The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures

  Three days on the Oregon Coast Trail started as an experiment: could backpacking fit into the world of Pedalshift, and would returning to a familiar place on foot offer something genuinely different? After plenty of beach walking, climbing, rain, headwinds, good sand, bad sand and a tiny boat ride, the answer is pretty clear.   Here are the biggest takeaways from the adventure.   1. Backpacking is officially part of the adventure toolbox   The biggest takeaway is also the simplest: this worked.   Neither Tim nor James had backpacked seriously in years, but the mileage, pack weight and camping routine all proved manageable. By the end of the trip, the question wasn't whether they could backpack—it was where they might go next.   That opens up an entirely new category of adventures for Pedalshift, including trips that combine cycling, hiking and transit.   2. Walking changes your relationship with a familiar place   Much of this stretch of the Oregon Coast was already familiar from years of bicycle touring, but experiencing it at two or three miles per hour revealed an entirely different coast.   Trails over headlands, long stretches of beach and places inaccessible by bicycle changed the experience substantially. The trip reinforced one of the ideas behind Pedalshift from the beginning: the speed and method of travel fundamentally affect what you notice.   Slowing down another step turns out to matter.   3. The mileage and pack weight were more manageable than expected   One of the biggest unknowns going into the trip was simply how the bodies would respond.   The answer was encouraging. Days approaching 9 and 11 miles were entirely achievable, even with climbing, sustained headwinds, rain and sand thrown into the equation.   The bigger physical lesson came from terrain rather than distance. Soft sand changes your gait and creates stresses that ordinary walking doesn't, something worth considering when planning future coastal hikes.   4. Good gear helps—but it doesn't create the adventure   The new ultralight-oriented setup worked extremely well, particularly the Hyperlite Southwest 40 backpack and Big Agnes Copper Spur tent.   Reducing bulk and weight made backpacking more comfortable, and modern packs are dramatically better at transferring weight to the hips than the gear Tim remembered from decades ago.   But the old Pedalshift gear philosophy survives intact: expensive ultralight equipment isn't a prerequisite. Use what you can afford, learn what actually matters to you, and upgrade where experience tells you an upgrade is worthwhile.   5. Oregon Coast weather remains undefeated   The forecast threatened rain, the winds came from the wrong direction, and Day 2 delivered both.   The rain itself wasn't a major problem because the right gear was accessible when it was needed. The sustained headwinds were arguably more draining, particularly combined with beach walking.   The takeaway for future coastal backpacking: prepare for conditions to subtract energy even when the mileage looks easy on paper.   And keep the rain gear somewhere you can actually reach it.   6. Beach walking is much better—and much worse—than expected   One of the biggest surprises of the trip was how enjoyable long stretches of beach walking could be.   Firm, damp good sand provided an excellent walking surface and made the coastline itself part of the trail.   Then there's bad sand.   Soft, dry sand slows everything down, changes your gait and consumes considerably more energy. Future Oregon Coast Trail planning should account for tides, beach conditions and the additional effort required when good sand disappears.   Good sand and bad sand are now official technical terms. No peer review will be accepted.   7. Multimodal transportation makes trips like this possible—and requires flexibility   Bus connections made a car-light Oregon Coast Trail trip possible, and the tiny boat across the Nehalem River was one of the highlights of the entire adventure.   The transportation system also immediately blew up the original Day 1 itinerary when one missed connection forced a complete rethink.   That became a useful reminder: build flexibility into transit-supported adventures. A missed bus doesn't necessarily ruin the day. Sometimes it simply creates a different one.   8. The best future trips may combine modes   Perhaps the most interesting takeaway isn't specifically about backpacking.   Pedalshift has always centered bicycles, but this trip demonstrated how much possibility exists around the edges: bike somewhere, hike somewhere inaccessible by bike, use transit to connect sections, camp along the way and build an adventure around the place rather than a single mode of transportation.   Pedalshift Live - September 11, 5pm PT! Topics TBA, but it's a summer closeout and certainly a preview of some stuff coming in the fall. ALSO we're doing a super fun giveaway exclusively for people that make it to the live show itself… there's some incentive for ya! ALSO ALSO, some special previews of all sorts of things. Am I being cagey? YES. Show up anyways! Chat room is fun, live shows are fun… but if you can't make it, it's the pod for the following week. pedalshift.net/live! Email reminders coming too. Maybe some previews of my previews? Who knows? Sign up here.   Backpacking doesn't need to replace bike touring. It can expand what's possible.   The Oregon Coast Trail experiment suggests there's a lot more territory to explore there.

