Rock Island Trail Forum

Am planning on riding the whole shebang with the DNR's Katy Ride in June and I'm a little nervous. May I ask for your expert feedback?



I plan to train by riding the St. Joe State Park trail (11 mi., vy. hilly), working up to 3 rounds in a day. Am also working out on my spinning bike while it rains. Think this is a good start? I mean, how "expert" do you need to be to make 30-60 mi. a day? Is it more about stamina than speed or strength?



Also, I plan to stay in hotels along the way, but the wet weather makes me nervous. Do I need to pack quite a bit of gear on my bike?



...Which is a mountain bike. I've seen the back-and-forth on this wonderful forum about the merits of comfort/mountain/road bikes, but am wondering if my mtn. bike (with flat-faced, knobby-edged tires, thank you) is going to kill my shoulders at the end of the day. Was thinking of a quick investment in a comfort bike....?



I'm not in the best of shape, but I have excellent memories of riding the trail in college, and am looking forward to riding it with my dad. Am just trying to prepare to the best I'm able...Thanks for any advice you can provide...

It sounds like you're on the right track. In my opinion the biggest issue on multiday rides is saddle fit to your hind side. Time in the saddle while you train is the best prep for that. Get good and familiar with your bike. Stamina...yes. Speed....doubtfull you'll break, or want to break any land speed records while trying to enjoy the trail. Strength....nawww....a steady cadence perhaps though while your out in Flatland.



I certainly wouldn't consider a comfort bike purchase...would probably ride what ya have. If you're thinkin you'd like a new bike....a hybrid is probably a better fit than a mountain bike, road bike, or a comfort bike. They are a good tweener in regards to tires and gearing. My riding partner and I just rode two days on the Katy Sunday and Monday of this week. It was her first ride on her new hybrid after riding a comfort bike for the past few years...she was amazed at how much easier the hybrid rode and how much more comfortable it was on the Katy than her "comfort" bike. I've yet to figure out exactly what nitch a comfort bike is supposed to fill.

Trek is right. The key seems to be increasing your saddle time as your distance is more likely to be limited by your rebellious sit bones than your heart, lungs or legs. The trail is technically very easy.

Neither myself or my wife were in great shape before we did our end to end last summer, However we did have 5 or 6 hundred miles on the seat before we made the trip. We took our time (approx. 40 miles a day) on the Katy and enjoyed our suroundings. If you plan to go self contained I suggest you make several short trips with your bike loaded (dumbells in the bags). Fourty extra pounds makes a larger difference than one would realize.



A couple of things I have found that aid in comfort for a multi day trip.



1. (Learned from a blog of a distance rider) from day to day or every few days alter the height of your seat. A quarter of an inch makes a big difference. After our second day on the Katy I did this with great success on both of our bikes, 1/4 down today and a 1/4 back up tomorrow.



2. I don't know about you but I have my "favorite" gears I run a lot (usually large front sprocket and mid rear sprocket, when my bike is loaded). Again several days into the Katy I discovered if I went center front and a higher rear gear it changed my cadance enough to "rest" my legs, but I was able to keep pace.



"I've yet to figure out exactly what nitch a comfort bike is supposed to fill." From what I have seen the nitch is the 6 mile weekender on a paved trail. I was excited when my sister-in-law went out to get a new bike thinking they would now join us on some weekend trips. I was disapointed when they came back with a comfort bike but it suites her style of a few miles on the weekend.

Because the Katy Trail is so flat, riding becomes constant pedaling (instead of pedaling for awhile, going uphill, coasting downhill), which does make a difference after awhile. A smooth, comfortable pedal stroke makes a world of difference.



It is important to practice riding with as much gear as you plan on bringing. Training with 10-20 extra pounds makes your trail weight seem that much lighter: a true blessing.



Distance riding is about pacing yourself. Going too hard the first portion makes the end all that much harder. Slow and comfortable pace, with breaks is good.



The best on-bike wet gear I have found is a poncho. It is possible to drape it over yourself and the bike. Tuck the front corners under your hands on the grips; gather the back (that otherwise could get tangled in the wheel) and rubberband. Effective, simple, cheap; plus one can alter the amount of wind coming in from underneath. That, plus a showercap to go over your helmet, and you're set.



