Day 18. A day with Buck. Jefferson City, MO

Ang and I left Boonville before the gang around 7:45 and arrived in the capital of Missouri, Jefferson City, with Buck around 3. 

Cool and humid in the morning with partly sunny skies and light winds most of the day. A good days ride on the Katy. 

Heading into Rocheport, I just love this old tunnel and stop to take a picture every time. 

It's a big, old structure and with the sun shining through it makes such a nice gateway into Rocheport along the Katy. 

The gang all met up trail side on the otherside of the tunnel in Rocheport. Now 15 miles from Boonville and a decision point. Up ahead is a trail spur to Columbia, home of the University of Missouri and a favorite brew pub. It adds about 15 miles to the day but a great spot for lunch. I'm still shaking off a cold I caught 4 days ago and not much pep in my step so Ang and I decide to head straight to Jeff City and Buck volunteers to join us.  No 🍻 for our lunch today. 😩We'll try to find lunch on down the trail at Hartsburg. 

We cross I-70 for the second time on the Katy, this time under it. We have been riding through the rolling hills, farm land and pastures but now we are riding between the limestone bluffs to our north and the muddy Missouri River and river bottoms to our south. We are following the historic Lewis & Clark Expidition route now. 

The Missouri Champion Bur Oak in McBaine is estimated to be 400 years old with a diameter of 93", 90' high and a spread of 150'. Just off of the Katy, it's interesting that this would have been a big tree back when Lewis & Clark were passing through, perhaps resting under its branches back then. 

Boathenge, along the Katy near Coopers Landing. We're not in Kansas any more Toto. 

You know there are some interesting people living nearby when you see something like this, famous the world over!!😀 Well maybe famous locally. 

One of the many close approaches between the Katy Trail and the Missouri River. 

Hartsburg failed us for lunch today, no places open!  We dined on our back up snacks including our faithful standby Nutella and peanut butter on one of the patios where we had hoped to dine. 

The approach to Jeff City requires us to climb this ramp structure to the level of the highway crossing the Missouri. It was pretty neat. 

The Capitol in the distance as we cross the river. Our hotel is a few blocks from the Capitol. 

Nothing brings a smile after a day's ride on a warm sunny day like ice cream. 

In the last few miles before our destination Buck remembered a place called Central Dairy that was famously popular for ice cream and it was only a few blocks from our hotel. He asked if we'd like to stop by before checking in and we said "Hell yea!".  He even treated us!🍨

We may have missed out on the beers in Columbia for lunch but I wouldn't have traded our shorter ride with Buck followed by excellent ice cream for anything!👊

Now off to check in and cleanup before an excellent dinner Arris' Bistro, just a block away from the Baymont Hotel.