Outer Banks (OBX)

The Adventure Cycling Association (ACA) offers a six-day inn-to-inn tour of North Carolina's Outer Banks, often abbreviated as OBX. The tour starts and ends in Elizabeth City, with stops in Nags Head, Buxton, and Ocracoke on the way down and Waves and Kill Devil Hills on the way back. Inn-to-inn tours are self-supported with hotel stays every evening and breakfast and dinner at local restaurants. Lunch is sandwiches and snacks we make at breakfast before starting the day's ride.

This was my first tour with ACA. I wanted to try a short tour with them where I knew the area before seeking out one of their longer adventures. We vacationed on the Outer Banks almost every year when I was in elementary and secondary school, and this ride provided a chance to visit long-familiar places at biking pace.

Elizabeth City

Day 0. We drove to Elizabeth City. The tour meets up at the Hampton Inn at 4 p.m. for an introduction, safety briefing, and map meeting for the next day's ride. We then went out to dinner at a nearby restaurant. Our guide was Rich Mead. Rich was great. He's a very experienced rider and  guide. He was very quick to point out that his role is primarily for safety and overall tour organization. He doesn't consider himself a "leader" for the group. In fact, he rides sweep and follows everyone else rather than leading. But he does highlight important sites to see, optional ride paths and side attractions, etc.

The Hampton Inn was very nice. It was probably the best hotel on the tour. Dinner was also very good.

Elizabeth City to Nags Head

Day 1: 63 miles and 600 feet of elevation gain. We had three types of fun on this trip. Type 1 is fun while you're doing it. Type 2 isn't fun while you're doing it but you're glad you did it and look back on it favorably. Type 3 isn't fun, you wouldn't do it again, and you wouldn't recommend it. But, having survived it, you can brag about the experience. Today's ride was mostly in the Type 3 category. We started out on a four-lane highway. The first part was in town and it was a Sunday morning, so it wasn't too bad. We stopped for a nice picture along the Pasquotank River as we headed out of town.

After that, we traveled 45 miles along Route 158. It's all 55 MPH highway, mostly four-lane, but with about 10 miles of two-lane no-shoulder road in the middle. The rest alternated between small shoulder and no shoulder. It ended with a two-mile, two-lane, no-shoulder bridge across Currituck Sound. The only savior of the day was that we had a very strong tailwind. I achieved my second-fastest 10-mile ride ever during this part of the journey.

I frequently had to motion vehicles to move over and go around me. Several were confident their time was more important than my life. As I said, Type 3 fun. We all survived, but this section is absolutely not recommended. Google and Ride With GPS have alternate routes that avoid about half of the high-speed traffic. They would be worth considering for anyone willing to ride the extra distance, but that's not the map we were given.

In terms of attractions, There is a rest stop about half way, and shortly after that there is Grave Digger's (monster truck) garage. There are also stops on either side of the road just before crossing the Currituck Sound bridge. You definitely want to stop and be fully prepared for the crossing. There is also a Welcome Center about a mile after crossing the bridge that is worth a stop. Some of us ate our lunches there.

The last 15 miles are along the beach road in Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head. Traffic is slow and there's either a good shoulder or a bike path for safety. We got in about 2 p.m. and had to wait for the hotel to be ready. We stayed at the Comfort Inn. It was okay, but nothing special, and most restaurants were a half-mile or more away. We had dinner at Miller's Waterfront Restaurant. The food was excellent and the restaurant has beautiful sunset views.

Nags Head to Buxton

Day 2: 53 miles, 600 feet of elevation gain. Today was Type 2 fun. Wind was 15 MPH with 25 MPH gust headwinds. The gusts increased as the day went on. It's the first time I've ever had to use first gear to ride into the wind on a flat road. But, other than the wind, the traffic was manageable, the shoulders between towns were very good, and there were sidewalks in the towns if you didn't feel comfortable on the street. The scenery was wonderful, including Bodie Island Lighthouse and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Typical for the second day, I got really hungry by mid morning. I stopped at a rest stop after the first bridge for a protein bar. Then I stopped at the grocery store in Waves and got honey and a Snickers bar. Then I stopped for lunch at one of the roadside pull-overs. Then I stopped again in Avon for a muffin and smoothie. It was just enough to get me the last 10 miles down to Buxton.

Our hotel for the evening was the Cape Pines Motel. It's a typical older local motel, but they were very accommodating to bikers. There's a good grocery store across the street (Conner's) and the group walked to Diamond Shoals Restaurant for dinner. I didn't mention it above, but my wife came along on this trip and drove the jeep. I kept with the theme of inn-to-inn and carried all of my belongings except evening shoes. On an unsupported ride, I would have made due with Crocs or water shoes. In fact, on this trip I decided that I'll try water shoes as my non-biking shoes for the next adventure.

Anyway, as I passed one of the other riders on the way down, she said her battery gave out at around mile 37 and she couldn't fight the wind any longer. I gave her my wife's phone number and my wife picked her up and brought her to the hotel.

Also, because we had our jeep available, after dinner we went out on the beach at Cape Point to watch the sunset.

