Where did the Santa Fe Trail start (and how can you bicycle there?) - www.newstribune.com

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

William Alexander Becknell was born around 1787 or 1788 in Virginia. He married Jane Trusler in 1807 and in 1810 moved his family to the Missouri Territory and later fought in the War of 1812. After the death of his first wife, Becknell married Mary Cribb in January 1817. The family lived around Boone's Lick until 1820, when he purchased 180 acres in Howard County.

In September 1821, under financial duress, Becknell and a group of men headed for Santa Fe on an extended trading expedition. While they weren't the only ones looking for a better trade route to Santa Fe, they were the first to arrive there in mid-November.

Link: 

Where did the Santa Fe Trail start (and how can you bicycle there?) - www.newstribune.com

MoBikeFed comment: Why are we talking about the Santa Fe Trail? Because we're working with communities and interested cyclists along the route to develop a "Birthplace of the Santa Fe Trail" bicycle touring route, of course.

The route it still in development, but some segments such as the Boonslick & Santa Fe Trail Exploration Loop connecting the Katy Trail at Boonville to Franklin, Boonslick State Historic Site, Glasgow, Arrow Rock and more are ready to ride.

The Boonslick & Santa Fe Trail Exploration Loop would be a great day-trip addition to your Katy Trail ride if you don't mind covering 70-80 miles in a day, or it can be broken up into a 2-3 day trip with overnights in historic Glasgow and/or Arrow Rock.

Check out the Birthplace of the Santa Fe Trail routes under "Draft Quality Routes" on our Bicycle Touring and Routes page:

https://mobikefed.org/missouri-bicycle-and-touring-routes

Or go directly to the Ride with GPS download routes here:

https://ridewithgps.com/events/97552-birthplace-of-the-santa-fe-trail-bi...