Katy Trail Connections

Rail trails are a lot of fun.

If you’re not familiar, a rail trail is generally pretty flat or has a gentle grade, because it’s made in the bed of an abandoned railway where the tracks have been removed. It’s a nice change of pace from road riding. There aren’t any cars and these trail often take you into remote country and through small towns. It’s a bit like going back in time.

They’re awesome.  

This year, Cortney and I have cycled the Weiser River Trail, the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, and the Palouse to Cascades Trail, to name a few. But a big “bucket list” trail for us was the Katy Trail. It’s the country’s longest continuous rail trail and offers about 240 miles of flat luxury gravel along the northern bank of the Missouri River. It’s pretty sweet. People come from all over to ride the Katy—it’s a mecca for cyclists. 

The Katy is pleasant in every sense: quiet, scenic, flat, easy riding. There’s no navigation or traffic to manage. And there are countless places to stay, camp, eat, and drink. But as wonderful an experience riding the trail was, it was the people proved to be the true highlight. Here are a few of the amazing people we met along the way.

Erik & Lynn, St. Charles, MO.
The night before we set out on the Katy, we had a brilliant stay with generous Warm Showers hosts Erik and Lynn. (Notice how Erik spells his name the right way?) This couple has been riding together for years. Literally. They have a beautiful tandem and have been all over and hit up the tandem rallies when they can. We had a lovely dinner and shared stories. They kindly gave us trail tips, and invited us to come back if we were ever in the neighborhood. 

Leah, Marthasville, MO.
Our first night on the trail, we camped on the baseball field in a small town with a population of 1,200. (That’s right. A baseball field.) It’s just another spot to add to an already long list of “strange places we’ve slept.” Leah came out to the field to give us a lay of the land. The folks in Marthasville have been offering their facilities to traveling cyclists for years. It’s cool. Plus, she also offered us snacks and beer! (It’s not every day someone hands you a Busch Light.)

Chris & Cory, Marthasville, MO.
As the sun started to set, more cyclists arrived at the ball field. We met Chris and Cory, a friendly father-son team from Cleveland and Nashville. They were doing a bike trip for the first time together. Chris had done the Tour Divide years ago and wanted to do something special with his son. It’s a bonding thing, and bikes are the perfect vehicle for that.

Bruce & Keith, Marthasville, MO.
Later that evening, we met Bruce and Keith. They were part of a trio of friends that meet up once a year to ride together. Bruce was working hard to sell us on how awesome Michigan is. (It’s a place we never even considered, to be honest. A lot like Missouri.) We almost bought it, but with our timeline for our return trip home, we had to pass. But a Michigan visit is definitely on our to-do list now.

Melanie and Steve, Treloar, MO.
We immediately connected with this Des Moines couple at the trailhead in Treloar. Their story is similar. They started riding together midlife and are looking to find out what’s the next thing for them. For clarity and perspective. If we’re ever coming through Iowa, they offered us a place to stay.

Patrice the German, Rhineland, MO.
Cortney and I were talking about how it seems like there are more foreigners cyclotouring the U.S. than Americans. That’s when we met Patrice. She was a young woman, who by accident, found herself cycling alone from Mexico to Canada. She was originally on a sailing trip from Central America to Crescent City. But for whatever reason, the trip was aborted in Mexico. She needs to be in French Canada at a certain time to start a new job, so she bought an inexpensive bike and started riding.

She talked a lot about being blown away by the kindness and generosity of the people in Mexico. Patrice hardly spent any money south of the border. The people she met would bring her into their homes to feed and house her. This is a recurring theme for us on this trip: it seems that the people who have the least oftentimes give the most.

Isaiah, Easley, MO.
We ran into Isaiah at a trailhead before getting to Cooper’s Landing. He was curious about our bikes and our story, but we were more curious about him. Isaiah was taking a month to walk across his home state.  It was just him and his 50lb. backpack.

As a black man in a state without much diversity, we were inspired by his courage and for putting himself out there. He wanted to do something hard. He wanted to challenge himself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And he wanted to build community. So he invited people on Facebook to come and walk a mile with him. And more than 50 people did. Strangers would meet him along the trail to talk with him, and many opened their homes to him. Experiences like this restore your faith in humanity.

Ginger, Columbia, MO.
Our friends S & T in California have property in Columbia. They’re originally from Missouri and they generously invited us to stay and make this special place a part of our journey (if we were ever to find ourselves in Missouri). Columbia is just off the Katy, so we gratefully took them up on their offer. The stay was fantastic, and we hope to someday return the favor. (THANK YOU, S & T!!)  

It was in Columbia where we met Ginger. She noticed Cortney and I locking up our bikes at Logboat Brewing Company, and came over to talk with us—and she and had tons of great questions. Ginger said we inspired her to live instead of hesitate, because of fear of the unknown. She even offered us a place to stay if we ever rode through Chicago.

Until now, this ramble has had us riding during most of cycling’s “off season.” It’s been fun for us to see so many other bike people—we’re not the only ones! With regards to rail trails, there will definitely be more in our future. We’re playing with the possibility of taking the Elroy-Sparta in Wisconsin or the Mickelson in South Dakota. Undoubtedly, they will offer peaceful, scenic riding—and more amazing people.

Next up: Chicago and Milwaukee.