Rock Island Trail Forum

Anyone know when the DNR turns the water back on to the trailheads that have a drinking fountain?

For the DNR, the off season for state parks is November through March. My guess would be if the water isn't on today, it soon will be.

In Boonville, the water was turned back on April 2nd. Of course, with the hard freeze we are having the past few days I am not sure if they are going to turn it off until the cold snap passes or not. I know the water fountain at Boonville had sprung a leak as of a few days ago.

a st.louis friend & i met @ rocheport for lunch. didn't know where to go, so started circling town. we just came up on abigail's out of the blue and had one of the most exquisite, delicious, exciting and innovative 'just by pure luck' lunches that we venture out to find every so often. the food was fresh, presented beautifully and you could tell that what you were being served was something new, fresh and delicious but with a touch of down home cooking. srevice fantastic and just an overall pleasurable experience whil out traveling the missouri river. good road trip vittles stopping place! strongly recommend a stop! -

a st.louis friend & i met @ rocheport for lunch. didn't know where to go, so started circling town. we just came up on abigail's out of the blue and had one of the most exquisite, delicious, exciting and innovative 'just by pure luck' lunches that we venture out to find every so often. the food was fresh, presented beautifully and you could tell that what you were being served was something new, fresh and delicious but with a touch of down home cooking. srevice fantastic and just an overall pleasurable experience whil out traveling the missouri river. good road trip vittles stopping place! strongly recommend a stop! -

Loved, loved, LOVED the people of Pilot Grove. Very friendly.



The park isn't much, but the community pool was open when I visited and the lifeguard let me use the shower facility for a buck.



Local kids talked my ear off.



There are bathroom facilities, but they lock them up at night to prevent vandalism.



You are across the street from suburban homes, but nobody hasseled me. There are electrical outlets in the pavillion to charge your phone, but you have to flip the power box lever on the the utility pole west of the restroom to get them to work.



Loved, loved, loved Pilot Grove. I'd love to live there one day.

Loved, loved, LOVED the people of Pilot Grove. Very friendly.



The park isn't much, but the community pool was open when I visited and the lifeguard let me use the shower facility for a buck.



Local kids talked my ear off.



There are bathroom facilities, but they lock them up at night to prevent vandalism.



You are across the street from suburban homes, but nobody hasseled me. There are electrical outlets in the pavillion to charge your phone, but you have to flip the power box lever on the the utility pole west of the restroom to get them to work.



Loved, loved, loved Pilot Grove. I'd love to live there one day.

The little deli right off the trail was good. Nice people!

The little deli right off the trail was good. Nice people!

Defiance is a biker town, pure and simple. I've never seen anybody misbehave, but I've only been through there a dozen times. Defiance is the first stop west of St. Charles where you can fill a water bottle.



The guys at the Katy Trail bike shop absolutely rock. Super courteous quality people. Love it or hate it, you'll be glad to see Defiance for some much needed hydration and comfort services.

I agree that the bike shop is great! Even though it's a "biker town" I really liked it a lot. And I hate that type "biker" for the most part. :)

We'd have to give The Little House our AAA rating for Awesome, Awesome, and Awesome.

Rita is a friendly and terrific hostess. The house is beautifully decorated and furnished

with comfortable beds and easy chairs ... just what the doctor ordered at the end of a long

day biking on the Katy trail. You get the whole house to yourself. Rita stocked the kitchen

with fresh fruit, cheese & crackers, home-made coffee cake, cookies, juice, milk, along

with an assortment of cereals, popcorn, hot cocoa, and coffee. The house has 2

comfortable beds and the sleeper couch allows you to sleep 6 easily. Bedrooms are

equipped with terrycloth robes, slippers, and big fluffy towels. Bikers can sleep easy

knowing their bikes are securely stored in the locked shed behind the house. The Little

House is fantastic and we can't wait to come back.

We'd have to give The Little House our AAA rating for Awesome, Awesome, and Awesome.

Rita is a friendly and terrific hostess. The house is beautifully decorated and furnished

with comfortable beds and easy chairs ... just what the doctor ordered at the end of a long

day biking on the Katy trail. You get the whole house to yourself. Rita stocked the kitchen

with fresh fruit, cheese & crackers, home-made coffee cake, cookies, juice, milk, along

with an assortment of cereals, popcorn, hot cocoa, and coffee. The house has 2

comfortable beds and the sleeper couch allows you to sleep 6 easily. Bedrooms are

equipped with terrycloth robes, slippers, and big fluffy towels. Bikers can sleep easy

knowing their bikes are securely stored in the locked shed behind the house. The Little

House is fantastic and we can't wait to come back.

What a great place! My 12 year old son and I pulled into Marthasville on Saturday, 3/31/07, very wet, tired, and hungry. We rode up to the Little House, and read the nice welcome note from the hosts, who arrived 5 minutes after a quick call.



The place is literally a Little House. You have the whole place to yourself. It was clean, neat, and there was plenty of FRESH food. We locked our bikes in the building out back, and went off to explore.



They tried hard to make us feel at home, and it worked! I would certainly recommend the Little House if you're in Marthasville.



DPN

What a great place! My 12 year old son and I pulled into Marthasville on Saturday, 3/31/07, very wet, tired, and hungry. We rode up to the Little House, and read the nice welcome note from the hosts, who arrived 5 minutes after a quick call.



The place is literally a Little House. You have the whole place to yourself. It was clean, neat, and there was plenty of FRESH food. We locked our bikes in the building out back, and went off to explore.



