We did the Katy Trail.
10-31-18, 09:29 AM
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We did the Katy Trail.
All of it. 237 miles. We also did the Rock Island Spur. 46 miles. My lovely wife and I did the Katy. 14 riding days with 3 rest days. So 17 days total. We did basically 25 mile days. We took 2 vehicles and shuttled them as we went along. We had 2 days that temperatures were in the 90s,the rest was mid 70s. We took our hardtail mountain bikes with racks and trunks. The first 5 days we camped then stayed in hotels the rest of the trip. Except for the weekend days the trail was mostly empty. Saw turkey,deer,a few snakes and lots of turtles. My wife did an excellent job of planning our days and our stays. She's the best riding partner ever. I think I did pretty good for a 59 year old man that had radiation and chemo for lung cancer two years ago. I'm cancer free and have been busy being an old retired guy. Just thought I'd let yalll know. Have a good day unless you've made other plans!
10-31-18, 01:49 PM
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Sounds like fun. I don't have two cars to shuttle but I would like to find some way to ride from B&B to B&B with my car catching up.
10-31-18, 02:36 PM
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Terrific!! Especially the cancer free part!
Congratulations to your wife and you for finishing.
I have the Katy Trail on my list too. My challenge is getting back to the start. I guess it might just mean retracing the route and riding back??? Maybe starting in the middle and doing two out and back rides?
My best option might might be to have my wife drive along while we’re traveling out that way.
Congratulations to your wife and you for finishing.
I have the Katy Trail on my list too. My challenge is getting back to the start. I guess it might just mean retracing the route and riding back??? Maybe starting in the middle and doing two out and back rides?
My best option might might be to have my wife drive along while we’re traveling out that way.
10-31-18, 03:55 PM
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Terrific!! Especially the cancer free part!
Congratulations to your wife and you for finishing.
I have the Katy Trail on my list too. My challenge is getting back to the start. I guess it might just mean retracing the route and riding back??? Maybe starting in the middle and doing two out and back rides?
My best option might might be to have my wife drive along while we’re traveling out that way.
Congratulations to your wife and you for finishing.
I have the Katy Trail on my list too. My challenge is getting back to the start. I guess it might just mean retracing the route and riding back??? Maybe starting in the middle and doing two out and back rides?
My best option might might be to have my wife drive along while we’re traveling out that way.
11-01-18, 05:44 AM
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All of it. 237 miles. We also did the Rock Island Spur. 46 miles. My lovely wife and I did the Katy. 14 riding days with 3 rest days. So 17 days total. We did basically 25 mile days. We took 2 vehicles and shuttled them as we went along. We had 2 days that temperatures were in the 90s,the rest was mid 70s. We took our hardtail mountain bikes with racks and trunks. The first 5 days we camped then stayed in hotels the rest of the trip. Except for the weekend days the trail was mostly empty. Saw turkey,deer,a few snakes and lots of turtles. My wife did an excellent job of planning our days and our stays. She's the best riding partner ever. I think I did pretty good for a 59 year old man that had radiation and chemo for lung cancer two years ago. I'm cancer free and have been busy being an old retired guy. Just thought I'd let yalll know. Have a good day unless you've made other plans!
11-01-18, 06:39 AM
#6
Road Runner
I did it back in 2012 as an organized, fully-supported group tour (Road Scholar). We didn't do the whole thing, but started in Sedalia and rode to St. Charles in 6 days, with the longest day 50 miles as I recall. Of course, since all our gear was being transported and we were staying in hotels and B&Bs, we didn't have the overhead of finding a place to camp or stay, getting meals, etc. We had left our cars in St. Charles before being transported to Sedalia, so when we got to the end we could just pack up and be on our way.
11-01-18, 06:44 AM
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I'd never even heard of the Katy Trail until just a couple weeks ago when I was out in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania and a guy from Missouri who just happened to be staying in the same motel came up to me in the parking lot as I was getting my bike ready for the start of the unPAved Susquehanna race and he just started talking: "You ever ride the Katy Trail? You should come down and try it!"
11-01-18, 07:22 AM
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Which way did you go? East to West or West to East?
I've also heard that it tougher than an asphalt trail because it's crushed limestone. Was it significantly tougher? I know it's all virtually flat being a old rail line. ChooChoos don't like hills any better than I do.
I would like to do it but would have to do it in 3 or 4 days, that is IF I can convince my wife to shadow me in the car and go ahead to arrange a room - she doesn't ride.
