Clinton to Sedalia

We checked out of our hotel, and drove to find the trailhead in Clinton MO. We were puzzling over a map, looking for the exact location of the trailhead, when a road bike covered in yellow Ortlieb panniers went past and we just decided to follow. There was, at least for me, a bit of excitement when I saw the trailhead.

We left the 4Runner in the parking lot of the Community Center. Best way to do the trail. They signed us in, and kept an eye on my vehicle for the whole time. All for free, even when I asked to pay. Good people.

We assembled our bikes, and rode to the trail head to find the Ortlieb covered bike up on it's kickstand the the owner off of  it looking over a map. We stopped and chatted for a bit, and he told us his story. He was Andrew Dickson, from Scotland, and he was using the Katy as part of his ride across country raising money and awareness for Alzheimer's.  I was envious enough to chat with him for a while. He'd done laundry and was waiting for the drying cycle to complete before starting further on the trail. I would have talked a bit more, but my girlfriend was past ready to go ride.

I was amazed to see all the green. Living at altitude, you forget how lush it is down low. I stopped to snap a few shots.

That's my girlfriends "will you put that away so we can ride now" face.

We rolled through Calhoun and Windsor, soaking it all in and having fun.

We stopped in Green Ridge, under a picnic shelter to eat bad cheese pizza from the local store and replenish water.(My girlfriend still insists it's the best pizza she's ever eaten- she was starving.)

I refilled the Nalgenes at every chance I had. It's a Colorado habit. Living where the water supplies are a bit less frequent and reliable teach you to not take such things for granted. We never ran dry once on our trip.

We got in to Sedalia  sooner than expected, which was ok. We left the trail at the equestrian trailhead, pedaling to our hotel for the evening. Oddest thing when we were coasting down the hill a few blocks from the hotel. I smelled the odor of plastic flowers, very strongly. I asked my girlfriend if she smelled them, just to make sure it wasn't some flashback or something. We were puzzled by it, until we passed the cemetery. The Best Western wasn't fancy, but it had a shower and a bed, and that's all I wanted.

At Windsor, we took pictures at the highest point on the Katy Trail:

Only 4,325 feet lower than a speed bump in Denver!