Skip to main content

Getting ready for the Katy Trail

Kathy and I are real excited to ride the Katy trail in Missouri for the third time, especially since we were rained on last year. We're making it a long weekend, hoping to do 100 miles or so over 3 days. Already have the bikes tuned up and ready to ride. We're staying in a great little bed and breakfast in Rhineland called The Doll House. We stayed there last year and had a great time, the owners were fantastic and the breakfasts were the best.
If you're not familiar with the Katy Trail, here's some info I copied straight from bikekatytrail.com:
The Katy Trail is a 225 mile (365 km) bike path stretching across most of the state of Missouri. Over half of it follows Lewis and Clark's path up the Missouri River, where you can ride beneath towering river bluffs while eagles circle overhead. After leaving the river, the trail meanders through peaceful farmland and small-town Americana.

America's longest "rails-to-trail" project, formerly the MKT rail line, is flat and scenic. It's ideal for hiking, running, or cycling on just about any kind of bike. Horseback riding is also allowed on a 25 mile section of the trail. Many cross-country cyclists include the Katy Trail in their tours. It is part of Adventure Cycling's Lewis & Clark route, as well as the American Discovery Trail.

Visit the FAQ Page for more general trail information. Or, dive right in and start planning your ride -- check out the towns and services along the trail, or build your own customized list of just the towns and services that interest you.

Our plan is an out-and-back ride each day. Hoping to get to Marthasville the first day before turning around. Second day we'd like to get to Mokane or Tebbetts. When we're not riding, we plan to hang out in Hermann at some of the wineries. Oh...I can't forget the pie!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

What is Kashima Coating?

Kashima coating is a feature currently only found on Fox forks and shocks*.  It's easy to spot from it's distinctive dark brown color.  What is it and why do they use it?  First, a quick definition: Anodizing is a process by which a metal part (normally aluminum) is electrically charged and submerged in a chemical bath.  This creates an oxide layer that penetrates the metal and changes the microscopic texture and the crystal structure of the metal near the surface.  After a part is treated, it can be dyed to give it color before it is sealed to increase durability. Hard anodizing is a similar procedure that penetrates further into the metal. This increases the surface hardness of the material making the surface even more durable and corrosion resistant.  It does not make the metal part stronger, it affects the durability of the surface of the metal. Kashima coating is a type of hard anodizing that involves a lubricating treatment as well.  This not only substantially dec

1986 Fuji Restoration

I just picked up this 1986 Fuji Sagres to restore.  This has been one of my all time favorite bikes and one I've been searching for a long time.  It's gonna be a long term project since it doesn't have the original gunmetal grey Ukai rims and gunmetal grey handlebar tape.  I'd like to pick up some original 27" SCCR Fuji tires too, but that may be asking a bit much. I'm not sure why I've always like this so much.  Maybe the color, maybe it was a good seller for us at the shop back then.  It would have been the year before I started working at the shop so it could have been old inventory or that we just worked on a few of them the following years.  I remember always wanting one, probably has a lot to do with the color.  It's one of the last to have been made in Japan and features quad-butted Valite tubing.  These were decent riding bikes and reasonably priced at about $325 if I remember correctly. So why the big deal about a mid 80's Fuji?  The s

Disc Brake Pad Differences

This is kind of an oversimplification of a complex subject, but I tried to make it easy to understand. There are two main types of disc brake pads:  Organic and Metallic. Organic pads (sometimes called resin pads) are the most common on new bikes.  They are made of an organic material (ground cashew shells on some pads) mixed with an epoxy.  They work well because they have a good 'grippy' feel when braking and they create less noise.  They are also less expensive than a metallic pad.  However, they don't deal well with extreme heat generated by the brake system and they wear faster. Metallic pads (sometimes called sintered or semi-metallic) are designed for heavy duty use and are less common on new bikes.   They are made of copper, brass, and/or steel mixed with epoxy.  They work well in messy conditions - mud, sand, and rain and last much longer than organic pads.  The downside is that they make much more noise and will wear rotors faster. Manufacturers may offer