On this episode of The Pedalshift Project, we explore slow travel and its relevance to your bicycle adventures. We also circle back to our previous discussion on eBikes, reflecting on some listener feedback and exploring the evolving role of eBikes on the future of bicycle travel. Originally podcast December 14, 2023.

The final day of the Oregon Coast Trail adventure begins at Barview Jetty with one major decision: take the short road walk toward Garibaldi or head back onto the beach for one last stretch of hiking. The beach wins, giving James and I a fitting final chapter to our first successful backpacking trip in years—and plenty of time to start thinking about what comes next. maybe James won't cause us to miss a bus next time? Pedalshift Live - September 11, 5pm PT! Topics TBA, but it's a summer closeout and certainly a preview of some stuff coming in the fall. ALSO we're doing a super fun giveaway exclusively for people that make it to the live show itself… there's some incentive for ya! ALSO ALSO, some special previews of all sorts of things. Am I being cagey? YES. Show up anyways! Chat room is fun, live shows are fun… but if you can't make it, it's the pod for the following week. pedalshift.net/live! Email reminders coming too. Maybe some previews of my previews? Who knows? Sign up here. "My Tent is not Viable" Check out this absolutely hysterical special design awarded to Brock and I to memorialize our night 1 mishap... See more of Simone's designs here. The Pedalshift Project 450: Oregon Coast Trail - Part 3 Waking up at Barview Jetty after a slightly better night's sleep—and some bonus fireworks from Garibaldi Days. Breaking camp with damp tents, questionable battery-charging logistics and a decision to make about the day's route. Road walk toward Garibaldi or return to Rockaway Beach? Naturally, the beach wins. A few physical reminders of the previous day's nearly 11 miles, including the lingering consequences of bad sand. Meeting a touring cyclist at camp with an impressive résumé that includes the C&O, GAP and Empire State Trail. Another reminder that there were considerably more bicycle tourists on the Oregon Coast than expected. Tim and James make it official: they're backpackers again. Why backpacking may be easier to share with more people than bike touring—and why it may become a regular part of future Pedalshift adventures. Heading north along the beach toward Rockaway for the final hiking segment of the trip. Yesterday's brutal headwind finally becomes today's much gentler tailwind. A little filtered sunshine and substantially easier conditions make Day 3 feel like a victory lap. An IT band issue provides one last reminder that walking on soft sand changes your gait in some interesting ways. Looking back on three days that provided a surprisingly complete shakedown: climbing, beach walking, rain, wind, good sand, bad sand, camping and multimodal transit. Arriving in Rockaway Beach and wrapping up the hiking portion of the adventure. Food, another encounter with the cyclist from camp and the beginning of the journey home. Back into multimodal mode: bus to Tillamook, bus to Portland, retrieve the car and eventually drive back to Seattle. Plenty of waiting around reminds everyone that transit-based adventures occasionally involve the advanced outdoor skill of sitting somewhere for a while. Final verdict from James: "Great trip." Three days later, the experiment feels like a pretty staggering success. Backpacking appears destined to become part of the Pedalshift adventure mix—including the possibility of combining hiking and cycling on future trips. Next up: the takeaways episode, including gear lessons, what worked, what didn't and why this backpacking thing might stick. Statistics Route choices 2 Sand types still 2 Wind normal! Bicycle tourists encountered MORE! Transportation segments after Rockaway 3 Buses James is permitted to cause me to miss 0