Best of luck.

Many thanks to all for your advice.



My "training" began today when my dad invited me out with him to ride the St. Joe State Park circuit (20 mi., paved, lots of hills). Oy! Lots of practice ahead, and I definitely need to develop a few callouses to get my "bike butt" back!



The St. Joe terrain, of course, is nothing like Katy's-- It's anything but flat. But I figure if I can do a couple of 20 mi. loops in a row, maybe tackle a Farmington-Fredericktown round trip,I'll be loaded for bear.



My father did last year's ride, and when I grilled him this morning about the experience, he echoed everyone's sentiments here.



Let's cross our fingers for excellent weather.



Thanks again!

I plan on riding St Joe some for my training for my first DNR ride. I know it is different terrain than the Katy, but I see the hills as a bonus to the training. I know riding 30 miles of flat trail after training on hills is a breeze. The big difference is the surface, especially if you are using narrow tires. I have thought several times about the Farmington/Fredericktown trip as a possible ride. I will be down that way in a couple of weeks and my bike will be with me.

Hello, Festus. Maybe I'll see you at St. Joe. Curious thing about hilly vs. flat, my dad and sister have a different perspective... My dad said he found it difficult to maintain speed from the incessant pedaling on the Katy (then again, I think he was going for Lance Armstrong records). My sister said she'd never ride the Katy because of all the pedaling as well.



While there are some heart-stopping hills on St. Joe, they at least provide some downhill relief once you get to the top (unless a deer jumps in front of you during the downhill-- That was exciting!). It certainly is appealing, but I think as long as I maintain a slow, deliberate pedal stroke, I'll enjoy the Katy ride.



I'm using tires that have a flat face and knobby edges. Thinner tires are probably faster, but I've spilled on the Katy before and it wasn't fun.



You're coming all the way down from Festus? Wow! Just an idea-- My father rode on the Hwy. 67 shoulder from Park Hills to Festus, at the top of the hill where that gas station is with the stop light-- before you get to the 55 interchange? He said the shoulder's newly paved and it was a really enjoyable trip, although he said it took about 90 minutes Park Hills-Festus, and 150 minutes Festus-Park Hills (climbing away from the Mississippi valley, I guess).



I throw that out there in case you'd like to save gas but get a good workout.

Your dad is a better man than I am. I would be interested in riding Farmington south toward Fredericktown. Heading north toward Festus would be a little tougher. I need some more training for that adventure. My plan is to visit St. Joe Monday the 14th and Thursday the 17th during the day. I will be passing through for a trip and will stop. I hope to meet up with you.

We really miss having the Cracked Crab in Rocheport. We really enjoyed the food.

We really miss having the Cracked Crab in Rocheport. We really enjoyed the food.

The building is for sale if you are interested in returning it to its former glory.

The building is for sale if you are interested in returning it to its former glory.

Hey everyone,



Does anyone have any experience camping and riding the trail? I'm wanting to ride the trail (on my road bike with big tires) and carry my hiking backpack. Does anyone have any experience with this?



Thanks!

Adam

Hi Adam,



A hiking backpack may be a little top heavy. Have you considered using panniers? Last year when I did the Katy, I found easier to stay in motels and B&B's than pack all that gear. I made the trip in 3 days with everything I needed in a seatpost pack.



Good Luck, Paulie

Modern hiking backpacks are amazing pieces of equipment. With little training, you can walk for hours day after day with 50 or so pounds distributed on your shoulders, back, and hips. However, I made the grave mistake of thinknig that I could ride for hours on the KATY with the pack weighing a mere 30 pounds. All that weight went right to the seat and it was a painful experience. I'd recommend going mimimalist (CamelBack and a credit card), panniers, or trailer. At the least, try riding 40 or so miles with your loaded pack before finalizing plans on your epic ride. Good luck and have fun!

