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The Right Spot

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:20:24 GMT

By Jeremy Goldmeier

Vistas Beckon at Cameron's Crag at Branson

WHEN KAY AND GLEN Cameron were
looking to start their own bed-and-breakfast
in 1986, they followed the first law of real
estate survival: Build it in the right spot,
and they will come. Today, the Cameron’s
Crag Bed and Breakfast strikes the perfect
balance between the remote and accessible
in its location. The guest suites overlook the
natural beauty of Lake Taneycomo, a site
renowned for its excellent trout fishing. But
when night falls, the city lights of Branson
are visible just three miles distant. All of the
city’s celebrated attractions lay at the ready
but at a safe enough distance that Cameron’s
Crag visitors enjoy the tranquility of their
immediate surroundings.

The bed-and-breakfast’s
four suites each present a
unique character for visitors.
The Around the World Suite
features decorative items that
the Camerons picked up on
their many international travels.
The Bird’s Eye View and
the Grandview suites both
advertise their scenic overlooks
in their names, while the
Highland Rose Suite caters to
couples with special occasions
to celebrate. All of the suites feature kingsized
beds, hot tubs, and TV/VCR setups.

In his Complete Guide to Bed & Breakfasts,
Guesthouses & Inns of Missouri, travel author
Harry Hagen makes especial mention of
Cameron’s Crag’s wide variety of cuisine. Kay
has compiled three separate cookbooks of
Ozark cuisine and draws from all of them
in preparing dishes for guests. Her and Glen’s
families have both dwelt in the Ozarks for
generations, and both possess a wellspring of
knowledge about the area and its traditions.

In her cooking, Kay draws on the various
culinary cultures of European settlers who
originally inhabited the Ozarks.
In addition to her responsibilities at
Cameron’s Crag, Kay also coordinates the
Ozark Mountain Country Bed and Breakfast
Service, which she founded in 1982. For
those guests wishing to continue their Ozark
journeys beyond Branson, Kay can arrange
future stops along the trail. Glen, meanwhile,
is a retired dean at the nearby College
of the Ozarks. He has participated in the Boy
Scouts of America organization for years.

“The first time I met these two nice
people,” Hagen writes, “I felt right at home
with them, and I still do.”

Suites range in cost from $105 to $155 per
night. Call 417-334-4720 or visit www.camerons-
crag.com for more information.

Oct 2007

The Lodges of the Meramec

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:38:28 GMT

Historic retreats still beckon today with food, fun, and floating

By John Robinson

I settled in my lawn chair for the show. Silhouetted by a spectacular sunset over a picture-postcard valley, five musicians launched into vocal harmonies punctuated by fine fiddlin’ and pickin’. Their stage was a concrete poolside tarmac. The crowd sat in lawn chairs and on blankets in this natural amphitheater, a gentle slope softened by thick bluegrass.

Traditional bluegrass fans have little tolerance for a band that strays so easily into Buddy Holly anthems. But the crowd loved the Stringtown String Band in this intimate venue where folks mingle with bands like The Amazing Rhythm Aces and Asleep at the Wheel. The lineup this fall is no less impressive with legends Poco, Arlo Guthrie, The Guess Who, and Ozark Mountain Daredevils.

Where is this place? It’s near nirvana. And like nirvana, you take a winding road to get there.

It was late Saturday afternoon. I’d just departed from a delightful walk through Dillard Mill, a relic fixed firmly against a hairpin turn in the Huzzah River, a vigorous Ozark stream often overlooked until it meanders nearer the Meramec. Taking the back roads, I crossed the Huzzah thrice more before descending into Steelville.

As the self-proclaimed Floating Capital of Missouri, the town caters to lovers of the great outdoors. Before there was a Luckytown, Steelville won the lottery. Well, to be precise, the town is the beneficiary of a lottery winner. In 1990, telephone regulators held a lottery to determine which phone companies would provide rural service to the burgeoning cellular phone demand. Among the winners was tiny Steelville Telephone Exchange. The company parlayed that windfall into great service, not only to telephone customers but to the community and its schools.

Just up the hill from Steelville, overlooking the Meramec River valley, sits Wildwood Springs Lodge. For eight decades, the lodge has clung to its lofty perch. And like many of the musical acts performing poolside or in the cozy lobby, the lodge is a survivor. Like most eighty-five-year-olds, the lodge has endured peaks and valleys.

Today the lodge thrives. Owner Robert Bell brings in the talent, including the bands, the hotel staff, and the cuisine. He’s revived a long history of great music and great times at the lodge.

Like a proud grandparent, the lodge displays its photos, visuals of pleasures and performances past. Here, a young St. Louis musician, Gordon Jenkins, honed his chops. Jenkins later became a famous producer for Decca Records. Listen to Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, and you’ll witness Gordon Jenkins’s handiwork.