Day two on the Oregon Coast Trail takes us south from Nehalem Bay for a day dominated by beach walking, a tiny boat crossing, unexpected rain, relentless headwinds and the discovery that not all sand is created equal. What initially looks like an easier day turns into nearly 11 challenging miles, and  convincing proof that MJ and I might actually be backpackers after all. My Tent is Not Viable! Because this pod has become all Oregon Coast all the time (and no, spoiler… more to come) I have to share yet another special creation. Newly minted Pedalshift listener and merch designer Simone was so moved by the Brock and Tim Sprocketshift disaster of night 1 that she created a special design just for the two of us… yes, my tent is not viable has now been memorialized on an ornament. But you have to see it in the shownotes at pedalshift.net. It features the classic line and… because of course… a flooded tent. Plus the new Pedalshift logo, which you might get to see soon on other things! COMING SOON. Super excited to show you what we've been working on! Go check out the special edition my tent is not viable design and more Simone's designs at her Etsy shop… link in the shownotes! Live Show! Friday September 11th, 5pm PT - 8pm ET Topics TBA, but it's a summer closeout and certainly a preview of some stuff coming in the fall. ALSO we're doing a super fun giveaway exclusively for people that make it to the live show itself… there's some incentive for ya! ALSO ALSO, some special previews of all sorts of things. Am I being cagey? YES. Show up anyways! Chat room is fun, live shows are fun… but if you can't make it, it's the pod for the following week. pedalshift.net/live! Email reminders coming too. Maybe some previews of my previews? Who knows? Sign up at the site. Oregon Coast Trail – Part 2   Breaking camp at Nehalem Bay State Park after a less-than-restful first night. The day's route comes with an unusual Oregon Coast Trail feature: a small boat crossing of the Nehalem River. Hiking out the Nehalem Bay spit rather than road walking Highway 101 or relying on another bus. A $10, on-demand boat ride that you essentially hail like a water taxi. Naturally, Tim is delighted. Early beach walking into a surprisingly strong south wind—and the realization that hiking into a headwind can be plenty annoying too. Overcast, cool Oregon Coast weather turns out to be pretty much perfect hiking weather for Tim and James. Then the rain finally arrives. Rain gear gets its first legitimate test as wind, rain and cold hands briefly turn the morning into some genuine Type 2 fun. Reaching the mouth of the Nehalem River, where ocean waves, river current and fishing boats all converge. Calling for the boat and crossing the Nehalem River to continue south. Boat-crossing soundscapes, fishing stories and a little local wildlife discussion along the way. An unexpected rail walk after the crossing, followed by some improvised navigation back toward the beach. The terminology of the trip is established: good sand is firm and easy to walk on; bad sand is soft, energy-sucking nonsense. Continuing south toward Rockaway Beach with sea stacks appearing down the coast. Sustained headwinds approaching 20 mph turn what should have been a helpful prevailing wind into an all-day adversary. Rockaway Beach provides a badly needed break from the wind—and Indian food for the day's big meal. Back into full rain gear for the final push toward Barview Jetty. Headwinds + rain + bad sand = a surprisingly demanding backpacking day. Despite the conditions, Tim and James finish just shy of 11 miles. Another successful test for the new backpacking gear, including Tim's Hyperlite Southwest 40. Arriving at Barview Jetty Campground thoroughly cooked and very ready for dry clothes and tents. The campsite itself gets mixed reviews, particularly when Tim discovers that "level tent site" is apparently more of an aspirational concept. Day two verdict: challenging, fun and another successful proof of concept. Bigger conclusion: Tim and James may officially be backpackers again—and longer trips suddenly seem entirely plausible.   Statistics Miles hiked 11  Nehalem Rivers crossed by boat 1 Prevailing tailwinds received: 0 Headwinds: Yes Sand varieties identified 2 Indian food recs in Rockaway Beach 1 Campground rating: 7 Flats: N/A