They tried hard to make us feel at home, and it worked! I would certainly recommend the Little House if you're in Marthasville.



DPN

We stayed at the Little House on our last night of riding the Katy (Clinton to St. Charles) in September 2006. We thought it the best of all the places we stayed. We were able to completely relax. We liked it so much that when we began planning for our ride from St. Charles to Clinton this spring, the Little House was a must, and will be our first stop. Rita is a great hostess and makes this truly a home away from home.

We stayed at the Little House on our last night of riding the Katy (Clinton to St. Charles) in September 2006. We thought it the best of all the places we stayed. We were able to completely relax. We liked it so much that when we began planning for our ride from St. Charles to Clinton this spring, the Little House was a must, and will be our first stop. Rita is a great hostess and makes this truly a home away from home.

H.H. Fortmann & Co. is great. Good food, good atmosphere and they're open from 6AM to 10PM seven days a week. We were there for lunch and the place was really busy with locals and bikies. We'll be back...

H.H. Fortmann & Co. is great. Good food, good atmosphere and they're open from 6AM to 10PM seven days a week. We were there for lunch and the place was really busy with locals and bikies. We'll be back...

This is a great place! My son and I pulled into Marthasville this past Saturday (3/31/07) very wet, very tired, and very hungry. After getting set up at the Little House B & B (another great place!), we walked down to H.H. Fortmann & Co. The owner was there, the place was clean, the service was excellent, the prices were reasonable, and the food was delicious. My 12 year old said that was the best burger he'd ever had, and he's an expert!



We also ate breakfast there the next morning! My only complaint was they didn't have grits! (grin...)



DPN

This is a great place! My son and I pulled into Marthasville this past Saturday (3/31/07) very wet, very tired, and very hungry. After getting set up at the Little House B & B (another great place!), we walked down to H.H. Fortmann & Co. The owner was there, the place was clean, the service was excellent, the prices were reasonable, and the food was delicious. My 12 year old said that was the best burger he'd ever had, and he's an expert!



We also ate breakfast there the next morning! My only complaint was they didn't have grits! (grin...)



DPN

Anyone on the trail around St. Charles this weekend? I was just wondering how wet/muddy the trail is between Machens and Weldon Spring.

The trail was fine last Sunday (biked to St. Charles), some muddy spots but nothing major. Today's T'storms will muddy stuff up again but it should dry out in time for the coming weekend. Saw quite a few snakes (Black) this weekend onthe trail.

Oh well, guess it's a mute point after the rain today (ha ha)

Loved being at the Frederick - The feel of the old tile underfoot, the great clock in the entryway - the ambiance of the dining room, Imagining times and peoples past - And the food - How does one make cornbread the consistency of angel food cake, anyway??? :) Pastalaya - Perfection of textures and spice - The entire experience was a most excellent treat I will indulge in again soon.

Loved being at the Frederick - The feel of the old tile underfoot, the great clock in the entryway - the ambiance of the dining room, Imagining times and peoples past - And the food - How does one make cornbread the consistency of angel food cake, anyway??? :) Pastalaya - Perfection of textures and spice - The entire experience was a most excellent treat I will indulge in again soon.

Just wondering......the wife is joining me this year on the DNR Katy Trail ride. We're taking our tandem bike......how many other tandem riders out there registered for the ride? Had a GREAT time last year, looking forward the 2007 ride!



Don

Cant help you, Don.



I will take this oportunity to ask a tandem rider a few questions.



Overall is it more energy efficient for a man and wife to ride a tandem while touring or to

ride two seperate bikes?



For example, if you and your wife were going to ride 75 miles in a day would you get done

faster with a tandem versus two single bikes?

Our tandem is more of an equalizer.....I ride more than my wife, and so naturally my riding endurance is much better. The tandem equalizes us where she can enjoy group rides with me, where riding solo, the pace and distances are a bit too much for her. She is fine when we are alone on the local trails where I can slow down to accomodate her, but it's different on a group ride. We're in training now to build her endurance up where she will be able to stay on the bike for 6-8 hours a day. On flat ground the tandem is slightly faster with the same effort I've noticed. Going up hill is slower, but not a problem, we just gear down and crank. Going down hill the bike really picks up speed quickly. Our's is a Trek T-900 with several modifications to suit us better. Great bike for the price, and it's performed flawlessly so far..... But the REAL test is still to come.



Don

Just for reference, there was an article from this couple from California that rode the entire length of the Katy Trail going West to East that you might enjoy. I was looking for it but couldn't find their travelogue. I think the article gives you a good idea of what riding on a tandem would be like - they had a Santana tandem. Maybe you are better than me at searching for the article. Not sure what your age is but these folks were probably in their 50's or 60's.



My wife and I were talking about doing the 2007 DNR Ride. We have a Santana tandem. At 58 years young, we've rediscovered biking. Last summer I rode the trail West to East with my son in the summer - the heat took a little getting used.



Does anyone have any info on bike thefts along the trail - we kind of worry about our bike being a target for thieves because Santana's carry a pretty lofty price tag and the bike is worth every cent we paid. Although we carry a lock wherever we go - we still worry about it.



Would like to learn more about other tandem riders as well. And look forward to other replies.

The wife and I are in our mid 50's. I've only rode the Katy Trail with the DNR ride and theft was NEVER a concern. I never worried about theft when stopping along the trail either at the various towns. Maybe with clipless pedals theives couldn't just ride off with your bike.



Don

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!