Buxton to Ocracoke

Day 3: 39 miles and 300 feet of elevation gain. This was more of a sightseeing day. The wind was still against us, and we had more first-gear riding. We also endured a bit of a sandstorm south of Frisco and again on the northern part of Ocracoke. But we had a ferry ride in the middle that accounted for 12 miles of today's distance. With the wind and the ferry speed, it took 5.5 hours to cover 39 miles.

But, again, the scenery was beautiful, the sun was shining, and the traffic on this part of the islands is more limited. The only cautions I have for the day include: Don't ride over sand on the road. Even just a little bit of sand is very slippery. Don't drink the water at the Ocracoke Ferry Dock. If you need water, there is water available at the campground bath house about eight miles down. About six miles down is the Pony Pasture, which is where we had lunch.

On the ferry I met a young woman from Italy who was working as an au pair in Washington, DC. Her host family went on spring break without her, so she took a vacation to the beach. She was sleeping in / camping in her car. She had spent time in Australia and spoke English very well. We talked on the ferry for a bit and I saw her again on the ferry ride back the next morning.

Our hotel for the evening was the Anchorage Inn and Marina along Silver Lake. It was fine, although I'm not sure they would have enough parking if you come in-season. We went to Howard's Pub for dinner, which is one of our favorite places to visit on Ocracoke.

After dinner we went out to the beach to watch the sunset again. One of the local fishermen was kind enough to show us his catch and talk about their fishing adventure. A beautiful day other than the wind.

Ocracoke to Waves

Day 4: 59 miles and 500 feet of elevation gain. This was my favorite ride of the whole trip. It's the best part of both islands, the traffic was more limited, and the wind was in our favor. We rode up Ocracoke Island, caught the ferry, and then stopped at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras. It's a nice, free museum that people tend to visit while waiting for the ferry.

The ride up Hatteras Island was nice and uneventful. We had dinner at Waterman's Bar and Grill. The food was okay, but the order-at-the-counter process didn't seem to be very efficient. We stayed in two AirBnB houses. Our house was clearly a rental-only property. The owners never visited and it needed some attention and maintenance.

Waves to Kill Devil Hills

Day 5: 39 miles and 300 feet of elevation gain.

We stopped at the rest stop on Pea Island and then crossed the bridge and stopped at Oregon Inlet Marina. There were a couple of boats coming in and we got to see their catch of the day (five 15-inch or so fish). It likely cost them $125 per fish. From there, it's a quick ride up to Nags Head and the beach road.

North of Nags Head I stopped at Jockey's Ridge for lunch. It's the largest sand dune area on the East Coast. You need to bring your lunch with you, but they have an excellent picnic area under some pine trees opposite the visitor's center. After lunch, I rode to and visited the Wright Brother's Memorial. Then our hotel was ready. We stayed at the Days Inn. It was okay, but the floors were quite thin. We had a family of small children in the room above us running around while we were trying to sleep. If you get a second-floor room, it's likely better.

Dinner was at Miller's Seafood and Steak House, and was very good.

Kill Devil Hills to Elizabeth City

Day 6: 11 miles and 100 feet of elevation gain. Today was supposed to be 54 miles. I opted for safety instead. I rode to the bridge and off the Outer Banks and then met my wife and loaded the bike onto the car to end of my ride. Along the way to the bridge, I took a detour through the woods north of the Wright Brothers Memorial. It was very peaceful and a good chance to experience the local housing and culture vs. the beach vacation culture.

After my wife picked me up, we continued on up Route 158 and caught up with several of the other riders. One of them had a flat tire and we arrived just in time to lend them our bike pump. We then served as a chase vehicle and blocked traffic for the next few miles until they turned off toward Elizabeth City. We continued on toward Norfolk to start our own after-ride vacation.

Epilogue

Six riding days, 264 miles and 2,400 feet of elevation gain, at least according to Ride With GPS. That's probably a bit high on the elevation. There were a few bridges to cross with some climb here and there, but otherwise, it's a flat ride. The wind was challenging for a couple of days, but we were very lucky to not have any rain on this trip. The ride between Elizabeth City and Kitty Hawk should absolutely be avoided. The rest is nice and manageable. Just be prepared for the wind and try to adjust your daily mileage accordingly.

Based on my experience, the Adventure Cycling Association inn-to-inn tours stay in just-okay hotels but select excellent restaurants. Our tour guide was excellent, and I will likely seek out more rides with him in the future. OBX is a nice place to visit, and doing so by bike was a great new way to experience it.

Ride Across Minnesota (USBR 20)

US Bicycle Route 20 (USBR 20) is a planned bicycle route from Washington State through Michigan. Portions of Washington, Minnesota, and Michigan are complete. The Minnesota section goes from just east of Fargo, ND to St. Cloud, MN. The plan for this trip is to ride from Fargo to St. Cloud and then down through Minneapolis and across the Mississippi River down to La Crosse, WI.

Palatine to Chicago and then Fargo

Day 0. I rode to the local train station and then took the METRA train from Palatine to Chicago. I was able to get a fellow passenger to guide the handle bars, so it was much easier to board this time than when I went to Kansas City. They’ve added bike stands to some of the cars, so there would normally be a place to strap my bike. However, the space was filled with suitcases. There was a group of three early retired women traveling into the city for a ladies weekend that included attending the Metallica concert. Definitely not your typical senior citizen adventure. One of them was kind enough to help guide my bike back off the train, so it was a good trip downtown.

