Day Seven: Hartsburg to Wainwright
This was the last day that I was planning on being home for a while. The temperatures started out pleasant and the sun was out, so all was looking good. My backpack was nice and light since I only had an extra water bottle, a couple pbjs, a change of clothes and a notebook. If only every day on the trail could be this light!
I am well into the floodplain now, and I still love the views of the river. I guess I am meant to live near a significant body of water.
This section of the trail works its way south, under Highways 63 and 54, past Jefferson City and begins the
long parallel with Highway 94 all the way into the St. Louis area. When you are not next to the river, the scenery is pretty much bean or corn fields on one side, and bluffs on the other. When I started this walk, while the corn harvest had just started, it still felt like late summer. Now, you can just barely see the change in the foliage, and begin to see some of the leaves beginning to fall along the wooded portions of the trail. Autumn is definitely coming along soon.
As I have passed under most of the overpasses along the way, I have noticed that there are bird that build nests out of mud under
almost all of them. I guess I should look up what type of bird these are, but their nests are pretty cool looking. This shot was taken under Highway 63 just as it enters the floodplain near Jeff City. The nests look either like the wine vessels the ancient Greeks and Romans used, or like the adobe cliff dwelling you see in Southwest U.S. Maybe the nests were an inspiration for one or both. I never was able to catch sight of a bird entering or leaving one of these mud nests, but maybe I will in the future. 
As I got into the Jefferson City area, the clouds started to build. I later found out from Theresa that Columbia had had a decent rain shower while I was on the trail. While the sky looked threatening where I was, and the wind picked up a little, I never felt a drop. The sky was looking pretty cool, though. Oh, and the rest area in North Jefferson was great! Hmmmm, right near the headquarters of the state Department of Natural Resources... go figure! lol
The trail does not actually go through Jefferson City, but you do come within a mile or so of the Capitol. This is the view through the trees from the trail.
This was one of those few days where I really didn't see too much in the way of wildlife. Oh, the squirrels are always present, and there are deer tracks ALWAYS on the trail and the hawks and buzzards patrol the bluffs seeking dead hikers, I am certain, but I really didn't see many live animals. I did see these bones, though. I don't know if they are from a deer, hog or what, but they were still articulated. I kinda think someone had lunch. Ah, life and death along the Katy!
I am well into the floodplain now, and I still love the views of the river. I guess I am meant to live near a significant body of water.This section of the trail works its way south, under Highways 63 and 54, past Jefferson City and begins the
long parallel with Highway 94 all the way into the St. Louis area. When you are not next to the river, the scenery is pretty much bean or corn fields on one side, and bluffs on the other. When I started this walk, while the corn harvest had just started, it still felt like late summer. Now, you can just barely see the change in the foliage, and begin to see some of the leaves beginning to fall along the wooded portions of the trail. Autumn is definitely coming along soon.As I have passed under most of the overpasses along the way, I have noticed that there are bird that build nests out of mud under
almost all of them. I guess I should look up what type of bird these are, but their nests are pretty cool looking. This shot was taken under Highway 63 just as it enters the floodplain near Jeff City. The nests look either like the wine vessels the ancient Greeks and Romans used, or like the adobe cliff dwelling you see in Southwest U.S. Maybe the nests were an inspiration for one or both. I never was able to catch sight of a bird entering or leaving one of these mud nests, but maybe I will in the future. 
As I got into the Jefferson City area, the clouds started to build. I later found out from Theresa that Columbia had had a decent rain shower while I was on the trail. While the sky looked threatening where I was, and the wind picked up a little, I never felt a drop. The sky was looking pretty cool, though. Oh, and the rest area in North Jefferson was great! Hmmmm, right near the headquarters of the state Department of Natural Resources... go figure! lol
The trail does not actually go through Jefferson City, but you do come within a mile or so of the Capitol. This is the view through the trees from the trail.
This was one of those few days where I really didn't see too much in the way of wildlife. Oh, the squirrels are always present, and there are deer tracks ALWAYS on the trail and the hawks and buzzards patrol the bluffs seeking dead hikers, I am certain, but I really didn't see many live animals. I did see these bones, though. I don't know if they are from a deer, hog or what, but they were still articulated. I kinda think someone had lunch. Ah, life and death along the Katy!
posted by Greg at 8:47 AM
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