Up early again, we dressed in our “flattering” cycle kit (jersey and padded, chamois lined shorts), and ate at the Isle of Capri breakfast buffet, carb loading for the day’s ride.  After breakfast, we met in the lobby and Rochelle gave us the itinerary for the day.  We followed her through the casino parking lot, down a Boonville street, and onto the trail.  Today’s weather was cool, with misting rain and a steady 12 mph headwind.  And, to make matters worse, a good portion of the ride was up a 3% uphill grade—doesn’t sound like much but when combined with the wind and a sore butt and knees, it was overwhelming.

The first part of the trail was similar to that ridden yesterday with similar terrain and sights.  An old turntable was visible on the south side of the trail soon after the day’s ride began.  Passing an old grain elevator and caboose, we began approaching the bluff line east of New Franklin, Missouri.  Caves and interesting rock formations were present on the north side of the trail at almost every turn, while the south side was flat reflecting old meanders of the Missouri River.





Near Rocheport, the trail passed through an old railroad tunnel.  Interestingly, the west side reflected beautiful stone work on both the outside and inside, but about 3/4 of the way through the tunnel, it became chiseled rock, with no facade—they ran out of money!  The last two photos below show this.




After a SAG break at Rocheport, evidence of the Lewis and Clark Expedition began appearing.  A cave occupied by rattlesnakes when they stopped was only a few feet from the trail.  Many other caves were evident.



Near our lunch stop at McBaine, we saw the state record Burr oak tree just off the trail.

Past Hindman Junction, we passed “Boathinge” and saw the Missouri River for the first time.  We approached and road along the Missouri River.


We enjoyed another SAG stop at Hartsburg where cold bottled water and lots of snacks were available, and finally reached the end of the day’s ride at the North Jefferson trailhead.


Several of us opted to ride into Jefferson City, experiencing the square “spiral” cycling and pedestrian ramp.  The ride today is the longest on the trip.  Taking almost 6 hours in the saddle, I averaged 9.1 mph on the 53.0 mile ride, while Kay rode more miles today than any other day in her life—way to go girl—not too shabby when faced with drizzle,12 mph headwind, and an uphill grade all day.  Knees are like jelly and butts are really sore.

We were up early, dressed in close-fitting cycling clothes, with extra layers for warmth; there’s no way that cycling clothes make a pudgy man like me look flattering, in fact, just the opposite.  However the clothes are designed with a purpose in mind…  After a continental breakfast at the hotel, we loaded luggage in the trailer, and shuttled to the historic KATY Depot in Sedalia, also our trailhead for the start of the ride.  After an overly long lecture on the history of Sedalia and restoration of the depot, we anxiously checked our now unloaded bicycles, attached bike bags, water bottles, etc., inflated tires, and awaited the start of the first leg of the trip.

We followed the lead cycling support staff member, Rochelle, along the streets of Sedalia for a few blocks until we reached the actual KATY Trail.  (There were always three support cyclists riding with us:  one in or near the lead, one somewhere in the middle, and one at the end called the sweeper.  And, there was always a SAG—support and gear—van and trailer nearby.)  This first day’s ride was 36.8 miles with 912 feet of elevation change; my average speed was 9.4 mph.  Riding on crushed limestone is fine, but doesn’t allow for coasting, thus one is pedaling the entire time.  While I rode the entire leg, Kay “SAGGED” or rode the SAG wagon the middle leg; one of the great things about Road Scholar cycling trips is that you may catch and ride the SAG van at any of its stops along the way, usually about every 10 to 16 miles.  This first day’s ride did not follow the Missouri River, but took us through agricultural fields, forests, and several small towns.  The weather was cooperative, cool in the morning, and little wind. 







Despite the late start, 10 AM, we arrived at the Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville about 3 PM.  Most of the rooms were not ready, so we just hung around the lobby with luggage and bicycles in tow (Isle of Capri did not have a place for bicycle storage).  After checking into the room, again with bicycles in tow, we relaxed a couple of hours then had dinner was at the casino’s somewhat average buffet—one great thing about riding 38+ miles is that one burns a lot of calories (2,000+) and can eat just about anything!   Tiredness finally overcame us and we called it an early night.

