Cycling the KATY Trail

About the Trail

The KATY Trail is the longest developed rail-to-trail system in the US (https://www.mostateparks.com/park/katy-trail-state-park ). The name KATY is derived from the name of the former rail line, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT). The MKT railroad abandoned the line in the early 1980s' due to decline of it's profitability. The National Trails System Act made it possible to transfer the management of the rail corridor from the private sector while preserving the right-of-way for future transportation possibilities, and the rail-bed was redeveloped as a bicycling trail. The redevelopment included new bridges, sanitation facilities, restoration of historic rail depots, numerous information placards, and pleasant parks and museums along the route. 

The opening of the KATY Trail was a stimulus for the development of new commercial enterprises to serve the cycling public, such as brew pubs, restaurants, ice cream parlours, B&Bs, campgrounds, and bike shops.

Much of the trail follows closely by the Missouri River, affording delightful views of “Big Muddy”. 

We particularly enjoyed the informative placards describing the history of the original inhabitants (Osage Nation), European explorers and fur traders (French, Spanish and British), and eventual US occupation and expulsion of the Osage. Historical highlights include the Daniel Boone settlement and the Lewis and Clark Discovery Expedition.

There were unique and unexpected sights along the way.

The trail bed is well-surfaced with packed fine gravel. There were only a few local areas damaged by recent flooding. The grade is minimal, as dictated by its former use as a rail bed. The narrow right-of-way is mostly treed, but sections do pass through open farmlands, exposed to sun and wind. Many small and larger towns were served by the rail line, and we cycled into or through several of these historic communities.

About the Tour

This was a guided and van-supported bicycle tour organized by Wilderness Voyageurs (www.wilderness-voyageurs.com ). The van shuttled the participants from our meeting place in St. Charles, MO, to the start of our cycle ride at Clinton, MO. We cycled back to our vehicles in St. Charles. We enjoyed the services of two trip leaders; James Oerding and John Buelhorn. 

One drove the van ahead to set up our “pit stops” and a picnic lunch. Lunches were delicious; smoked turkey salad, humus, baked beans, cheeses, deli sausage, cold cuts, fresh vegetables and fruit, as well as the usual snack foods and drinks. The van also served as “Sag Wagon” and was a mobile bike repair shop. The other guide cycled with the group and looked after the inevitable mishaps (several falls required first aid) and malfunctions (most commonly flat tires). Each participant was provided with printed route descriptions and a GPS programmed with the route (an alarm sounded when a turn was missed).

Sleeping and Eating

Lodgings and locations for evening meals were reserved by Wilderness Voyageurs. They varied from B&Bs in historic buildings, to historic Hotels, to modern mega-hotels. The B&Bs were, by far, the most interesting. They were all welcoming and comfortable. Evening meals were sometimes Group Events in interesting venues arranged by Wilderness Voyageurs and other times on our own; a good combination.

About the Participants

There were 8 cyclists in our group, including us. Ages ranged up to 82 years. There was one father-daughter team. One cyclist from California, one from Texas, one from Wisconsin, one from Indiana, two from Maryland, and us from Nova Scotia. All riders were experienced and fit.

Day 1

We became acquainted with our trip leaders and fellow cyclists during the shuttle from St Charles to Clinton. During the 38 miles cycled on this day, we passing the highest point on the trail (952 ft above sea level).

Later, we paused at the restored Victorian-style 1896 Sedalia rail depot. We left the KATY trail to the centre of Sedalia and our lodging at the historic and comfortable Bothwell Hotel (www.hotelbothwell.com ), where President Harry Truman once slept. After a welcome hot bath, the group gathered at Fitters 5th Street Pub for brews, dinner and conversation.

Sedalia is the cradle of classical ragtime since Scott Joplin composed Maple Leaf Rag here.

Day 2

Today we cycled 50 miles from Sedalia to Rocheport, one of many cities and locations with French names. We paused at the remains of a railway roundhouse at one of the junctions with branch lines.

We stopped in Boonville at the KATY Trail Museum, housed in a newly renovated rail-side warehouse. 

We learned about the history of the railroad; construction, boom, repeated flooding, economic decline and eventual decay. There is a splendid exhibit about the Discovery Expedition of Lewis and Clark, including full-size replicas of their keel-boat and pirogues.

The School House B&B is in a wonderfully restored three-story school building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are eleven guest rooms, a multi-course breakfast, and delightful amenities (including en suite jacuzzi) and wonderful hospitality (www.schoolhousebb.com ).

