Bicycling the Katy Trail - One Way Or Another (October)

McKittrick to Treloar - 16.4 miles with an additional Spur to Hermann (3 miles) Total 37.8 miles
The is the final two trips through the Mid-East Management Section of the Katy Trail State Park.  It includes the towns of Treloar, Marthasville, Dutzow and Augusta.  There are many more travelers now as it is closer and closer to St. Louis.  The weekends are especially busy and I prefer to ride during the week.  This day I rode on a Friday and with the nice fall weather, many people came out to enjoy.  It is always good to pass people that smile and I have met some very friendly people of all kinds from all places on my journey this year.

The sign on this preserved grain elevator says "The Katy Land Trust."  It was founded in 2010 by Dan and Connie Burkhardt who are retired partners of Edward Jones who wanted to ensure the continuation of Ted and Pat Jones' early vision of Katy Trail State Park.  For more information:  www.katylandtrust.org/

More golden soybeans

One of many information boards inviting the traveler to sit and relax and enjoy the view as did those that came before.

These travelers are from Springfield, MO and know the Frisco Highline Trail well.  They are packed heavy for camping out as they complete the Katy Trail in several days.  The girl says she is pulling 250 pounds!  Notice the little dog in the basket :)

One of the more interesting people I met on the trail today.  This 33-year-old veteran was bicycling from New York to Texas.  He was on a mission to ride for fellow veterans.

Owl Man's tattoo - that's the front of his neck...awesome!

It was a nice sunny day with temperatures reaching 80 degrees - nice for snakes to come out and sun themselves.  I saw several on this trip.

I started out at McKittrick where I parked my car.  I rode to Treloar and turned around to ride back.  After a brief rest at the trailhead, I took a spur off the trail to Hermann to play.  It is about 3 miles from the trailhead at McKittrick over the Missouri River.  Back in 2000, Keith and I had rode this bridge to Hermann before it was rebuilt to include a bike lane.  It was really scary then but now it is wonderful!

Many people walk the bridge too and a nice couple took my photo from the middle of the bridge overlooking the Missouri River.

There are also benches along this bike lane on the bridge to enjoy the view.

The bridge let out on the main street in Hermann.  It didn't take long for me to find the right path again!

Hermannhoff Winery has been a favorite stop for many years.  The food is good and wine tasting is fun.  There are better wines around though and they charge $4 whereas most other wineries only have a tip jar and don't charge for tasting.  I did the wine tasting as I waited for my food order.

This winery has a lovely and sometimes lively areas to relax and have fun in back.  There are several separate areas and it is beautifully landscaped.

Brat and Kraut were good!  Now I was ready to return to the trailhead.

Augusta to Treloar - 18 miles 
This trip was much cooler as it was 40-50 degrees as I rode.  It was also the farthest drive at 3.5 hours from home.  Luckily, gas prices had dropped to just under $3.00 per gallon.  The original plan was to stay overnight in Augusta and bike west one day and then east the next day and then I would be done with the whole trail.  Instead, I decided to make two trips with one day riding because the gas was lower than I had thought it would be.  Also, I wanted to play more and ride less this far into wine country.  Augusta was the perfect place to do this.

There continued to be many friendly people to stop and visit with at each trailhead.  These bikes belong to three ladies who next stop was a spa at Augusta at the end of their ride.  Nice.

This is a rough, steep, hill trail for about 200 feet off the Katy Trail.  It leads to one of my favorite wineries at Dutsow - Blumenhof.  Of course, there is a better access on pavement off the trail and is used by car.

It is quiet now but on weekends, this place rocks!  Live music and good people in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.  Keith and I have come here regularly for many years.  There are vineyards here and they do make their own wine, but there are better choices in the area.  It is all good enough to party on!

The Blumenholf always have a good atmosphere and friendly people.  I was the only one here at this early afternoon in the middle of the week.  There was no charge for all the wine I wanted to taste before I got back on the trail.  A glass or two total is plenty when I'm riding.

Small obstacles on the trail this time of year are black walnuts, acorns and hickory nuts.  The corn is being harvested now and the trees are beginning to show their fall colors.

These wildflowers are Red Morning Glories or bindweed.  They are very colorful!

Red Morning Glories or bindweed

Sumac is turning red and the fallen leaves cover the trail in many areas.  It is so much fun to ride through the leaves and hear their crisp sound and watch them scatter.

This has been my regular energy food that I eat 2 hours into my ride.  2 rice cakes, walnuts and raisins and a banana.  I have 2 clementines, can of juice, and a granola bar available if I need more.  I usually don't.  Being diabetic, I must check my blood sugar to be sure I don't go low.  My issues have usually been to go high instead of low as the extra energy exerted makes me produce excess insulin which I have problems absorbing.  I am insulin resistant.  I'm getting pretty good at finding the right balance.  This has been my best year in 10 years for control and near normal numbers.  Yeah!  I have been working on reversing my diabetes with a goal of reducing or completely eliminating medications.  More about that can be seen on this blog.  Go to the 'Search This Blog' tool on the left, key word 'Diabetes.'

