Drive Drive Drive to Clinton, Missouri

Day 0….Long drive to arrive in Clinton, Missouri

This adventure is quite a departure from our usual adventures. This ride is with 1 brother and 3 sisters. (I have 1 more brother and 2 more sisters but they chose not to join us on this trip). 

Instead of camping we will be staying indoors…every night in beds! A mixture of motels, Airbnb’s and bed & breakfast. 

This ride will be 8 bicycle days and 1 layover day.

We are bringing a minivan with small trailer as support (SAG) to carry luggage day to day to each daily destinations. 

While riding we will only need a small rear bag or pannier to carry clothing, snacks and lunch food. Traveling light!

THE KATY TRAIL

Katy Trail State Park is 237 miles in Missouri. (Essentially Kansas City to St Louis MO) It begins in Clinton MO (western start) to Machens MO (Eastern finish). Machens is at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

The trail was originally the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad or MKT Railroad nicknamed “Katy”. The railroad was abandoned in 1986 after severe flooding.

The State Park Trail was started in1996…completed in 2011. It has a crushed limestone bed on the trail. Approximately 400,000 visitors use the trail every year. Bicycles, e-bikes, walkers and horseback travelers are allowed.

COMING FROM AFAR

We are all driving to Clinton MO from the East Coast, West Coast and Mountain states to Midwest USA. 

Katy and Sarah are car pooling…3 day drive

Katy (1923 mi) Sacramento CA to Clinton MO

Sarah (1733 mi) Carson City NV to Clinton MO. 

Margie…2 day drive

Margie Charlotte/Atlanta (267 mi)

               Atlanta/StCharles (626 mi)

Total: (893 mi.) 100+  mi detour due to Hurricane Helene in the Appalachian Mtns of NC and TN

Paul Jim Suzy car pooling with the SAG (support and gear) vehicle and trailer…2 day drive. 

Paul Jim Suzy (1096 mi) Billings MT to Clinton MO. 

My family. 

We are 8 brothers and sisters. Riding the Katy Trail are:

Sarah (#2): age 81 (almost 82) e-bike

Margie (#4): age 78 e-bike 

Katy(#6): age 72. Mtn bike

Paul (#7): age 70. E-bike

Suzy (#8): age 68. Touring bike

Jim: husband and brother-in-law): age 68. Touring bike

It should be duly noted that all of us are quite capable of riding this many miles/days on asphalt roads on “road bikes” without E-assist. This trail requires wider tires than most road bikes will allow. Except for Jim and I whose touring bikes have wider tires everyone had to borrow or buy a bike that would work on this trail. The three e-bikers will be on their first e-bike tour. I’m pretty sure they are going to really enjoy themselves. 

PROBLEMS…

It’s the little things….After arriving it was discovered that Margie’s bike front brake pads were completely worn and no brake fluid. The bike shop was closed today. Paul called the Chamber of Commerce and got the owners phone number. After a quick call and message, the owner called back and met Paul at the shop. He was really helpful and put pads on and fixed the front brake.

Next problem… Margie had taken a shuttle to Clinton. We were there to greet her and in all that commotion she realized about 45 min later that she’d left her phone on the shuttle. Quick call to her driver and with Katy’s car they drove to meet him. He was about 30 miles away.

Just reinforces my theory that people are kind! The trip is starting out good 😊

Margie’s bike in the car. Hidden by blankets from view