We were ready for a set dinner at the Grocery Store Restaurant, where the proprietor is also the Rocheport Mayor.

We met the author of the Guide to the KATY Trail, Brett Dufur (www.pebblepublishing.com/complete_katy_trail_guidebook.htm )

Day 3
Along the way we marvelled at the Manitou Bluffs (dolomite and sandstone), the Native American Petroglyphs, the ancient Burr Oak Tree, and learned about harvesting soybeans. 

We cycled 38 miles from Rocheport and crossed the Missouri River to the state capital, Jefferson City.

Our Capital Plaza Hotel is next to the beautiful State Capital building. Our guided tour of the capital building revealed beautiful murals and stained glass. The state history museum is informative.

Day 4

Highlights included Daniel Boone's final resting place and “the judgment tree” where he held court when he was a territorial judge. 

There were two crossings today of The Big Muddy while cycling 47 miles from Jefferson City to Hermann, a thriving town of German descendants. The many restaurants, wurst houses, micro breweries and wineries make for abundant happy tourists, but the streets are far from busy.

Our lodging at the Hermann Crowne Suites (www.hermanncrownhotel.com ) included an en suite Jacuzzi tub, most welcome after cycling 173 miles over the first four days.

Day 5

We cycled 37 miles starting with a Big Muddy crossing and carrying on to Augusta where we enjoyed a micro brew

 before checking into our lovely 200 year old restored Apple Gate B&B (www.applegate-inn.com ) . Our charming hostess explained the operation of the en suite sauna, which was put to use immediately!

We thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the splendid hospitality at the Apple Gate B&B!

Our delicious Farewell Dinner was at the Conference Centre and we were delighted to have an after dinner lecture about South America.

A stroll around Augusta revealed some interesting scenery.

Day 6

After a healthy and hardy breakfast provided by Lynn at Apple Gate B&B, 

we cycled 27 miles from Augusta into St. Charles, our starting point, where our vehicles were awaiting us. Along this section there is a gradual transition from rural to urban scenery and increase in population density. We had not seen that many automobiles in a week on the KATY trail!

Upon assembling at our terminus, we congratulated each other for our achievements on the KATY trail!

We enjoyed a farewell lunch at Henrick's BBQ, 

saying our goodbyes to our new cycling friends and, as usual, promising to meet again on another cycling trail! Perhaps we will!

Here is another KATY blog that you might enjoy.

Http://travelswithgranny.blogspot.com/2016/09/riding-katy-trail.html

Peter and Catherine, now aboard S/V Charlotte D, laying Iles de Saintes, Guadeloupe, French West Indies. Our sailing adventures are recorded at www.svcharlotted.blogspot.com

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a Motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” Ernest Hemingway

2016: Cycle Holidays Ireland

HELLO FROM IRELAND

We arrived in Shannon, Ireland, from Philadelphia, several days before the start of our bicycling tour.  From the Shannon Airport we bussed to Ennis.  First lodging was at the Rowan Tree Youth Hostel in the centre of Ennis on the River Fergus.

After a short nap, we walked out for dinner and "trad" music at Brogan's Pub.  We enjoyed a group of enthusiastic young musicians; two banjos, fiddle, flute and bouzouki.

Dinner was baked hake and seafood chowder with Guinness and Smithwick's.

The next day we walked to historical sights: the Clare Museum, the Ennis Friary, ancient stone bridges, monument to Daniel O'Connell (famous for his 1828 Act of Catholic Emancipation). Afterwards was lunch of St.Tolas cheese tart with caramelized onion, marinated beet greens, mesclun, mixed vegetables and potatoes.

There was another evening of traditional music:  at the Poet's Corner of The Old Ground Hotel then ventured to another pub, unknown to most tourists, where Anne Marie and Friends played at James Moroney Family Grocer, with fiddle, guitar, bodhran, concertina, and flute.

It was amusing to see Irish humour everywhere.

The next morning we met John, proud owner of Cycle Holidays Ireland who invited us to visit Limerick before settling into Bunratty.  We learned of bastion walls, sally-ports and tunnels at King John's castle.  This is a place for real historians and archeologists!

We bussed to the Bunratty Courtyard Guesthouse, our base for the next 2 nights.  We walked to Bunratty Castle, village and Folk Park, which was restored by the Gorts who owned the castle for years and returned it to the people of Ireland in their will.  After a late tea, we had a lovely dinner at Durty Nellie's Pub, named for a bridge toll collector next to the Castle.
 

Had fun trying hats in Tourist shops....where could we wear these?