Bill Freeman can tell you about that. A retired state trooper, Bill is affable, polite, and knowledgeable. And he keeps the hotel’s systems running. Bill’s also a walking history book, readily telling stories about the river, the region, and the lodge.

The lobby’s charm overflows, especially when a crowd gathers around Michael Martin Murphy or America playing unplugged before a roaring fire in the fireplace during the Living Room Concerts.

The long dining hall could be a movie set. Its hardwood floors, linen tablecloths, and gorgeous floor-to-ceiling French windows serve up splendid scenery. The guest rooms’ comfortably Spartan appointments offer a subtle hint that rooms are for sleeping. Daytime calls for vigorous action in the great outdoors.

Like Wildwood Lodge, the story of recreation on the Meramec River has its own peaks and valleys. In the late 1890s, St. Louisans would hop the Frisco Railroad for a short ride to the Highlands resort and recreation complex, just west of Kirkwood. Anticipating the arrival of thousands of visitors to the 1904 Louisiana Exposition, the St. Louis World’s Fair, developers built the Highlands, offering enough activities to ensure fatigue: swimming, boating, dancing, and tennis. Alas, the Meramec Highlands suffered fatigue and disappeared before World War I. City folk then traveled further upriver to find Meramec hot spots around Valley Park and Fenton.

About the same time, St. Louisans discovered the lodges in the Steelville area, along the Meramec. They’d take the Frisco to Cuba, Missouri, where shuttles would deliver them a few more miles to the river resorts.

Most of those lodges have vanished, victims of time, the Great Depression, increased traveler mobility, and new levees. Along the river, concrete steps remain as memorials leading from the water, up the bank, and into the woods.

But a few resorts still stand with Wildwood against the ravages of time and the trend toward corporate conformity. Cobblestone Lodge is an octogenarian, too, and offers an all-inclusive vacation that includes sumptuous meals in a classic dining hall and floating the Meramec, to boot!

Float like I did from Ozark Outdoors Riverfront Lodge, which offers everything from cabins to the Grand Suite. It’s a great place to launch an expedition to check the health of the stream. Look closely into the water to examine some of nearly four dozen species of mussels, including the Washboard, the Pocketbook, the Pimpleback, and the Spectacle Case. Don’t be fooled by their seeming inactivity. Some of these living water filters are better bass fishers than anybody pictured on a cereal box cover. The mussel lures a bass to snap at a fleshy appendage that looks like a minnow. The bass gets injected with a mouthful of baby mussels, who attach to its gills and take a ride for a few days as the mussels grow stronger. Don’t worry, the bass survives to face more challenges.

More challenging is the search for an Eastern Hellbender, a salamander whose numbers are declining. That’s a concern to herpetologists, who wonder why this species is disappearing.

With a name that recalls another disappearance from the Meramec basin, Indian Springs Lodge offers individual cabins that honor great Native American leaders including Black Eagle, Red Cloud, and Crazy Horse.

Historic Bird’s Nest Lodge trumpets new log cabins with all the amenities. On the Huzzah, Eagle Hurst Ranch names its thirty or so cottages for permanent residents:
trees like the dogwood, redbud, and hickory. The Huzzah Valley Resort features the Huzzah Hilton, Big Bear Bunkhouse, and a pair of original farmhouses. Situated near the Huzzah and next to Courtois Creek, Bass River Resort offers a multitude of cozy cabins, log
cabins, A-frames, and hideaways.

The river and the resort business both endure ebbs and flows. But two events nearly changed the face of the region forever. Three decades ago, the specter of a dam loomed in the Meramec valley. Actually, the idea of damming the Meramec goes back to 1830 when the Iron Works at present day Maramec Spring Park near St. James promoted a dam to improve navigation for moving iron ore.

The most recent plan would have impounded forty-two miles of the Meramec River, nine miles of the Courtois, and twelve miles of the Huzzah. A group of concerned Missourians realized that many Meramec treasures, including Onondaga Cave, would be lost. Several groups, including the Meramec Basin Association, united to defeat the dam.

The second threat occurred almost twenty-five years ago in Times Beach, a resort community where Route 66 crosses the Meramec River. To control dust, a contractor sprayed oil contaminated with deadly dioxin through the streets. The federal government made history by forcing an evacuation and buying out the entire town. After many years and an expensive contamination cleanup, the state established Route 66 State Park on the property. The welcome center sits in a venerable old roadhouse called Steiny’s Inn, next to the historic Meramec River Bridge. Ask folks who’ve lived nearby for more than a generation, and everyone has a story about Steiny’s. It’s a survivor.

Yep, the Meramec has endured both natural and man-made disasters. But today, thanks to healthy stewardship, the river has a fighting chance at survival. And the historic lodges of the Meramec offer their silent approval.

