Biking the Katy Trail - Part 3

I made it!!!!!

Day 6:  Augusta to St. Charles:  Our final day of biking!  Today's ride was only about 28 miles - our shortest day on this adventure.  We took our time this morning over breakfast, coffee drinking and to wait out a passing shower.  By the time we got on our bikes, it was 10 a.m.  We thought our other groups would have left us behind but we saw them all on the trail and made plans for the big celebration in St. Charles.

Octoberfest - my beverage
of choice.

Since it was Saturday, there were lots more bikers and joggers on the trail today.  As we got closer to St. Charles, there were more services available as well.  I think this end of the Katy Trail is used more frequently.  As the three of us approached the end of the trail, Jim and Linda were there taking our picture! We all had such a feeling of accomplishment!!!  WE DID IT!!!

After getting lost in St. Charles, we finally found the Bittersweet Inn B&B.  We left our bikes there and headed back to the Trailhead Brewery to celebrate!!  Jim bought the promised drinks and we had fun talking with them.

We made it!!  Thanks Jim and Linda!!

Jim and Linda had barely left when Kyle shows up.  So, we joined them and celebrated some more!

Peggy, Ardell, Sara, Drue, Andrew, & Kyle

Our motto!!

Day 7:  St. Charles and Getting Home:  Our original plan was to move cars every few days so we would have one at the end.  We quickly figured out we were too tired after a day of riding.  Second plan was to hire a shuttle driver to take us back to our cars.  While we were waiting for a call back from a shuttle driver, we headed over to the Ameristar Casino for a little blackjack:)    Even though all the info we had said it would be easy to find a shuttle driver, that was not the case.  No calls came so over lunch we had to "regroup" and decide how we were getting back to our cars.   We ended up calling Ben (Ardell's husband) and he reserved a rental car for us.  We took a taxi to pick up the car and headed out.  My car was in Herman about an hour away.  Drue's car was still in Sedalia which was over three hours away.   That birthday present Ardell gave me turned out to be the best ever - I was back at the B&B watching the Emmy Awards before they were in Sedalia.  They had an awful trip back to St. Charles in the pouring down rain.  

Monday morning I left St. Charles about 5:30 a.m. to avoid the morning rush hour in St. Louis and was home by noon.

Reflections:  We went into this trip pretty naive.  We all thought we would have time to visit the little towns and site see along the way.  Not:)  The Katy Trail Guide Book says to plan on 8 miles an hour.  We found that was pretty close.    Even though we went faster than that most of the time, with stops and rest breaks, etc. that was pretty accurate.  Riding on crushed limestone is not like riding on pavement - it is definitely slower.  Wednesday when it rained all day, the surface was really sloppy!   Services such as restaurants and bike shops were few and far between - and not always open.  There were more services available at the St. Charles end.  The scenery was probably the prettiest on Wednesday but we missed it with the rain.  Missouri is really scenic and I would like to go back and site see and visit the wineries.  I didn't even know they produced wine in Missouri but the two I had I really enjoyed.  It is amazing how focused you get on "riding the trail".   We all have such a feeling of accomplishment!!!

We liked this!!!

Bikes:  Drue and I both rode hybrids (Trek and Cannondale).  Ardell rode her Bike Friday World Traveller.  All were well suited to the trail.  We had all the supplies we needed.  I'll be adding lights to my bike even though I don't ride at night.  If we had gotten stuck on the trail, we would have needed them.  Also, I am going to practice tire changing!!!  And, yes, I am going to do this again.  I'm thinking next time will be the Pittsburgh to DC Trail!!!