 Bunratty Castle, was in shambles until Lord and Lady Gort decided to renovate it to it's former state and then gifted the castle to the people of Ireland.

These antlers on the walls are from extinct Irish Elk.  This is the Grand Ballroom.

The Bean (Gaelic for Lady of the House) shares many customs while making an apple tart.

We especially enjoyed the Fairy Garden, and are inspired to make Tree Fairy Houses in Cape Breton.

Our Cycling Tour began from our Bunratty Guesthouse.  This was a terrific tour!  We were fortunate to have selected the "best" of Ireland Cycling.  Our favourable impressions of Cycle Holidays Ireland began with the detailed and informative web site (www.cycleholidaysireland.com). 

At last, we met our Specialized bikes,  precisely tuned to our individual needs.  It is a damp morning, so our rain gear was needed.  We are equipped with high visibility jackets, cell phones, handle bar bags and helmets.  We are given route maps and information sheets daily.  John is only minutes away at all times.

Fine dinner at Gallagher's Seafood

Being along in our years and not expert cyclists, we were concerned that the Irish terrain might be beyond our abilities, even though we cycle regularly at home in similar terrain.  Fortunately, the route chosen was not excessively hilly. 

Most importantly, John Heagney, company owner,  manager and guide was available to transport us up the steepest hills, allowing access to some of the more rugged sections without over-extending ourselves.  We relished every drop of Irish sunshine and were happy to shelter in the van on the occasions when the sunshine became too liquid. We appreciated a vigorous outdoor excursion under appropriate adult supervision.

As promised, John was always accessible by phone.  He, and the detailed maps provided, kept us safe on beautifully quiet country roads.  His "managerial finesse" avoided construction areas, stampeding cattle, dogs and horses, floods, bogs, and heavy car traffic.  We never felt rushed and feel we saw more than we anticipated.  We found the drivers in Ireland able to manage passing us courteously on single lane roads.

We were pleased with the provided bikes.  One wheel went out of true and was immediately replaced with a spare from the van.

The scenery is breath-taking, glen after glen and vista after vista.  We were pleased to enjoy first-hand the many animals, plants, fruit and flowers late in the fall (end of Sept).  We were able to cycle on the beach and visit a multitude of castles, churches, friaries, and ancient monuments.  The mountains, sunrise and sunsets, as well as harbours, were beyond our ability to photograph properly.

At every stop we encountered friendly and competent inn keepers, wait staff, bar tenders and entertaining musicians.  Our Irish heritage did not disguise our tourist status, but we were nevertheless always welcomed by fellow pub patrons.  Here having fun with some of Catherine's newly met relatives!

There was a large selection of lunch stops and the reserved overnight lodgings were uniformly splendid.  Our favourite meals included the abundant local seafood: chowders, fish cakes, pies, mussels and oysters.

John is quite knowledgeable about Irish history and pre-history, geology, politics, and economics.  We were glad that he shared his knowledge with us. He entertained controversial topics without sugar-coating.  His passion for his country and enjoyment in performing a well-conducted tour were obvious.

We viewed an archeological dig in the Abbey estate which had been determined by aerial view to have potential treasures.

We pedalled on to lovely Crusheen, Carran and Kinvara.  Our hotel was the thatch-roofed Merriman Hotel.  We explored the waterfront and had dinner at the Pier Head.

In Kinvara, we visited the Dunguaire Castle, built by the O'Hynes family in 1500 on the grounds of a 5th century settlement.  It was acquired by a wealthy British woman who enjoyed entertaining there.

We cycled to The Burren, with it's other-worldly scenery.  During the Great Famine, recognizing the historical significance of the ancient walls of The Burren, unemployed residents were put to work in the Famine Relief Program restoring stone walls deteriorated over centuries.



Lunch was in Crusheen at Cassidy's Pub on top of a good hill overlooking The Burren.  Cassidy's is a former RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary) post,  where we sat before the fireplace enjoying the meeting of old Irish friends.

We visited the monastic settlement of Kilmacduagh for tea at the Burren Centre before heading to Lisdoonvarna.  This city is known for "matchmaking".  It attracts people "looking for love".  We had dinner at the Royal Spa Hotel, a well-preserved 1885 hotel with 14 ft ceilings. The town's spas boast cold iron, sulphur, magnesium and iodine baths to cure all variety of maladies.

This Coastline is known as "The Wild Atlantic Way", so Peter and I purchased matching jerseys of Clegg Rock to remember our trip, showing the ocean crashing against Atlantic cliffs.