October 2007

Hotel Frederick

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:01:36 GMT

*Turn of the (21st) Century Elegance* *By Jeremy Goldmeier* Since its construction in 1905, the Hotel Frederick in Boonville has been an ever-gracious host. From the wedding receptions and dinner parties that it hosted during its younger days to its later incarnation as a senior living community, the Frederick provided for its tenants. But during the past couple of years, the hotel’s hospitality has faced its stiffest test. Poking and prodding, tearing down walls and putting up new ones, and cutting trenches in brick and installing pipe, a team of construction workers and other artisans took up residence in the hotel. Passersby on the streets of downtown Boonville could hear the roar of sanding machines and electric drills for months on end. The hubbub was all part of an ambitious renovation plan for the hotel. It had sat vacant for almost a decade, a crumbling beauty perched above the shores of the Missouri River. In 2004, the campaign to restore the Frederick began in earnest. The city of Boonville was considering a series of downtown renovations, to be paid for with revenue from the nearby Isle of Capri Casino. Economic development director Sarah Gallagher brought in Kansas City developer Adam Jones and his business partner Bob Mayer for a tour of the town. The two identified the Frederick as a potential developmental anchor, the kind of building that could not only help revitalize Boonville but draw attention to the whole of mid-Missouri. “I saw a wonderful building,” Adam says. “It hadn’t been horribly destroyed. It had interesting architectural features and a real social character that you could feel.” As consultants, Adam and Bob recommended a full renovation of the hotel. The city’s response? “Why don’t you do it for us?” After a period of courtship and negotiation with the city, Adam found himself wearing the more familiar hat of a developer. Restoring the hotel to its past glory wasn’t going to be as easy as applying a fresh coat of paint. But ask Adam’s friends about him and they’ll say that he’s one of a select few who could pull off the project. Equipped with more than two decades of design and development experience in the Kansas City area, Adam is a resourceful planner, who has transformed old gas stations into trendy restaurants and unused loft spaces into hotbeds of artistic activity. “He’s a creative genius,” gushes Kansas City businessman Bill Haw, who replaced Bob Mayer as Adam’s chief financial partner last June. Adam and his team of workers have since gone to the considerable effort of reinvigorating the stately old Frederick for the twenty-first century while maintaining its original warmth and character. The payoff has been nothing short of immaculate. Beginning with the lobby, the Frederick immediately displays an understated air of sophistication. The black-and-white marble tile floor glistens, chandeliers hang delicately overhead, and the wicker furniture invites a long sit. Straight ahead past the reception desk sits Glenn’s Cafe, an import from Columbia. Residents from there still make the twenty-mile drive out to Boonville to enjoy Glenn’s cuisine. Just outside of the restaurant, a wooden staircase, lit warmly by a stained-glass window on the wall, curves upward to the second floor. The hallways are spacious, with colorful rugs imported from Iran gracing the wood-panel floor. With a gleam in his eye, Bill calls the Frederick’s twenty-four rooms “the pièce de résistance,” and it’s hard to disagree. Their walls painted in bold, solid colors, the rooms feature unique layouts. Each has its own set of handmade, antique furniture mixed with custom-designed beds, sheets, and lamps. Other amenities include flat-screen televisions, heated towel racks, and the rooms’ original corner sinks. The Hotel Frederick, however, is one of the few places where the bathroom steals the show from the rest of the room. Encased by glass walls with eye-catching floral designs, the bathrooms ratchet up the sense of luxury several notches. They integrate seamlessly with the rest of the room to create a complete, aesthetically appealing sight. Each room also boasts its own collection of artwork. “I said to myself, 'Wow, how could they make this any better?" says hotel manager Parris Johnson. "Then I saw the art and said, 'Yeah, it does look better." As a whole, the building reflects Adam’s sharp attention to detail and desire to preserve as much of the hotel’s past as possible. That stained-glass window above the staircase was a Hotel Frederick original, painstakingly reconstructed after a storm smashed it to pieces. All of the doors are originals as well, restored, after years of vacancy had warped and eroded them. Several other hotel components were custom-built. Adam also made extensive use of recycled materials. Those, plus the hotel’s efficient water and heating systems, earned it membership in the environmentally friendly Green Hotels Association. Despite the additional effort these methods required, Jones believes it pays off. “Things that are handmade feel and act differently from things that are machine-made,” Adam says. “Old buildings are essentially massive, handmade objects. They exude warmth.” Of course, the detail-oriented approach also kicked up the cost of the renovation, the first phase of which required nearly $3.5 million. The city of Boonville provided $575,000 for initial costs, while Bill—whose cattle ranching business enjoys a national profile—essentially footed the rest of the bill. Bill “invested a lot of money in this project,” says Boonville City Council member Julie Thacher. “He could have invested it, literally, anywhere in the world. It pleases me that he sees the potential here.” Bill readily admits that the scale of his investment represents a sizable risk. “Nobody in their right mind would have financed it,” he says. “The track record of large investments in small towns is daunting. As glorious as it is, if it can’t be successfully operated, it has no economic value.” Bill looked just as carefully at the intangible benefits of restoring the Frederick as at the hard figures involved. Those calculations included the hotel’s history and its standing in the Boonville community. Of course, he hopes that the hotel proves wildly successful, but for now it’s an “economic footprint” in Boonville, one that will provide respect and acclaim to the city. Future plans for the Frederick include balconies on the second and third floors, and potentially a basement area with a pub, ballroom, and retail space. Still, Bill doesn’t want to jump too far ahead. “We’re totally dependent on renting rooms,” he says. “The potential of that labyrinth of brick rooms downstairs is incredible. You’d have to be blind not to see what it could be. But first we have to make a success out of what we’ve got.” The Frederick’s managers are relying primarily on word of mouth to market the hotel. Taking advantage of the hotel’s proximity to the Katy Trail, they provide discounts for cyclists who are making the statewide trek along the route. Perhaps the best way to sell someone on the Hotel Frederick, however, is to show it in person. Even in photographs, the hotel’s true ambience doesn’t fully translate. The Frederick reflects the rich historical traditions of Boonville, and—its developers hope—will continue to play a significant role in the city’s future. “I’m in awe of what they’re doing,” Julie says. “It has far surpassed anything I had hoped.” _The Hotel Frederick is located at 501 E. High Street at Boonville. Rooms range from $100 to $300 per night. For more information, call 660-882-2828 or visit www.hotelfrederick.com._ August 2007

