Katy Trail - Day 3

On the third day of our journey, we left the Globe (with our muffins) and headed toward Jefferson City in the car.  Once we toured the capitol we took off for our next bike destination.  We decided to start in Mokane and ride to Bluffton.  This part of the trail doesn't have a lot of interesting things to see, but still, fairly shaded and pleasant. This big rock was pretty unusual.  It was huge (check out me sitting underneath it in my bright orange shirt).  The sign said it was probably left over from glacier movement.

We traveled east out of Mokane, through Steedman to the "town" of Portland where there was supposed to be this quaint little bar and grill with good vegetable soup.  I've told this story several times.  Guess it made an impression on us.  We walked in and it was a little scarey.  Not really, but just not very friendly.  No one said a word.  We didn't know whether to order at the bar, go sit down, wait to be seated or what.  There were some farmer/fisher type guys over in a corner but they didn't even glance in our direction.  There were two other bike groups so we all followed each other into the table area and waited.  FINALLY the waitress came to us!  She seemed friendly enough but when I asked about the vegetable soup 9mentioned in the book about the Katy Trail), she said they didn't have it any more because she sold the place to someone else and she wasn't allowed to make vegetable soup any more.  So...what did we want to drink.  All I wanted was a tall glass of water.....only bottle water...could I have a glass and some ice to pour it in....at first she said nope, then she said since the boss was gone, she would bring me some.  A lttle strange.  We ordered the catfish sandwich and it was very good, but....  When we got ready to go we saw the restrooms - both men's and women's...a good sign.  Inside a very little room was a stool, no sink, a sign that said put all paper in the trash so the stool doesn't stop up and a sign that said please wash your hands before going back to work....wonder where you were supposed to do that!!!  The men's only had a urinal.  So....evidently not a lot of plumbing or water in the place.  One family said they ordered pizza and were really glad to see it come out of a sealed plastic wrapper!

The view from the trail here was very relaxing, but now picnic tables or benches.  I should have taken a picture.  There's one in the book that looks exactly right, but no tables.  The sight seems to have changed a little since publication!!!!  We tried to ride on to Bluffton, but I was just beginning to get tired and we had to ride 10 miles back to the car so we did not get to see the tallest bluffs along the river.

I am not exactly sure which day we saw this.  Maybe the next day.  But somewhere along the trail was the back side of a circus farm.  I don't think they had much.  All we saw was the sign, a dog and several peacocks!  But it was a shady lookout so we stopped for a couple minutes!!!