After breakfast at the hotel “buffet”, we moved our luggage to the front entrance to be loaded in the trailers, and visited with other Road Scholar tour members.  The vans carrying us, and the trailers carrying the bicycles and luggage, departed at 8:30 AM, going west towards Sedalia, our bicycle trip starting point. 

We stopped about halfway for a brief break,then continued to a relaxing lunch at Canterbury Hill Winery in Holt Summit.


From there, the vans and trailers continued to the Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site for a tour. 

The 12,000 square foot, 31 room lodge was the summer home of Sedalia attorney John Bothwell, a utilities financier and investor.  It’s eclectic architecture was interesting, but not over the top.
Following the tour of the state historic site, we traveled the short distance to Hotel Bothwell for dinner and overnight accommodations. 

Hotel Bothwell was built by John Bothwell and opened in 1927 to provide luxury hotel accommodations and amenities to it customers, similar to those found in New York and Chicago.
It was the social and business center of Sedalia.


After checking in, we adjourned to the bar for a meet and greet of the Road Scholar participants and support team.  Participants were from every corner of the US, including Alaska, California, Florida, and many from the east coast, as well as one lady from Winnipeg, Canada.

A good dinner followed in the hotel dining room.  We adjourned to our room for an early night—tomorrow, we ride.

The Katy Trail is a Missouri state park, a recreational Rails-to-Trails trail that runs 240 miles in the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) Railroad right-of-way.  The trail largely follows the northern bank of the Missouri River along a spectacular bluff line; it is the longest Rails-to-Trails trail in the US.  It is open to cyclists, hikers, and joggers year round, from sunrise to sunset.  Its surface is crushed limestone, also known as chatt or limestone pug.  The nickname “KATY” comes from the phonetic pronunciation of “KT’ in the railroad’s abbreviated name, MKT.  Sections of the Katy Trail are also part of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the American Discovery Trail.

While Sedalia, Missouri, has a rich history, several things were most impressive.  First, Sedalia served as the end of the trail for cattle drives from Texas, and was depicted in the television show, Rawhide.   Of course, along with cowboys and railroad workers came brothels, lots of them.  Second, Sedalia was home to Scott Joplin and his ragtime music.  Sedalia is also home to the Missouri State Fair, and as such, the large fairgrounds provide ample parking for regional and national RV rallies.  We have many friends who were born and/or raised in Sedalia and it was good to visit their hometown.

Packed and ready to travel, we left Hot Springs Village before 9 AM, calling and singing Happy Birthday to Ridge on his 5th birthday. We stopped near Searcy and briefly visited my sister and her husband.  From there, we drove to St. Charles, Missouri, arriving about 4 PM and checking in at the Country Inn and Suites (a very nice hotel).  NOTE:  I received a call enroute regarding my possible exposure to a hazardous substance while serving in Iraq in 2003.  Arrangements are being made for me to be tested in San Antonio, Texas.)  After unpacking and resting, we walked the few blocks to historic Main Street for dinner at the Trailhead Brewing Company.  St. Charles is near St. Louis, lying just a few miles northwest.  Founded in the mid-1700s, St. Charles was considered the last “civilized” stop by Lewis and Clark.  The famous expedition began here in 1804 as Lewis met up with Clark on May 20, departing together the next day on the more than two and a half year expedition.  

We enjoyed seeing the evening sights and sounds of the old city as the merchants prepared for a Halloween festival the following day.

After a decent breakfast in the hotel Saturday morning, Kay diverted to the Ameristar Casino just up the river, making a small donation, while I walked a few blocks up and down historic main street.  We joined together again for lunch and some window shopping along Main Street filled with costumed characters, and colorful decorations and storefronts.

The first gathering—informal—of the KATY Trail Road Scholar tour group was on Saturday evening for a light dinner buffet at the hotel.  After picking up our tour packet, we loaded our bicycles on the trailer; we brought our own while most chose to rent and were fitted that evening.  We looked forward to getting to know many of the 36 cyclists during the next week.

We celebrated October 1 with neighbors at the Lake Estrella Rib Fest.  Of course, Kay and I entered the competition, testing the Big Green Egg—AND WON!  In addition, Kay made a wonderful pecan pie.  Here’s the story in photos.

