Rode the Katy today
 

Well, a little piece of it anyway. This trip has taken me to New Orleans, and now on my way up to western Canada. I was hoping to fit a ride in down south, but tight scheduling precluded that.
But today, I was able to spare a couple of hours in Boonville Mo and the weather was unseasonably warm, somewhere in the 50s, so I made the best of the opportunity.
The trail is only about a half a mile from the truck stop, so getting to it was easy.
That section of the trail is a crushed stone surface which is usually quite well packed and easy to ride on with my 27 x 1 1/4 tires, but here, the surface was spongy enough to create a lot of rolling resistance.
I still had a nice 20 km ride, but let me tell ya, it was a real workout.
If I ever plan a long multi day ride on this trail, I think I'm bringing something with fat tires.

I moved out of the St.Louis area about 20 years ago and I don't miss much about it but I do miss the KATY Trail. True, it can get kind of mushy this time of year. I used to use my 3-Speed that has 26 x 1-3/8" tires and that worked well.

In the summer it is much more firm and would suit your 27 x 1-1/4" tires, which would be fine.

Rick / OCRR

I kind of figured that. I ride crushed stone trails like that all the time with this bike with no issues. This bike is a 3 speed as well. Works just fine for trails like this.

I've ridden short distances on the Katy on 700x25 tires when it was dry. However I prefer using my touring bike with 700x32 tires.

99% of the Katy Trail is crushed limestone but usually pretty hard packed.

If you are ever on I-70 and have the time, I suggest riding from Rocheport, MO. More scenic than Booneville.

Katy is on my bucket list. Thanks for the admonition to use 32mm or wider tires, maybe even my mountain bike, rather than the Bianchi.

A mountain bike might be overkill. Hybrids work very well for most people. Cross bikes also with somewhat fat tires. Like I mentioned above, my touring bike with 700x32 tires is great.

Here's one way to fill up part of the bucket list:

2014 Katy Trail Ride | Missouri State Parks

That's about last year's ride. Next year will have a 5 instead of the 4 in the url. Sign up on March 1st as it could fill up fast. I'll be there for the 5th year in a row..

The KATY Trail must lose some of it's firmness as winter sets in. Possibly the freeze/thaw cycles in temperature cause the damp hard pack to soften.

I agree but be sure to ride east out of Rocheport. Eastward the trail is on a little ledge with a cliff on one side and the Missouri River on the other. Westward out of Rochporte, once you pass through the tunnel, is pretty much all open farmland.

Thanks. My issue is parking. I'm not allowed to go off route and my vehicle would not be welcome at most trail head parking lots. Boonville just happens to be where I can get parked with easy access to the trail.

I lose some of my firmness during winter as well! I loved the Katy trail ride, but I'm not a fan of cleaning the lime off myself and the bike afterwards! ;)

You might be able to hit it again at St. Charles. Going east to trails end at Machens is definitely farmland and not hugely exciting, but west from st. Charles isn't too bad, the further out the better.