The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures

In the second of a two-parter, it's Pedalshift Tour Journals: Vol. 9: Olympic Peninsula! Join me and my trusty Brompton for 4 days of transit-aided bicycle touring from Washington, DC to Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula and wrapping things up in Astoria, Oregon. This week features a more-challenging-than-expected short mileage day, a visit to Kurt Cobain's riverfront hangout, and a long bridge serving as a finish line. Originally podcast March 29, 2018.

In the first of a two-parter during winter break, it's Pedalshift Tour Journals: Vol. 9: Olympic Peninsula! Join me and my trusty Brompton for 4 days of transit-aided bicycle touring from Washington, DC to Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula and wrapping things up in Astoria, Oregon. This week features the machinations of getting from DC to a tent in the shadows of the Olympic Mountains (if there were, y'know… sun) and the first very soggy day of riding. Originally podcast March 22, 2018.

Every once in a while it's nice to look back on where it all came from – on this edition, we explore the evolution of bike touring gear from the beginning of the modern era in the 1970s through today's high tech enhancements to bikepacking and more. Plus, a nod to what the future might hold with new materials and tech to make bicycle adventuring more fun and accessible! Originally podcast June 22, 2023.

One more episode before we take a little winter break (with some great best of's!) we do our annual setting of goals. This year we mix in one non-cycling goal on top of the others. Hey if I hit all of these it's going to be a great year! Adventure Goals for 2026 Continued fitness upgrades Oh Canada! New bike(s) Ultralight gear and ultralight tours A Brompton adventure Seattle S24Os Big toe dip: backpacking… Hoh Rainforest? A transit-assisted adventure A food and beverage-centric adventure A ferry-centric adventure

Our very first live show of 2026 is also the inaugural live show from Seattle! On this episode we chat more in depth about Seattle biking adventures to come, both locally and launched from here, give a quick Brompton update, an even briefer ACA update, and then a bunch of questions in the live show AMA! Live from Seattle Thoughts on Seattle as a bike launching point Local trails Gateway to multiple adventures Vancouver crossing loop Pacific coast Washington Parks STP SEA direct flights Year round cycling Brompton update ACA Building Sale Seems like the sale of the building is serving as a proxy on "do you like how things are going" Conflates a lot of stuff, which makes sorting through a lot of the arguments to be tricky Make sure you vote, and I think we all are hoping whatever ACA does in 2026 and beyond that it stays as a major voice in bike travel adventures!

We've often talked about how slow travel by bicycle helps you see your adventure with far more detail than by car. But can we slow it down even more and reinforce that lesson? On this episode, exploring the parallels of exploring a city by foot and how that proves the point! All Who Wander... Live Show January 16 5pm PT Details at pedalshift.net/live!

So you've decided to relocate - congratulations! Now you have to figure out what to do with all of your bikes. Do you just move them all or is it time to rightsize your fleet? On this edition, we take a long hard look at my situation with a cross-country move. Do I move them all or is there a better solution? • Moving long-distance as a forcing function for downsizing • Applying "does this still serve me?" to bikes • When sentimental value isn't the same as utility • Overlapping bikes and letting go of duplicates • Keeping the most flexible, all-conditions bike • Rethinking an e-bike that isn't quite right • Pulling parts, donating frames, avoiding bad resale math • The Brompton as the ultimate utility / travel bike • Donating vs selling bikes and why effort matters • Downsizing now to make future bike choices easier • Escaping n+1 without abandoning future upgrades • Letting go to make room for more intentional riding

You know you've got a bike tour coming up this year, so you want to make sure you're ready for it. What are some things to do to make that easier in the bike touring offseason? On this episode, some insight into my plans this offseason plus tips from ACA, REI and other experts! ALSO... Pedalshift SEATTLE Live will be Friday January 16 at 5pm PT/8pm ET. Check out the details in your email, YouTube and pedalshift.net/live.

Shifty the Elf returns for the annual holiday spectacular! 2025 was... a year. And as Shifty and I pack up for Seattle, there's a bunch of things we're going through and boxing up as we bid adieu to the year! Happy Holidays and see you in 2026!