 This is the Augusta Brewery at the parking lot of the trailhead at Augusta.  You can see my car parked at the bottom of the hill.  Lovely landscape even at this time of year.  

At the end of my ride today, I stopped here at the Augusta Brewery to enjoy a light beer and a pulled pork sandwich before the 3.5 hour drive home.  After a brief exchange of pleasantries about a good bicycling day with the young racer-guys at the table next to me, I enjoyed listening to their lively conversations about their recent biking adventures.  It was a good day biking!

St Charles to Augusta - 26.9 miles
The East Management Section is between Matson just east of Augusta and Machens which is Milepost 26.9; the trail's actual beginning.  I started at St Charles because it has better access by car and that portion east is not dependable because of excessive flooding in 1993 and 1995 and dangerous thorns that always pop tires.  We knew this from our 2000 trip and from reading online that it hasn't changed much.

It was a 3.5 hour drive by car.  Keith dropped me off in the middle of the city.  We had to drive through a part of St Louis to get to the old part of St Charles across the street from where the first state Capitol was built in 1769.  It was a French Outpost originally. Frontier Park and the statue of Lewis and Clark were under construction the last time I was here in 2003.  The depot had just been restored.  It was looking really good on this trip.  It was 40 degrees at 11AM when I began my ride west (into the wind) to Augusta.  Keith was to meet me at the Augusta Brewery with the car.  This will probably be the last time going east of Augusta for me.

The Restored Depot

Lewis and Clark Monument at Frontier Park in St Charles

The first 3 miles west out of St Charles had several detours on the Katy Trail.  I also had to go by an industrial area that didn't smell so good and a large stone crushing operation that sandblasted me going into the wind.  Good-bye St Charles.

By now I am miles away from the city and the ride improves greatly!  The fall colors are standing out along the Missouri River...

...the bluffs are back in their familiar place on the other side of the trail.

The wild protected areas are back.  The leaves are falling and fun to ride through!

Across from the trail at Matson is a memorial to Daniel Boone.  This is Boone County and there was so much to see about this famous American Frontiersman that I will write more about it in another blog.  Keith and I spent several hours taking the official tour and I have many photos.

Large bluff just east of Augusta was a good place to rest and reflect on my journey a few miles from the end.  The 2013 Katy Trail Adventure began in June and included a break to bicycle the Frisco Highline Trail.  Total days riding my bicycle was 13 throughout the summer - up until mid-October.  Total bicycle miles was 500; 430 miles on the Katy Trail and 70 miles on the Frisco Highline Trail.  The Katy Trail is actually 264.6 miles by mileposts and I backtracked all but the last day.  Lewis and Clark did about 200 miles and backtracked in 1804.  They took 66 days blazing the trail along the Missouri River and about 2 weeks returning.  I'm glad I read all the information boards along the way and know so much more about their challenge!  The stories of Lewis and Clark as well as Daniel Boone were an inspiration!

The perfect ending to my Bicycling Adventure!

Reservations had been made a month previous for a Bed & Breakfast in Augusta for one night and Keith joined me as we combined the trip with another day of enjoying the local wineries and sights.  This is the best week for fall colors.  I will have more details about the Bed & Breakfast in Augusta, the Daniel Boone Home Tour, Fall Color Drive, and Local Wineries in my next blog.

Bicycling the Katy Trail - One Way Or Another (August and September)

In August 2013, I finished out the Frisco Highline Trail near home as I said I would in my previous blog about Bicycling the Katy Trail - One Way Or Another (June and July).  You can easily find the updated version by using the 'Search This Blog' tool on the left side of the page; key word 'Katy Trail.'

As I mentioned, the weather was getting hotter and the gas prices were up to $3.50/ gallon so staying closer to home was the smartest option.  In August and September, the weather was still hot but I got up earlier and rode before the hottest part of the day.  The daylight was longer for driving the two hours plus one way and the gas prices started to come down to about $3.12-$3.25/gallon.  It was time to get back on the Katy Trail.

Rocheport to Easley - 15.8 miles
The Mid-West Management Section began in Booneville and ends in Portland.  This section is considered by many to be the most scenic with the most open views of the Missouri River and river bluffs.

The state champion bur oak is nearby but I just thought this bur oak was good enough for a picture as it was close enough.  Other interesting things along this section were Native American pictographs on a bluff and the Edward "Ted" Jones Jr. Memorial which commemorates the financial contributions and support of Ted and Pat Jones.  Yes, THAT Edward Jones, the St. Louis-based financial services firm.  It was their efforts that secured the right-of-way land that was donated in 1987. Also of note is the spur that goes off to the city of Columbia.  This was the first portion of the MKT Trail completed in 1990 and went to Rocheport from Columbia.

Missouri River on one side...

...bluffs on the other side

...and caves and more caves!