Square Beyond Compare

Sat, 28 Oct 2006 17:15:06 GMT

*A STAY AT ST. LOUIS’S HISTORIC LAFAYETTE SQUARE OFFERS A VICTORIAN PARK SURROUNDED BY AMAZING ARCHITECTURE AND FINE DINING* *By Ann Vernon* Lafayette Square at St. Louis was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The center point of the revitalized area is Lafayette Park, the oldest municipal park west of the Mississippi River. Lafayette Square offers one of the largest collections of Victorian homes in the country. The neighborhood’s Holiday Parlor Tour takes place December 11 (see page 86), a perfect time to spend a cozy weekend in the Square. The neighborhood’s oldest bed & breakfast is the *Park Avenue Mansion.* Built in 1874, the French Second Empire home features four guest rooms — one offering a view of the Gateway Arch — with king- or queen-size beds. Two suites have a fireplace and Jacuzzi. Champagne breakfast is served on old china with sterling silver and hand-painted crystal. Stroll the English garden or read in the library to the sound of classical music. Innkeepers Kathy Marks- Petetit and Michael Petetit renovated the mansion, which has been an inn since 2002. Park Avenue Mansion is located at 2007 Park Avenue. Nightly rates are $89 to $225. For more information, call 866-588-9004 or visit www.parkavenuemansion.com. *Napoleon’s Retreat* is an 1880 French Second Empire Victorian with twelve-foot front doors and an elegant sophistication. The house is decorated with antiques and original works of art, many of which are a tribute to Napoleon Bonaparte. There are three guest rooms with queen-size beds in the main house, one of which has a gas fireplace and whirlpool bath. The Cottage is a private renovated carriage house that includes a loft bedroom, kitchen, sitting room, and balcony that overlooks the New Orleans-style courtyard. Innkeepers Jeff Archuleta and Michael Lance have owned the property for eleven years. Napoleon’s Retreat is located at 1815 Lafayette Avenue. Nightly rates are $99 to $175. For more information, call 800-700-9980 or visit www.napoleonsretreat.com. *Lafayette Park Bed & Breakfast* is an 1891 English-style Terrace House, a smaller version of a traditional Victorian mansion. The inn offers three guest rooms with queen- or double-size canopy beds. The property includes a large private garden, working fireplaces, and a library complete with kitchenette for coffee, hot chocolate, or a bedtime snack. Larry Bennett has been the host since April. Lafayette Park Bed & Breakfast is located at 1415 Missouri Avenue. Nightly rates are $89 to $119. For more information, call 866-338- 1415 or visit www.lafayetteparkbedandbreakfast.com. *Lehmann House* was built in 1893 in Romanesque Revival style. The house was originally owned by lawyer and statesman Frederick Lehmann, who hosted presidents William Howard Taft and Calvin Coolidge. The home has been a guest house since 1993. There are three guest rooms with king- or queen-size beds. Two offer private baths and working fireplaces. Innkeeper Marie Davies has filled the library with parlor games for a restful retreat on wintry days. Lehmann House is located at 10 Benton Place. Nightly rate is $100. For more information, call 314-231-6724. December 2005