A walk along Elliot Bay to discuss the short trip to Honolulu and more on the transition to Seattle and all the bikey adventures to come. Honolulu and Seattle

Big news for the show: The Pedalshift Project is setting up camp in a new city! This episode breaks down what that means for future tours, how this opens up brand-new riding possibilities, and why the destination may be a bit of a surprise and also not a surprise at all. My new home: Seattle! Why? This move is all about geography, access, and expanding the Pedalshift touring sandbox. Seattle places world-class touring terrain right outside the door and increases the show's ability to cover more routes, more often. And yes—this is a return to the broader PNW. Think of it as a new basecamp, and not a commentary on my beloved Portland. It remains the land of sunshine and bunnies, and it's just down I-5. There's obviously other details to all of this but they are far more weedsy than worth getting into for you all. Let's focus on the parts that impact the pod! What Seattle Unlocks for Bike Adventures Puget Sound & the Islands Olympic Peninsula Cascade Range British Columbia Western US Access Simpler jumps to NorCal, SoCal, Alaska, and Rocky Mountain tour starts How the Show Evolves More Micro-Tours Seattle puts quality riding minutes—not hours—away, which means more short trips, more experiments, more rapid-fire episodes. Some Non-Bicycle Adventures Exploring by foot - hiking, urban adventures and more. Not a replacement for bikes, but a compliment. New Possible Arcs The Islands ProjectThe Puget Sound LoopsPalouse to Cascades: Piece by PieceReturn to the Coast Year-Round Riding Milder PNW winters = more shoulder-season content and gear discussions. Also proximity to southern CA for winter riding? What Stays the Same Early Seattle Recon Production Notes Listener Input Wanted

It used to be that a bike adventure meant taking paid time off or quitting your job. Now that remote work is a reality for many of us, there's a new option. But is bike travel while working remotely right for you? Originally podcast July 28, 2022.

A repodcast of our Thanksgiving Eve live show: following up on your comments on the state of bicycle touring, plus a bunch of great questions in an Ask Me Anything segment! Followup: Is Bicycle Touring in Decline? More emails on this than any topic in a while. Some selected thoughts from listeners: Regarding ACA Regarding Touring being down •Rails to Trails Conservancy may have the better model?

Bicycle touring numbers feel like they're down—fewer loaded panniers on the road, Adventure Cycling Association facing major financial headwinds, and a lot of long-time tourers quietly aging out. But is touring actually in decline, or is it just shifting into something that looks different—like bikepacking, gravel, and shorter, more flexible trips? In this episode I dig into Adventure Cycling's recent membership and financial update, talk through generational and economic trends, and explore whether we're seeing the end of an era… or just the end of one version of it. Is Bicycle Touring in Decline? What the ACA Letter Tells Us almost 40,000 in 2023 to about 18,000 todayone Is ACA's Crisis Proof That Touring Is Dying? Value perception problemBusiness model problemtouring problem The Aging Out Effect activity The Rise of Bikepacking and Off-Road Travel bikepackinggravel Is It Just a (pardon the pun) Cycle? Other Factors That Make Touring Feel Smaller Safety and trafficClimate and weather extremesInformation overloadanyShift to micro-touring What ACA's Plan Signals About the Future goodthe Final Take: Is Touring Actually in Decline? Yes, in the classic sense. No, if you widen the definition. Mostly, it's in a messy transition. any •Bike touring has always been a niche. The question isn't whether the niche survives—it's what form it takes for the next generation. And we all get to shape that.

Way back in January - and what feels like ten years ago to me - I set out a bunch of bicycle adventure goals for me in 2025. In a challenging year, I wasn't sure how I'd measure up but as I always like to do, I gave the goals a once over to see how I did. So on this episode we give it a scorecard treatment, but also a sneak preview of the final piece of 2025 adventuring that manages to check one of the boxes! 2025 Bike Adventure Goals Scorecard Celebrating plans already made, and taking care of yourself Sort of? A big ebike trip – maybe two. Taking the bike on a ride only the ebike can do… extra distance per day? Twice as fast? Looking at a push west and maybe north too. Points for trying with the Lake Ontario trip. Something international – you non-US folks have been very patient with this America-centric pod. We'll see if we can get wheels down someplace I need a passport. Check! Helllloooo Canada! I also got to do off-pod adventures in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Belgium… no biking but a lot of walking and exploring. West coast – what, you thought I wouldn't hit the Pacific coast? Pffft… find another podcast! Probably summer. Check! Mysterious Oregon trip! More bike adjacent adventures – exploring someplace where I ride, a bike gets used, but it's not necessarily the full focus. Europe trip was an adventure but not bike-adjacent. But I have a small one coming up in a few weeks that is absolutely out of left field in terms of location, but wholeheartedly checks the box, so CHECK. Shall we do a preview? (You'll have to listen to get that one!)

