Day 7 - June 29, 2002. Boonville to Sedalia (Milepost 227)
1)
2)
1) Restored MKT Train Station in Boonville
2) Pedaling into Pilot Grove
At the trailside shelter in Pilot Grove, our first stop for snacks, we visited with another cyclist who identified himself as once having worked in the Missouri legislature, in part, as a bicycle advocate. He explained that the brand new Jefferson City bridge across the Missouri River was supposed to have a bicycle/pedestrian lane, but somehow, it came up missing when construction started. "What's with THAT?" we wondered. "I suspect funds were siphoned off," he explained. He said that Missourians are not sensitive, in general, to bicycle advocacy, but it still failed to make sense to us that a new bridge would not take other modes of travel into account.
...and how about a lawnmower lane? It appears more Missourians ride lawnmowers than bicycles.
A refrigerator full of soft drinks sits on the porch of an abandoned building at the Clifton City trailhead. Trail users can help themselves to refreshments and leave payment on the honor system. We were grateful for this service and bought some cold drinks. Unfortunately not everyone has cooperated. A note posted on the trailhead board a few days earlier read:
"I am in a real quandary. It seems that someone (not trail people) keep taking the money out of the honor system can in the refrigerator on the porch. I do this only as a public service because I know there is nothing between Sedalia and Pilot Grove to sustain you..... If you have any ideas how we can stop the thefts, please call me or write - or leave a note: Harlen Phillips 660-834-4654, 604 College, Pilot Grove, MO 65276. "
We have found that Missourians along the trail have been as friendly as the people in Kansas were last year when we bicycled across the country. Many people have waved or stopped to ask if we need anything.
1)
2)
1) Old railroad signal, a reminder of the Trail's railroad heritage
2) Snapping turtle
We met another St. Louis cyclist, Kevin, while resting at the Clifton City trailhead. He was taking a few days to ride the Trail, camping along the way. He intended to finish in Sedalia where he would take Amtrak back to St. Louis the next day. He joined us for the remaining miles into town, where we had to ride off the old railroad right of way for a few miles. This allowed us more of a sampling of Sedalia's historic Midwest architecture, that, as Mike says, "screams 'Harry Truman'". The old historic train depot is now a new Katy Trail visitor center.
3)
4)
3) The historic Sedalia train depot
4) Our campsite at the Missouri State Fairgrounds
The five of us set up camp at the Missouri State Fairgrounds, an expansive site with the biggest Swine Pavilion I had ever seen. It was peaceful at the Fairgrounds, hot and summery. Once we had set up our tents and taken showers, we found an All You Can Eat Chinese Buffet not far away. In the evening, Mike and Kevin went to a convenience store and brought back beverages. As dusk settled over the Fairgrounds and the planets and stars came out, we sat on the grass and talked politics again until exhaustion overcame us.
Day 8 - June 30, 2002. Sedalia to Clinton (Milepost 264)
Kevin was up early to break camp and catch Amtrak back to St. Louis, while we packed up and headed to Denny's for breakfast. This was to be our last day of riding with the Helms before they continued west on the TransAm Trail.
Back on the Katy we had to stop often, the temperature approaching 100 degrees in typical Midwest humidity. I was glad I wasn't wearing the black bonnet, long blue dress, and black stockings worn by the Amish woman in Windsor, where we stopped for more cold drinks and ice cream. Her horse drawn buggy was quicker in traffic than I expected, the horse taking off at a rapid clip This is out of necessity, as cars present as much hazard to Amish buggies as they do to bicycles.
Windsor, home to a large Amish community.
1)
2)
1) Entering Calhoun
2) Trail's end in Clinton
As soon as we arrived at the end of the Trail in Clinton, another hospitable Missourian pulled up and asked us if we needed anything, "a place to stay, directions, anything...?" We had him take a group picture with all of our cameras by the MKT caboose, before we pedaled off to the new Super 8 Motel he directed us to. It was a special dinner that evening in celebration of another good bicycle trip with the Helms.
