Day 36, Katy Trail
Boonville MO to Windsor MO, 56 miles
I got to the cafe in Pilot Grove where I planned to eat breakfast at 7:15 AM. The sign said they open at 8 AM. It’s now 8:20 AM. I called to see if they were going to open today and the phone rang, as you might expect, inside the cafe. There was no answer. I hate leaving here only to spend the rest of the day wondering if I missed them by just minutes, but there is a point of diminishing returns and I think I’m approaching it…
Once you leave Boonville going west, there’s no more historical markers. The trail departs from the Missouri river and goes cross-country. It’s a bit up and down in places but it’s still a railroad grade so it’s not too demanding. It’s tree-lined almost the entire way. I’ve had to move two turtles off the trail today. They are very shy. My shadow was enough to make them pull themselves into their shells.
I reached the High Point of the Katy Trail today, 955 feet above sea level. Here the Missouri department of conservation is restoring the prairie grasses that used to exist in this part of the state before it fell under the plow. The Osage Indians lived here until the were forced to trade away their land rights, as was the case with all native Americans. That’s another story.
I met a cool dude today. He is traveling the country with his dog Mona. (She is a cutie.) He is currently on his way to Chicago to attend his daughters wedding. I gave him all the details on the Chain of Rocks Bridge since he will need to cross the Mississippi River into Illinois. You can follow him on his blog here:
When you are bicycle touring, there are no bad days, but some days are better than others…
I think I spent too much time today looking ahead instead of looking around. Looking ahead to my route through Kansas. I’m afraid much of my day today in the saddle was spent anticipating what is facing me, rather than enjoying what is in front of me. I’m making a mental not to avoid that tomorrow…
Nearing the end of my Katy Trail journey.