On a beautiful November day we 65 yr olds started at Augusta trailhead, and rode about 10 miles to Washington MO on the south side of the MO river for lunch and shopping. (Its a great little town, with Amtrak service and some lodging options within half mile of downtown) I wanted readers to be aware of the hazard of biking between Washington MO and the closest KATY trailhead at Dutzow MO. Although there is a new highway bridge crossing the MO river at Washington with a protected bike lane, this Dutzow-Washington route requires biking on a narrow shoulder of a very busy highway 47 for 3 miles. I recommend as an alternative, using the Augusta Bottoms Road for about 3 miles, which connects the north end of the river bridge with the KATY trail at mile 70.5, approximately 3.5 miles east of Dutzow. For those coming westbound from the St. Louis area, this road is a great shortcut to Washington. For those coming eastbound from Sedalia/ Boonville/Jeff City, this route will add about 3.5 miles to your ride to Washington, but may save your life. This makes it easier to incorporate AMTRAK into your plans, where you can ride the train and bike the KATY between river towns Washington, Hermann, and Jefferson City and the town of Sedalia where no river crossing is needed. You can cross the river safely at Jefferson City by protected bike trail from North Jefferson trailhead. Between Hermann MO and the McKittrick trailhead, the river bridge has a protected bike lane, but you have to bike about 1.5 miles on a wide paved shoulder on highway 19. As of this writing, there is only one eastbound and one westbound AMTRAK train per day between St. Louis and Kansas City that stops at the above-named towns, but when the COVID issue gets resolved, AMTRAK could resume 2 trains per day each way. I believe the AMTRAK charge for hauling a bike is an additional $10 above your ticket price.

Missouri's Katy trail is a well maintained fine gravel trail, well compacted in most places, so you could use a road bike, but slightly wider tires would be better. We're in our 60's and like to ride up to 25 miles/day, with a lunch break before returning to the car. We've found three such rides in mid MO with simple dining options within a few blocks of the trail. Before taking these trips, call ahead to verify that restaurants are open when you plan to bike. 1) park the car at Boonville trailhead, (where there is a nice museum) and ride to Pilot Grove, one way distance about 11.5 miles, where there is a small cafe (Katarina's) a few blocks Sw of trailhead, open typically until about 2PM. The ride is mostly a gentle grade uphill from Boonville, where you leave the MO River valley and enter the great plains; this is the steepest section of the Katy trail. It is a mostly shaded route, with nice forest canopy. 2) For a weekend trip, park the car in downtown Jefferson City near the river bridge. Bike across the river on the safe bike lane, down the spiral ramp and bike across the river valley to the North Jefferson trailhead, then head west to Claysville Store, a block off the trail, where you can get a nice family style meal or sandwiches. Open typically weekends only with limited hours, best to call ahead for reservation. One way distance about 12.5 miles. This section of trail has lots of open farmland with some canopy cover. 3) Park car at McBaine trailhead just off Highway K, about 14 miles SW of Columbia, head west. This segment passes through some of the best scenery the Katy has to offer in Missouri. After about 1.5 miles, at a highway crossing look west into the farmland, see the largest bur oak tree in MO. Go visit it, its a monster! Within a few miles you will be under some deep forest canopy, then pass under high bluffs right next to the trail, then enjoy a good stretch along the Missouri river with benches where you can stop and watch the river. Lunch at Meriwethers cafe in Rocheport right on the trail. Before returning to the car, ride around Rocheport, a cute town with B&B's, go an additional half mile west on the trail thru the only tunnel on the Katy Trail. Total distance is about 19 miles round trip. If you're a long distance rider, in 2020 there are a few problems on Missouri's Katy Trail- there's a bridge washed out a few miles west of Rocheport with a somewhat-marked detour on a highway, and east of Jefferson City there is a big rockslide blocking the trail- the trail is officially closed there but you can walk a bike through a path around it. Recumbants or trailers may be more difficult to get through. Check with the Missouri State Park website or bike stores in Jefferson City or Washington MO for more details.