The Oregon Coast Trail backpacking adventure officially begins! Mysterious James and I head for the Oregon Coast expecting a roughly 10-mile first day over Neahkahnie Mountain. Naturally, the adventure starts with us watching our connecting bus leave without us. Is the entire trip scuttled before we even begin? "My Tent is not Viable" Check out this absolutely hysterical special design awarded to Brock and I to memorialize our night 1 mishap... See more of Simone's designs here. The Pedalshift Project 448: Oregon Coast Trail - Part 1 Portland to Tillamook goes exactly according to plan. This will not last. A confusing route-number change leads to Tim and James missing their northbound connection while essentially standing next to it. With Uber, Lyft and other escape routes unavailable, it's time for Plan B. A few bonus hours in Tillamook include an unexpectedly excellent visit to the Tillamook County Public Library. The revised plan: take the later bus to Manzanita, establish a base there and turn the day's planned hike into an out-and-back toward Neahkahnie Mountain. First impressions of experiencing familiar Oregon Coast territory on foot instead of from a bicycle. The backpacking finally begins with a walk along the beach at Manzanita. Important navigational discovery: if the Pacific Ocean is on your left, you're probably walking north. Firm beach sand: surprisingly excellent walking. Soft beach sand: considerably less excellent. Heading inland and uphill on the Headwaters Trail toward Neahkahnie Mountain. About 3.5 miles of continuous climbing provides the first real test of the new packs and gear. Early verdict: the pack weights feel completely manageable for the planned 7–10 mile days. Tim and James discover that humid-weather backpacking may not be part of their future long-distance hiking careers. The shortened route still delivers nearly everything they wanted from the original day: climbing, forest trails, beach walking and plenty of mileage. Back in Manzanita for the most important part of any successful hiking itinerary: pizza and beer. A surprising amount of actual bike content, with multiple loaded touring cyclists spotted along the coast. The final walk to Nehalem Bay State Park is longer than expected, pushing the day's total close to nine miles. First impressions of the Nehalem Bay hiker-biker campsite, including lockers, charging and bike repair facilities. The new tent gets its first setup and the backpacking gear earns high marks. Day one verdict: despite immediately borking the original plan, the Oregon Coast Trail experiment is a success. Next up: more beach walking, changing weather and Day 2 on the Oregon Coast Trail. Statistics Miles hiked 9 Missed buses: 1 Loaded bicycle tourists spotted: 7 Plans successfully improvised: 1 Days of rain on the Oregon coast we did not expect 1 Flats  N/A

On this episode of The Pedalshift Project, we welcome eBike expert Biking Brian to chat about his eBike touring and adventures. We discuss his background in bicycling and touring, his experiences with building eBikes and battery packs, and the future potential of eBike travel. Originally podcast November 30, 2023.

Welcome to a different kind of Pedalshift adventure. For the first time, we're leaving the bikes behind and heading out on foot for a three-day section hike of the Oregon Coast Trail. Along with returning friend of the show and legendary 5-timer Mysterious James, I'm testing new ultralight gear, revisiting familiar terrain at walking speed, and exploring whether slowing down even more changes the way we experience a place we've ridden through so many times. It's a little experimental, a little ambitious, and very much in the spirit of adventure. The Pedalshift Project 447: Oregon Coast Trail Preview A first for Pedalshift: backpacking instead of bikepacking. Joined by returning guest James for a three-day Oregon Coast Trail adventure. Transit-powered trip: Portland → Tillamook → north coast by bus before hiking south. Revisiting familiar Pacific Coast territory from an entirely different perspective. Can walking reveal things even bike travel misses? Route highlights include: Neahkahnie Mountain Manzanita Nehalem Bay State Park Beach hiking along the Oregon Coast Trail Planning roughly 10-mile hiking days with hiker-biker and county campground overnights. Weather forecast calls for classic Oregon Coast uncertainty, with rain possible after a dry first day. New ultralight gear gets its first real test: Hyperlite 40L backpack Big Agnes Copper Spur Bikepacking tent Carbon fiber trekking poles Thoughts on balancing premium gear with the long-held Pedalshift philosophy that the best gear is the gear that gets you outside. Pack weight comes in around 18 pounds, with room for future refinement. Trail food strategy includes hot coffee, plenty of snack bars… and James carrying enough bananas for what appears to be a small primate sanctuary. Why this trip fits the evolving vision of Pedalshift: adventures adjacent to bicycling that still embrace human-powered exploration.

