Katy Trail - observations, thoughts, ramblings

Great trip!!!  I would do it again but not sure I want to do the entire trail!  I hear there's a big incline on the western portion of the trip.

People we met....
     Cyndi - college friend we hadn't seen since college in 1972!
     The cat lady who owned the Globe
     The mayor of Hartsburg who owned the bistro
     The man possessed by a demon (self proclaimed) who told us that the end of the world was near.  Hewas headed to Colorado to get rid of the demon that was possessing him.  He said some pretty bad things about Penssylvania and Missouri .....they are very evil!  And he told us to read Isaiah.  When we headed back home we assumed we would see him.  His bike was broken and he was walking.  Somehow....he disappeared!  Weird...he had all his belongings packed on that bike.
     The women who pretty much believed the same thing just an hour later at Cooper's Landing, although she wasn't quite so irrational.  What was God trying to tell us?
     The family of 4 who were doing the whole trail.  Dad said he was going.  Mom and the kids decided if they wanted to see Dad they had to go.  They were having a really good time.  Dad pulled the 4 year old in a two wheeled cart.  The 10 year old rode her own bike.  We met them a couple of times.
     The 5 guys from Pennsylvania who were riding the whole trail.  They also had a van and took turns driving it.  One would drive the van to an appointed place, get out, and ride backwards to meet the group.  Then they would bike to the van and do it all over agian.
      A retired school teacher who talked to anyone!  I think the family of four were pretty glad when she started talking to us instead of them!  She was riding alone and having a great time!
     A retired couple who were riding the entire trail.  They were almost finished when we met them in St. Charles.  They were going to have their bikes shipped back to the beginning of the trail where they had parked their camper.  They took their time, stayed in hotels or bed and breakfasts and just enjoyed the trip!

Best things....
     Seeing the deer
     The leg between Hartsburg and Rocheport
     The views of the river, but especially at St. Charles
     The shady trails!
     The quiet!
     The bar and gril at Portland (well maybe not the best, but certainly very interesting!)
     Catching up with Cyndi and Miles
     Just being with Jan and actually doing this!!!!

Interesting side trips....
     Wish we had had time to explore Columbis
     The captiol at Jefferson City
     The sports bar in Ashland about 10 miles from Hartsburg.  The story...we just wanted a McDonalds tea and salad.  The lady at the Globe told us about this place, but we didn't really listen.  When we got to McDonalds, they didn't have french dressing and they didn't have any grilled chicken for the salad!  We walked out and asked the first teen-ager we saw where we could get a good burger and salad.  He gave us weird directions, but we followed them....to the middle of nowhere, in amongst storage sheds and metal buildings....turned out to be the same place our Globe lade told us about...and it really was a good place to eat!  We even got to watch a little of the Sox/Cardinals game and the Heat/OK game while we ate!
    Of course the ballgame with the kids.  It was Nate's first game!
Best idea we had....
     Bringing the bananas and the peanut butter and the bread.  It made great snacks!
     Reading and carrying with us the book on the Katy Trail.
     Driving into Jeff City instead of riding in!  but don't miss it.  Ride in if you don't have the car!

Best advice.....
     Be careful of riding on Monday or Tuesday.  There's not a lot of places to eat anyway and on those two days, the places there are may be closed!  And the book needs updating.  Don't believe everything you read!
     Take your own water

     Do not try to go to the McDonalds at St. Charles!  The traffic is bad, the road has a center curb so you can only go one way....maybe you could try it, but it was NOT a good way for us to end our trip.  Although the tea was REALLY good!