I then rode the four blocks over to Union Station and got my bike tag for the Amtrak trip. Bike space must be reserved, and only certain cities support bike loading and unloading. But Chicago and Fargo are two of those cities, so I was good to go. I was first in line for early boarding - I’m getting better at knowing where to wait and when to get in line. I took the bike up to the baggage car just behind the engine, took off all the panniers, and lifted the bike up to the baggage handler.. Then I hurried back down the train for a seat in coach.

The ride to Fargo was nice enough. We left about 40 minutes late and then fell further behind because we missed our window of free track space. So we were about 55 minutes behind for most of the trip. I had three different people beside me. The first was a navy medic going to Tomah, WI to help with training. The second was a local worker who used Amtrak for his daily commute and went two stops. The third was a large man who proceeded to fall asleep on me about a half hour after Minneapolis. Eventually I was done with that experience and moved to the observation car for the rest of the trip.

Fargo to Fergus Falls

Day 1 - 81 miles and 2,300 feet of elevation gain. We got into Fargo just after 5 a.m. They took the bike off for me this time and had it waiting when we pulled up to the station - the train stops for baggage and then moves up for passengers. I put my panniers on the bike then went inside to move everything around and strap it down for the ride. Then I headed off. There is a 24-hour restaurant about a half mile south from the train station, the Fargo Fryin’ Pan. Breakfast was good, and it was light enough to travel when I was done.

For the first part of the ride I detoured down along the Red River trail. I saw a deer in the distance and a fox on the trail. About four miles later I crossed the bridge into Minnesota and headed east to join USBR 20. The route goes about 20 miles along Highway 52. The paved parts are good, and the shoulder is wide and in better shape than the road surface. The concrete portions are fair, with the shoulder more narrow and not in great shape. I didn’t feel unsafe at any point, but I’m still not a fan of biking beside 65 MPH traffic.

South of Barnesville, you have a choice. You can continue on down Hwy 52. It’s shorter and flatter, but not a lot of viewing pleasure. Or, you can follow USBR 20 to Pelican Rapids and then head south. I followed USBR 20, but detoured about four miles further east to have lunch at Maple Beach Burgers. It had good reviews and a nice lake view (below). It turns out that the restaurant is not much more than a shack. They only take cash, dining is outside on picnic tables, and the burger was overcooked. The fries were good and the view was very good.

Unfortunately, the ride south from the restaurant is immediately uphill followed by several miles of loose gravel and dirt roads before you rejoin USBR 20. So I recommend not visiting Maple Beach. Stop for lunch in Pelican Rapids instead. The next part of the route has a nice bike path for awhile. Then you’re on a country road. In most cases, I assume the road is quiet. However, there was road construction going on and I was getting passed every three minutes or so by a large construction dump trailer, loaded for the first part and empty for the second part. And hauling ass the whole way. I had to pull off several times to feel safe.

There are also a lot of rolling hills and climbing on this route, almost 2,000 feet worth. So, be prepared and train for climbs if you’re going this way. Some of the views were very pretty. But if I were to do it again, I’d seriously consider staying on Hwy 52, particularly if I was riding on 3 hours of sleep again.

My plan was for camping on this trip. But it turned out to be very cold. Overnight lows were 48 degrees Fahrenheit. Unfortunately, I had packed for the mid 50s based on weather forecasts and decided hotels would be a better option. The Country Inn and Suites in Fergus Falls is brand new and very nice. There are not a lot of food choices around, but the nearby Pizza Ranch did the job. It definitely wasn’t as good as the Pizza Ranch in Newton, IA, but when you’re hungry, pizza is pizza.

Fergus Falls to Sauk Centre

Day 2 - 76 miles and 2,200 feet of elevation gain. This morning at breakfast I met a woman who used to
do triathlons. She said she was good until one day where she actually fell down at mile 20 of the run. She had never bonked before and had to call her husband to pick her up. She was done. Anyway, she highly recommended the Mickelson Trail in the Black Hills of South Dakota. So I’ve added that to my list of rides to explore.

This was one of the best one-day bike rides I’ve ever been on. I would ride the first 30 miles every day if I could. The views were stunning. Lake on the left, lake on the right, lake on both sides. Lots of corn and rolling hills beside the trail. But it’s a paved rail trail with very little in the way of rolling hills for the trail itself. And almost all of it is in good shape with some having just been repaved. And although the elevation gain seems high, it didn’t feel that way. The climbs are very low in terms of grade percentage.

I stopped for water in several small towns along the way. All had a gas station or convenience store where I could fill up the water bottle. I didn’t use the second bottle until the very last part of the trip, and only then because I didn’t stop and fill up knowing I only had an hour or so to go.