  Every once in a while I finish a trip and, after I get home and everything dries out, I realize there were a handful of lessons that weren't obvious while I was riding. So this week, rather than another recap of the Oregon Coast, here are a few takeaways from the trip."       Takeaway #1: Constraints can make for a better tour   Weather forced changes. My tent forced bigger changes. Transit schedules forced even more changes. We stopped trying to preserve the original plan and started asking what the best trip looked like now. The revised trip ended up being more memorable than the one we planned.   Bottom line: Sometimes constraints don't ruin a tour—they become the reason it's interesting.       Takeaway #2: I think my touring philosophy is changing   I've spent years optimizing for mileage. That usually means riding through interesting places instead of experiencing them. Tillamook was the perfect example. I've passed through multiple times and barely stopped. This time I spent the day exploring instead of chasing miles.   Bottom line: I'm increasingly interested in using the bike to get me to experiences, not simply accumulate distance.       Takeaway #3: "Ride your own ride" can happen on the same trip   Brock and I started from exactly the same place. We made completely different decisions. He chose the big riding day. I chose the slower exploration day. Both approaches ended with great stories.   Bottom line: There isn't one correct version of a successful bike tour.       Takeaway #4: Transit isn't cheating   We used buses multiple times. They made the route possible. They allowed us to adapt instead of abandoning the trip. They cost almost nothing.   Bottom line: Bikes and transit complement each other remarkably well.       Takeaway #5: Gear failures change everything   "My tent is not viable." That one sentence completely changed the weekend. Once your shelter becomes unreliable, every decision becomes different. Confidence is part of your gear list.   Bottom line: Reliability beats optimization.       Takeaway #6: Where did all the bike tourists go?   Peak season. Iconic route. Excellent infrastructure. Very few loaded touring bikes.   Possible explanations:   More gravel riders? More bikepacking? Different travel habits? Something else?   Bottom line: I'm seeing enough of a pattern that I don't think it's a coincidence anymore.       Takeaway #7: I'm excited about touring again   Fitness is coming back. Losing weight has made a noticeable difference. I'm thinking differently about how I want trips to look. I was planning the next ride before this one ended.   Bottom line: That's usually a sign you're headed in the right direction.

