Rock Island Trail Forum

Rick was very accomodating...we arrived 1 hour late by train, he was waiting to haul 4 people

and 4 bikes to his B&B at 930p. Accomodations were quite comfortable, with private bath (no

shower in those rooms). Breakfasts were amazing and very filling! Was, again, quite

accomodating making sure we were across the MO bridge safely. At the end of the day, it

was like being at home, lounging around watching tv, visiting and having brownies and ice

cream!

I have stayed at Birk's twice in the last few years and am very pleased with the establishment. The house is very nice and it was what I thought and dreamed a bed and breakfast should be. I would visit again and I definately would tell my friends to stay there.

Birk's sounds like a great place, but I can't find it listed anywhere. Where is this located?

My wife and I stayed at Birk's on 03-28-07. Rick was an outstanding host. Very down to

earth person. The room we stayed in had a king sized bed which was almost as confortable

as our bed at home. He served us fudge cake and ice cream on the night we arrived. The

breakfast was "to die for". I strongly recommend this B and B.

This is a horrible place! My husband, my son and I rode the Katy trail from Weldon Springs to Augusta. We stopped to get lunch at the Brewing Co. We order chips and salsa, 2 sodas, and split a hamburger. We were served a soda for $2 in a can. When we recived our chips, we realized they were not what they had described on the menu. Our hamburger came without lettuce (they were out), on a different bun than usual (they were also out), and a minature tomatoe. Our ketchup and mustard were given in little packets. The food was a VERY small portion for a VERY large price! When we got our bill of $12...we were shocked! Since the waitress took no money off or tell us about the food shortage before we ordered, we only tipped a dollar. While getting back on our bikes...she yelled "Wow a whole dollar!" A waste of money and a waste of time.

This is a horrible place! My husband, my son and I rode the Katy trail from Weldon Springs to Augusta. We stopped to get lunch at the Brewing Co. We order chips and salsa, 2 sodas, and split a hamburger. We were served a soda for $2 in a can. When we recived our chips, we realized they were not what they had described on the menu. Our hamburger came without lettuce (they were out), on a different bun than usual (they were also out), and a minature tomatoe. Our ketchup and mustard were given in little packets. The food was a VERY small portion for a VERY large price! When we got our bill of $12...we were shocked! Since the waitress took no money off or tell us about the food shortage before we ordered, we only tipped a dollar. While getting back on our bikes...she yelled "Wow a whole dollar!" A waste of money and a waste of time.

Hmmm, the second recent report of bad srvice at ABC. Has it changed managment recently, never was like this? Is the beer still good?

Hmmm, the second recent report of bad srvice at ABC. Has it changed managment recently, never was like this? Is the beer still good?

We bicycled on the Katy trail and pulled off at Defiance for lunch, about 1:30pm on a Thursday. We chose Dave and Jacquie's because of its variety in food. It was quaint and clean. The toasted ravioli was great but the BLT sandwich won us over. While we were there, two motorcyclists came in and sat in the bar. They didn't exhibit any adverse behavior. My kids are 9 and 11 (a boy and a girl) and I felt fine having them there. I'd eat there again and recommend it for a taste of small town atmosphere.

We bicycled on the Katy trail and pulled off at Defiance for lunch, about 1:30pm on a Thursday. We chose Dave and Jacquie's because of its variety in food. It was quaint and clean. The toasted ravioli was great but the BLT sandwich won us over. While we were there, two motorcyclists came in and sat in the bar. They didn't exhibit any adverse behavior. My kids are 9 and 11 (a boy and a girl) and I felt fine having them there. I'd eat there again and recommend it for a taste of small town atmosphere.

Had a nice Amtrak ride from Kirkwood to Sedalia.

The Casey's in Pilot Grove opens at 6AM and has good coffee and donuts. The city park

has nice soft grass for a tent, talk to the chief of police nearby, not far from Casey's -

friendly guy. Some loose dogs north of Pilot Grove looked scary but just wanted company

as they ran along the trail. Franklin is nothing- New Franklin is better, get there by noon

to eat with the seniors at the seniors' center - we missed it. Mike Cooper at Cooper's

Landing was accomodating, but the camp ground was full of dog poop. You really don't

have to get permission from anyone to stay in the Lions Park in Mokane. The bar and grill

there is a good place for a burger and the store nearby is nice.

Doug,

Was there a lot of traffic in and out of the Mokane park? Did it appear to be a safe place to camp?

