End of Katy Trail

I ended the katy trail yesterday in Clinton, Missouri. Had kind of a long night. My brother decided he wanted to pick me up there and take me to Joplin. Had no sleep and the campgropund was closed so now im sitting at a motel using their wi-fi while i figure out what to do. The guy here is super nice and is even charging up my phone. May end up spending a night here and then trying to find some where to camp. I am just so darn tired. Coffee isnt helping any today. LOL Hopefully when i get a little sleep i will be able to think more clearer.

So sad to have seen the end of the katy trail. I prolonged it as long as i could. (And you'll all be glad to know i ended it the same way i started it) Actually rode the last five miles. I probably took more pictures yesterday then i did the whole trip. Problem is i messed up computer (got to call comp people) and i cant figure out now how to upload pictures to blog. Once i call them i should have that straightened up and i can post whats left of the photos.

So looks like this may just be the end of my journey. Ill never regret doing it. The people ive met and the places ive seen have all been worth the effort.

Sedalia Missouri and Bad Weather

I am now at Sedalia Missouri. The weather the last 2 nights has been terrible so tonight ive rented a motel room. Ive been doing 15 or more miles a day. Last night i spent in a garage in Pilot Grove Missouri. This nice older couple put me up , fed me and even let me take a shower. God bless all the good people ive met on this journey. I feel ive really been blessed.

Looks like my journey may be ending at Joplin Missouri. I have a friend who is going to pick med up there and take me the rest of the way to Texas. So looks like the worst will be going from Clinton to Joplin. I will be praying a lot and i hope you all pray for me too. I will have to take side streets and hope to find camping spots for the night. With gods help i should be fine.

I have til 11 a.m. Tomorrow here. So im going to rest and take a shower. To all my friends out there thank you for kind wishes. Take care all and when i get to Texas i will add more to blog. And of course label pictures. The pictures that say 2005 are from this journey. I had camera problems and then forgot to reset date. That whole group of pictures is from Coopers landing.

Almost End of Katy Trail

Hi i am in Pilot Grove Missouri. I am 3 towns from the end of the Katy Trail. Ive been here for 2 days waiting out the rain. Will most likely be hitting the road tomorrow afternoon. Maybe another 2 days of trail then where it ends in Clinton ill have to start taking side roads to head towards Texas. Im almost afraid to leave the trail. Ive met so many nice people and have been really safe on here even though ive not always been able to get internet access ive really liked it.

So when i leave the trail ill be beginning a new adventure. It will be looking for nice people and places where to camp at night. And hoping and praying im safe. Hopefully i can find off roads where theres not a lot of traffic. Ive niot been traveling real fast some due to weather and some due to trail being bad in places then of course there was the issue of me spraining my ankle and having to take a few days off. Ive learned to just hope and pray things go well when i leave one place for the next. Ive been caught in the rain twice and now i check weather before i leave 1 spot for another and i also start around five every afternoon looking for a place to camp that way im set befroe dark. Its takes planning to make things dueable. I do my best to be in a town before dark everynight and if the next towns to far i wait til next day to go to.

Ive been keeping a voice journal so when all this is done and over im going to go over notes and be able to tell everyone nice towns or not. And of course ill be able to accurately describe what ive been thru on this journey. And tell about the poeple ive met.

So far ill have to say though that ive been blessed by the people and places ive been. Ive had help from friends and from my mother whove been a life saver at times. Even my faith has been tested on this adventure. But ive kept my resolve and i still have faith in god and people.

New Computer

So all is well and i finally got my new computer. I have been here at Cooper's landing for almost a week now. My plans were to leave today but now it may be tomorrow until i go. Had a rather long night and got awoken around 3a.m. Going to try and get everything together and leave first thing in the morning.

OK heres what everyones been waiting for the pictures! I am adding them all and will label them later. Enjoy!

