Cycling The Katy Trail Sept 2023
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The Katy Trail is a USA Rail to Trail route in Missouri (MO) built on the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) Railroad, better know as Katy.
Back in 2022 a couple of Zwift riders had the idea to ride the Katy Trail and opened it up to others of the Herd Regular Irregulars. Bookings for accommodation were made back in February and March 2023. Finally September Arrived and I was off.
The cheepest way I could find to take my bike out there was to fly Virgin Uppercalss and than my bike went as a free second piece of checked in luggage, otherwise the bike would have cost more than an economy ticket. The flight and connection from Heathrow to St. Louis (8 hour layover in Atlanta) went well other thanthe TSA cuttining to my bike bag, and searching it and loosening a ferw things (grr). Anyway I arrived at my hotel St Charles at half past midnight Wednesday morning The Best Western Plus, St Charles [I would be staying there on my return and they agreed to look after my bike bag whilst i was cycling].
The group were to meet at the Bike Stop Cafe on Thursday morning for a shuttle to Clinton. I called in at the cafe before hand just to confirm that I had indeed paid for the Shuttle. (An alternative would have been the Amtrak from St Louis to Warensbug and a 30 mile ride, which would have been much cheeper.)
Meeting up at the Cafe on thhursday morning there were a total of 9 of us for the transfer. We all knew eachother by voice after chatting in the virtual world, but this was the first time most of us had met in real life. it took a few hours to get to our hotel in Clinton (the Hampton Inn) where we met 4 others of our group. and went on a short evening ride to check out the bike and legs.
The trail starts Riding out from the hotel at 7:30am we made for the trail head where we rang the bell to start. This was to be the longest day with the most ascent. The trail is mostly flat the ascents no more than 1%-3%, and the descents likewise, this does mean you have to keep peddling. Most of the trail was hard compace crushed stone/gravel with a few softer sandy sections. the weather was clear and sunny with unseasonably hot weather with temperatures in the Mid 30's C (low 90's F). Everybody rode at their own pace After a quick stop in Sedalia to get a replacement waterbottle John, Brad and I pressed on. Brad and I stopped in Pilot Grove for a bite to eat at Deon's Bar and Grill, good food and a wonderful host. We then pressed on to Boonville.
Staying at the Days Inn Boonville, it would have been better to take the exit before the trail head rather than the hilly ride back 3 miles to the hotel.
Taking the flatter, but longer route to the trail head we were 9km in when we came across a gentleman who had collapsed at the side of the trail, after making sure he was ok and on his way, we resumed. I realised I had left my waterbottles in the hotel fridge! back I go, this time I took the shorter hillier route to the start point for the day, I missed the group by 10-15 minutes, but soon caught them up. Some great views were had on a nother hot sunny day. Brad and I rode together as our speeds seemed to match. It was a shorter day (if I hadn't had to go back) Staying at the Courtyard, Jefferson City.
This was to be another long day in the saddle, rolling out from the hotel at 7:30 it was hot and humid. As our hotel didn't have a complimentary breakfast and the kitchen didn't open until we wanted to be rolling, John had arranged with a family to lay on breaksast at a trail head about an hour down the track. This wonderful couple and their two girls brought Pancakes, scrambled eggs, ham yopghurt and fresh fruits, they were appologising that the bananas wernt fresh, No one complained as we only asked them at 8pm the night before, and there they were at 8:30 am with breakfast for 16!! not a bad price and a wonderfulservice. Brad and I again teamed up and was really grateful for his assistance as a bike stand after I rode through a patch of goathead thorns and got 5 punctures in the front and two in the back at the same time, This was at 70km in to the ride, only for another puncture a bit later. In all I had to stop 4 times to repalce tube in the last 40km and even had to walk the last mile. Whilst walking to my accommodation I was given a lift by a chap in a small vehicle, no doors, windows seatbelts and a flatbed only big enough for half my bike whilst his 2yr old granson stood on his letgs and helped steer. I stayed at Boon Monument Village. This was definately the quirkiest place to stay in a log cabbin straight out of littel house on the prairie. Marji who welcomed me even went to the local store to get some supplies for me as I couldn't ride. After an hour or so I have found 4 thorns embedded in the tyre, removed and after the horror of finding the repair kit glue dried up, I found I had some preglued patches, all tubes repaired (except the one with five holes in!!).
An early start as we were meeting up at sunrise. I discoverd the previous evening I needent have ridden/walked the 3 hilly miles instead i could have ridded on the reail for a mile. Riding in the dark this morning to the trailhead allowing myself plenty of time incase I had to walk. once everyone had gathered we set off to the next trailhead (Dutzow Trailhead) where we would meet the rest of the group. After a quick phone call Brad played usoff with his bagpipes. Another puncture and user error causing a pinch flat, meant that Brad and I got in last to the Bike Stop Cafe in St. Charles. Nearly everyone was travelling home that day, except for mark, I was going to ride tot he end of the trail with him, but for the punctures and I gat a flat at the cafe (one of the glueless patches succumbed to the heat of the day).
My flight wasn't until Wednesday so on the Tuesday I had a wander around the city of St. Charles. Wednesday was the flights hom,e, no trouble less waiting about, but again the TSA opebned my bike bag, no damage caused this time, but they didn't bother to repack the tools helmet and shoes so thay were rattleing about.