I stopped for lunch in Alexandria at the Depot Smokehouse and Tavern. The food was very good. Just after I sat down, another cyclist pulled up. I invited him to join me. His name is Tim. He lives in the area and uses his e-bike to run errands. He also rides extensively, frequently doing 40-mile rides up or down the trail. We talked for quite a while about bikes and biking. He recommended bike vacations in Greece. He and his wife had done a trip where they stayed on a small ship and cruised around, riding e-bikes on a different island every day.

There aren’t a lot of hotel options in Sauk Centre. The AmericInn was booked up so I stayed at the Sauk River Inn and Suites instead. It’s a good-enough hotel with a pool and hot tub. There ia a Chinese buffet restaurant nearby, the Four Seas Buffet. It was excellent. They must have had 30 different entree options available and almost all were good or very good. Highly recommended.

Sauk Centre to Ostego

Day 3 - 83 miles and 1,800 feet of elevation gain. The weather today was beautiful. It started in the upper 50s and clear and ended in the mid 70s and partly cloudy. There was very little wind. The ride to St. Cloud was fairly nice. It’s all trails. The trail frequently parallels Interstate 94, sometimes only 50 to 100 yards away. So the views aren’t as good as yesterday, but the ride itself is fine. Also, there was more of a transition from lake views to tree-lined farmland. Not quite a green tunnel, but more so than yesterday.

Getting through St. Cloud is a mixture of main streets and side streets. After that, it’s a mixture of trails and shoulders. The closer you get to Ostego, the smaller the shoulders become. I can’t say that I felt unsafe at any point. But it’s really not much fun constantly checking the mirror to make sure cars are moving over. Have a really good blinking rear light for this part of the journey.

There was plenty of water on the trip as long as you stop when you get the opportunity. There is also an interesting artifact along the trail just past Albany. There was a train that derailed into a lake back in 1896. Someone recovered the bell from the engine and kept it in their family. At some point it was donated back to the community and placed trailside. I rang the bell (below) in honor of those impacted by the crash.

Other than that, the only significant stop I made today was a late lunch at Beef O’Brady’s. It was very good and definitely recommended. After I arrived in Ostego I had a beer at Boondox Bar and Grill. They have three sand volleyball courts in the back and there are Sunday evening leagues playing. The beer was good and the games were fun to watch. Definitely amateur, but everyone was trying hard. Some teams were clearly better than others.

I stayed at the Wyndham Garden hotel. The room is probably the best I’ve had on this trip so far. But there is no “pool”. There is a water park, and it closes at 2 p.m. on Sundays. I’d rather just have a small pool and hot tub. But this hotel was much more convenient to the bike route than the other options.

Ostego to Prescott, WI

Day 4 - 73 miles and 2,400 feet of elevation gain. Today’s ride was almost entirely paved river trails. There is one section of bike lanes going down through Minneapolis and another across St. Paul, occasional shoulder riding, and one section of gravel / dirt, but definitely better and prettier than either Day 1 or Day 3.

It was a slow day today. I might have gone a bit too far or too hard yesterday, or maybe a lack of carbs yesterday caught up with me. I never felt like I couldn’t do the trip, but there were also never any reserves I could draw from. Most of the long climbs were in first gear. No hurry, just finish.

Other than some great views of the river, there really weren’t a lot of special things to mention on the trip. There weren’t any stops other than parks or community centers for water and restrooms. Everything east of St. Paul was a food desert and only three places for water that I found. You definitely need to be proactive on water in this section and camel up or carry extra when and where you do find it.

There is a nice bar / restaurant in Prescott called Muddy Waters. They were very busy but the food and service were good and they had several local beers to choose from. I sat next to a retired anesthetist from the Mayo Clinic and we talked about both trips in the area and our former careers. A very pleasant evening.

Today marks a successful trip across Minnesota. 4 days, 313 miles, and 6.700 feet of elevation gain. It’s doable in four days if you’re committed to the effort. If you prefer to spend time along the way or want enjoy the overnight towns, five days would be more pleasurable.

Prescott to Wabasha

Day 5 - 58 miles, 2,900 feet of elevation gain. This was a tough day. Google Maps was off on the elevation gain by almost half. I was expecting 1,500 feet of climb rather than 2,900. I’m always checking RideWithGPS going forward instead of trusting Google Maps.

The day started with breakfast at The Twisted Oak Coffee House. It was very good. While I was there, two gentlemen from Switzerland rolled up. They’re riding the Northern Tier from Washington State to Maine. They looked like they’d been on the road for a month. Well-worn but otherwise in good shape.

The road down from Prescott to Nelson / Wabasha is a 55 MPH highway with shoulders marked as bike lanes. Unfortunately, a good part of the northern section is only a 2-foot shoulder, not really enough for bikes and trucks together. I had to bail a couple of times when there were wide trucks coming in both directions. But it does get better with wider shoulders as you go south. Most of the truck traffic is done by noon, which improved the afternoon perspective.

About half of the day’s ride is next to Lake Pepin. It’s still part of the Mississippi River, but with this section as a 23-mile designated lake. There were multiple overlooks and it’s very pretty from the bluffs. Of course, you have to get to the bluffs, meaning multiple long climbs. I had to walk two of the steeper parts but I was able to ride the rest. It seems like I max out between 5% and 6% grade. Above that and it’s not worth trying to pedal long sections.

