directions

Would like to ride our bikes from St. Charles to Webster Groves MO. after a few days on the Katy Trail to nephews house, he does not have a pickup to haul our tandems. Best route avoiding as much major traffic as possible.

Here's a web page with directions from the Kirkwood Amtrak to the Katy Trail in St Charles: http://www.bikekatytrail.com/kirkwood.aspx

Several options are offered; just reverse the directions to get from the trail to the Kirkwood train station.

Then from the Kirkwood station, head east on Essex (the street that the station is located on) for a block and a half to Taylor. Turn left (north) on Taylor, then two blocks to Adams. Turn right (east) on Adams. Proceed on Adams - it will become Lockwood Ave. After about a mile on Lockwood, you'll be in Webster Groves. Lockwood cuts over to the left a little bit at Sappington Road, at the far edge of the golf course - just take the quick left and right again around the churches.

That may all sound confusing, but it will make sense if you follow along on a map.

You might also want to go to maps.google.com, plug in Frontier Park in St Charles as your start, the Webster Groves address as destination, and click the little bike icon to get bike directions. I tried this and it looks like a reasonable route for cycling. A few busy streets but that's unavoidable.

Enjoy Webster Groves. It's a great area there's an excellent bike shop (Hub Bike Shop on Lockwood in downtown Webster) if you need anything for your tandem.

I ride in this area almost daily. I would not recommend riding up Marine from Creve Coeur Lake, big hill with no shoulder. I would also question riding on Fee Fee and Bennington roads, I live in this area and I don't ride on them.
The route I would choose would involve taking the Page Ave Bridge from the Katy Trail. Cross over the Missouri River and at the first fork in the trail stay left and go through the tunnel. Eventually you will come to a roundabout, continue straight through, do not turn left or right. You should be heading south past the Lake House and Mallard Lake. The bike path will come to an end at a side walk and some apartments. The road adjacent the this is Creve Coeur Mill Rd, head south on Creve Coeur Mill Rd, Turn left onto Old Farm Dr which turns into Bookbinder Dr, Turn right on Greenbough Dr, Turn left on Burlewood Dr, Turn right onto Amiot Dr, Turn right onto Marine Ave, turns into Westport Plaza Dr, turns into Craig Rd. Turn left onto Villa Dorado Dr. Turn right onto Schuetz Rd, turns into Baur Blvd. Turn right onto N Warson Rd until you get to Old Warson Rd. From hear you are pretty close, should be able to figure it out.

John, I was at CC Lake yesterday (via the Katy and Page Bridge) and gave some thought to running down to Chesterfield but didn't have a good route. Would you have a suggestion for getting to Chesterfield? I thought about 141 but after 30 some miles on the Katy the whir of traffic didn't appeal. I was a little unsure of Olive north of 40 also. The main goal is to find a route to 109-100 from CC Lake. Would Clayton Rd be good from 141 to 109? Thanks.
Ultimately I'd like to find a good loop route from Washington to CC Lake and back to Washington. I will not ride Highway T so my best idea at the moment is 100 west to Fox Creek Rd, then to Allenton - Pacific - Villa Ridge -Washington. I've ridden this route and it's pretty good. A few problem spots in Pacific but no big deal.

Just to clarify, my big loop idea: Once across the bridge at Washington, hit the Katy and take it to Page Bridge and CC Lake. Question is how to get back to Washington via roads from CC Lake.

Hank, sorry for the delay in response, have not looked back here in a few weeks.
I have ridden on the new 141, but it is not my choice road. 141 has a wide shoulder but as you get close to 40 it has a lot of traffic. The section that I rode was closer to Creve Coeur Lake and while I felt safe, I also felt out of place(as if I were riding along the interstate).
option 1
Olive is a good choice, it has a dedicated bike lane(narrow in a few places) and is posted with many share the road signs. I would take River Valley Drive off the connector between the page bridge and Creve Coeur Lake heading South. Coming from the bridge you will make a right at the first fork in the path just before the tunnel. When you get to the road make a right and you will be heading south on River Valley Dr. When you come to a 3 way stop, make a left which is still River valley Dr. If you go straight you will be on Hog Hollow which gets you to your destination faster, but one of those hills I will only ride down and not up (to many cars and no shoulder). River Valley will take you to Olive at which point you make a right. Take Olive to Chesterfield Parkway(right) to Wild Horse Creek (Right) to Ossenfort (Right).
option 2
Take River Valley Drive to (left) STL Waterworks to (Left) Olive to (Right) Fernveiw which turns into Bellerive Estates Dr. to (Left) Mason Manor to right on Mason Road. Mason zig zags a bit, after you cross 40 make a right on Mason Ridge and then a right on Clayton. Clayton can have a little bit of traffic, but it is marked for bikes.
Hope this helps,
John P

Missed a road on option 2, after STL Waterworks,right on Creve Coeur Mill then left on Olive.