Reply to current rail connections and trail conditions

a report on rail connections and trail connections last day of june 2007. take 4:30 pm train from st. louis to sedalia. leaves st. louis on time (originating location) but currently drops about 1.5 hours behind schedule by the time train reaches sedalia due to speed limit on maintenance sections of track and heavy freight traffic. parking at st. louis is very limited. amtrak charges $10 per bike ($20 per tandem) each way. expect to partially disassemble tandem before you board. bothwell hotel in sedalia is a short walk from the train depot. the trail from sedalia to jefferson city has been recently mown, brushed, and graded but it has been very wet and something like a dozen short stretches are very soft and rutted. most however is very hard packed and smooth considering nearly a week of steady rain in late june. the route from the trail into jefferson city is not marked. exit the trail to the right on the first farm lane after riding under missouri highway 63. follow the farm lane about 1/4 mile and turn left on a gravel frontage road that parallels highway 63, follow the gravel frontage road about 1/2 mile then turn right and cross the north bound lanes of highway 63 and ride on the wide shoulder of the south bound lanes to the missouri river bridge. there is no shoulder or walkway over the bridge but the lane is wide enough to ride the line and allow traffic to pass. take first exit from bridge and turn left and ride to and around the capital building. the amtrak station is at the foot of the hill below the capital and the governor's mansion. total miles from sedalia to jefferson city amotrak station is 90 miles. we rode about 3 mph slower on the katy than we typically do on country oil roads. with multiple stops you still have ample time to catch the 7:30 pm train back to st. louis. expect (but don't count on) this train to be running 45 minutes to one hour late.