Somewhere near Bay City I met a birder with the largest camera lens I have ever seen taking pictures of eagles, hawks, and falcons on the cliffs. He said he had taken 500 pictures the day before. This is how he spends his retirement, following the eagles through the seasons along this part of the river. He showed me a couple of bald eagle pictures he had taken that were beautiful.

Water was scarce for the early part of the trip. I wish I had brought along some extra. I had to stop at one farm and one bank to refill. The other stops were the more typical gas stations and convenience stores. By the time I got to Wabasha, I was too tired to stop for dinner. I went straight to the hotel and then had dinner delivered from Riverboat Lanes. Delivery was fast and the food was good.

Wabasha to La Crosse

Day 6 - 66 miles, 1,500 feet of elevation gain. Today was better than yesterday. Riding on the shoulder didn’t bother me as much. The shoulder was medium or wide for most of the day and most cars and trucks moved over. A few didn’t, but I was too tired to worry about them anymore. There also weren’t any significant climbs today.

The views were similar today. Almost the entire day was spent in the Mississippi flood plain. Bluffs on the left and lilly pads on the right were very common. Other times it was corn on either side, but very typical Wisconsin / Minnesota views.

Today’s challenge was the wind. I didn’t read the forecast correctly. I thought it was going to be tailwinds, but it was 10-15 MPH headwinds with 15-25 MPH gusts. And I realized the wind is stronger when you’re riding the river road next to the bluffs. About 35 miles of headwinds riding at 9-10 MPH was plenty.

Fortunately, the last 28 miles of the ride were on the Great River State Park Trail. It’s a two-track dirt / well-packed gravel ride which is mostly tree-lined and blocked the wind. I was consistently hitting 14 MPH. Much better than the morning experience in terms of wind and effort required.

I decided to stay in a hotel again this evening. Dinner followed by a soak in the hot tub has definitely improved the overall touring experience. I’ve found I’m not nearly as sore the next day after spending time in the hot tub. Dinner was at the North Country Steak Buffet. It was very busy, but steak, salad, three kinds of potatos, and a bunch of other sides were a good way to catch up on calories and celebrate the trip. 

La Crosse to Chicago and then Palatine

Day 7 - A couple of miles riding from the hotel to the train station, a half-mile between stations in Chicago, and three miles to home. This was an interesting Amtrak ride. The train was about 45 minutes late, and we had several maintenance issues along the way. We were almost two hours late arriving in Chicago. It was almost 9 p.m. by the time I arrived home.

Epilogue

Six riding days, two travel days, 442 miles, and more than 2.5 miles of elevation gain. The views were excellent and what I expected. Coming from flat Illinois, the altitude gain always surprises me. And while I didn’t enjoy the shoulder riding at all, I did get used to it. I’m not sure what that means for future trips. I’ll still avoid it whenever I can, but I probably won’t immediately dismiss a trip just because it has a good bit of shoulder riding included. As long as it is a full three-foot-plus shoulder.

Day 2 south of Fergus Falls was amazing. I’d still ride that every day. The flood plain east of St. Paul was also very nice and worth repeating. As was the last day's ride on the Great River State Park Trail. The only part of Day 1 I would repeat would be the river trails around Fargo. Day 3 was okay, but Day 2 had better views for a similar experience. Day 5 had great river views, but I’m not sure the narrow shoulders and steep climbs are worth the view.

I’ve now connected from Fargo to Lake Michigan. Sometime later this year I’ll connect the Wisconsin ride to home. That’s just one or two days, depending on which route I decide to take. Then it’s time to head east and do Indiana and Ohio. Once I get to Pittsburgh, I’ll have done Fargo all the way to the Chesapeake Bay.

Ride Across Missouri (Rock Island Trail and Katy Trail)

The Katy Trail is an almost-always mentioned top 10 biking trail, very similar to the GAP and C&O Canal experience but without the elevation gain. Most people recommend traveling West to East, which is what I did.

Palatine to Chicago and then Kansas City

Day 0: 1 mile, 200 feet of elevation gain. I rode from home to my local METRA train station and boarded the train for downtown. This was the first time I took my bike on this train. Boarding with fully loaded panniers was challenging, but one of the other passengers helped guide the front wheel and I was able to get on. There are no bike racks, but they will let you put your bike in the priority seating area. It's important to have a bungee cord with you to strap the bike to the seats so it doesn't fall over.

Once I arrived in Chicago I had extra time. So I rode down to the lakefront and had lunch in front of the Field Museum looking out at Navy Pier. Then I headed back to Union Station for the trip to Kansas City.

This was the first Amtrak bike trip I've been on where the baggage car was not behind the engine. In this case it was the last car and at ground / boarding level. I rolled my bike on and had to lay it on its side beside the checked baggage. It worked, but I would have preferred the bike rack configuration I've had on other trips.

The ride to Kansas City was uneventful and we arrived essentially on time. I chose to stay at the Fairfield Inn, about a mile south from the train station up Main Street. The neighborhood seems fine. I saw no people and only a couple of cars during the uphill journey. For anyone making the trip this summer, be aware that Main Street is under construction and you have to watch carefully as to which side of the street has an intact bike path. Also watch for the streetcar rails embedded in the street.

