Bill in Houston from Houston on 9/6/2022 4:01:48 PM:
Just my opinions:
Book all of your lodging in advance. You never know when all of the rooms in a town might book up. And then the next lodging might be a looooong way away.
Pilot Grove - Pretty sure there's only one place.
Sedalia - Bothwell
Rocheport - Lots of choices. We liked the Katy Bed and Bikefest.
Jefferson city - Baymont (make sure to go to Central Dairy for ice cream.
Water can be iffy. Carry plenty.
You'll have to do a minimum amount of mileage to get from one lodging to another, so that helps nail down some aspects of your itinerary.
40 miles on the road bike is about like 30 miles on the trail. The gravel surface is nice, but you have to constantly pedal, or you will come to a stop.