Good question. I don't want to dis Mokane, but the park, which is just south of the trail

head, had a dicey feel to it. There was a rowdy horseshoe game in progress just north of

the park when we arrived that went on for several hours. However the guy manning the

general store north a block assured us we'd be fine there. When it got dark, around 10:00

everything quieted down. We did hear a little scuffle between two guys around that time

not far from us though. There was a good chance of rain that night, so we set up our tent

in a picinic shelter that had some sides to it for protection from any wind, and felt it gave

us some visual protection too we felt. (we did need to sweep away some broken glass) No

problems occured that night.

I'd say, go to the store (closes at 8), maybe the bar and grill (closes at 1AM) for dinner,

make yourself known, and I'd say you'll be fine. But that's just my opinion. Truthfully,

going that way again, I might do it differntly.

Frankly, we passed up the Katy trail shelter, just west, in Tebbetts, because we were the

only ones there, and it had a musty smell to it. But I'm sure it would have been fine - it

had a very full book of signatures of people who had stayed there. Though Tebbetts has

no store or resturaunt.

I've stayed in the Shelter at Tebbetts on several occasions. I've always found it to be fine and, although Spartan, clean and tidy. Never had problems with a musty smell. At it's worst, it's better than a tent. Although there is no resturaunt in Tebbetts, there is a small store and bar and grill next door.

Ask for Matt and look for Twilly. Be sure to thank Steve for bringing Glenn's back to life. Wonderful place to relax and meet lovely people.

Ask for Matt and look for Twilly. Be sure to thank Steve for bringing Glenn's back to life. Wonderful place to relax and meet lovely people.

What are the diredtions to Glenn's Cafe?

What are the diredtions to Glenn's Cafe?

Click on "Boonville" on the map above.....scroll down and click on "Glenn's Cafe at the Frederick." There is a map, address, and a link to their website for even more information.

Click on "Boonville" on the map above.....scroll down and click on "Glenn's Cafe at the Frederick." There is a map, address, and a link to their website for even more information.

Directions are pretty easy. Glenn's is in the Frederick Hotel. The Hotel is adjacent to the Boonville Bridge(three-story red brick building). If you cross the bridge, you can't miss it.



Also, The Frederick Hotel is supposed to be opened, I believe, on May 1. They are taking reservations now.



Oh, and if need a stiff drink, have Matt mix you a "peanut butter and jelly" shot. You probably shouldn't get right back on the trail after a few of those!

Directions are pretty easy. Glenn's is in the Frederick Hotel. The Hotel is adjacent to the Boonville Bridge(three-story red brick building). If you cross the bridge, you can't miss it.



Also, The Frederick Hotel is supposed to be opened, I believe, on May 1. They are taking reservations now.



Oh, and if need a stiff drink, have Matt mix you a "peanut butter and jelly" shot. You probably shouldn't get right back on the trail after a few of those!

i've looked at the photographs of the trail surface, and i've checked through the FAQ and comments...i'm still not sure if i should be taking my mountain bike or my road bike on the katy trail. any help from trail veterans would be appreciated.

thanks.

I rode a cycle-cross bike from Clinton to St. Charles last Thursday-Saturday and thought it was perfect. I realize it is kind of in-between your mountain bike and your road bike. I would not take a road bike on the trail unless I fitted it with some heavier duty wheels and tires that were at least 28-32 cm. I rode 32 nobbies on my cross bike and thought they were just about right. I found the trail to be in great condition, but a couple days of rain right before or during the ride would soften it up considerably I think. Have a great trip!

I just rode the trail a couple weeks ago on my Fuji road bike. I used 700x28cc tires. For the most past, they worked just fine. But, there were probably 10 times (in 283 miles) that I almost went down because of having skinny tires. My brother was using 700x32 tires and didn't have near the problems I did. I think that it all depends on your level of riding. I think that more experienced riders can get away with a 28cc, but beginner to moderate riders should not go that small. Hope this helps!

Your mountain bike is the better choice. Put some skinnier/smoother tires on it for a faster

ride because you really don't need the wide knobby tires. Your road bike is not designed for

riding on gravel. While most of the Trail is fairly smooth, there are inevitably ruts, loose

gravel and rough spots that your mountain bike will just handle better. I would not take my

road bike on the Trail.

Back in May a buddy and I rode 180 miles using our Roadies with 700x25 tires. These were the biggest tires we could fit on our race bikes. I don't get why so many people think they don't work good on the Katy Trail. We each had 1 flat and that was it. It was a complete soaker the entire first day we rode and our bikes worked great. No complaints what so ever. I have ridden the trail several times before using my Trek 4500 Mtn bike and I have to say as far as spending all day in the saddle, I liked my Roadie better. All my riding/training is done on my roadie so I naturally feel at home on it. I think anyone who spends much time on a road bike would prefer it on the Katy as well. Either way you choose, enjoy your ride!!

