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Home PageDay 4, New Franklin to Sedalia -- June 27, 2002
On the fourth day, cyclists rode from the Katy Roundhouse campground over the Missouri River bridge to Boonville for breakfast beginning at 6 a.m. Participating restaurants downtown were the Riverside Diner, Main Street Café, and Café au Lait where they could use their $5 certificate. Breakfast varied from pancakes, eggs, and bacon at Riverside and Main Street, to cinnamon rolls and coffee at Café au Lait. Cyclists had a great chance to relax and visit with other cyclists at breakfast. Before leaving Boonville, riders had the opportunity to tour the Katy Caboose Museum, which is located next to the Katy depot.
SAG stops on Thursday were at Pilot Grove, Clifton City and Griessen Road in Sedalia. Today cyclists experienced a very strenuous section of the trail from Boonville to Pilot Grove. On this section of the trail, cyclists had the opportunity to see a 1875 Methodist Church and cemetery, a century-old hexagonal barn and an 1820 plantation home. Between Pilot Grove to Sedalia, cyclists saw the Mount Moriah vehicle bridge just before Clifton City. A SAG stop was provided at Griesson Road outside of Sedalia and then through Sedalia to the West Campground of the Missouri State Fair Grounds.
The passport questions for Thursday included:
1. A Katy caboose, in service from 1968 to 1998, can be found in front of the Boonville depot along the trail. Cabooses were home to the conductor and rear breakman, but new technology has made those duties obsolete. What is the number of Boonville’s Katy caboose? answer
2. Before you dash past mile marker 206 and 207, look for especially good evidence along the trail of an early long-distance communications system. You may have observed this evidence on other days of the ride… Using Samuel Morse’s invention—and built in the 1870s—what system was built along the Katy railroad line? answer
3. Katy depots survive in St. Charles, Marthasville, Franklin, Boonville and Sedalia. As the division headquarters of the M-K-T Railway Co., the Sedalia depot was the grandest. Repair shops and the company hospital were also located here. In what year did the Sedalia depot open? answer
The winners of the passport questions were Bradley Evanoff of University City and Alan Wilson of St. James. They received gift baskets from the Sedalia Chamber of Commerce and the Clinton Chamber of Commerce.
Thursday's featured riders: D.J. Dillon of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa and Kati Jennings of Ashland are sisters on their first time riding the entire Katy Trail. Their favorite part of the ride has been the Pancake Man and “finding out that you have the endurance to ride the whole ride and meeting wonderful people from all over the U.S.” Their favorite town has been Rocheport because of the shops and very quaint community there. D.J. and Kati have really enjoyed the views from the Katy Trail and enjoy the shaded areas. They both say they would do it all over again.
The rider's meeting began with Clarence Blume singing the Star Spangled Banner. This was followed by special thanks to Triathletics for assisting the cyclists all week with bike repairs. Volunteers were recognized for their behind-the-scenes help. Also recognized were the farthest traveled: Paulette Sill from Alaska; youngest rider: Jennifer Newton, age five from Tennessee; youngest rider peddling the entire route: Lydia Auner, age nine, of Madison, Wisc.; and finally the oldest rider, Harry Hutson age 78, from Georgia. Dinner in Sedalia consisted of beef brisket, smoked turkey, hot rolls, baked potatoes, vegetables, pasta salad, baked beans, and apple crisp for dessert all provided by Nadler’s Catering.
Entertainment began with the Top 10 list to ride the Katy:
10. To be called “Sponge Bob, Tight Pants!”
9. To experience a shower in a semi and a sauna in a john!
8. To meet friends
7. To see the Pancake Man
6. To experience trail rash
5. To experience five flats in one day
4. The worst day on the Katy is better than the best day at the office
3. To see our picture on the Web instead of the post office in Hartsburg
2. To see how many recumbents are broken at the side of the trail
1. And the number one reason to ride the Katy Trail? You will have to ask a rider!
More entertainment was provided by Jim Howard, Jim Smith, and Clarence Blume as they serenaded the riders with a song entitled Trail Ride 2002. Our final entertainment for the evening was Barnswallow P. Professor Farquar with an original perspective on old country tunes and a magic show.
More tomorrow on Following Lewis and Clark – Katy Trail Ride 2002!!!