A chat with Sylva Florence, an experienced bicycle tourist and author of many things (including her blog The Sylva Lining) on touring as a solo woman, how people who want to be allies to solo women touring can do that without being creepy, and some of her favorite adventures. Originally podcast July 15, 2021.

What if you could tour with just what fits in a single dry bag? No panniers. Just the essentials. On this episode, we take this as a challenge - borrowing from the ultralight backpacking folks, we cut off our toothbrush handles and weigh every gram for the ultralight bikepacking challenge! "What if you could tour with just what fits in your handlebar bag? No panniers. No rack. Just the essentials." Why: curiosity, simplicity, nimble handling, testing limits for overnighters or credit card touring. Rules: one mid-size drybag (say 10–12L). No extra frame or seat bags. Trip assumptions: 1–2 nights, shoulder season, mild weather but possible cool nights. Riding style: paved/mixed surfaces, moderate daily mileage. Shelter Options to debate: Tarp + bivy sack (light, cheap, minimal bug protection). Minimal trekking pole tarp (if you carry a pole or can use the bike). Emergency bivy + bug net (super small but spartan). UL single-wall tent (if you can compress to fit — ~1lb tents exist). Hammock Where I land: Shelter Zpacks Hexamid Pocket Tarp 5.2 oz Dyneema, no floor; packs to fist size Groundsheet Polycryo sheet (cut to size) 1.5 oz Cheap and super compact Bug Net Sea to Summit Nano Pyramid (solo) 2.9 oz Optional if mosquitoes likely Stakes 6 titanium shepherd hooks 2 oz Can share with tarp Guyline 2 mm reflective cord 1 oz Multipurpose (also for repairs) Total Shelter Weight: ~12 oz (340 g) Sleep Kit Pad: short closed-cell foam (Z-lite cut down) vs ultralight inflatable (NeoAir Uberlite). Quilt: 40°F down quilt packs to a grapefruit. Sleep Clothing layering: puffy jacket + base layers to extend quilt rating. pillow (there are some ultralight inflatables too) Where I land: Sleep Pad Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite (small) 6 oz Packs smaller than a soda can Quilt Enlightened Equipment Enigma 40°F 13 oz Compresses to a grapefruit Pillow Exped Air UL pillow (small) 1.6 oz Optional luxury Sleep Clothes Lightweight merino top + boxer briefs 6 oz Doubles as camp wear Total Sleep Weight: ~27 oz (765 g) Cooking vs. No-Cook No-cook: bars, wraps, cold soak jar. Minimal cook: Esbit/solid fuel stove + titanium mug. Coffee strategy: instant packets vs small UL brewer. Space/weight trade-off: ditch cook kit for luxury (camera, extra clothes). Where I land: Cold Soak System Plastic PB jar 2oz Utensil Long Ti spoon 0.5 oz Mug (if separate) MSR Titan 2.4 oz Food for 2 days Wraps, instant oatmeal, nuts, bars, jerky, instant coffee ~24 oz Water 1 L Smartwater bottle (frame-mounted) Total Cooking/Food Weight (excluding water): ~29 oz (820 g) Clothing & Tools No change of clothes on this one… one base layer, puffy jacket layer. Rain shell = big payoff for little space. Simple wool hat Micro tool kit: multi-tool, chain link, tiny pump, patch kit instead of spare tube. hygiene: Dr Bronner's in smallest travel bottle, small camp towel, travel toothbrush. Where I land: Rain Shell Patagonia Houdini or OR Helium 6 oz Ultralight but reliable Insulation Layer Montbell Plasma 1000 puffy 5 oz Packs to palm size Extra Base Layer / socks Wool top + socks 5 oz For camp Toiletries Toothbrush, mini paste, Bronner's, wet wipes 3 oz Minimalist hygiene Headlamp Nitecore NU25 1 oz USB rechargeable Total Clothing/Personal Weight: ~20 oz (570 g) Multitool Lezyne RAP II-12 3 oz Compact essentials Mini Pump Lezyne Pocket Drive 3 oz Mount to frame if possible Chain link / tape / zip ties / patch kit Small zip bag 1 oz Field repairs Phone + powerbank 10 000 mAh Anker 6 oz Also powers headlamp Map / ID / Credit Card — negligible "Ultralight credit card touring" insurance Total Tools/Misc Weight: ~13 oz (370 g) Packing Tetris Bottom: sleep system (quilt/compressed pad). Middle: shelter/tarp. Top: food/clothing. Outside: light rain shell/camp shoes? Safety & Bail Out Options Emergency bail plan: credit card, rideshare, motel. Weather veto: if forecast turns ugly,...