This time of year, we are up to our eyeballs in birthdays—Karyn’s on the 6th, Jenny’s on the 13th, Kaden’s on the 16th, and Ridge’s on the 21st.  And we try our best to call and sing Happy Birthday to each of them on their birthdays.  We helped Karyn celebrate her birthday by keeping Ridge and Aker on the weekend of October 7-9, and both the grandkids and Kay and I had a good time.  They sure enjoyed playing with our bicycle helmets and Camelbak hydration packs.

One of Kay’s BFFs visited on Sunday evening, meeting us as we returned home, and spent a couple of days—the ladies enjoyed shopping, eating, and spending time at Oaklawn.

We also had the usual myriad of medical appointments and played golf, though I’ve had to cut back because of the spinal stenosis.

Kay and I also began preparing for a bicycle ride on a several days’ ride on the KATY Trail in Missouri later this month.  Hot Springs Village has a very informal bicycle club known as the Ageless Bicycle Club (ABC), and they do several rides each week, providing a great opportunity to “train”.  The hills here in the Village kick my butt, and I’m as slow as a tortoise in peanut butter, but I ride anyway.  On October 5, we did the 20 mile Mill Creek Road ride near the Village,  Kay and I rode the Arkansas River Trail in central Arkansas the following Saturday, logging 20.1 miles, Kay’s longest ride ever.  We rode it again, with an extension, with the ABC on Wednesday, October 12, totaling 30.1 miles, and had a group lunch at the Flying Saucer in Little Rock afterwards—great day!  And, I joined two other cyclists doing the ABC’s Cortez Ride on Wednesday, October 19.  It was a short, 15-mile ride, but the combination of wind, hills, and being tired just about did me in.  Cycling is the best therapy I’ve found my spinal stenosis, and I have to remember that riding is not only fun, but therapeutic as well.

After returning from Ohio and Ontario, we resumed life in the Village; I played golf almost every day until my back finally gave out, and Kay kept busy with social engagements.  Notable activities were as follows.

Our older granddaughter, Harper, started pre-kindergarten this month—They grow up and we grow old way too fast.  

We joined Ron and Kathy Felger as a team in a couple’s scramble on Sunday afternoon, September 11, and won low gross score.  I joined the Hot Springs Village Ageless Bicycle Club on September 14 for a 30+ mile ride on the Arkansas River Trail and other routes in and around North Little Rock and Little Rock.  The rode at a quick pace, and rested too little for my taste, but I really enjoyed the ride. Kay, as Care Zone Co-Leader for our Care Zone, hosted a small get together at our house on September 15.  Our team of Mike Cigleman, Don Atchley, Jim Piersol, and myself played in the United Methodist Men’s golf tournament on September 19 at Diamante Golf Club.  We had a good time, and scored well, but didn’t win, though Mike won closest to the line on a drive, and lost the putting contest in a “Putt Off”.  The Zoysia fairways at Diamante are very nice and provide nice lies, but the rest of the course is average; I’d rather play any of ours.  Also, they ran out of beans, potato salad, and cobbler before we made it to the buffet line, and that was a big disappointment. 

Though the daytime heat continues with highs in the low 90s and heat indices in the low 100s, mornings began to cool down to the high 60s—comfortable enough for enjoying hot coffee and tea on the deck after awaking—shortly after mid-September. 

Kay had a long birthday, stretching some 5 days!  She and I celebrated on Thursday, September 22, with a trip to the Apple store in Little Rock for a new iPad and an Apple watch, followed by dinner at Vesuvio Bistro.  Vesuvio Bistro is a very highly rated restaurant, but our experience was not good.  First, Kay ordered a glass of wine and it came about 1/4 full, $10; the expensive G&Ts were so so, but nothing compared to those made by Jim Passe.  The Caesar salads were small, the dressing good, but sparse, and the croutons too large to eat.  The pasta, at $18, was average at best.  Kay’s entree of grouper, at $32, was good, but the Osso Buco (braised pork shanks) was less than average—the meat was too crispy,  on the outside, and chewy, i.e. tough, otherwise.  We shared a small dish of spumoni, at $8, and it was okay.  Our total bill, including taxes and tip, was over $170.  We expected more, much more, and won’t eat there again!.  On her actual birthday, she spent the morning shopping and having lunch with daughter Karyn in Little Rock, and in the evening had dinner with Ron and Cheryl in Hot Springs.

