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prevailing wind/shuttle
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Ocho Uno from Cincinnati on 3/17/2014 10:10:54 PM:
Will ride the KATY in April or May and would like to exploit the wind if possible (hate headwinds). Advice? Also would be nice if I could get shuttled back to my East or West End start point where my car would be parked. Ideas?
 
Brian Demarest from Saint Peters on 3/17/2014 10:19:06 PM:
I've heard the winds are usually better riding east to west. How far are you wanting to ride?
 
MidSouth from Rogersville, MO on 3/17/2014 10:28:35 PM:
The prevailing winds in mid-Missouri are from the SW, but maybe not on the days you are riding...LOL The winds are not that big of an issue because of the bluffs, they tend to swirl around.

It is usually best to arrange a shuttle at the beginning of your trip and ride back to your car. That way you won't have to rearrange it from out on the trail if you get delayed because of weather or mechanical issues.
 
Trek on 3/18/2014 6:54:59 AM:
The trail isn't always just below a bluff. The infamous swirl theory may work when you are riding next to one, but when you are out in the open away from the bluffs, that theory doesn't seem to apply. I've ridden many times between Boonville and Rocheport and the bluffs a mile to the north didn't seem to cause a wind swirl. Ride west to east to increase your odds of having a tailwind.
 
Doug from Bluffton on 3/18/2014 7:09:44 AM:
I'm voting with Trek on this one. I live on the trail in the bluffs and I will admit that the bluffs cause the winds to swirl but 90% of the time I ride west first so that I have tail wind on the return.
 
Dave from Kirkwood on 3/18/2014 7:34:48 AM:
In the mid-latitudes (30-60 north or south), the winds generally blow west to east. Along the equator, easterly winds are more common. This is all based on Hadley cell air circulation and the Coriolis effect.

Of course, the wind varies here daily (based on fronts moving through), and strong northerly or southerly winds are common, but easterlies less so . West-to-east is more likely to offer a tailwind, but it will depend on the day.
 
Anonymous on 3/18/2014 3:15:33 PM:
Good advise above. As noted - more days than no...it's going to be blowing out of the south or southwest...so you want to be heading east.
 
Gary from Near Tebbetts on 3/19/2014 7:35:22 AM:
A lot of the times, the wind will be a cross wind and it will feel like it is a head wind no matter which direction you ride due to the winds vector effect not really a swirl effect caused by the bluffs. Also the trail does not run purely east/west, depending where you are you could be riding in a north/south direction or somewhere in between. There is a graphical weather page on this site that will give you the forecasted wind speed and direction using that and where you plan to ride can give you a better idea of what to expect.
 
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