Today started out as what we thought was going to be a long, 90 ish mile day on the Katy trail…. But boy Missouri had another plan for us.
For some context, it has been raining an unusual amount in Missouri this year, and that coupled with increased water flow from Colorado means that there has been an incredible amount of flooding along the Missouri River, which the Katy trail just happens to follow all the way to Kansas. This means that there has been a good bit of trail so far which has been eroded by previous flooding (very bumpy), slightly covered with water (wet feet), or requiring a slight detour through the woods or some nearby roads (buggy and long). All of this is not to bad to bike through. It is not ideal, but it has always been bike-able… until today. Today, Missouri tried to get the best of us.
After biking for about an hour and a half, we came upon a stretch of path that was completely covered for about 100 feet. This usually isn’t a problem, but there was a current across it from where one farmers field was draining into another (at this point we were about a mile away from the river. yeah, the flooding was that bad). We started to walk our bikes across, as we have done on many rivers before, but by the time we were halfway across the path, the water was waist deep. Evan, who had gotten the furthest of all of us, said he felt a drop off with his feet, and, being the reckless human that I am, decided that I would see if there was any way across ahead, giving him my phone, headphones, and bike. Within three seconds I was drenched. Having not found a way through, we all waded back and regrouped at the start of the flood. While Maile, Erin, and Devin looked for a way accost the river not on the trail, Evan, Caralyn, Edgardo, and I went looking if there was a way across that was shallower on the sides of the path. After about twenty minutes of exploring ahead, we came back with no path (it was a lot of fun though).
We decided to go back to a nearby town and wait for Leah to potentially shuttle us across the river. Along the way, Devin had another of his miraculous crashes (the bike had a flat and flew out from under him when he turned but he was left standing on his feet unscathed). Waiting at Caseys General Store, we met two other bikers who were traveling from St. Louis to Kansas City. They needed some help as well, so when Leah got to us, the two bikers and I piled into the car with Leah to scout out a place to cross (shuttling across would be 40 minutes each way... not ideal). After some time after consulting google maps, and after the travelers had decided to go a different way, we decided we would try a different path. This way was flooded, and we didn't know if it got deep, or if it even connected to the bridge we needed to get to. I went out as a scout, ready to call back if this was was impassable. Before we started wading on the start of this path (a gravel road), Leah and I saw a car on the highway in the distance, which we thought was a good sign. Leah waded with me about halfway into the gravel road before turning back (she was driving the van), and I proceeded alone, in knee deep water, bike on my shoulder, into the unknown.
The gravel road soon turned into a highway, which, though flooded, provided some better flooding. I did find the car we saw from afar, although it was halfway submerged in water. After about half a mile of wading through this, the road became bike able, and after about three miles, I found the bridge. It was dry, and cars were passable, so on speakerphone I called Leah and gave the go-ahead for the rest of the group to come. Then, I waited. See, they were having lunch back at Caseys, so they had to pack up, so I waited for about an hour and forty five minutes on a bench outside a family diner (at this point, I made the best decision of this trip - I bought an audiobook).
After the rest of the team got here, we kept riding on the Katy trail. When we were about 4 miles outside of the town, Devin got a flat, and as his pump had floated away when we waded the river, I had to bike back to get a pump. The catch was, the only bike shop in town closed in 15 minutes. I sped back, and got there with 7 minutes to spare. I ran into the nearest building to ask for directions. The building I ran into was the chamber of commerce, which was a good thing, as it was connected to the bike shop. The bad thing was that the owner of the shop had left a few minutes early. Thankfully, the lady who was working in the chamber of commerce let me in and let me buy the pump through her.
After a long day, we went to our hosts home, who made a fantastic dinner (seriously, I don't think I've ever had potato salad that good). We raced slot cars in their basement, and we all even got to sleep in our won beds! All in all, it was a pretty fun day.