I would think that riding a bike on a multi-day trip with a backpack(on your back) is probably not a good plan. You can get front and rear racks for your bike that are designed to carry pannier bags. I believe they are generally limited to 40-50 lbs. These pannier bags are good for food, clothes, etc, but for camping gear to, I am not sure. I use a rear rack(which was very easy to install on my mountain bike) and pannier bags, but again, not sure about adding the camping gear part of it with these bags or rack.



I have also seen people with a trailer on their bike, which I would think would work for the camping gear.

I agree with earlier comments. Like another mentioned - I rode the KATY in 3 days last October utilizing B&Bs and food stops along the Trail. Everything I needed - including clothes to eat at a restuarant in the evening - was carried in a pack behind my seat.



I can't handle a backpack when I ride. I get hot, I don't like the weight pushing into the saddle and I feel unbalanced....but that's just me.

As others have said I use panniers to pack clothes in and we tied my backpack on the carrier on my wifes bike. We had a little trouble with the pack at first but we bought a cargo net at the bike shop in Rocheport and it solved the problem. Staying in B&B's along the trial reduced the load also. Have a great ride.

A group of us bike the trail from Clinton to St. Charles each year. The first trip we all had the knobby tires....we have switched to the semi-road type....much better!!!! We stay at B&B's along the way and find that most are good, some excellent! Also, all of us use the "saddle bag" type to haul gear-----we only carry minimum on the trail, makes for a less stressful trip ( 4 days )......hope this helps. Chuck

Every pound on your back feels like twenty pounds on your rear after a couple miles, and who wants their rear end seeking vengeance? Most definitely not recommended.



Panniers vs. trailer: main trailer choices are B.O.B. or Burley Nomad. BOBs are unwieldy and make your parked bike fall over. Burleys are stable and pull more easily. Both are similarly waterproof. Burley pulls more.

Burley claims that fifteen pounds' weight on the bike and fifty pounds in their trailer pull the same, and I've found that to be true, excluding the unwieldy-bike aspect when loaded.

the Four Trails Restaurant (New Franklin) is closed

the Four Trails Restaurant (New Franklin) is closed

I am going to drink one beer at every possible drinking establishment along the Katy trail start to finish. It will be a great way to support the local economy. I may wait until the weather warms up a bit.

Ahhh!

Now THAT is community service!

I think you will need some ground rules; how will you define "along the Katy Trail"? Here's a suggestion: the establishment has to be visible from the trail.

Otherwise, you may be in Sedalia and find a bar two blocks from the trail, then find a BBQ joint a block from the bar, then a brewpub 1 1/2 blocks from the BBQ, etc....could be a problem. :)

And how do you define "establishment"? Is Casey's and the like an establishment? Does it have to have seating of some kind? If so, will any chair do, or does have to have a place for the girls to put . . . I mean for you to prop your elbows? Does smoking have to be allowed? Does it have to be prohibited? These are all important questions to be pondered. I think I'll have a beer or two to do just that.

There's supposed to be a church/cemetery at Pleasant Green, just east of Clifton City on the trail. Anyone ever been there? Is there a water hydrant (not a fire hydrant) or spigot at this location? Any idea what mile marker Pleasant Green is at?

Woop, forgot I already asked the question. I'm a 46 year old 8th grade history teacher with 3 weeks to go. Brain is mush but heart is in right place.

how hard is it to ride the fifteen miles to the amtrak station in Kirkwood from St. Charles? Or can you get somebody to take you down there pretty easy?

sorry, I see it goes into detail on the link.

Don't know if the link you refer to specifies, but about four miles west of St. Charles, there's a paved spur off the trail that crosses the Missouri River bridge (on a separated pedestrian trafficway) and connects to Creve Coeur Park, from which one can get on main St. Louis roads. I would recommend getting onto Olive Road (by taking Creve Coeur Bottom Road to Olive) because this is a main road with well-sized lanes, the western portion of which has a marked bike lane and lovely shoulders. From there, you can easily get to the station, either by riding or taking busing. Best of luck.

Call 636-946-0619 for shuttles to Kirkwood ---or Rhonaloc@aol.com

I would like to spend some solo vacation time riding the Katy Trail this summer. Ideally, I would like to ride as far as time allows without having to factor in time to ride back to my starting point. I would appreciate feedback on any methods for arranging transportation back my starting point (probably Booneville). This could be an "established, for-fee service," or some other method cyclists have found to work well.

