Geezers on Bikes from St. Peters/O'Fallon MO on 9/2/2006 5:11:53 PM:
There is no car access to the Machens trailhead, so park at Black Walnut Trailhead. (Take Rt. 94 NE out of St. Chas. to Hwy. H, turn right on Music Ferry Road) Park at Black Walnut Trailhead, parking but no restroom. Ride from there to Machens & back, then ride from Black Walnut to St. Chas. Finished graveled from Machens (26.9) to Cul de Sac (34.5). From 35 to 37.5 or so, trail goes from graveled to roughly graveled to dirt and grass path and back to roughly graveled, but even in dirt/grass,trail is still passable and visible. 37.5 to St. Chas.(39.5) is fully finished and graveled again. We are two old geezers, age 51, and if we can do Machens to St. Chas, anyone can! We were still doing 7-8 mph through the dirt/grass, not as rough as it sounds. It was fun!