(I have no idea what happened with the title for the last post. I promise it wasn’t intentional despite how perfect it ended up.)

The Katy Trail was a welcome break from the tortuous hills. It’s a gravel (crushed limestone) rail-trail in much better condition than the Cowboy Trail in Nebraska. I think it’s a trail meant to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace, with plenty of stopping, snacking, and relaxing along the way. Unfortunately I wasn’t really in the mindset for all of that. I felt that I had lost quite some time in Nebraska and Missouri with my leg issue and the detouring/short days due to the heatwave, so I really wanted to make up some miles. The weather finally cooled off, which further encouraged me to push hard.


The cats of Hotel Frederick in Boonville, on the start of (my time on) the Katy Trail.

I had a terrible night at Hermann camped right next to a freight train rail that seemed to have nonstop trains coming through. I went to bed without eating since I rolled in so late and got caught up talking to some locals. Going to bed hungry, sticky and stinky from sweat, and then not sleeping really sucks!

I broke my watch by dropping it face down. I gingerly carried it with me to St Louis. I felt maybe like a parent with an ill child; it wasn’t a good feeling.

A hazy morning in Hermann after a restless night. Smoke from wildfires in Canada.

I took a much needed rest day in St Louis (technically Clayton). I had my watch fixed, got a new chain for my bike, and checked out what needed to be checked out.