The Katy Trail Missouri September 2012

The Katy Trail, from St. Charles to Clinton, Missouri and back. Trail total 450.20 miles...total miles with side trips to eat and camp, and backtracking 484.67 + miles in 7 days, four out and three days back to car!

Weather outside of Knoxville as I was leaving!

Driving through Nashville.

Rest area entering Kentucky.

Day One! Left Tuesday the 18th from Knoxville, Tn. Got into Illinois about two hours from the trail, got a call from a friend in Nashville who wanted to ride some with me. So I turned around and drove back to Nashville and picked him up. 

We got to the trail at 3:30 in the morning Wednesday. We went and picked up a bike for him, I had mine on the back of the car. At around 5:30 am, we got back to the trail, loaded our bikes with our gear and left St. Charles, Missouri around 6:30 or so in the morning, without any sleep from the day before.

We rode from St. Charles to Marthasville, Missouri , a total of 38.7 miles the first day, then set up camp in a small City Park. The park was Wessel Park right off the trail. It was located real close to the trailhead, so we had a restroom and place to wash up in the morning.

My friend had to go back to Nashville the next morning, so he parted back to St. Charles and I continued on alone!

Me loaded up and ready to hit the trail. No that's not a bike trailer, that's my car, lol!

On day two, I woke up I found I needed air in my front tire, so I filled it up and then I left Marthasville around 11:00 in the morning after saying goodbye to my friend as he headed back to St. Charles. It was a late start. I got about 10 miles down the road and had to put more air in my tire. In about 10 more miles, I had to do it again. And again, about the same distance, then it went completely flat at Mokane, Missouri. It was getting late and I was tired, so I changed the tube at the Lion's Park in Mokane, where I also pitched my tent and stayed for the night.

Lion's Park in Mokane, Missouri, right off the Katy Trail. There is a Market right up the street to buy food and stuff!
Owner's where very nice!

Day three. Left Mokane around 8.15 in the morning. Started out a nice ride, got about 40 miles into the ride, and don't you know it, I got another flat. Back tire this time. I stopped took the tire off and replaced the tube, pumped it back up, and low and behold, the tire was bad and blew up in two s shaped patterns and I didn't have a spare tire with me. Had to ride about 10 more miles to the nearest bike shop with the tire rubbing the frame in two places, making it tiresome to petal. Got to Rocheport, Missouri and had the bike shop put a new tire on for me. Don't know if he pinched the tube putting the tire back on, but I only got less than a half a mile away and the tire went flat. I changed the tube myself this time and it was fine. I made my way to Boonville, where I stayed the night in Harley Park, about four or five blocks from the trail. You have to notify the Boonville Police that you are staying in the park. It was a very nice park and the town seemed very nice also.It was about 7:30 when I got my tent all set up and ready to turn in for the night. Put in a total of 66.8 miles in from Mokane, and that was with two flats and a tire change. Man was I tired that night!

My bad tire that rubbed the frame as I pedaled the bike.

Day four. Boonville to Clinton 72.8 miles. My last stretch to Clinton was a long ride, but no problems, no flats, yea! Left Boonville close to 8:30 am, and got to Clinton around 7:00 pm, set up camp in the fairgrounds behind the Convention center in Clinton. They had something going on at the center that night, so for three hours all you heard was the boom-boom from the music and a DJ announcing stuff. Then came the trucks and packing of equipment and chairs for about another hour. After that I was able to finally fall asleep. 

Days 5-6-7. Woke up and left Clinton around 8:45. Rode back to Boonville and had breakfast at the River's Edge Diner on Main Street right by the bridge to cross the Missouri. Got back on the trail and made my next stop in Sedalia for lunch, then preceded to Pilot Grove 61.3 miles from Clinton where I stayed in the city park. It was a nice little park, and seemed to be a quite nice little town. Got there around 7:00 pm that night. Now as I said it was 61.3 miles but I had left my camera in Sedalia where I had lunch. I got about 6 miles out from there and realized it was missing. So I had to go back and get it, adding another 12 miles, giving me a total of 73.3 miles. Left out of Pilot Grove in the morning and made my next stop back in Mokane for the night. That was 78.3 miles. After getting up and having breakfast at the little market in Mokane, I then made my way back to St. Charles, a total of 85.5 miles. Now you are supposed to be off the trail at dusk, but I had five miles to go after that, so I rode about 4 miles with a flashlight to see in front of my tires to get back to the car. I made it back to the car around 8:40 pm. Oh yea, forgot to mention I hit three thunder storms on the way back to the car. The last one hit me 1/2 mile from the car and poured the whole time I was loading everything up, but hey, I made it back in three days and that was my goal. It was a great run, but I must say, my bottom was feeling every bit of it. Next time I will get biker pants for sure.

Now I consider myself a recreational rider. By that I mean I may ride the local greenway that is paved two or three times a week, and that is about 9-11 miles. So for me, this trip was a real feat. The grades are only 1-3 percent, but they are long in some spots.  So to an unseasoned rider it certainly does not feel flat as they make it sound, some spots were down right challenging. Of course a seasoned rider would have no problem on the trail. Did I say I was a recreational rider yet, lol! 

If you ever plan to do this ride, I highly recommend you bring some extra tubes, a patch kit, and maybe a tire. Chain lube for bikes, and various tools needed to change tires and make adjustment to your bike. I took mine to the car wash to wash off the limestone dust that got caked on the bike, and relubed the chains several times.

Also some places or trailheads you pass do not have water, so make sure you always have 1-3 pints of water at all times.

Overall, I really enjoyed the ride, and the people along the way were very nice, never felt threatened at any time. You can ride 2-3 hours before seeing another person sometimes. Oh, and another thing, you need to pay attention to the trail in front of you at all times. Sometimes you might come across a crack in the surface, which your tire could get stuck in, some larger stones from cross roads, fallen tree's, I acually came upon one on the way back to the car. I guess it from from the thunderstorm we were having at the time. It was laying across the whole trail. I had to walk my bike over it. Walnuts from the tree's on the trail, turtles and squirrels, lots and of squirrels darted around the trail. I saw several that were run over by people on bikes.

Her are a few more pictures from the 3 day ride back. I did most of the picture taking on the way down, so I wouldn't have to stop as much on the way back.

Set up under pavilian in Mokane on the way back. They had a thunderstorm around 10 at night, I stayed dry.

      Janie Stein and Martin Bates "The States" Singer, songwriters living on the road and enjoying life as it comes there way! http://statesontheroad.blogspot.com/

Met this man in Rhinehart, Missouri. Got to talking and he said he started riding a bike again because of some heart trouble when he was 80. I said eighty? How old are you now? He said, I am 89. Man he looks good for 89. Started out riding, adding a mile a week until he got up to 16 miles. I hope I can get out of bed at that age!