Kansas City to Windsor

Day 1: 88 miles, 1,500 feet of elevation gain. I have this thing about crossing states border-to-border. So, rather than heading east, I went west for about two miles, rolled across the state line into Kansas, and then headed southeast toward the bike paths and Windsor. For anyone else who wants to do this, be aware that the state line is downhill and you get to come back up again to go east. One other thing to watch for. Google Maps shows a more direct route and less elevation than RideWithGPS. I didn't notice the difference beforehand and had more distance and more elevation than I was expecting.

There had been a lot of rain in Kansas City recently. Some of the trail along the Brush Creek was too muddy to follow and required brief detours. There was also a narrow bridge along the way with the entrance covered in poison ivy. There was just enough room for me to get by in mid May. Later in the summer this might be more challenging.

Just after you hit the Rock Island Trail there is a Chamber of Commerce building on the left and a Kay-Bee market across and behind on the right. This is an excellent place for a rest stop and water fill before heading down the Rock Island Trail. Also note that the Rock Island Trail is not contiguous. There is a section where you have to take side roads.

In Pleasant Hill I stopped at the Big Creek Cafe. The food and service were good and they had pie available for dessert. After that, it's either 28 miles to Chilhowee or 48 miles to Windsor. I really wanted to stop in Chilhowee for the evening but they have no services other than camping in the city park. So I rode on to Windsor. The trail between Chilhowee and Windsor was soaked. Parts of it were like riding through wet sand, significantly increasing effort required. Hopefully, the trail is better when it dries out.

Once arriving in Windsor, I went to Farrington City Park. I paid for camping online but checked in at the office. The office is at the south end of the lake. Camping itself is across the street from the north end by the pavilion. The field was soaked but the pavilion and the trailer spaces were all open, so I took some grass beside one of those. Then I went up to Sonic to get dinner.

There was one other biker at the park, John from New Zealand. He has done many bike trips but this is his first one in the United States. He said he brought way too much stuff and was trying to decide what to ship back to his family somewhere in the area (St. Louis, perhaps?). John was a delight to talk to and we spent quite a while talking about different bike trips we had been on. We turned in just after dark.

Unfortunately, it was not a restful evening. Just after the local bar closed, someone dropped their vehicle off in front of the pavilion and got picked up. They came back an hour later to retrieve their vehicle and drove off. Then I had a drunk guy almost fall over my tent in the middle of the night. Not easy to do based on where I was located, at least 15 feet from the road. He apologized and then propositioned me. As in, "Sorry man, unless your gay. If you're gay we could ..." I declined his offer, but he was persistent and I had to order him to go away. Two hours after that some drunk, drug-crazed or Tourettes Syndrome guy was walking down the trail screaming and swearing and waving his arms all over the place. He returned an hour after that, still screaming, going the other way. Farrington Park is a nice park, but the locals would cause me to choose something else if I came this way again.

Windsor to Pilot Grove

Day 2: 47 miles, 1,200 feet of elevation gain. The plan for today was to ride to New Franklin and stay at the Katy Roundhouse campground. I got up a bit later than I intended, but I ultimately thought I had enough sleep for the trip. I packed up, said goodbye to John and headed down the trail. The connection to the Katy Trail from the Rock Island Line is counter-intuitive. You actually turn southwest, even though you want to go northeast. The path leads up to the Windsor depot and then connects to the Katy Trail.

I stopped in Sedalia for lunch. This is a bit tricky. All of the restaurants are on 65, which is a fairly high speed four-lane highway. There is a safe way to get to Subway from the east. There is a less safe way to get there from the west. I came in from the west but found the safer path as I was leaving. I have to recommend going out of your way to take the safer approach, even though it adds some distance to the journey.

Somewhere along the way I realized that I had broken two spokes the day before. I didn't notice it at the time. I heard the noise but just thought something had hit the spokes. It hadn't. They were snapping at the elbow. Clearly defective materials. I rode as far as I could until the tire started rubbing the frame. Then I walked. It was five miles to Pilot Grove. There is a Casey's in Pilot Grove, so that was dinner.

Then I went to Pilot Grove City Park. It was a nice place to stay and you just call City Hall or the Police Department to let them know you will be there. However, I was fortunate that my stepmother lives in Columbia and she was willing to pick me up. So I spent the evening at her place instead.

Pilot Grove to Columbia

Day 3: 44 miles, 500 feet of elevation gain. We started our day by taking the back wheel to Walt's Bike Shop in Columbia. They were very busy with repairs but made mine a priority so I could get back on trail. We learned that you have to remove the sprocket to replace spokes and the sprocket lock doesn't cooperate when trying to put it back on. It took two people (three or four hands) to get the job done. Definitely not a field repair. Anyway, about an hour later, I was good to go. My stepmother was kind enough to take me back to Pilot Grove so I could complete the full Missouri crossing.