Romancing the Victorian Past

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 16:05:13 GMT

*By Ann Vernon* It was love that brought Jim and Cathlynn (Cate) Dodson from California to Missouri. “I was having job burnout in Los Angeles,” said Jim. “Cate was a freelance writer who could work anywhere. We were ready for a change, and we had always romanticized about having a B and B.” Cate searched on the internet for bed-and-breakfasts for sale in the Midwest. They found Romancing the Past in Fulton, a Victorian mansion that had been an inn since 1996. “We came here and fell in love with this place,” she said. “We loved the house. We loved the street. We loved the hospitality of the people.” That was in July of 2004; by November they were innkeepers. Running a bed-and-breakfast is perfect for the two. Jim loves to cook and is a handyman; Cate loves to bake. The friendly couple enjoy entertaining and giving guests a taste of Victorian life. Some evenings, Cate may read aloud from her great-grandfather’s love letters while Jim plays piano. They also offer special events. During the last weekend of April, Cate and Jim will host a _Murder in Kings Row_ mystery dinner. The event is based on the 1940s novel by the Fulton author, Henry Bellamann, and held in conjunction with a town celebration and free screening of the movie _Kings Row._ Still, they have time to pursue their work: Cate writes in the evenings; Jim designs brochures and web sites. The 1868 farmhouse was built by John H. Jameson, son of a two-time Missouri congressman. Updated in 1880, the home itself is a feast for the eye. Inlaid wood floors and burled, carved walnut woodwork create a backdrop for lace, velvet, antique furnishings, and a profusion of bric-a-brac. The entryway is lavish with a carved archway and winding staircase; a nearby parlor has an old-fashioned Victrola, a cozy fireplace, and stacks of reading material. The three guest rooms have antique furnishings, queen-size beds, fireplaces, roomy new bathrooms, and internet access. The Renaissance Suite has Victorian walnut furniture and a separate sitting room with daybed; the bath has a room-size shower. Miss Jamie’s Study, named for the original lady of the house, Charlotte Jameson, is a rich, jewel-toned bedroom that features a wall of floor-to-ceiling bookcases and memorabilia. The Victorian Rose Room is light and airy, with a floral motif, wicker, and its own private balcony. The claw-footed bath offers nostalgic charm. Room rates range from $120 to $175. A full breakfast includes specialties of the house, such as Jim’s Berry Good Stuffed French Toast or smoked, bacon-wrapped eggs with hollandaise sauce and rosemary-parmesan potatoes. Guests may relax in the gardens and gazebo, take a soak in the outdoor hot tub, or rest on the shady porch. Visitors may enjoy a walking tour of other historic houses in the neighborhood or stroll to the antique stores, restaurants, shops, and the historical society museum on the town square. The historic campuses of Westminster College, with the Winston Churchill Memorial and Library, and William Woods University are a few blocks away. _Romancing the Past Bed & Breakfast is at 830 Court Street in Fulton. Call 573-592-1996 or e-mail: romancingthepast@sbcglobal.net. For more information visit www.romancingthepast.com._ April 2006

Plain and Fancy Bed and Breakfast

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 03:12:49 GMT

*By Ann Vernon* Plain & Fancy is a sprawling two-story farmhouse with oak floors, fine woodwork, a shady porch, and bay windows, located near the Mark Twain National Forest. Built in 1908, it has been described as the kind of house you wished your grandmother lived in. It was a family homestead for more than fifty years and later became an apartment house. Ray McCurdy and Cal Dothage bought the house in the 1970s and turned it into the gourmet restaurant Plain & Fancy. Their hospitality became legendary in southeastern Missouri, and _Missouri Life_ featured a story about the restaurant in 1978. When the business closed in the early 1980s, the farmhouse became a family home once again. Then Brenda and Tom Merello were flooded into the picture. In 2001, they had moved from St. Louis to the Arcadia Valley and bought 250 acres to establish a cattle farm. They began building a new house in 2002, but then Stouts Creek overflowed its banks and washed the structure away. The couple started anew, buying the nearby Plain & Fancy house in 2003 and opening it as a bed-and-breakfast. Surrounded by rolling pastures, the house sits on a knoll overlooking Stouts Creek. Guests may sit in the gazebo listening to the babbling brook or soak in the outdoor hot tub. Inside, the rooms are bright and sunny with handmade Amish furniture and simple decor. The first floor guest room, the Butterfly Room ($115 per night), was completed in April 2006. It offers a queen-size bed and Jacuzzi tub set in a bay window. Upstairs is the Amish Room ($99 per night) with queen-size bed, decorative quilts, and Jacuzzi tub. The Red Hat Suite ($115 per night) is big enough for four people. It offers a sitting room, king-size bed, queen-size sleeper couch, old fashioned tub, and private porch. Guest rooms have television, DVD, high speed Internet, spa shower, tub, and plush robes. Plain & Fancy is ideal for a romantic get-away or birthday celebration, and the Merellos offer several package deals including flowers and champagne, candlelit dinners, or cake and balloons. Signature breakfasts at Plain & Fancy include fresh fruit and Apple Walnut French Toast or Caramel Walnut Rolls made with black walnuts from the farm. Other specialties include Skillet Eggs with ham and cheese or Brenda’s German style pancakes, baked in the oven and served with homemade banana syrup. Although the Merellos prefer to accommodate adults only at Plain & Fancy, the nearby Cottage at Low Water Bridge offers rooms for families and pets. This modern ranch-style house accommodates six people, has a full kitchen where guests cook their own breakfast, and a barbecue pit for cookouts. Weekly rates are available. _Both accommodations are two miles from Ironton, Pilot Knob, and Arcadia on Route 72. Area attractions include antique shops, the Fort Davidson Civil War site, Elephant Rocks Park, and Taum Sauk Mountain. Call 573-546-1182 or 888-546-1182. Visit www.plainfancybb.com or www.lowwatercottage.com._ June 2006

