doing AirBnB in Columbia, and filling it with whoever shows up, riders or not. Jeff city is set up a little better for that.

The GAP did have some really nice campgrounds, and we like the idea of those Adirondack shelters, and would want a couple of those. Small cabins like Kim has would be our preferred lodging, since it's what we like to use on the trail, but if they cost $35k each to permit and build, they would take a lot of nights to pay off. We do need to talk to Kim and get her advice.

I have spent so much time looking at flood maps! Our through ride was in Apr 2019, right before the recent huge floods, so it's etched in my mind.

It's fun to think about the possibilities, but I am not in the mood to lose money. :D Thanks again, everyone, for the input.

Here in central Arkansas there is an initiative to build five greenways that will connect some of our cities to Little Rock. I regularly ride out in some of the prettiest, but most remote, areas in central AR and I've started really thinking about what would help not only cyclists, but the people that will live on and near these greenways. I know that traffic is seasonal and that big, upscale operations are probably not going to make enough to sustain during the off-season.

One thought I've had for our area is the use of (physically secured) vending machines with cyclist-specific products such as spare tubes, chamois butter, sports gel, bottled water, beef jerky, Clif Bars, and the like. If the machines accepted some form of digital payment like Google or Apple pay or even just credit cards that would greatly help cyclists in need. They would operate 24 hours a day and would be relatively low-maintenance.


I'm coming up to the Katy in April for a four and a half day trip. I personally have had a hard time finding rest stops matching our timeline that will be open and have items we'll need for resupply. I'll be packing a lot more food than I expected, but I sure would love it if I didn't have to...

A place for roof tent camping. Most places in that area have tent camping where the truck isn't allowed or full hook up prices for RVs.
A safe place to camp for the night close to this part of the trail is really needed.

(Bill’s wife here)….We mostly need for Boone County to allow us to buy 10 acres along the Katy Trail and build a cute little farmhouse for us to live in and a couple cabins to rent out and a lovely campground with flushing toilets and hot showers for the awesome bikers who ride the trail. But the land restrictions are soooooooooooooo strict. Bums me out!!!