52.66mi
7.2avs
The post office in Marthasville does not open until 8:30am, so I didn't get a super early start. My mother sent me the chamois I left at home, my other pair of gloves, then packed the extra space in the box with granola bars, spiced soybeans, nutella, and a few packets of saurkraut. Thanks, Mom!
It must have been the huge bowl of rice I consumed last night. I barely felt the U-haul. For me, I was making great time. I stopped often, because I could, and took pictures of the plants and insects attending them. I partially dyed a glove with pokeberries, it came out a nice magenta-purple.
The cloud cover eventually turned into rain, and for a little while I was downright chilly while waiting under shelter for the heaviest of it to pass. Once I got back on the trail, of course, it began to rain again. Amazing what some companionship can do in such a situation. I ran into a fellow on a loaded bike goes west-to-east and we stood in the rain, wrestling our bikes around(his seemed particularly well-disposed towards falling over, and talking about trails and touring and journaling.
My stopping point tonight is the Turner Katy Trail Shelter, which I've been looking forward to reaching. It's an old house, shop, and now hostel for passing cyclists. You drop $5 in an envelope, find the key hanging on the utility pole, and make yourself at home. There is a fridge(with a scattering of condiments, sugar, coffee, and a great big tub of butter), an electric burner, showers, bunks, a microwave, air conditioning, and a bike room with stands and tools. It's also a bit... used-smelling, and has a fair amount of mice scampering about. It might seem a downgrade for the B&B crew, but it was perfect for me. Empty, though, save for a few people peeking it to get a look at the place. Had saurkraut pasta tonight, with plenty of butter. Mm...
Leaving Marthasville. The state park built all the trailheads(or restored them in some cases), so they all look, for the most part, alike.
Trailside restaurant just outside of town.
Heavy Missouri woods.
Horse tail is abundant along the often-flooded trail corridor.
Ashes of a recent campfire, right on the trail. Some bold stealth camper, perhaps?
Most of the pokeweed directly under the sun had the look of sad, scraggly plants with dried up berries. The ones under partial shade near the flooded areas where thriving and colorful.
Butterfly and Cup Plant.
One of the few segments with a clear view of the Missouri River.
This here is
Jonathan Voelz, who I stopped and chatted with for a good while in the rain. Eventually the mosquitoes got too thick, so we exchanged photos and
blogs before going our separate ways. There's a picture of me over there, looking scruffy and squinty as usual.
Trumpet Creeper bursting through the window of an old building.
It does exist! Turner Katy Trail Shelter, home for the night.
