Day 12

September 19, 2019

Today was a short day. It was about 7:30 am when I left Hermann this morning. On the way out of town, I rode past a couple of large B&B's where a couple groups of riders on supported tours were bringing their suitcases out to the SAG vehicles. There must have been close to 20 riders, but as I never saw any of them on the trail, they must have been going upstream. I did take a few photos on the way out of town. Some very interesting buildings there. I also noticed quite a few businesses that had German names. There was a walled off bike lane on the bridge across the Missouri River from Hermann, so, traffic was a non-issue during that part of the ride.

Once back on the trail, I started downstream towards my turn-off destination for the day; Dutzow. It was cool this morning, but once again, the humidity was thick enough to cut with a knife. Saw lots of gray squirrels, frogs, a few toads and lots of cardinals. Have not seen any barge or any other kind of traffic on the river as of yet. There was a couple I met in Windsor who are doing day tours of various sections of the trail on their e-assisted bikes. I met them this morning going upstream from Dutzow, where I later saw their vehicle. Have not yet seen any of the other east-bound riders I bumped into near Sedalia. Taking the shuttle may have put me ahead of them.

There was one group of 7 or 8 riders on a supported tour who were from Ft. Collins, CO, who were riding downstream like I was. The name of the ride organization was Bike & Beer Tours. At the rest stops, they had beer for the riders. I would have thunk that beer would be the last thing you want to drink while on a ride. Well, it takes all kinds and there isn't one missing! One of the riders with the Bike and Beer tour spoke of meeting a rider who was towing a BOB trailer (who I had met in Sedalia) who had pushed his bike/trailer rig across the silted up section of trail between Easley and Hartsburg, and that he was totally whooped when he got to Hartsburg. Makes me all the more glad I hitched a ride on the shuttle.

There was another short detour today, around a small bridge across a creek or something. It was a diversion to a gravel road next to the trail for about 200 yards, then a dog-leg on a paved road back to the trail. This stretch of trail had lots newer crushed gravel surface, and the bike and my legs got covered with dust over the 29 miles spent on the trail than I got on the 53 miles yesterday. I was planning to spend the night in Washington, MO (turn-off for which is Dutzow) anyway, and as dusty and gunked-up as my bike was, especially the chain, I figured I better visit Revolution Cycles in Washington and see about getting the drive line cleaned. I was able to arrange that and waited while they got the work done.

The way the Katy Trail Map information implies, it is not safe to travel on the local roads. The shoulder on the road to Washington was about 4 feet wide. I was on narrower roads in eastern Kansas and western Missouri! The wind here is not the same as in Kansas, so, there was a lot of gravel, tire debris and other junk I had to dodge, but nothing significant. The problem was, I had no idea which direction to ride from the trailhead in Dutzow. Erik at Revolution Cycles had been to the trailhead at Dutzow and gave me directions. After that, it was a short 6 or 7 mile ride into town.

According to the weather guessers, there is supposed to be a chance of thunderboomers in the St. Charles area tomorrow afternoon. I should be in St. Charles before noon, so, hiding from such storms is a non-issue. The guys at the bike shop were telling me St. Charles is a very bike friendly town. I have reservations at a motel there for three nights, and then I will start back.

An older house in Hermann. The brickwork is not something you see much any more, nor is the roof. It is some kind of metal.

It looks like there might have been a gutter on this house at one time.

The old city hall/fire department building in Hermann.

A couple of older homes adjacent to the old city hall. The one on the left looks like it may have the original slate shingles on it.

I have seen quiet a few of these flowers all along the trail since Clinton.

A navigation board on a tower for river traffic.

I suspect these navigation boards are also visible to radar.

Grain elevators in Treloar. The co-op was in Marthasville.

An unexpected pedestrian who was not at all put off by me, my bike or the flag on my bike.

The Sagwagon for the Bike and Beer tour group.

This is what 29 miles of dust looks like on my right leg.

Today's ride: 36 miles (58 km)
Total: 615 miles (990 km)

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