This is a unique year in entomology. Every 221 years the 13-year cicadas and the 17-year cicadas emerge together. 2024 is one of those overlapping years. The actual overlapping area this year is in central Illinois, but the timing of this trip happened to coincide with the emergence of the Missouri brood. I don't recall seeing or hearing them the first two days, but they were definitely present today with shells hanging all over the trail buildings. In tree-lined sections of the trail the cicadas were quite loud, at least in the afternoons after they warmed up. They weren't as noticeable in other sections or at other times. 

Some sections of the trail make a big deal out of highlighting the trail and encouraging stops at local businesses. Other sections seem less interested in encouraging trail stops and prefer that you keep moving. This old bike was one of several I saw along the trail in this section.

It's a quick ride from Pilot Grove to Boonville. If you continue straight on the old trail about a quarter mile, you can go about a third of the way out on the old train bridge and take photos of the Missouri River in each direction. You can't cross the river here, but I think the view is worth the brief detour.

Then I went back toward town and down to the convenience store to get some juice and Snickers bars. I found water to be plentiful at almost all of the depot stops along the trail in the western part of the state and most also have some type of restroom or outhouse facilities. The trip up and out of Boonville across the bridge is well-marked, but it's probably worth looking at on a map before you do it just to be sure. At the bottom of the bridge is a sharp left turn and then a brief ride along a side road before connecting to the trail again.

There's a tunnel just before Rocheport that is definitely a photo opportunity. Unfortunately, on this trip there were people on the far side of the tunnel who just kept staring at me waiting for me to get out of their picture. Of course, I was doing the same. So I went on because I knew I had a shot from last summer when I did this part of the Katy Trail. So the picture on the right is of the tunnel but not from this trip.

Just after the tunnel is the town of Rocheport. There's a really good stop here at the Meriwether Cafe. I didn't stop this time, but I have enjoyed meals there in the past.

The rest of the trail toward Easley is very nice. Some of it is along the river. Much of it goes through Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area. If you are stopping in Columbia, you can turn left at Hindman Junction. It's a nice ride into town and there are excellent food choices if you want a fancier dinner. If you're looking for more of a trail experience, continue on down to Cooper's Landing. I haven't camped there, but the sites are beautiful and there's always a band playing in the evenings when I've been there. They have a wide selection of food and beverages available.

Columbia to Marthasville

Day 4: 89 miles, 200 feet of elevation gain. This was probably the best day of the trip, weather-wise. A bit warm, but otherwise beautiful. I saw the view on the right as the dew was lifting. It's about two hours to Jefferson City. I didn't go into the city on this trip, but it's a very interesting ride up and over the bridge and certainly worth the experience if you have time. 

I did stop at the depot and talked with a couple that drove up to check out the trail. They had done a good bit of tandem biking in the past and were at the point where they either wanted to get back into it or sell the bike. I told them about this section of the trail and the almost completely flat nature of this part. They seemed encouraged as they continued their car trip further south.

The best meal of the trip was in Tebbetts, ordered through Happy Trails Katy-ring and provided by Rachel. Just text Rachel and let her know when you'll be in Tebbetts. She brings a meal down to you at the Turner Shelter. Rachel stayed and talked with me for probably 15 minutes, each of us sharing what we do and the different adventures we're on. If you're traveling through this area, contact Rachel.

Before leaving Tebbetts, be sure to "camel up" and fill up extra water as well. For some reason, the eastern part of the state doesn't believe that trail users need water. If you carry a filter, there are a couple of places along the way where there is a boat ramp into the river and you can get water quite easily. I did that on several occasions. But if I hadn't had the filter, it would have been a long, dry trip.

I met several other bikers along this section. There was a pair of older riders. They were changing a tube as I pulled up. We talked for quite awhile and I was going to ride along with them when they realized the new tube wasn't holding air. They still had another tube with them, so I continued on. I did see them again just as I was leaving Hermann.

There were also two younger fathers making the trip across the state from Kansas City. Their families were meeting them in Portage Des Sioux the next day and then continuing on to St. Louis for the weekend. We kept leapfrogging each other along the trail between riding and trail stops. One of the stops was a small grocery store just north of Hermann. If you don't want to go all the way into Hermann, you can stop here for a wide variety of grocery store and some prepared food options. 

It's another 24 miles to Marthasville, but I was both feeling good and anxious to get back on track after two short days due to mechanical issues. So I continued on. I don't recall anything remarkable about this section of the trail, other than it's very pretty and there's no water other than river water.

When you get to Marthasville, you can camp in Marthasville Ball Park. It's $5 and you pay at the concession stand. There are showers available. This was a Friday evening and there were multiple games going on all fields. Most people online mention staying in the pavilion behind the concession stand. However, you can also stay out in the field beyond the outfield. That's what I did. It's much quieter out there.

While there, I also visited Cori's Twin Gables restaurant and bar. The food and beer were both good and I ended up sitting beside the owner and her husband. She was fairly busy directing staff but her husband and I had a delightful conversation about the work they do in the community. I returned to my tent after sunset but just before the final games of the evening ended. Then they turned out the lights and I had a good night's sleep.

Marthasville to Grafton (Pere Marquette State Park)

Day 5: 68 miles, 1,000 feet of elevation gain. I had washed my clothes and put them on the fence to dry. Unfortunately, there was too much dew and everything was still wet when I woke up. So I switched to my backup set and put the short-sleeve jersey on the back of the bike to dry. It was another beautiful morning on the trail.

