Hartsburg to Blufton

J:  I was anxious to get started this morning.  We made reservations to stay at Doug Rendelman's B&B in Blufton (pic below).  The Katy Trail website has a lot of feedback on the different places to stay/eat along the trail and Doug's place had rave reviews.  You can click either of these links if you are curious - http://www.bikekatytrail.com/citysites.asp?cid=26&stid=3 or http://www.rendlemanhome.com/

We left the Globe Hotel fairly early and were out on the road by 7:45 AM.  We breezed along most of the morning, enjoying excellent views of the Missouri River and the huge bluffs alongside the trail.  We were also able to take a picture of the Missouri Capitol Building from the Trail.  Can anyone name the capital of Missouri without looking it up?  If you think you know please post a comment.  We'll post the correct answer if no one gets it. 

(not our picture)

Of course we continue to stop and view the Lewis and Clark memorials along the trail.  It has been fun to read them, especially after completing a book (Stephen Ambrose) earlier this year.  It is truly incredible to contemplate the challenges that confronted the crew of Discovery (L&C's group's name) as they made their way across the American frontier (BTW - this is solely a European perspective and not a native American perspective).  The flow on the Missouri is nearly 7 knots and this is in August.  Can you imagine polling/paddling against a current that strong or stronger in a vessel like the one pictured below?

The challenges they had make our little trip seem truly insignificant!  There were no Bed and Breakfasts along the way.  No grocery stores, no restaurants, no public bath rooms, and no cell phone access, etc., etc.  With the new rear tire in place my flatting problem is behind me or so it seems, but the brake rubbing issue is still present.  I have managed to minimize the problem, by checking regularly if the brakes are rubbing and when they are - resetting the wheel inside the frame.  It has been working out fairly well.

As we ride along the trail we see ahead another cyclist headed in the same direction as us (east).  When we get closer we see that it is our friend Rich, whom we befriended earlier in the week.  We stop to chat and decide that we will ride together again.  It is good to have his company again.  Shown below is Standing Rock.  Lewis and Clark spotted it on their trip.

The weather is cloudy today (for the first time), but the temperature is quite nice at right around 80.  We are making very good time when it is now Marie's turn for a mechanical issue.  Marie hits something in the path and gets a front-tire flat.  Despite some bickering amongst the husband and wife "team" we get back on the road in 15 to 20 minutes.  We hated to be holding Rich up, but he was very understanding and polite about it.

By the time we finish having lunch together in a bar and grill in Mokane we have only 10 miles to go for the day.  Good thing too - the rain looks threatening.  Rich hopes to make 20-30 more miles than Marie and I, but he begins to have second thoughts.  And, in fact, a short time later it begins to rain lightly.  I encourage him to investigate staying at Doug's, which at first he lightly considers.  As time goes on though the rain is catching up with us.  By the time we arrive at Doug's it is raining steadily.  Apparently, Doug has room for Rich for the evening.  To our pleasure - Rich decides to stay.

After showering up, Doug lets us borrow his vehicle to make a beer/wine run.  Apparently, some of the folks that we met previously will also be joining us (the three women from Colorado that we met at the trail's highest point and again at the Globe) and they like beer.  All toll we had nine people at Doug's and had a blast.  We ate and drank heartily, we sang songs, we had great conversation and we watched Rich create some pretty interesting balloon figures (a talent we didn't know that he had).  Overall, it was an extremely memorable evening.  Doug was an outstanding host and he exceeded my already high expectations for the stay. 

That puts another great day in the books.  We hope that you are enjoying the blog.  We'll talk to you tomorrow.