The high temperatures of summer finally broke on Monday, September 26 as a cold front ushered in daytime temperatures in the 70s. 

Kay wrapped up the month, attending a Women’s Conference with Karyn at Karyn’s church, New Life Church.

We never tire of the view from the sunroom, deck, and master bedroom.

On Wednesday morning we loaded the bicycles and drove to Queenston Heights Park, approximately midway between Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake. The Queenston Heights is a geographical feature of the Niagara Escarpment immediately above the village of Queenston, Ontario, Canada.  Its geography is a promontory formed where the escarpment is divided by the Niagara River. The promontory forms a cliff face of approximately 300 feet (100 meters).  It was the site of the famous Battle of Queenston Heights in October of 1812, when Sir Isaac Brock fell while planning a charge on the American Forces; a photo of a statue of Sir Isaac Brock is included below.  Incidentally, the War of 1812 is very important to the Canadians, and they tell a more “complete” version than what was presented to us in American history books!

Arrangements were made to meet Van and Bonnie at Queenston Heights Park for a bike ride to Niagara on the Lake. Van and Bonnie, close friends from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, had driven down from their home in Haliburton, Ontario, to visit/ride with us.  They were waiting in the parking lot when we arrived, and we all unloaded bicycles, donned helmets, and began the ride by coasting down the Escarpment—wow, was it ever fun!  We rode the relatively flat path along the Niagara River stopping occasionally to visit, and rest our butts.  The Niagara River empties into Lake Ontario, and Niagara on the Lake is at the confluence of the two.  It is a quaint village of shops and eateries, and we should have spent more time there.  Kay and Bonnie opted to only ride part of the way back, sending us to get the vehicles and pick them up.  Van and I did fine until we hit the Escarpment.  We both almost made it without walking, but the steep rise of 300 feet was a bit too much.  Back at the vehicles, Van found his missing camera on the bumper of his truck, after which we loaded and picked up the ladies and their bicycles.

Kay and I returned to the rental to unload the bicycles and pick up a change of clothes.  We met Van and Bonnie, Al and Sharon, and Sue at a local hotel, and had a grand reunion, similar to a small happy hour at the palapa in the RGV.  It was so good to see Sue, but Chuck was missed by all.  A late dinner together followed, after which we called it a night.

We all met again Thursday morning for breakfast at Betty’s, a well-known restaurant near the rental.  We said goodbye to Van and Bonnie, and continued visiting with Al, Sharon, and Sue at the rental.  We once again said goodbye to longtime friends; it will not be the same in the RGV this winter without Al and Sharon who may opt to winter somewhere else, or without Chuck! 

Kay and I debated our next few days, and we both agreed that we had seen what we came to see, and were both ready to return home.

We arrived at our rental in Chippewa, Ontario, near Niagara Falls, late afternoon Monday, August 29.  After unpacking into the spacious, basement apartment, we drove the 10 minutes to Niagara Falls to “scope” things out.  A mistake I/we made was to assume that schools had started in Canada the week before Labor Day, just as in the US—no way, and the place was packed!  An early night was in order—we’ve been sleeping 9-10 hours a night on this trip.

Tuesday was promised to Kay, all day, for viewing Niagara Falls and its many attractions; a bucket list item for us.  We made the decision several years ago to see the Falls from the Canadian side based on advice from many travelers who had been there, and seen it from both sides.  Before leaving home in the US, we purchased a Niagara Falls Parks Adventure Pass,  online, allowing us to ride the Hornblower, a Niagara Falls River Cruise boat, and to take a walk behind the Falls.  After being dropped off at the Park Centre, Kay picked up our passes, I picked her up, and we drove to casino, the best place (exchange rate wise) to exchange US dollars for Canadian dollars.  We then drove to a large parking lot several blocks away from the main attractions, and began a full day of sightseeing.  Our first stop was the Hornblower, and we were give the red plastic ponchos for the ride into the mist of the Falls.  We selected a place on the lower deck, out of the sun, which offered partial protection from the mist and also provided ideal viewing.  The seemingly large boat was packed, but did not seem crowded.  And, the Falls appeared somewhat small.  First, the American Falls, second, Canada’s much larger Horseshoe Falls.