Still Trouble

So were still not able to get my computer online. Im posting today from a place called Cooper's Landing which is a boat dock, store, and camping spot with all accomodations. Wednesdays(which is when i arrived) they even do a music thing where they play a lot of blues and every one stands around the fire and has a good time. I will be here another day due to bad weather. Guy who owns the place is real nice and is even going to put me up inside tonight so i dont have to be in rain. We are going to hopefully pick up new laptop in the morning and ill be sending the old one to my mom. So these updates will be more often.

Sorry to all i had no idea when i started this i was going to have so many computer problems.

No Connection

Bear with me folks For some reason my computer wont let me get online so i havent been able to post. As soon as i run into some one who knows more about computers i will post as much as i can. Borrowing the guys at the bed and breakfast to make this one. I am alive and well and have been having quite an adventure. I am right now in Bluffton Missouri its been a long hard journey but also fun and ive met some real nice god fearing people along the way. If your ever this way on the trail make a right turn to the bed and breakfast. Doug has campsites, rooms, warm showers, laundry facilities, can build bon fires and hes pet friendly. Its called Rendleman Home B&B. Nice guy who is very accomodating.

1 Day to Go

Here i am at home being melancholy. With just a day to go before i leave i find myself thinking of the friends ill be leaving behind and the hometown i may not see again for years. And of course i worry. Worrying doesnt help anything but i still find i do it. I know tomorrow when i ride off im going to have to look forward and not look back . Ill have to leave the past behind and turn my thoughts towards the future. Ill have to once again be strong and think of how things are going to be and not how they were. With my journey riding a bike ill be able to look forward to seeing whats just around the next corner.

This will be the ultimate journey of all the adventures ive taken. I wont be on a bus or a plane going anywhere. I will have to use physical and mental strength instead of buying and paying for what i need. There wont be a hotel room to return to every night but instead a camp to set up and a sleeping bag to lay my body on. And at the end of this journey i wont be getting on that plane to return home but starting a whole new life. This is the first leg of my new life and another adventure.

I have prepared myself and my bike as much as i can now its in gods hands. All i can do is pray and hope everything works out. Like i always say i will be traveling with god. So im putting my life into his hands and praying for the best. And today i wait for tomorrow and i do the last minute things that need doing. As im out and about today ill be looking around and taking pictures in my head to sustain me on those days when i become homesick.

The count down is over for we're to the final day............Next time i write it will be from the road.

My Bike and Shower Hosts

So i got my bike back. Karl did such a good job on my bike. He attached a bike rack to it even though he had to do extra work to get it on. Karl is the owner of a bike shop here in St Louis http://ambicycles.blogspot.com/. Its just a little corner shop but hes very accomadating and does fine work. Hes located in a hip little neighborhood that has coffee shops a natural food store and many restaurants to chose from. Karl is one of those people you have to get to know but once you do you realize his knowledge of bikes is just fantastic! He has done everything to my bike that needed doing for this trip plus some. He even corrected things id did wrong when i put it together. He has turned out to be an all around great guy. So if your ever in the area stop in and say hi. Seems i just cant say enough good stuff about this guy! And he has maps of the area available if you need them and hes right across the street from a large cyclist friendly park.

Heres to the people at http://www.warmshowers.org . I put out emails to a lot of them that offer showers to cyclists when your on the road and ive gotten so many positive responses im just in awe. So looks like i wont have to be stinky while im traveling. I have a list of hosts i will be visiting and spending a bit of time with. All of them are good people and their quick responses to my emails has just been great. So if your looking to take a bicycle trip anytime soon check out this site and email these people. And if you can host some one for a day or two or just offer a quick shower please do so. The little things like a warm shower and a safe place to pitch a tent mean so very much. My hats off to the people involved in this!

So as the time gets closer to me leaving i am feeling more and more calm. I figure it all comes from the assurances from the bike shop that my bike will hold up and the knowledge i will have a place to take a shower every now and then. And that im all ready to go and every last little detail is taken care of. Now i can fully concentrate on the trip. I leave Saturday afternoon and even the weather looks like its going to cooperate with me. Its suppose to be in the low sixties which will be great weather to travel in. So my wish for sun is going to come true. LOL

Just two more days...........