“Is there any place to eat near here? ”
- most asked question by women as they roll into a trail station. Sometimes the answer is ‘Yes’. Often it is, ‘up the trail a few miles to…… (the next station).”
Missouri and Katy
Like two intertwined lovers the trail and river are never far apart and twist back and forth over or under each other as we head west. The back roads keep me aware of this interplay as I cross one, then the other and work on staying on the serene country roads, avoiding the bustle of the interstate system. Google and I have settled into a relationship of convenience. It helps me to zero in on detailed locations, I understand it’s bias and failings, and manipulate or ignore it to get the results I need.
I’ve gotten to the point that I think its consistent ‘parking lot spin’, you know, that spin it does when it doesn’t really know where it is is a big parking lot — is kinda cute. It used to annoy the F*** out of me. Now I realize it’s just lost and doing a little dance to cover it’s ass until it can figure out where it is. I know where I’m going. I just drive. Google, like a dog smelling something interesting during a hike on a trail, soon realizes the boss is leaving, so I’d better catch up and run ahead of him. We’re working out our issues.
Each of the old rail line stations has a structure reminiscent of the railway stations that are often long gone. Most had rotted away by the late 1960’s. A few still exist. These new stations serve much the same purpose. You get a historic overview of the trail, the local community (reason for the station), direction – next station/town in either direction, bathroom, water, bike repair/air up pedestal, ads for local amenities like barbers, FOOD, beer, wine, ice, camping, hostel, or rooms-to-board (if available), and a quiet place to sit in the shade, or protected from the rain.
Want to build back better? How about a modern CCC to create a national trail system on the Katy model. I volunteer to be national director. Compensation – room, board, and gas as I travel the lines to make sure it’s being done correctly. I have the credentials – my BS in Recreation and Park Management, Outdoor Adventure. I’d have to go back to school to get my PhD before I could handle a job of this magnitude and scope as I noticed that even job posts for manure spreaders require a Masters degree.