Thank you and happy cycling!

My dad and I just got back from riding between Jefferson City and St. Charles. Depending on how far you get, I can recommend the Katy Trail Shuttle Service out of St. Charles. David Lawson, who runs the business, came to our hotel, picked us up in a comfy minivan equipped with a rack, and dropped us back at our car in Jefferson City. Check the link to his website on the St. Charles list of businesses and services to get his number for a price quote.

Depending on location, many of the Katy Trail towns are near Amtrak stations, Jefferson City, Sedalia, etc. Go to weekly specials at, http://tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak/WeeklySpecials , and customize the section that you are doing. My last search gave me a price of $6.50 one way from Sedalia to Jefferson City. Can't beat that.

Also, Amtrak allows uncrated bicycles on this route for a $10 surcharge. There's an option when booking the ticket. Also, when you reserve on Amtrak *as little as a few hours in advance), the conductor aboard will have your ticket. No need to wait for mail or have a hard copy. You can also purchase a ticket when you board the train, which is almost never filled anywhere near capacity.

Lococo House ll, Bed & Breakfast shuttles ----- call 636-946-0619 -----or www.lococohouse.com ----Rhonaloc@aol.com

We ride the trail at least once a month. Although portland bar has very good food and great people you cant compare it to Mokane b&g.They have the biggest and best burger along the trail. The new owners are always open by 9:00 am except on sundays they are closed. They are probably the friendliest on the trail Cindy and her husband (I think) are very helpful and try to run a good place give them a try you wont be dissapointed. Cold beverages great food Friendly folks

We ride the trail at least once a month. Although portland bar has very good food and great people you cant compare it to Mokane b&g.They have the biggest and best burger along the trail. The new owners are always open by 9:00 am except on sundays they are closed. They are probably the friendliest on the trail Cindy and her husband (I think) are very helpful and try to run a good place give them a try you wont be dissapointed. Cold beverages great food Friendly folks

Not for the novices, who would like to join me on a Katy Road Bike through-ride finishing the entire trail in just 1 day? This is doable, but will require a group of at least 4 experienced road-bike riders, and other logistical considerations. Sun up to sun down, paced around 25 mph. I am in the Columbia, Jefferson City area. presidenteric@gmail.com

My son-in-law completed the trial last year in 3 days......he a two other very experienced riders stated they would much rather do the trail in 4 days.......GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!! I heard that there is a guy in Clinton that completed it in 1 day.....do not know his name...........Chuck

Sam Baugh from Clinton and a group of three triathletes from the St. Louis area have completed the trail in less than 24 hours. Others have expressed plans for such on this forum but I don't recall anyone else actually pulling it off. Brutal.

I am all for doing things that are extraordinary such as this. My only concern is that if you average 25mph, chances are, you will make a lot of people mad along the way by riding so fast. I can tell you from our 283 miles on the trail last year that there are a LOT of places you will have to slow down, stop, yield to other people, etc etc. If you do the ride, just try and be mindful of the fact that 95% of the other people on the trail are there to ride at 10mph, enjoy the scenery, and have a good time. Good luck...it will be a tough ride!

This place was wonderful! Great German Beer and German Food!It has a lovely garden setting! The Owner, Gus, is a gracious host and the Chef, Smoky Joe, was very nice. I would reccomend this restaurant wthout question!

Bryan

This place was wonderful! Great German Beer and German Food!It has a lovely garden setting! The Owner, Gus, is a gracious host and the Chef, Smoky Joe, was very nice. I would reccomend this restaurant wthout question!

Bryan

What city has the hostel right on the trail, with the bunks? I rode the trail a few years back but can't remember. Thanks in advance. Todd, St.L

tebbetts

We made Abigails our lunch stop on our ride last Saturday and found the restored building charmingly decorated with art objects, dark wood, and rugs. It has the air of a Greenwich bistro with gourmet food you wouldn’t expect in a small midwestern town. I enjoyed a mouthwatering crabcake on a bed of salad greens, topped with a smooth cream dressing. While they don’t have a children’s menu, they prepared a special plate for each of my children with delectable, beautifully arranged fruit, and a heaping basket of freshly baked bread. The prices are reasonable for lunch at an upscale bistro. We hope to come back and enjoy a romantic dinner here on one of our future rides. I highly recommend stopping here for a bite. One note, they don’t have bottled water, but you can get that at the antique shop next door.

