2022
Katy Trail
A ride across the heart of the US on the KATY trail - a rail trail cutting across Missouri. This ride was almost entirely on a dirt trail. The only time we encountered cars was when we rode into a town to be able to go to Church on Sunday.
Day 0
We started our adventure by driving from Salt Lake to Kansas City, through Nebraska. The drive was happily uneventful. It’s a long drive, but we were able to do it all in one day. We didn’t arrive at Mary and Zack’s home until about 11pm, and then we visited with...
Lake Winnebago to Clinton
It is Sunday and we are resting in a hotel in Clinton, Missouri. Yesterday started with Pete going early morning water skiing with Zack, Mary, and Eliza. They live on a lake and ski many days a week during the warmer seasons. Both Zack and Eliza skied while Mary was...
Day of rest in Clinton
Today we had a day of rest in Clinton. Our hotel is comfortable (air conditioning is magic). We mostly rested today. We were able to attend our home ward via zoom. It is wonderful to connect in that way when we can’t attend in person.
Clinton to Pilot Grove
We left at 8 am from Clinton, after a good rest day. Our stomachs were full of food and juice and our bodies were well rested. We rode at an easy pace, drinking extra water. We were determined not to wear ourselves out as much as we had Saturday. We...
Pilot Grove to the Turner Shelter
(Night of Mon 30 May to Tues 31 May)
Eleven servings of tater tots
We eat a lot on these rides. Dinner consisted of a bag of salad, 6-7 clementines, 2 bananas, 2 apples, 6 cookies, a medium bag of potato chips, a full bag of tater tots (11 servings), half a jar of pickles, half a watermelon (mostly Pete), a small bag of...
McKittrick to St Charles
We slept well in Joey’s Birdhouse B&B, and woke up to the beautiful songs of all the birds outside.
St Charles to Machens, the terminus of the Katy Trail
We slept exceptionally well in our nice hotel. The complimentary breakfast was very good. It was a beautiful Friday morning to be back on the trail, with perfect weather. We had only one light pannier and our snack “trunk.” We were riding by about 9 AM.
St. Charles to Washington
We slept great last night. In the morning we woke up and ate another big hotel breakfast. We were riding before 9 AM. There is something a little bit different about being on a trail that you are somewhat familiar with. The time seems to go slightly faster.
Rest day in Washington
Our rest day in Washington has been wonderful. We woke up and made pancakes (to help Pete feel better about carrying pancake batter for the last 300 miles…). We walked 30 minutes to church. Luckily it was the 9 AM block, so we didn’t get too sweaty on the way...
Washington to Hartsburg
For some reason we woke up early and were ready to go by 7:30. We rode about a half hour on a busy road to get from Washington back to the trail, but thankfully there was a decent shoulder. Next time we do the Katy Trail we will only stay...
Hartsburg to Sedalia
Our sleepover in the Hartsburg Volunteer Park gazebo was noneventful. Thankfully it was a quiet night other than the coyotes howling and the dogs barking at them. There was a baseball game going on nearby, but it wasn’t a problem.
Last Ride - Sedalia to Lake Winnebago
Note: We are writing this 2 days after doing the ride, but with the help of some notes Natalie took during the actual day.
Family and Friends
Our last day in the Kansas City are was a nice relaxing one. We woke up early and went water skiing with Zack, Mary, and Eliza. They are all amazing water skiers. It was beautiful glassy water and such a great way to start the morning. We ate breakfast, then...