I didn't read the article either. I have however ridden the trail and
connecting trails multiple times over many seasons. I think you can get
out of it what you want. If it's to just ride it then expect packed
limestone trail and repetitive scenery to a point. However, and this is
my opinion only and not meant as a counter post to anyone..
My Opinion on best way to enjoy the Katy Trail.
Don't just schedule 80 mile days and grind out mile after mile..... been
there and done that.. boring and did I mention boring.
Keep milage to 50 or under and give yourself time.
So day One take train to Sedalia from St Louis were your car is.
Note that Lee Summit is good to and allows routes to Clinton Mo.. (one end
of Katy Trail. Get off train ride to Clinton.
Day two Ride back to Sedalia, and party... the fair grounds makes a
great camping area with a short ride to downtown for great food and
entertainment.
Day three ... Head on down to Rouchport .. Beautiful place with short
nature hikes, restaurants etc. I usually camp there by the trail a the
trail head... (no it's not listed as camping but )
Day 4 Ride out to Columbia Mo, it's a connector trail of 7 miles
each way .. beautiful college town.. recommended and fresh cold beer.
Leave there an head on over to Coopers Landing for bands, beer, and river
view. This is a true river side experience. If you don't like rustic
and PBR maybe not for you.
Day 5 a short day to Jefferson City.. hang out and explore Missouri's
capital and a nice trail system along with craft beer and good times.
You're only 107 Miles from St Charles.
Note: If you need to then take the train back at this
point. .. escape clause :)
Day 6 Take the longest day in a few .. roughly 5ish and head into
Herman... Whine, Craft Beers, Camping etc. It's 2 miles off the trail
just outside Mckittrick
Day 7 Head on into Augusta for the Winery and good times.. Now if
you don't have to go out to the very end which ends in the middle of now
where then ride on into St Charles after embiding. Note that the end
is 12 miles out..
Day 8 out and back to end 24 miles then about 24 miles back to
your car in Kirkwood Missouri.. nice day and at your car.
Easy to cut days and see less.
Here is a planning site... http://www.bikekatytrail.com/planner.aspx
Here are photos from some of my time on the trail.
http://www.kickstandphoto.com/event/Bicycle-Touring/MqJqj47yYtT6g
Kinda like a hill.. no harder than you make it ..
Note: as usual ride the larges tires you have... not much of a flat risk
there so protection is of limited help.
Do this self contained. So many more options and there is so
much going on depending on when you ride. Missouri DNR does yearly
rides where they carry your gear as well.
If you need a place to stay in St Louis before riding .. look me
up - or even shuttle for very small group.. or even just leave your cars
here in driveway.
The length and the time are what attracts me to this trail
beside living so damn close to the train station...
Good Luck sorry to be so long winded.
Kelly
On Tuesday, October 13, 2015 at 10:42:23 AM UTC-5, Paul Brodek wrote:
>
> Exec Summary: It's hard for me to recommend the Katy Trail as a
> destination trip, unless you relish the challenge/experience of riding the
> 2nd-longest trail in the country (it was still the longest when I rode it).
> If you're going to be nearby, no reason not to check it out. Avoid summer
> heat, and do some research into which sections might offer the best
> scenery. I'd probably enjoy it more today, with more trail riding
> experience under my belt and nicer tires to ride. But I'd rather try the
> GAP first, or somewhere else with more topography.
>
> I didn't read the article, they wanted me to click on a survey or sumpthin
> first, and I'm home with a cold and grumpy so NO!
>
> I rode the Katy Trail for only a couple of days in the summer of '00,
> squeezing the riding into a business trip. I rode a steel Fuji Cross with
> fattish but not-particularly-supple tires. IIRC I rode from east of St.
> Joseph to St. Joseph, then west from St. Joseph. The first day was kind of
> a half-day, maybe 20mi. The second day was going to be 40mi or so, but I
> cut it a little short due to weather. Got a ride from west of St. Joseph
> back to St. Louis the second day.
>
> It was very hot and humid, even for a Jersey boy, and on the second day I
> was riding between two storm fronts. The hotel weather channel showed the
> fronts 15mi apart, traveling at 10mph, so I figured if I left just after
> the first front passed and kept around a 10mph avg, including stops, I'd
> stay dry. Surprisingly this worked, I didn't get any rain while on the
> trail, but the humidity kept me pretty damp. I got to the hotel that night
> just before a third storm hit, which turned into a hellacious hailstorm
> with golfball-sized chunks of ice that literally (and I'm old enough to
> understand how to use "literally") left tens of millions of $$ of damage in
> its wake. Hiding for safety in the empty bathtub while the room windows
> were being battered by machine-gun ice was more memorable than the ride. I
> thought the windows were going to shatter and send glass flying through the
> room, but they held up. My rep's car was in the hail for a minute or so
> before he got under an overpass, and the insurance company wrote the car
> off as totaled. Fun.
>
> So the weather did not add to my enjoyment. The length of trail I rode was
> crushed limestone, pretty well surfaced. I found the two days kind of
> uninspiring. The trail was flat, of course, but so was all the surrounding
> terrain. The Mississippi River was close by, but far enough away on
> flatland that I don't remember seeing much of it. I didn't find the ride or
> surroundings to be particularly scenic. Whatever small towns the trail went
> through were nice, but the heat/humidity, and the moving storm fronts on
> the second day, didn't encourage lingering or exploring. This was probably
> my first time riding a trail, and I kind of felt like I was slogging along.
> On the second day I noticed there was a small, very well-surfaced road just
> a few feet away paralleling the trail, so I started riding on the road
> instead. That was more fun than the trail.
>
> Since this sounds kinda negative, I decided to endure the Gazzette's
> survey and read the article. I most definitely did not travel under a
> canopy of trees, like it says in the article. Sounds like they had fun,
> despite riding in August, I kinda didn't. But I was riding alone, first
> time on a trail, crappy/scary weather, and I can be a Grumpy Gus when I'm
> riding solo. Maybe when not riding solo, too...
>
> Paul Brodek
> Hillsdale, NJ USA
>
>
>
>
>
> On Sunday, October 11, 2015 at 3:37:54 PM UTC-4, Jon Dukeman in the
> foothills of Colorado wrote:
>>
>> Todays travel section had a great article about the Katy Trail in
>> Missouri.
>> There must be some of you who have ridden it.
>> If so, I'd like to hear about your experience, what time of year you went
>> etc.etc..
>> Here's the article:
>>
>>
>>
>> http://gazette.com/missouris-katy-trail-offers-an-experience-cyclists-cant-find-in-colorado/article/1560940
>>
>>
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