First Trip to Missouri

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Joe and Jayne on 6/22/2012 10:04:04 PM:

We saw your website and are planning a trip to your Katy Trail next month from Chicago. My wife is worried about animals on the trail, bathrooms with running water, and decent food. The towns don't look too big along the trail so do you have cell phone service, restaurants and any hotels along the way? What is there to do in the evenings in the small towns?

Hank from New Haven, MO on 6/22/2012 10:24:28 PM:

Animals, don't worry. Running water in bathrooms, not on the trail. IN the towns, yes of course. Decent food? Define "decent." In some towns bar food is the best you can get. But I've always found it decent. Cell service? No problem. Hotels, yes, but you have to stay in the bigger towns (the small cities). B and B's are all over. The small towns during the week are quiet. You will find music on the weekends in many places, but you will likely have to stumble into it.

The Katy is mostly a rural experience. It is a wonderful experience but if you are not accustomed to "rural" it may take some adjustment. Just relax and enjoy it. People are nice as can be.

Cathy from Jefferson City on 6/22/2012 11:17:57 PM:

I agree with Hank. The worse animals I've encountered have been a couple of dogs on very rare occasions. I have a pepper spray thing that fits on my wrist for that purpose. I have found them in sporting goods stores in the joggers section. Carry individually packaged wipes or small hand sanitizer to compensate for the bathroom situation. Most of the traihead bathrooms are not flushing toilets but like portapotties. You'll do fine, it's not that bad. Some of the food is uprisingly good. Some is very good burgers at bars, etc. Like Hank said you'll come across cool entertainment in some places. Bring a paper back to read just in case there is no local events where you are staying. Really, you'll be worn out enough that some nights you'll be happy to get in bed and go to sleep at a decent hour. Use this website to plan your trip. You'll find great planning tools and able to locate desireable b & bs and motels. Have a great time.

Jim from St. Thomas on 6/23/2012 4:15:23 PM:

I'm Not trying to be mean so don' take it that way. If "decent food", cell phone service and hotels are requirements I would look somewhere else. That being said, if you're willing to roll with the punches and suffer the occasional bad meal and dropped cell service the KATY is made to order. Riding the KATY is kind of like going back to when you were a kid and you had to make your own entertainment.

ArkyKenny from Farmington, AR on 6/24/2012 2:05:47 PM:

I stongly agree with Jim: If you want fine dining, nightlife, pampering, and other such accomodations, the Katy is probably not the place for you. Some of those things are available, but they are not the main attaction of the Katy Trail.

If you want the great outdoors, a chance to ride your bike in a unique place and not worry about getting hit by a car, good places to stay (or camp), a chance to see critters, and a good excuse to eat and drink without regard for your diet, then the Katy might be a great trip for you.

I choose to not take my wife with me on trips to the Katy. Some guys go hunting: My friends and I go bike riding. You may consider taking such a trip with the boys as well if your wife does not see the beauty of roughing it.

Tim from Raymore, MO on 6/24/2012 4:40:19 PM:

My wife and I ride together and have not encountered any problems. If your wife likes the outdoors and is in fairly good shape to ride, the Trail is a great experience to share. Plan your destinations and you can have hotels and decent eateries. Like mentioned, B&B's are all along the trail and check out the caboose in Hartsburg as a place to stay. We plan to ride the entire Trail this summer in sections. Stop at the Trail Heads that have museums and stores and you can learn a lot about the section you are exploring. There is also a Katy Trail Guidebook that is more than informative and will give you a guide to every location on the Trail. Just plan ahead and be prepared and it will be an enjoyable experience for you. Good luck and enjoy!

Bike Rider from Kansas City on 6/25/2012 8:56:14 AM:

The Katy Trail is a wonderful place to ride and discover Missouri! I'm not sure which part of the trail you are considering to ride, or if you want to ride the whole thing. The eastern half of the trail is more scenic and will take you along the Missouri River and you will be close to several wineries. Good overnight spots for B&B's, hotels, and restaurants and activities are St. Charles, Hermann and Washington. At the mid-trail area you can ride into Jefferson City (Missouri's capital) and find several nice restuarants and places to stay. You can take the connecting trail (MKT) into Columbia (home of the MU Tigers) and find many options for entertainment and lodging. Its a fun college town with a lot to offer. I guess my point is that you can find something for everyone along the trail. It just takes a little planning! This website has alot of information, and you can check out the websites for each of the bigger towns along the route. Have fun! We're glad you're considering visiting Missouri and the Katy Trail!

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