First Multi-Day Bike Tour! - Katy Trail

I don't know how the seed got planted, but I've wanted to try bike touring for years. The idea of riding my bike all day, sleeping, then doing it again the next day, while seeing new places and meeting interesting people, sounded like a dream. With COVID-19 disrupting my 2020 travel plans, this year seemed like the perfect opportunity to dip my toes into multi-day bike travel. In July 2020, I started seriously planning my trip and settled on a basic itinerary - 3 days and 2 nights along the Katy Trail in Missouri.

For those not familiar, the Katy Trail is one of the longest rail-trails in the country. The whole thing - 240 miles - is a state park and there are no entrance/trail fees associated with using it. I chose the Katy Trail as the location for my first trip for several reasons. Obviously, Katy (Katie) is a great name. It's close to my home in St. Louis. And lastly, a lot of people tour on the Katy, so there is good bike travel infrastructure and a lot of planning resources. My go-to resource is the site Bike Katy Trail. Using the site, I was able to figure out how far I wanted to go each day and where the best places to stay and eat would be. I created the following itinerary:

Day 1 - Friday September 25

Park in Weldon Spring and bike to McKittrick.

Stay the night at Joey's Birdhouse B&B.

Day 2 - Saturday September 26

Continue riding west, then go back to Joey's.

Explore Hermann, MO and surrounding area.

Day 3 - Sunday September 27

Bike back to the car.

On Day 1, I got to Weldon Spring around noon and headed out. The whole week going into the tour I was debating which of my bikes to bring, and I finally decided on my lighter Giant Anyroad. The only problem was that I don't have a rack on this bike, so I had to carry a backpack plus my usual waistpack, along with a new handlebar bag I bought a few weeks earlier. Luckily the weather was nice, so I didn't have to bring too many layers with me.

My bike set up - waist bag, backpack, handlebar bag, seat bag

I had already ridden the first half of the way to McKittrick a few weeks ago, so I didn't stop at any of the historical markers and signs highlighting the Lewis and Clark expedition or Daniel Boone. It felt nice to make good time and enjoy a relatively empty trail. My earlier rides on the Katy this year were all on Sundays - when everyone else was also out.

I stopped for lunch in Dutzow at the diner right off the trail. They serve German food Friday - Sunday, but I wasn't sure that would be compatible with 30 more miles to bike... so I got a buffalo chicken wrap.

Past Marthasville - my previous farthest town on the Katy - the trail got a bit rougher, but the scenery was also nice and wooded, with lots of creek crossings.

I finally got into McKittrick a bit after 5pm and checked into the B&B. It is the cutest place! Joey has snacks, beverages, a stocked kitchenette, and shower all ready for hungry and tired cyclists at her place. For social distancing purposes, she already had Saturday's breakfast waiting in my fridge, instead of a morning communal meal.

On Day 2, I had a very relaxed morning. I slept in a bit, followed the directions for making French press coffee (so many grounds, oops!), and ate my delicious breakfast out on the front porch with a new cat friend. When I finally got all ready to hit the trail, I decided I would at least go to the next trailhead in Portland - about 15 miles away. From there, I would see if I was up for more or if I would call it a day and head into Hermann in the afternoon for some exploring.

Today I was feeling like reading up on the historical markers, so I stopped at a few that discussed the Lewis and Clark expedition. Many of the places they stayed at are featured along the Katy trail, with signage to explain the historical context.

At the Portland trailhead, there was nice access to the river, a campsite, a bar and grill, and a motorcycle brigade. There were a lot of cyclists too. One group told me that a bridge not too far away was washed out, and the only way to get around would be to bike on Highway 94. I was not really feeling that today. But I did bike the few miles to the bridge, then turned around and biked back to the Birdhouse B&B.

I took a bit of a rest because I was hot and a bit worn out from all the riding. After a while, Joey offered me a ride into Hermann with some other ladies she was taking over. The ladies were riding for Pedal the Cause, a charity ride that raises money for cancer research. They also lived in St. Louis and invited me to have dinner with them. We ate, walked around Hermann a bit and then had a round of drinks before heading back to the B & B.

On Day 3, I woke up pretty early, ate quickly, and headed out as the sun was coming up. My back tire was a bit flat compared to the front. I pumped it up, and hoped that would do the trick for the rest of the trip - it did! Knowing that this was the last day, and that I had 50 miles to ride, I was really motivated to get going. Also, I was starting to miss my cat at home!

The sunrise was especially beautiful, and I took some time to enjoy it. Otherwise, I kept a quick (for me) pace and limited my stops at the trailheads.

Towards the end of the ride, everything hurt and I was thrilled to make it to the turn that led back to the parking lot. Relieved that my car was still in the lot, I loaded my bike in, and took a celebratory selfie.

It felt SO incredible to accomplish this trip. I had never done a bike overnight, or ridden so far in such a short time. I did learn that my saddle is not ideal for bike touring and upgraded after I got home. I wasn't sure how I would feel to be traveling alone for three days, but I felt pretty safe the whole time. The riding was not too hard so I could relax and let my mind wander but also not too easy so I never got bored. In fact, going alone made it easier to be fully present in each mile, to experience all the bumps, the rays of sunlight struggling through the canopy, the creaking boards of the converted railroad bridges. The whole experience was wonderful and I am definitely looking forward to more multi-day bike tours in the future!