We're bringing back one of the wackiest ideas in Pedalshift history — the Game of Chance! Using random number generators and the excellent Adventure Cycling Association routes, it's an unpredictable coast-to-coast bike tour from the Pacific to the Atlantic. When every turn is determined by chance the results are... surprisingly awesome? In This Episode: Revisiting the “Game of Chance” touring experiment from 2021 Using randomness to pick routes across ACA’s national network Riding (and re-riding) the Pacific Coast, Northern Tier, Lewis & Clark, TransAm, and more Ferry crossings, backcountry climbs, and surprise state detours How randomness can spark new route ideas and winter planning inspiration Mentioned: Adventure Cycling Association Pacific Coast Route Lewis & Clark Trail Northern Tier TransAmerica Trail Great Divide, Great Parks, Lake Erie Connector The Route (as determined by chance): Segment Route(s) Start → End 1 Pacific Coast Anacortes, WA → Westport, OR 2 Lewis & Clark Westport, OR → Cascade Locks, OR 3 Sierra Cascades (North) Cascade Locks, OR → Twisp, WA 4 Northern Tier Twisp, WA → Eureka, MT 5 Great Parks North Eureka, MT → Missoula, MT 6 TransAm Missoula, MT → Walden, CO 7 TransAm (continued) Walden, CO → Springfield, MO 8 Bicycle Route 66 Springfield, MO → St. Louis, MO 9 Eastern Express Connector St. Louis, MO → Indianapolis, IN 10 Chicago–NYC + North Lakes Indianapolis, IN → Northern MI 11 Lake Erie Connector Sandusky, OH → Buffalo, NY (via Ontario) 12 Northern Tier Buffalo, NY → Bar Harbor, ME

Stealth camping is a great skill to develop and a fantastic option to have for emergencies or maybe even your main overnight plan on a bike tour. But what if your tent is so bright it can be seen from miles away? On this episode, we talk about what worked for my last tent and what I’m trying on my newer one. Originally podcast September 8, 2022. Making a Tent Stealthier The old tent – ALPS Mountaineering Zephyr 2 Spray panting the tarp Tarp was orange so it needed full coverage Used a matte forest green Took 3 full cans to cover (more than I expected) Then covered with a waterproofing spray (think KIWI brand) Tarp worked like a charm – water beaded off just like before Was stiffer and heavier than before Tarp has finally failed at the zippers so it needs to be replaced Color has also worn off over time, although it still is predominantly well covered The newer tent -ALPS Mountaineering Zephyr 2 (again) New tent is blue and very light gray, tarp is mostly the light gray Better than orange, but still needs stealthification Redditor recommended Rit dying I was a bit skeptical but decided to go for it Got 2 dark forest greens and 1 chocolate brown that was designed for nylon A lot of boiling water (9 gallons!) and a big bin Let it get in there overnight and… It sort of worked. It’s super brown on one side, but perhaps predictably the back of the tarp, not the water repellant side So, dye job is not recommended Before, during and after shots: What am I going to do? I have one tarp that is forest green but not terribly suitable for heavy rain I have another tarp that is very light gray and perfect for rain The reverse side is dark brown and not suitable for anything but dry weather I’m bringing *both* tarps for my next tour I can see where a brown tarp and a green tarp could help depending on where I’m tucked in I need to know I have a good rain option I don’t always need to be stealth The lineup No need for stealth? Use the new tarp in the normal position regardless of weather Stealth and dry? Use green tarp for tent and brown side out tarp for the bike (or maybe vice versa) Stealth and rain? Use the green tarp over the proper-side-out gray tarp. This is the least likely scenario in a way… if it’s really storming would people be out? Takeaways Folks, best bet is to get a tent with a slealthy tarp. They are weirdly hard to come by Dye? Not recommended Spray paint? Effective, but with its flaws.

The Mysterious Oregon Coast adventure is in the rearview mirror, but we always like to peek back before moving on. On this edition we marvel at the fun we had on a fairly cursed tour of some of our favorite parts of the Pacific coast! Bike prep is key — but stuff still breaks.Have Plans A–F ready.Buses & rideshares save tours.Greatest hits still feel fresh.Weather’s shifting.Shorter mileage = more joy.Hydrate & fuel early/often.Hotel nights reset morale.Logistics flexibility saves cash.Ditch the perfect plan.