And then the wine country begins about Interstate 70 where it crosses just east of Rocheport.  There's a great winery with access from the interstate by car.  It is called Les Bourgeois Vineyards.  I would highly recommend the American Red Collector's Series.  It is 34% 2009 Zinfandel, 34% 2010 Merlot, and 32% 2009 Syrah.  For more information:  www.missouriwine.com

Elderberry on the trail

Wildflowers are few and far between now with limited areas between the bluffs and river.  It is also the end of summer and only the roughest wildflowers can thrive during Missouri's annual draught in August.

North Jefferson to Easley - 19.3 miles

I am now traveling by car on Highway 54 to Jefferson City for the shortest distance.  I am biking northwest to turn around where I left off at Easley.  This is a familiar route in many ways.  I lived in Jefferson City during the week and went home on weekends in early 2006 to late 2007.  Biking the Katy Trail from North Jefferson to Hartsburg was a regular routine.

This is my Chevy Impala and my Giant bicycle at the North Jefferson Trailhead.  Nearby is also the Central Missouri Master Gardeners greenhouses and project areas.  I would spend much time here and was originally inspired to join the Master Gardeners in my home county.

This 10-mile and return bike ride on the Katy Trail is most familiar to me.

I would stop and have dinner at this cafe many times.  It had a 1950's theme with many fun and interesting antiques. There was also a winery and bike shop close by that have since closed.

 Missouri River

This was to be the bike trip that I read ALL the information boards along the way!  Most of them told the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804 through Missouri.

When the trail got farther away from the Missouri River, I saw much corn and beans on the bottom land.

Butterfly on a thistle

So much of the trail area is covered with dense vines that reach high up into the trees choking out many other wild plants.  It does make for interesting canopies but does seem out of control.

North Jefferson to Mokane - 18.2 miles

This was one of those days that I considered staying home because the weather the night before was rainy and the forecast was not as good as I had experienced previously this year.   I left home in the rain and it stopped about 30 minutes before I got to Jefferson City.  I was lucky that half my bike trip was dry and I was going in the right direction with the wind to my back.

This trip was the least fun mainly because as soon as I turned around at Mokane to bike back to my car parked at North Jefferson, it rained constantly and the temperature dropped and wind picked up.  It is that time of year now with change of seasons surprises.  It was all good as I thought it better on the way back instead of on the way out.  I was prepared for the worse.

The most beautiful thing I saw on this trip were the golden soybean fields.

The cold rain and wind weren't the only obstacles to overcome. 

Mokane to McKittrick - 24.2 miles


Again the drive on Highway 54 to Jefferson City is the shortest mileage from home.  Now I am biking east into the Mid-East Management Section of the Katy Trail.  This section which goes from Portland to Matson has the highest bluffs and the most magnificent views of the Missouri River.  Much of this section is through the heart of "Missouri's Rhineland," known for the number of German settlements from the mid-1800's.  There are countless vineyards and wineries; many accessible from the trail.

My turn around is here and then back to Mokane where my car is parked.   I found that I enjoy the trips best when I ride at my top speed (12-14 miles per hour) to my turn around destination.  I only stop for water sips.  Then I ride at a more comfortable speed of about 8-10 miles per hour on the way back stopping frequently for pictures, stretches, and rest.  Usually I have a light lunch that I packed with me at the turn around place.

This is the highest bluff at Bluffton.  It is about 200 feet in height. The trail runs between huge rock bluffs and the Missouri River for most of the trail between Booneville and the Mississippi River.  That's about 200 miles along the Lewis and Clark Trail.  

Missouri River sandbars  

Many old iron bridges and tunnels all along the Katy Trail.  The oldest tunnel (1893) is just outside of Rocheport which is 243 feet long.   I still love to hear the echoes as I ring my bell through them all :)

Always have to watch out for unexpected trail conditions!  This center split could catch a tire and put the rider down pretty quick.  Just a couple short sections are like this.  I'm betting it was repaired by the next weekend as it looked fresh and it was not posted with a warning.

Standing Rock - a sandstone column carries markings of flood water levels have been made for the past 150 years.  It has been wondered why a railroad would build all along a flood area which is about 200 miles from St. Louis to Booneville.  It was said that the railroad officials believed the straight, below 2% grade of the land was still more cost efficient to build and maintain than locating in the higher hilly, rocky grounds.  It flooded somewhere along it every year.  Definitely worth checking the Katy Trail website for trail conditions before leaving home.  www.bikekatytrail.com 

Historic German-built church at Rhineland.  This town was relocated to higher ground after the 1993 flood.  It is the oldest German community in Missouri (1836).  I am inspired to make the theme of my next Katy Trail experience one of photographing and visiting all the historic churches and graveyards close to the trail.  Maybe next year?

Blackfoote Mushroom

The remaining trip and summary will be in the next blog - Bicycling the Katy Trail - One Way Or Another (October).  This will include more winery activities and fall colors and will be the Grand Finale of my Katy Trail 2013 experience.