Biking the Katy Trail

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 05:10:42 GMT

*By Danita Allen Wood* The young woman on her bike on a city street was a picture-perfect model for any bicycle ad: sleek and tanned, long blonde ponytail under her helmet, outfitted in black biker shorts, socks and shoes. Biking alone, with a little black suitcase fit on the rack above her back tire, similar to the one I’d just bought, she coasted to an intersection, reached down for her water bottle, lifted it, tipped back her head, and took a long swig. The setting sun captured the moment. Golden. Glorious. The image of strength, freedom and physical fitness in the great outdoors seemed to capture why I wanted to bike the entire Katy Trail. The image stayed with me, although I’m fifty, only moderately fit, and not a regular cyclist. In fact, I prepared for my Katy Trail excursion by quitting my life-long exercise habit a few months before my departure date. Still, visions of a spectacular time rolled through my mind: The beauty of nature. Fresh air. A physical challenge. Time with my son. Time with friends. Really seeing Missouri. So, last July (yes, the hottest time of the year), the Missouri Life Team, composed of my friend Nina Furstenau, my son Evan, and his friend Alex Finck, embarked on the 255-mile-long treasure of a state park, the Katy Trail. My husband, Greg, also joined us for a portion of the trail. Named for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, called the MKT or Katy, the trail stretches from Clinton to St. Charles. *THE PACE:* Rather than choosing locations to give us the most even mileage, we chose locations by the towns we preferred to stay in. We planned to arise early and ride before it got miserably hot. Our destinations delighted us. *Clinton to Sedalia: 36 miles* *Uphill but beautiful* A few web sites I visited recommended skipping this leg because they said it was less scenic. They were wrong. First, even though we didn’t start riding there, we visited the historic square and the old train depot downtown. Because of driving and preparation time, we had an early lunch at Breanna’s Soda Fountain. We began our ride about a mile away at the trail head. Those web site comments may have been negative because it’s uphill. This stretch of the trail has the longest uphill climb to the highest elevation on the trail at 955 feet above sea level. Most uphill grades are two to five percent, though, and still easy to bike. If you skip this part, you miss the picturesque Calhoun elevator, several charming small towns and shops, the pastoral beauty of rolling plains, Highpoint Prairie, and the historic Sedalia depot with a fine railroad museum. It was a beautiful leg, accompanied by trees that have overhung the trail, providing a tunnel of shade. *Sedalia to Rocheport: 51 miles* *A killer day* If I ride the trail again, I will add one more day and stop in Boonville, bike up to the old Katy Trail bridge causing the controversy over whether or not it should be torn down, and relax. The next day, I would ride leisurely to Rocheport (only 27 miles), where I’d relax with a float trip on the Missouri River (see page 6) and explore antique shops. Evan and Alex covered the distance in about half the time it took Nina and me. She and I hit the hot, muggy, airless New Franklin bottoms at the height of the afternoon sun. We stopped and rested frequently in the shade, but one time, even though Nina was eager to reach the end, I needed a longer, sit-in-the-shade, douse-the-head-with-water break. I was afraid I might have to call for a ride, but the longer rest and slower pace when we resumed did the trick. And there is beauty in the bottoms, too. Running through what was once the meandering Missouri River bed, the trail takes you by a tile silo, the river bluffs, lone trees standing occasionally in miles-long farm fields — a testament to some farmer’s unwillingness to chop it down for the sake of straighter rows and faster farming. We heaved a huge sigh of relief when we entered the cool, dark tunnel that signaled Rocheport just beyond. *Rocheport to Jefferson City: 35 miles* *Along the river* Our friends Charlene and Caroline Finck, Alex’s mother and sister, joined us for this segment of the trail. I also convinced Greg, who had intended to work all week, to join us for the remainder of the trip. This is one of the most beautiful portions of the trail, sandwiched between tall limestone bluffs and the river. A marker points out American Indian petroglyphs. On this day, the lessons we took about changing tires came in handy. Evan and Alex, who were ahead as usual, assisted two remarkable gentlemen from Florida, Jim Peraud and Carl Nelson, ages 67 and 71, who were also biking the trail but had a flat tire. They were struggling in our Missouri heat and humidity but assured us they would take it easy and stay overnight at the next stop, Hartsburg. Lunch at Dottie’s Cafe at Hartsburg was a real treat: burgers, fries, and homemade pies. Jim and Carl arrived before we left and bought us