We made Abigails our lunch stop on our ride last Saturday and found the restored building charmingly decorated with art objects, dark wood, and rugs. It has the air of a Greenwich bistro with gourmet food you wouldn’t expect in a small midwestern town. I enjoyed a mouthwatering crabcake on a bed of salad greens, topped with a smooth cream dressing. While they don’t have a children’s menu, they prepared a special plate for each of my children with delectable, beautifully arranged fruit, and a heaping basket of freshly baked bread. The prices are reasonable for lunch at an upscale bistro. We hope to come back and enjoy a romantic dinner here on one of our future rides. I highly recommend stopping here for a bite. One note, they don’t have bottled water, but you can get that at the antique shop next door.

I agree Abigails is always an excellent spot for a unique meal! We have dropped in on many occasions and each time the quality of food and service is A+!

I agree Abigails is always an excellent spot for a unique meal! We have dropped in on many occasions and each time the quality of food and service is A+!

While you are in Rocheport, be sure and visit the Les Bourgeois A-Frame to snack or enjoy some wine. It's a lot of fun.

While you are in Rocheport, be sure and visit the Les Bourgeois A-Frame to snack or enjoy some wine. It's a lot of fun.

In addition to my "upright" bike, I have a recumbent tricycle (tadpole configuration). I love the latter for the comfort, ease on muscles, and added miles I find I can put in as a result. (I find I take in more of the scenery, too.) However, I wonder if the small rims/tire would be problematic on a limestone trail. Another other 'bent rider take their wheels on the Katy? I'd welcome comments, suggestion and cautionary tales. Also, would you recommend "fatter" or skinnier" tires to best accomodate the vagaries of the trail?

Thanks!

There were two Catrike riders at the trailhead in Pilot Grove Sunday afternoon when we passed through. They appeared to have a tire issue.....were arguing over who's fault it was....not sure what the problem was, but choose to avoid the issue....didn't want to be the one responsible for their tire debacle. lol

I've ridden the trail on both uprights and a recumbent. The recumbent is a two-wheeled, short wheel based model (Bacchetta Giro 20). It has 1.5" semi-smooth tires, 20" in front and 26" in back.



No problems. The trail is mostly hard-packed, sometimes a little soft on the edges after a storm. You do have to watch the trail for branches, snakes and washouts.



I can't imagine any problems caused by riding a recumbent trike. In fact, the lower position of a trike would probably make it easier to pass through the gates at mark road crossings.



I would recommend tire liners or kevlar belts. There seems to be enough stuff on the trail to cause occasional punctures. I would stick with tires at least 1-1/8" wide. No need to go extremely wide or knobby. Wider probably gives you a little more cushioning.

Beware of the Dutzow to Augusta stretch. There are several potholes that are easy to miss unless you are right on top of them. My husband went through a nasty one and fell off his bike.

Unfortunately, HH Fortmann and Co. appears to have gone out of business. We arrived in town about 6:30 and saw that the windows were covered with butcher paper and no signs of life. I was really looking foward to eating there based upon the comments posted here.

Unfortunately, HH Fortmann and Co. appears to have gone out of business. We arrived in town about 6:30 and saw that the windows were covered with butcher paper and no signs of life. I was really looking foward to eating there based upon the comments posted here.

We were there on 4/20 and they were open and had a very delicious lunch. Unfortunately when we came back through town on 4/25 they were closed. Not sure if it permanent or not. Its a shame though; we had to get sandwiches at the gas station instead. I hope they open back up.

We were there on 4/20 and they were open and had a very delicious lunch. Unfortunately when we came back through town on 4/25 they were closed. Not sure if it permanent or not. Its a shame though; we had to get sandwiches at the gas station instead. I hope they open back up.

