Mine just arrived a few hours ago. They contain the usual info. for ACA maps, which is a lot. There appears to be a lot of places to camp, which is nice. I did the entire Northern Tier unsupported with them back in '99. While one MN option still goes to Lake Itasca, the routes through the state are very different now. I think this was done in part to incorporate the trails, which I don't think were as developed back in '99.


The one thing that concerns me are the skeeters. We hit MN around July 7th. They were pretty bad in some places. I am thinking maybe mid-June might be a better time to do this loop.

I'm sure you'll probably bring along some type of DEET. Here is some great information I will give you for free!

Follow these instructions:

1. Bring a headnet.
2. Read #1 again.

https://www.rei.com/product/780999/s...ummit-head-net

I did the Paul Bunyan late July. Mosquitos were pretty bad everywhere. Cool mornings weren't too bad while packing up but in the evening it was bad in most places. I spent a night at the north end of the Paul Bunyan at Lake Bemidji State Park and had no mosquito problems. Depends on where you are. If I didn't have the headnet, I would have been in a bad mood. It saved the day, I can't stand the bug dope sprayed over the sunscreen. I feel like a chemist. I use it anyway.

On the trail the back of my hand kept on getting attacked by some type of fly, that looked like a common housefly. They may have liked my gloves which are black with hiviz yellow. I had to spray my cycling gloves. I've never been attacked like that in my life. Must be a special MN fly. They attacked while I was riding and the bite hurt!

Nice article this month in the Fall/2016 Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Magazine highlighting the Katy Trail and how other states are using this R2T in determining the plans for their own such projects. (starting on page 10)

fall_2016

Leaving tomorrow for 3 days on the Katy. Starting in Defiance & ending in Hermann. Saturday, Hermann to Jefferson City. Then Jeff City to Columbia using that trail off of the Katy. My 2 friends and I have done this for several years. It's a nice ride, but not spectacular. Just a nice, pretty quiet ride.
We've gone both directions.
Riding the train is a nice added benefit. It's a fun ride.

Those are great distances. Thats something we should have done, looking back- less distance per day. Riding partner wasnt up for the distances we planned. Shorter by 20mi would have made for more relaxation and down time which woulda been nice

We also made the mistake one time of trying to complete the whole trail plus some in 3 days, averaging about 80 miles a day in July and it was brutal. Since then, 4 days of 55-60 miles has made it much more enjoyable on the slower traveling crushed limestone.

Leaves are just starting to turn here in St. Louis.
by the way I use 314-321-2222 for weather report, and Kmov.com for doppler radar.

Mid October is an outstanding time to ride the Katy.

Btw, Squeeze, did you see that with the nearing completion of the one segment of the Rock Island Trail, you're going to be able to take Amtrak from St. Louis directly to Lee's Summit, an eastern suburb of Kansas City (no shuttles needed), hop on the Rock Island R2T to Pleasant Hill and then on to Windsor (about 60 miles) where you can get on the Katy and ride all the way back to your sweet little home. Now we're talking 300+ mile trip. Pretty cool.