dessert. When we arrived at Jefferson City, we didn’t attempt to cross this busy bridge. We had been warned about it and arranged for the proprietor of The Jefferson Inn to pick us up. We enjoyed walking around the capitol grounds afterward. *Jefferson City to Hermann: 42 miles* *A bridge adventure* Spider webs surprised us this morning. We rode right into them, filling our helmets, shirts, and mouths with webs. Big webs completely crossed the trail every few feet. Dodging them was impossible. Greg left the trail and took to a parallel blacktop, but the Missouri Life Team stayed on the trail. After a shakedown to clear the webs and any surviving spiders from our clothes and hair, Evan and Alex became our spider samurai, riding ahead and attacking the webs with their air pumps as swords. Nina and I followed sedately and web-free. We cooled off at Rhineland under a shelter house at the trailhead, where a flea market of sorts offered everything from sweet corn and clothing to collectible coins. At Hermann, we had planned to bike across the bridge. We had talked to people who said bikers did it all the time. But as I rode uphill toward it (in the rear, as usual), I was filled with misgivings. I could see only the skinniest of shoulder on the bridge, just like the one in Jefferson City we knew we didn’t want to cross. Traffic was heavy, bumper-to-bumper cars and trucks zooming by at high speed. We had hit Friday afternoon, ready-for-the-weekend traffic. At this moment, Alex received a call from his parents to find out how far from Hermann we were. They had decided to surprise us at our stop that day. They heard the same desperation in Alex’s voice that I felt, as he described the looming bridge and traffic. They told him to stop and wait. Just a few minutes later, with providential timing, our guardian angels arrived in a Nissan Armada SUV. When Jonathan Finck spotted a small break in traffic, he pulled out, and we pedaled out in front of him as fast as we could. He slowed the traffic to a crawl and endured honks from impatient motorists who could not pass. *Hermann to Augusta: 34 miles* *The draft line* We started at six the next morning sans escort, determined to cross the bridge before traffic got heavy. We breezed back across the river to the trail. The day was hot, and the boys were tired and eager to finish. They no longer raced ahead, and we took turns drafting each other, using the mile markers on the trail as the signal to switch. We felt like the racers we’ve watched on the Tour de France. What a difference drafting made. I liked peeling away from the lead to the back slot, where I could almost coast, aided by my teammate’s draft. *Augusta to St. Charles: 27 miles* *Finish line at Frontier Park* By this time, as veterans of the trail, we looked forward to an easy day. And it was. Greg pulled out far ahead, and the boys decided to catch him. Without any of them saying a word, they knew they were racing. The boys won. They finally passed him about five minutes from the finish at Frontier Park. This part of the trail was as pretty as the one at Rocheport, but less traveled until we neared St. Charles. Exhausted but exhilarated, we celebrated with a lunch in the historic district. *THE TEENS ON THE TRAIL* *Evan: Seeing in a new way* My legs are pumping, two wheels roll seamlessly against a gravel surface as I fly by the next mile marker at thirty-five miles per hour, according to my friend’s speedometer. I’m making decent time for a bike. I’ve just ridden out of Windsor, and I’m on day one of my trip across the Katy Trail. As the scenery goes by on the leg from Clinton to Sedalia, I drift away in thought. The quiet countryside provides time to talk, reflect, or take in all the scenes. As I look around, I realize that this view is about as close as you can come to seeing Missouri through the eyes of explorers like Lewis and Clark or the Plains Indians that once roamed this vast expanse of flowing grass. Before I drift away completely, I realize we are nearing Sedalia. We sleep in Sedalia and hit the trail again the next day with an early start. At first, the trail winds through the streets of Sedalia, then it resumes its gravel course. The stretch from here to Rocheport is more unforgiving until you reach the high point, then it’s downhill all the way to St. Charles. It’s hardly noticeable, however, a five percent grade at most. The stretch is mostly flat and provides less shade so we bring plenty of extra drinks as we become dehydrated more quickly, and there are fewer major towns between the two points of our journey. The trail cuts through Boonville’s streets very briefly, and navigating is quite easy. We then go over the river to Rocheport. The next day’s ride is breathtaking. Roughly thirty-five miles of trail between Rocheport and Jefferson City, and every foot is beautiful. At the start, you ride with the bluffs on one side and the Missouri River on the other, then the bluffs slowly come down in height, and the trail separates from the river, leaving you with the forest and hilly