I've also heard that it tougher than an asphalt trail because it's crushed limestone. Was it significantly tougher? I know it's all virtually flat being a old rail line. ChooChoos don't like hills any better than I do.
I would like to do it but would have to do it in 3 or 4 days, that is IF I can convince my wife to shadow me in the car and go ahead to arrange a room - she doesn't ride.
11-01-18, 11:35 AM
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https://gfp.sd.gov/userdocs/mickelson-trail-map.pdf
The NorPac Trail in MT and ID also has noticeable climbing up to Lookout Pass. Did it last year east to west up to the MT/ID border. Was sick of gravel by then so I took I-90 down from the mountain rather than stay on the trail. Average grade is about 1.78% for 14 miles, but there are steeper sections in the 2%+ to 3%+ range. Very pretty though. Saw an elk on the way up.
11-01-18, 12:16 PM
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maybe stash the car at the end and call an Uber with a van to hitch you back to the start?
11-01-18, 03:18 PM
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Which way did you go? East to West or West to East?
I've also heard that it tougher than an asphalt trail because it's crushed limestone. Was it significantly tougher? I know it's all virtually flat being a old rail line. ChooChoos don't like hills any better than I do.
I would like to do it but would have to do it in 3 or 4 days, that is IF I can convince my wife to shadow me in the car and go ahead to arrange a room - she doesn't ride.
I've also heard that it tougher than an asphalt trail because it's crushed limestone. Was it significantly tougher? I know it's all virtually flat being a old rail line. ChooChoos don't like hills any better than I do.
I would like to do it but would have to do it in 3 or 4 days, that is IF I can convince my wife to shadow me in the car and go ahead to arrange a room - she doesn't ride.
11-02-18, 04:52 PM
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Which way did you go? East to West or West to East?
I've also heard that it tougher than an asphalt trail because it's crushed limestone. Was it significantly tougher? I know it's all virtually flat being a old rail line. ChooChoos don't like hills any better than I do.
I would like to do it but would have to do it in 3 or 4 days, that is IF I can convince my wife to shadow me in the car and go ahead to arrange a room - she doesn't ride.
I've also heard that it tougher than an asphalt trail because it's crushed limestone. Was it significantly tougher? I know it's all virtually flat being a old rail line. ChooChoos don't like hills any better than I do.
I would like to do it but would have to do it in 3 or 4 days, that is IF I can convince my wife to shadow me in the car and go ahead to arrange a room - she doesn't ride.
But do it. Here's a link to my ride report, complete with music...
11-03-18, 10:23 AM
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11-04-18, 04:34 PM
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There's a blues song called "She Caught The Katy" by Taj Mahal. Albert King also sings it. "she caught the Katy, and left me a mule to ride". I never heard of the Katy, until I learned the song recently.
11-05-18, 08:06 PM
#16
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Which way did you go? East to West or West to East?
I've also heard that it tougher than an asphalt trail because it's crushed limestone. Was it significantly tougher? I know it's all virtually flat being a old rail line. ChooChoos don't like hills any better than I do.
I would like to do it but would have to do it in 3 or 4 days, that is IF I can convince my wife to shadow me in the car and go ahead to arrange a room - she doesn't ride.
I've also heard that it tougher than an asphalt trail because it's crushed limestone. Was it significantly tougher? I know it's all virtually flat being a old rail line. ChooChoos don't like hills any better than I do.
I would like to do it but would have to do it in 3 or 4 days, that is IF I can convince my wife to shadow me in the car and go ahead to arrange a room - she doesn't ride.
The Katy Trail is not totally flat. From Clinton to Boonville is hilly although rails-to-trails hilly. From Boonville to St. Charles is flat. The easiest way is from West to East as (1) it's more downhill especially if starting in Clinton, and (2) you are more likely to have tailwinds heading east.
If you would like a supported ride, I suggest the Katy Trail Ride put on by Missouri State Parks. I've done it the last 8 years and it's very well run. Below is the 2017 ride which should be similar to the 2019 ride.
https://mostateparks.com/2017ktride
jppe: The ride above includes a bus ride either to the start or finish for something like $70 more.
11-06-18, 05:16 PM
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11-06-18, 05:58 PM
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Not surprised. It's a long drive. Looked at prices for the GAP years ago out of curiosity and they were expensive. Met a couple in SD who had gotten a shuttle for part of the Mickelson Trail. They wouldn't say what they paid, but the husband said it was a lot.