What happens when two people on the same bike tour decide to have two completely different adventures? On this edition of The Pedalshift Project, day two of the Sprocketshift Oregon Coast adventure with Brock Dittus starts with a split decision in Tillamook. Brock points his bike north for a long, wet ride toward Cannon Beach. I slow things way down for cheese, side quests, a little local riding, and maybe a bit of a rethink about what I actually want out of bicycle travel these days. Two riders. Two very different days. One extremely cheap bus ride. Will the bike and bus gods allow us to reunite for fish, chips, oysters, and beer in Astoria?     A reminder about our cool spinner giveaway! If you signed up for the Pedalshift email list like I told you last week, or you already were… check your inbox! Reply back to me with that email at [email protected] by Sunday July 19 at 11:59pm PT and voila! You're entered! What do you win? Only the second of its kind functioning spinner designed by Simone, the creative mind behind the 5 timers award and future Pedalshift merch. Check out the GIF of my favorite fidgety thing in the shownotes. And good luck everyone who enters!     Oregon Coast Bike Tour with Brock Dittus – Part 2   Day two of our northbound Oregon Coast bike tour begins in Tillamook with a major change of plans.   With uncertain weather, challenging terrain, and Oregon Coast bus schedules that aren't lining up particularly well, Brock Dittus and I decide to split up for the day. Brock heads north by bicycle toward Cannon Beach. I stay behind for a much lower-mileage day exploring Tillamook by bike before using public transit to fast-forward north.   The result is something a little different for The Pedalshift Project: two simultaneous tour journals from two riders having completely different bicycle touring adventures.   Two Riders, Two Very Different Oregon Coast Adventures   Brock leaves Tillamook with an ambitious goal: ride north toward Astoria and see how far he can get.   His day includes:   Intermittent rain that becomes considerably less intermittent A thoroughly soaked ride through Rockaway Beach The climbs and terrain of the northern Oregon Coast Neahkahnie Mountain Roughly 40 miles of challenging bicycle touring The strategy of simply not stopping because stopping means getting cold A reminder that wet jeans and long-distance cycling are not necessarily natural allies   Meanwhile, I embrace something closer to a bicycle-assisted vacation day in Tillamook:   A visit to the Tillamook Creamery The realization that I actually had been there before… roughly three decades ago A stop at Blue Heron A visit to the Tillamook farmers market Some local exploration by bike A side quest involving the elusive Oregon delicacy known as meadowfoam honey An extremely inexpensive bus connection north   Same bike tour. Very different days.   Rethinking How I Bicycle Tour   My slower day in Tillamook raises a bigger question about how I want to approach bicycle travel going forward.   For years, my touring style has often focused on moving from Point A to Point B. The places along the route are part of the experience, but mileage and reaching the destination can easily become the priority.   That means I've ridden through places like Tillamook many times without actually spending much time experiencing them.   This day was different.   Instead of riding through Tillamook yet again, I stayed. I visited places I'd skipped on previous Oregon Coast bike tours. I explored. I followed a side quest. I rode when I wanted to ride and stopped when I wanted to stop.   And it may represent a bit of a shift in how I think about bicycle touring.   The length of a bicycle trip doesn't always have to be measured by the number of miles ridden. Sometimes the bike is the thing that gets us to the experience.   Brock's 40 Miles of Type Two Fun   While I'm contemplating a new philosophy of slower bicycle travel over cheese samples, Brock is having a very different day.   Rain. Hills. Wet clothes. More rain.   Despite the conditions, he makes excellent time north from Tillamook, riding through Rockaway Beach and over the challenging terrain toward Cannon Beach.   He ultimately reaches Cannon Beach after roughly 40 miles of riding and decides that he doesn't need to ride all the way to Astoria to prove anything.   The original goal may have been a much longer day, but sometimes knowing when you've already had the adventure is part of the adventure.   Also: prolonged rain, soaked clothing, and friction are apparently a combination worth avoiding.   This is useful bicycle touring information.   Reunited in Cannon Beach   Thanks to a combination of bicycles, buses, location sharing, and an Oregon Coast transit schedule that somehow works out, our two routes converge in Cannon Beach.   From there, we take the final bus together to Astoria.   The total cost of taking public transportation from Tillamook to Astoria?   Two dollars.   For bicycle tourists interested in combining cycling with transit on the Oregon Coast, the regional bus network can create some remarkably inexpensive options for shortening or modifying a route.   Astoria: Fish, Chips, Oysters, and Bicycle Touring   We end the day in Astoria with beer, seafood, oyster shooters, and a comparison of our radically different adventures.   That leads us back to a question that has come up repeatedly on The Pedalshift Project:   Where are all the bicycle tourists?   Even during prime touring season on the Oregon Coast—one of the best-known bicycle touring routes in the United States—we encounter remarkably few loaded touring cyclists.   Is traditional road-based bicycle touring declining?   Are more cyclists choosing gravel and off-road bikepacking routes?   Are hikers increasingly becoming the primary users of Oregon's hiker-biker campsites?   And if bicycle touring numbers continue to decline, what could that mean for the future of the infrastructure that makes routes like the Oregon Coast possible?   Our data set is hardly scientific, but after several years of seeing the same pattern, it's becoming harder to dismiss.   Sometimes the Constraints Make the Bike Tour   This weekend also offers another reminder about bicycle travel: sometimes the trip you wouldn't have chosen is the trip that produces the best stories.   If we'd had several weekends available, we probably would have avoided this one because of the weather.   Instead, this was the weekend we had.   Rain. Bus schedules. Route changes. A split adventure. Unexpected stops.   Brock compares it to Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies: introducing limitations and constraints that force you to approach something differently.   In our case, the constraints became the bike tour.   Also in This Episode   The Tillamook Creamery: the Disneyland of cheese Why ice cream at 10:30 in the morning is a defensible life choice The search for Oregon meadowfoam honey Bicycle touring through Tillamook, Rockaway Beach, Cannon Beach, and Astoria Combining bikes and public transit on the Oregon Coast Cannon Beach's continuing role as a mildly cursed bicycle-touring destination Businesses without Wi-Fi The mysterious economics of an artisanal s'mores establishment Oyster shooters and the deeply questionable possibility of oyster Jell-O Brock's return to podcasting Why talking to your bus driver can save your connection A final full-circle return to Salem   Statistics   Riders beginning the day together: 2 Riders immediately splitting up: 2 Cheese establishments visited: 2 Approximate miles ridden by Brock: 40 Approximate miles ridden by Tim: 6–8 Bus fare from Tillamook to Astoria: $2 Prawns consumed: 8 Pieces of cod consumed by Brock: 3 Pints consumed: 1 each Smokes broken: 1 Questionable oyster Jell-O concepts developed: 1 Flats: zero