The Visitor Centre at the Cliffs of Moher offers a diorama of prehistoric Ireland geology.  Plate tectonics have moved Ireland from the equator to it's present position.  The concept of billions of years of geological time is difficult to grasp.

The next day we visited Ballyvaughn to see the 5000 year old Poulnabrone Dolmen (pool of sorrows),  part of a Neolithic/Bronze age tomb and  Leamanegue Castle near Kilfenora.  We saw the home of widow Murrach Ruah, who purportedly pushed a couple of husbands off the roof to give her son an inheritance.

Poulnabrone Dolmen Neolithic & Bronze Age

 Lisdoonvarna

The Burren Way Hiking Trail is popular with hikers, and we passed several organized walking groups.  A visit to The Burren Perfumery taught us about the flowers that grow year-round.  There is a slideshow illustrating the diversity of orchids (24 species) and abundance of pollinating insects in this seemingly desolate landscape.

Doolin is well-known for some of the best trad music.  McGann's Pub took good care of us.  John introduced us to Irish Mist.

Connemara has a reputation for past illicit distilling, smuggling and general lawlessness.  It remains an isolated, serene and mostly undeveloped coastline, famous for the Connemara pony.

The opening of the rail link between Galway and Clifden in 1895 aided the development of commerce and tourism.  Passenger train service was discontinued in 1935, but the Station House has been transformed into an interesting hotel and fine pub, both of which we enjoyed.

The economy was boosted by the opening of the Marconi wireless station which employed many and received it's first message from it's sister station in Cape Breton, NS in 1907.

The arrival of the first non-stop transatlantic flight was in 1919 from St. John's, NL, in just 16 hours. Although they had an crash landing in the bog, it was deemed a successful mission.

Roundstone is another picturesque harbour where we enjoyed 11's tea and brownie.

The next day we visited Ballyvaughn to see the 5000 year old Poulnabrone Dolmen (pool of sorrows),  part of a Neolithic/Bronze age tomb and  Leamanegue Castle near Kilfenora.  We saw the home of widow Murrach Ruah, who purportedly pushed a couple of husbands off the roof to give her son an inheritance.

Back in Galway, we enjoy the Merrick and touring the city, harbour, pubs, meeting folks.

After our arrival in Galway, we had an opportunity to visit the Aran Islands, a ferry from Ross a Mil to Inish Mor and a 2,000 year old stone fort, Kilronan,

Kylemore Abbey, near Letterfrack, was built in the 19th Century Neolithic Castle by Mitchell Henry, a wealthy English businessman, for his bride who died suddenly on their honeymoon.  It is situated scenically between a small lake and the slopes of a grand mountain.  It was a convent and a private girl's school during World War II.

On the grounds of Ballyhinch Castle we met fly fishermen in waders hoping for catch and  release salmon, trout and grisle.   The castle was a perfect place for lunch; devilled whitebait, seafood chowder and brown crab salad on brown bread.

Our Cycle Holidays Ireland Tour completed, we stayed over in the luxurious Merrick Hotel, Galway, first rate!

Galway is one of our favourite Irish cities, well-known for oysters and other seafood.  We enjoyed lively street scenes and meeting friendly locals in pubs.  It is a pedestrian-friendly downtown with buskers, restaurants, churches, universities, museums, castles and historical monuments.  And the abundant, music filled, Pubs!








The weather was perfect on the day we took a bus from Galway to the Ros a Mhil Ferry to Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands.  It is an "outdoor museum" known for historic culture, geological formations and ancient structures such as the Dun Anoghasa Fort perched atop 60 m-high cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and protected by concentric circles of chevalier de frees (stone spikes).

Catherine felt daring at the cliff face!

Peter stayed behind the stone wall!

Lovely variety for lunch, and reasonably priced!

Valuable  Aran Isle property

Artichokes grow here, and a Connemara Pony begs for a photo.

Irish Rail Galway connects to Hueston Station Dublin from directly behind The Merrick Hotel, convenient in the rain.  There is even a Starbuck's in the station and WiFi on the train!  How civilized!

From Hueston Rail Station, we caught a convenient bus to the Dublin Airport, the airport shuttle to our Dublin hotel, one overnight there and returned next day to the airport by same shuttle for our return flight to Philadelphia.  Sounds complicated, but it functioned flawlessly.

"The person who goes alone can start today.  But, if traveling with another, one must wait until that other is ready."
Henry David Thoreau.

Peter and Catherine, now aboard the S/V "Charlotte D" laying Guadeloupe, French West Indies.