An hour or so into the trip I came upon a downed tree. It was a big tree and the crown of the tree was completely blocking the path. When I arrived at the tree I was alone, but there were enough people on trail that others came along while I was cutting some branches and ivy back. We started a bike brigade. With three people positioned inside the tree and one on each end, we were able to pass bikes back and forth and get everyone through.

I had intended to stop at the brewery in Defiance, but it didn't open until 11 a.m. and I didn't want to wait. So I moved on. Again, be sure to carry extra water for this part of the trip. I did stop in St. Charles. There's a Chicken N Pickle right off the trail. It was convenient and the chicken was very good. After that I continued on toward Machens.

There are some very pretty views north of St. Charles just before you leave the river. I wanted to stop longer, but the mosquitos were persistent in encouraging me to move on.

Every once in awhile you find something along the trail that just cracks you up. I'm not sure what it was about where I was in my journey or the appearance of the sign, but this was just one of those, "Oh, now that's a warning!" signs. Bike down, biker flying. I just stopped and laughed for quite a while and then took the picture. I guess the best description would be that having a screw loose gives one a different perspective.

After that, it's not too far to Machens. Something very important to know about this part of the trail is that the end of the trail is at mile 27, not mile 0. I started the day at mile 78 or so and was worried it was going to be another very long day. Somewhere along the way I started looking at "distance to" rather than what mile marker was I by and found myself in a time / distance warp. It was a pleasant surprise to not have an extra 27 miles to go.

When I arrived at Machens there were a couple of other bikers as well, taking pictures. I rang the bell and took a good Katy Trail / Machens picture to commemorate the journey. Then I continued on to Portage Des Sioux.

There is a nice little community park in Portage Des Sioux with a bathroom and water. There's also a decent bar, Froge's. I stopped for a beer to celebrate. Then I continued west to the Grafton Ferry.

There was about a 20 minute wait for the ferry. Bikes pull up and get on first as well as get off first so they can get out of the way.

There's very little elevation gain on the trail itself. Almost all of the gain today was after leaving the trail and traveling between Grafton and Pere Marquette State Park. It turns out that Grafton, IL is a big party town / drinking destination. There's bar after bar along the river and lots and lots of cars. Practically speaking, Route 100 isn't safe on a Saturday afternoon. Fortunately, there is a bike trail along the cliffs leaving town, which isn't fully displayed on Google Maps. Unfortunately, it is very much in the cliffs rather than simply along the cliffs, so there's a good bit of up and down getting there.

Arrival at the park was fairly uneventful. Unfortunately, I arrived after the visitor's center closed. There was no signage directing me where to go and no one would answer the phone. The lodge knew nothing about the campground. Another camper ultimately directed me to the camp host (again, no obvious signage when you arrive). So, 45+ minutes later, I was finally in my cabin and able to relax for the evening.

Across from me was a young family car camping. They had five children, but only the three-year-old was with them for this trip. They were moving to Hawaii the following week and this was their last chance to camp in the area. They invited me over for dinner and we ate together and talked about their travels and mine.

After that, I turned in, but it wasn't to last. I got either food poisoning or some type of stomach flu along the way. I was sick all night and a good bit of the next morning. I ended up too weak to ride. I was ultimately able to push my bike back up to the lodge, checked into a quiet room, and slept off and on for about 16 hours.

Epilogue

Five days and 337 miles. There was a lot of wildlife on the trip. I didn't mention it before but I saw many turtles, frogs, toads, black snakes, rabbits, squirrels, a wild turkey, several deer, a vulture walking / hopping along the trail, many other vultures nearby and overhead, ground hogs, three feral cats, and got chased by one dog leaving the Kansas City area. 

The Katy Trail is a nice ride. The Rock Island Trail is probably good when it is dry. When it is wet, parts of it require a lot of effort. Coming out of Kansas City and getting to the Rock Island Trail surprised me in terms of how hilly it was. Other parts of the trail surprised me in how flat they were (200 feet in 89 miles!). In terms of rides overall, I think my favorite is still the ride across Wisconsin (Elroy-Sparta Trail and connecting trails). The Katy Trail and the GAP / C&O Canal experiences are very similar. More elevation on the GAP, but otherwise quite similar. The Katy Trail is probably easier to do off-season. The GAP is more remote.

This was the first bikepacking trip on the new bike. On the one hand, it felt better than last year's rides. The frame is a bit more comfortable for me. I didn't get butt-sore, even on the 90-mile days. With no chain, it's a delight in terms of being able to just rinse it off and keep riding, no matter how much mud, gravel, or dust I go through. And the gearing is better. I can go up slopes where the other bike required walking. On the other hand, I wasn't anticipating complete equipment failure with broken spokes and getting to walk part of the journey. And I really wasn't anticipating debilitating stomach flu ending my trip.

I finished Missouri, border to border. That was the goal. Riding home from there would have been a bonus, but I've been across Illinois three times already. I'll save Route 66 for another time, perhaps if I do a Mississippi River ride.