It's magical episode 444 of The Pedalshift Project, and we're marking the occasion with a proper Oregon Coast adventure! In part one of two, longtime friend of the show Brock Dittus joins on a hobgoblin of a ride. On this episode: northbound coastal riding, alternate routes off 101, questionable mileage math, damp gear, coffee stops, headwinds, the Five-Timers Club, and the operating phrase of the whole trip: "My tent is not viable."   Hey there is a GIVEAWAY that is part of this episode… stay tuned to  hear how to win a special, nearly one of a kind piece designed by the talent behind the five timers club award Brock gets in this very episode!   Highlights Episode 444, with a very satisfying accidental 44-mile moment. Tim and Brock reunite for a Sprocket Shift-style Oregon Coast ride. The trip shifts from the original plan into a northbound Lincoln City-to-Astoria adventure. The 60X bus from Salem to Lincoln City proves to be a useful transit link for coastal bike touring. Devil's Lake hiker-biker gets revisited and loosely rated. Summer on the Oregon Coast delivers rain, chill, clouds, and deeply confused expectations. Tim's tent fails overnight and is declared "not viable." The planned camping trip becomes a hotel-supported ride after wet gear and a damp down bag change the calculus. Old Highway 101 / Forest Road 11 north of Lincoln City gets a major reassessment as the better touring route. Neskowin and Pacific City provide key food, coffee, and morale stops. The final stretch into Tillamook brings classic coastal headwinds. Brock officially receives his Five-Timers Club award.   Route Notes Start: Salem, Oregon Transit: 60X bus to Lincoln City / Chinook Winds Casino Camp: Devil's Lake State Recreation Area hiker-biker site Ride direction: Northbound / NOBO Day ride: Lincoln City to Tillamook Key stops: Neskowin, Pacific City, Tillamook End of episode: Tillamook, Oregon Next destination: Astoria, Oregon   Hey it's a giveaway! The Pedalshift spinner giveaway! How to enter… make sure you're subscribed to the Pedalshift email list over at pedalshift.net. I'll send an email out to the list on Thursday July 16th for the release of part 2. Reply or forward it back at me at [email protected] by 11:59pm PT Sunday July 19th and BAM! You're in the running. The email will have the directions too. Overly complex? Maybe. But you get the coolest designed piece ever by our clever and talented designer friend.   Statistics Episode number: 444 Hiker-biker cost at Devil's Lake: $8 Miles biked: 57  Known other touring cyclists spotted: 2 Known hikers at camp: 1 Bundles of firewood: 2 Tent viability: zero Campground USB-C ports: zero Campground USB-A ports: yes Five-Timers Club ornaments awarded: 1 Flats: zero

After a restful night at Huckleberry Hill, it was time to ride back to DC. But a beautiful Sunday on the C&O usually means a crowded trail… would that slow down my ability to get home?

