Critique my plan - experienced riders

I am planning to ride April 12-16 with one other person, and we are both first timers. Being unfamiliar and out of the area, the logistics are somewhat challenging, but I have made my plans based on what I have read on this website. I would love to get some constructive feedback from experienced riders who have first hand knowledge with the plans I describe. I have kept the daily mileages conservative, to accommodate an inexperienced rider, in case of inclement weather (you can stand anything for 35 miles, right?) and also to have a little time each day to enjoy the experience and not have to hurry through our days. We will be pulling a small bike trailer with food and water and a tent, and our first choice is to camp if weather will allow - but I have chosen a hotel back up plan on each location just in case. Ok, here is my plan: Start in Clinton, where I will arrange with the appropriate people to leave my car. First overnight stop will be Sedalia. We will camp at the Fairgrounds, or stay overnight at the Best Western. Next overnight stop will be New Franklin, where will will camp at the Katy Roundhouse, or go on to Rocheport and stay at the KT Bed & Bikefest. Next overnight will be either Hartsburg where we will camp at Volunteer Park, or go on to Jeff City and stay at the Baymont Inn. Last day is to ride to Hermann, where we will take the Amtrak back to Sedalia. I am fine with backtracking the trail to Clinton to get my car, and my companion may potentially take the trail all the way back to Independence MO, since that is where he lives and has someone to come pick him up at the station. That's the plan, so fire away! I do appreciate any guidance you can give. This is has been on my bucket list for a little while, and it is also kind of a bonding experience between me and one of my adult sons. I want us to have a great experience. Thank you.

My opinion: Clinton - Sedalia: no problem. Sedalia - New Franklin: your backup hotel should probably be Boonville, not Rocheport. New Frnklin - Hartsburg: backup hotel should be B&B in Hartsburg. There is so much to see on this day that you don't want to have to push another 10 miles to Jeff City. Then after Hartsburg, the last 2 days you have are pretty long rides, and the Augusta area is really pretty.

Thank you for your feedback, Don. I really appreciate it! I've noted your suggestions in my planning.

If you plan on ending up in Hermann on the 15th I think I would ride on in to JC on the 14th. Its around 55 miles from Hartsburg to Hermann by the time you cross the bridge.

You have a good plan Tania, complete with plan "B's" for lodging. All of these plans would work fine. I'm wondering if that last day mileage is plus the train ride back? Thinking about departure and arrival times for Herman to Sedalia. Worth double checking and making reservations (for bikes too) in advance, for sure. Good luck, it will be fun.

Thank you very much for all your comments everyone! I am thinking of tweaking things just a bit to make the riding days increasingly shorter on the way to Hermann, so that our last day riding isn't our longest day riding. I am going to work on that. Plus I wanted to say to Darrell's question, that on the train ride back, I was planning that we would take the 5:30 train out of Hermann (give us some time to spend in town before we have to head out), which would put me back in Sedalia around 7:30 and I will spend the night in a hotel. Then I will ride my bike back to Clinton the next morning. My riding partner will be taking the train all the way from Hermann back to Independence where he has confirmed that someone will pick him up at 9:30 pm or whenever the train gets in. At this point my only real concerns are trail conditions and weather that early in the season, but I see that people are riding now (!)so hopefully things will continue to improve between now and then. Thanks again for all your comments! You are all very kind!

Regarding food: one of my favorite stores on the Katy Trail is Snoody's. It is about 1/4 mile north of the Missouri River bridge at Boonville. Snoody's would be the perfect place to stop for food near the end of day two, and purchase food for day three. There are few if any places to buy groceries or prepared food between Rocheport and Hartsburg.

Ah, yes, Snoddy's -- where you can get a great deli sandwich, and buy a new toilet, some Roundup and some firewood at the same time. No place quite like it! (And you should have seen the old store -- even better).