This illusion, of course, changed when we viewed both from an overlook later, and the Hornblower from Canada and Maid in the Mist from the US both appeared as if they were mere toys.  After many photo ops along the Falls walkway, we made our way to the Niagara Falls Park Centre to take the tour behind the falls.  The line was long and slow, and it was hot, as we waited almost 45 minutes in queue to view the “back” of the falls from a couple of observation openings.  We did get a few photos from an observation platform on the Falls’ left descending bank, but frankly, this part of the Falls experience wasn’t worth the time or money!

Making our way to the car did not take too long, and a stop at the Beer Store found us buying Chuck’s favorite Upper Canada beer.  He would always manage to bring me a can or two to Texas each winter.  Though he is no longer with us on this earth, he will not be forgotten!  Our last stop of the day was at a grocery store for some breakfast items, fruit, summer sausage, cheese, and crackers, and dinner from the deli.

After packing and waiting for traffic in the metro area to subside, we departed Norton, Ohio, for Hamilton, Ontario, to visit friends Al and Sharon Crawford.  The day’s drive took us through northeast Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania, upstate New York, and into Ontario, Canada.  Much of the drive was along Lake Erie and included the largest area of vineyards we’ve ever seen short of those in Germany.  The border crossing involved only a 15-minute wait, and we arrived at Al and Sharon’s place mid-afternoon.  They have a really nice house in a fabulous setting, and we immediately felt at home.  With a few hours of daylight left, Al and I immediately headed for Dragon’s Fire Golf Course adjacent to his house, and got in 17 holes before darkness set in and dinner called.  Despite unusually hot weather and a drought, and the resulting damage to the bentgrass fairways, the course was very nice, and challenging.  After dinner, we played bridge—our favorite card game!

Saturday, August 27, was my 67th birthday and one thing that is apparent is that getting older is not for sissies!  However, despite all the aches and pains and prescriptions, we’re so much better off than most—praise the Lord!  After a light breakfast, Al drove Kay, Sharon, and me to Toronto; my, what a large city.  I was surprised by the myriad of high rise condos everywhere!  After finding a rare parking place, Al and Sharon treated us to a harbor tour aboard the Oriole.  The Oriole sailed around the major part of the Toronto Islands, providing a spectacular view of the harbor (harbour) front including the CN Tower and the Rogers Centre, formerly known as the SkyDone, where the Toronto Blue Jays play baseball.  The harbor area was bustling with activity, and filled with young urbanites.

(NOTE:  Traffic congestion to/from Toronto is the most I’ve ever seen, despite it being a weekend.  Imagine if it had been a work day.)

Following the Toronto tour, we stopped for dinner at Mandarin, a 4-star Chinese buffet, for dinner.  It was spectacular, and perhaps one of the best, and definitely the cleanest, Chinese buffets at which we have eaten.  Back at Al and Sharon’s, we played bridge and they let the birthday boy win big (seriously, I got great hands, and Al and I made a small slam on the last hand of the evening).  

Sunday was a quiet day; late morning, Al showed us photos of Chuck Mercer through the years, and for Kay and me it was a memorial service celebrating Chuck, a great friend who passed a few weeks ago; we shed more than a few tears and he will be greatly missed.

We also saw photos of some of their RV trips and of Bentsen Palm RV Resort through the years. though Al and Sharon took Kay on a tour of Hamilton while I enjoyed a short afternoon nap.  We played bridge again Sunday evening, and they all trounced me, payback for the day before.

Al and I were up early Monday, and joined a couple of his friends for golf at Flamborough Hills Golf and Country Club.  Again, the course was quite good and plenty challenging, and the 19th hole beer was even better.   Kay and I departed for Niagara Falls, Canada, after returning from golf, our last stop on the “Escape the Arkansas Heat” tour.

Al and Sharon were consummate hosts and treated us like royalty; we can only hope they give us a chance to repay them with Arkansas hospitality.  Thank you, Al and Sharon, for the complimentary golf and harbor tour.  We had such a great time—maybe next year we’ll stay a couple of months!