countryside. Along the way, there is a spur that leads to downtown Columbia, which is a route I often take when riding this stretch, but not today — today only forward. We ride swiftly. We stop for lunch in a peaceful town, Hartsburg, a few miles from Jefferson City. We walk the grounds of the capitol and go out for ice cream. The next morning, we hit the trail yet again. The stretch from Jefferson City to Hermann is full of eye candy, with miles of lush green corn stalks, tall forests, and wine country. If you are stopping in Hermann, don’t leave without visiting Stone Hill Winery, which has amazing food. Next is Hermann to Augusta, another great stretch with plenty of shade. Also in this stretch, the trail meets the river once again briefly. The last leg spans from Augusta to St. Charles, offering a mixture of all the stretches leading up to it and taking you right into one of the most fascinating towns on the trail, St. Charles. *Alex: Reaching a goal* Last summer, I went on a ride on the Katy Trail, a rails-to-trail route that winds its way across Missouri. There are parts of the trail filled with people biking or walking. Other parts are desolate and empty. Lucky for me, some friends invited me to ride from one end to the other. I jumped at the chance to ride my bike, be with friends, and enjoy the outdoors. We started at Clinton and ended up in St. Charles. In between, we spent lots of time sweating, laughing, eating, and having fun. The scenic places along the trail kept me pulling out my digital camera. Seeing fields of corn growing in front of the state capitol, tunnels cutting through the rock, and my friends getting tangled in spider webs on the trail were just a few of the things I photographed. I loved stopping at bed-and-breakfasts along the way. They were homey, welcoming, and we had the run of the place, instead of just a room. I also really liked the nice breakfasts. There were a few tunnels on parts of the trail, and I always enjoyed riding through them. Maybe one of the most memorable times was when we got up early, with a heavy fog, and rode. You could barely see in front of you, but it was beautiful nonetheless. Getting up early and riding is always the best thing to do (except for those of you who aren’t morning people). I absolutely loved the feeling I got when I had just finished a day of riding my bike. I felt tired and worn out, but it was tremendously satisfying. Before going on the week-long ride, I’d only gone on short half-day rides. We ate at several fun places, but I have to admit that I was so tired from riding that I can’t remember them well. One lunch that sticks out in my mind was Dottie’s Cafe in Hartsburg. That was the day that my mom and ten-year-old sister rode with us from Rocheport to Jefferson City. Before going on the Katy Trail, my friends and I spent an evening at bike school to learn how to repair and maintain our bikes. This turned out to be a great benefit. Along the trail, we came across two older men with a flat tire … a really flat tire. I got off my bike, pulled out my tool kit, and went over to them. My friends rode up, and we proceeded to fix their tire in the July heat. They were very grateful for our help and thanked us repeatedly. While riding away, I felt pride that I had helped out people with a flat tire. Just a month earlier, I wouldn’t have known how to fix one. And, if we hadn’t learned to check for thorns, they would have had another problem later. The bike school, I realized, was simply part of being prepared to spend miles out on the trail alone. Lucky for our group, we made it through the trip without any problems beyond squeaky brakes, a little sunburn, sore muscles — and a big sense of accomplishment. *WHERE WE STAYED* Hotel Bothwell, Sedalia. This grand historic hotel is only a few blocks from the trail. We were exhausted after the first leg of our trip and ate here too. Cyclists are invited to take bikes up the elevator and into the rooms. The Carriage House Room, Rocheport. This bed-and-breakfast, right on the trail, is within a few blocks of three great places to eat. As we were exhausted, inviting lounge chairs were more appealing than the numerous antique shops. The Crab Shack provided a memorable meal and evening with friends. The Jefferson Inn Bed and Breakfast, Jefferson City. Proprietor Rachel Boessen picked us up at the trailhead and ferried us across the busy bridge here. She fixed a full country breakfast with biscuits and gravy, worth trading a few hours of cool early-morning riding to partake. Schiller Guest Suites, Hermann. We enjoyed Bahama Mamas here before dining at Stone Hill Winery. Proprietor Constance LaBoube had provided a cheese, fruit, and snack tray for our arrival and muffins, yogurt, and cereal for the extra-early departure we desired. H.S. Clay House, Augusta. This bed and breakfast, featured in the October 1999 Missouri Life provided a welcome pool for the boys, even though it’s known more as a romantic get-away for couples. The home is a museum in itself, full of antiques and collections. June 2006