I did Sedalia to St. Charles and back in early June, on a road bike with 700x25 tires, bigger than what I usually ride with. If speed is a necessary ingredient to the overall success of your ride, then this setup is fine--just bring the slime tubes and a co2 cartridge. I had one flat and was on my way in about 3 minutes. That said, I have recently put less gnarly tires on my mountain bike, and find I can have reasonable speed and terrific security. I would recommend the latter if you are uncomfortable with fixing flats.

I've used both a road bike and a mountain bike on the trail. The former lacked a little bit of control in the loose stuff, and the latter tires seemed a little bit too aggressive for the trail surface. I am not an expert on tires, but will guess there are some good compromises between those 2 extremes which would be better suited for the trail surface.

A mountain bike with "city tires" would make an excellent choice. Or, you can get wider, more aggressive tires for a road bike, depending on the style of road bike. Some road bikes will only allow for a 700x28 tire before it hits the brakes or frame.

Just ride the bike your most comfortable with and adjust the tires accordingly. Myself, I used my mountain bike with 3" of travel and a semi slick 1.9 tire. I carried everything I had in my seatpost pack and stayed in Motels/B&B's along the way.



Good Luck, Paulie

I'd like to make the following observation:

I rode the trail on a le monde road bike with 700 x 28 tires.

have since switch to 23cm tires.



I found the trail to be just fine with the 28's. HOWEVER.....I want to point out, it's not so much the tire.. more so, it's the skill of the rider AND the condition of the trail.

The trail is GREAT. No doubts about that but,.....now and then ruts appear in the trail surface. AVOID these at all costs. no tire size is safe from these treacherous cracks.And they happen; it's just a natural element of life in a chat trail.

Loose gravel slides occur too, usually at the intersections of the trail and access roads. Please be careful, observant, and please don't try to speed the trail. It's meant to be enjoyed at a moderate pace, it's not a raceway.

I generally agree with the above comments which say either a mountain bike with narrow tires or a road bike with wide tires are just fine. The only thing I would add is that mountain bikes are often geared so low for climbing that you will be happier with a road bike. The eastern 2/3 of the trail is some of the flattest riding you will find anywhere, so it's pretty easy to maintain a nice cruising speed with a road bike.



The trail is just a little too rugged for riding with a racing bike or other frail high dollar rig, though. Don't ride something that can't get real dusty and/or scratched. There are lots of twigs and sticks on the trail and if there is a storm, you might have to portage your bike over/through a downed tree. That happened to us a couple times last year.

I am a little confused. We are planning a ride, taking a bike trailer (Burley lite) for our 3 year old, and the bike we now use with that has tires that have printed on them 28 x 1 1/4. Can anyone help me figure out how these numbers relate to the recommendations I am seeing for 28 or 32 tires? Also, would the Burley lite make a difference? We usually use this on a paved trail. The tires are almost new and I don't really want to change them but will if they aren't safe on a crushed limestone trail. Thanks! We'll be going at the end of March and the first week in April.

The 23, 25, 28, 32 you see us continually refer to are the section width of the tires in millimeters. Since there are 25.4 mm per inch, your 1-1/4" tires are 32s. You should be fine with or without the trailer. Although I recommend they have kevlar belts for puncture resistance. BTW, I know it can be hard to read those small black on black letters on tires, but I'll bet your tires are 26 x 1-1/4, not 28.

I have ridden the Katy full length four times and will be doing it again in May. I have a Bianchi Volpe and pull a Burley trailor with camping supplies and it works great. The tires are 32's.I do a lot of long rides including the RAGBRAI but the KATY is one of my favorites!

Good food and service

Get the Katy sub, it's awesome. The service is prompt and the locals ar possibly the nicest people I've ate.

Lord have mercy!!!! They actually serve local people on plates???? Ha Ha!!! Just a little humor here. Lynnrbiker, OH.

I've heard that the locals are more tender than out of towners. ;-)

Ya,ya,ya. I re-read my post and am still scratching my head. What I meant was: Order the Katy, it's awesome. The service is great and the people are quite possibly the nicest you'll ever meet. I know that I'll get abuse from you guys for a long time. Can't wait till someone else messes up, it takes the heat off me.

good one doug, happens to the best of us. next time it'll be some one else.

Just playin' with ya Doug...gotta keep the forum humorous. :)

Doug, I think that laughing is a very good medicine and we all need to work on good health. It sounds like you were not offended and my intention was certainly just to draw a little attention to an opportunity to put a smile on more faces. Thanks!!! Keep up the good work. Who knows, I'll probably be next!!! Lynn

Dutzow Restaurant is a great place for breakfast. I camp over at Steamboat Junction and bike to Dutzow for breakfast.