We are SO back. On this edition, the preview episode for the first Oregon Coast trip that doesn't require me to fly thousands of miles. Added bonus: Brock frieking Dittus is going to be returning to the podcasting airwaves for this one as we ride a portion of the Oregon coast. As usual… there are question marks for any ride I ride, so we'll cover them here.

Another micro Seattle adventure before summer really kicks off (more on that next episode)... this week, we go on another ferry-fueled adventure to nearby Vashon Island to explore the cycling, the town and... pinball? Yes. Pinball.

A little more space to explore Seattle before we kick off the first true summer cycling adventure - this week I head out the front door of my place on the Safari (finally!) to put it through the paces around Lake Union and the UW campus!

After a nice night at the cabin, the second day looked to be a wet one… with forecasts of dangerous winds whipping the trail. Calling an audible seems to be the plan, but would there be another more mechanical issue that might be an impediment to making the final camp of the trip? Originally podcast May 25, 2023.

Seattle is starting to feel less like a move and more like home base. With the long stretch of travel beginning to slow down, this week's episode looks ahead to what summer adventure might look like from the Pacific Northwest. That includes rediscovering hiking and backpacking, exploring Seattle neighborhoods, and starting to sketch out bike camping possibilities in Oregon and Washington. The Pedalshift Project 440: Summer Adventure Planning Settling into Seattle as a long-term basecamp Shifting from constant travel into local exploration Planning summer adventures in the Pacific Northwest Returning to hiking and backpacking Relearning where all the backpacking gear ended up Exploring Seattle neighborhoods by bike and on foot Early thoughts on Oregon and Washington bike camping routes A future trip with friends of the show What changes when bicycle touring starts from a new corner of the country Merch survey Let me know what you think about Pedalshift merch!  pedalshift.net/merch

On this edition, we go to the Windy City, and it was windy , and we ride around a little bit and walk around a little bit and do a little bit of discovery. A cool neighborhood, Wicker Park, and just discovery of things that are cool in the midst of my May adventures.

On this edition, we hop off the bike for a bit to chat about some non-cycling adventures I'm in the middle of this month! As you all know I'm a huge music fan, and as my big move and other transitions have pretty much crossed the finish line, I circled this month as a way to celebrate with some music and travel. Will a bike make an appearance? Maybe, but the journey is the fun part so let's show our IDs at the door and get our hands stamped for a very different adventure!   The Pedalshift Project 438: Not Just Bikes - May Music Adventures Sugar NYC (Seattle work conference) Snail Mail Seattle :( Ivy WPB WDW work/play Ivy Chicago (Seattle work conference) Ivy NYC Chapterhouse Seattle DLR play (new Star Wars overlay) Ivy LA Home to Seattle and a summer of… I don't know yet. Open plans. Biking. Hiking. Camping. Exploring. More music.

Having said adieu to the C&O, let's revisit the spring 2023 ride of the C&O towpath for the next few months? Back then we had stellar conditions for riding. But with the Paw Paw tunnel closed, the trail posed a hefty challenge for someone with a fully loaded bike to push. But the Park Service said there's a shuttle, right? Originally podcast May 18, 2023.

The C&O has been a recurring spine of the show for years, from early episodes with zeroes in front of the numbers through bigger runs like DC to Cincinnati, and C&O But Slow. The show is now pointing toward Seattle, rightsizing bikes, and the new basecamp but I have one more ride on the C&O and one more ride on a special bike that I've pedaled all over the country.