Don't be fooled by the map into thinking the wineries are all in town. Several of them are a few miles out of town. Mt. Pleasant and Augusta are in town and perfectly adequate to sample some product.

I have to disagree with the other posters' negative comments about the Augusta Brewing Co. We arrived a few minutes before they opened at 11:00, and the bartender brought out glasses of water and said we would have to wait a few minutes to order beer and food. The manager then came out and while getting set up for the day, she sat and chatted for awhile. She told us about a few points of interest in town and explained the beers on the menu. We ordered the large meat and cheese platter, along with a sampler of their beer, and everything was very good. If you are planning to pay small-town bar prices for their microbrews, you should move on down the trail, but it was defenitely a good stop and a comfortable way to pass a few hours on their deck overlooking the trail.

I have to disagree with the other posters' negative comments about the Augusta Brewing Co. We arrived a few minutes before they opened at 11:00, and the bartender brought out glasses of water and said we would have to wait a few minutes to order beer and food. The manager then came out and while getting set up for the day, she sat and chatted for awhile. She told us about a few points of interest in town and explained the beers on the menu. We ordered the large meat and cheese platter, along with a sampler of their beer, and everything was very good. If you are planning to pay small-town bar prices for their microbrews, you should move on down the trail, but it was defenitely a good stop and a comfortable way to pass a few hours on their deck overlooking the trail.

I would have to echo the positive comments from the other posters about Rita and the Little House. This place is so immaculate, I almost felt bad about dragging my smelly carcass inside. Rita was more than welcoming and showed us around for about 10 minutes before leaving us to get cleaned up and settled in for the night. There is a full kitchen, full bath, two bedrooms, a large living room and cable for those who can't go without it. This is a great find on the trail.

I would have to echo the positive comments from the other posters about Rita and the Little House. This place is so immaculate, I almost felt bad about dragging my smelly carcass inside. Rita was more than welcoming and showed us around for about 10 minutes before leaving us to get cleaned up and settled in for the night. There is a full kitchen, full bath, two bedrooms, a large living room and cable for those who can't go without it. This is a great find on the trail.

We stopped late on Friday afternoon and would have stayed a lot longer if the weather wasn't threatening to the west and our host in Marthasville wasn't waiting for us. Nice people and cold beverages. They offered to let us camp behind the bar and stay for karaoke if we were tenting it.

We stopped late on Friday afternoon and would have stayed a lot longer if the weather wasn't threatening to the west and our host in Marthasville wasn't waiting for us. Nice people and cold beverages. They offered to let us camp behind the bar and stay for karaoke if we were tenting it.

They had cold beer and the Food Network goign when we arrived around 3 PM on a Friday. Funny thing, we ran into some of the same locals we'd shared lunch with in Portland. They apparently migrated over the course of the afternoon.

They had cold beer and the Food Network goign when we arrived around 3 PM on a Friday. Funny thing, we ran into some of the same locals we'd shared lunch with in Portland. They apparently migrated over the course of the afternoon.

Were can I find info on the Grass Valley Bluegrass festival tha is to be at Lester Park May 4, 5 and 6 2006? Is there camping? Are dogs allowed? and all other info?

You should probably get intouch with the chamber in Clinton.

can yhou tell when the music festial is and how is going to be there



thank you fanny

The 2006 spring bluegrass festival is May 4-7, and fall festival is October 5-8. Cost is $13 per day or $32 for all 4 days. Yes, camping is allowed. Dogs are allowed in the camping area, but not in the performance area or around the concessions. For additional info, like Mike said, contact Clinton Chamber of Commerce at 660-885-8166

We are planning on going on Friday May 5th, the night before we catch a train in Sedalia. I

spoke with a lady today at this number (Blue Grass Festival-Don kaiser Studio

660-885-3751) she's sending me a flyer in the mail about the line up. Tent camping is $3

and she said theres plenty of room for tents.

Plan to come, but would be interested in knowing the line-up,,at least some of them. Already know that Lost Highway will be there. They are the BEST!

Any time that you book Lost Highway...We will be there!

I understand that Lonesome Road will be there - they are the best and we will follow them anywhere.