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It's international exploration time with two feet as we explore England! In the first part of this two-part series, I kick things off with a whirlwind visit to London, exploring Hyde Park, Regent's Park, and Camden Market in search of great music, vintage vinyl, and some proper curry chips. Along the way, I'm testing a new approach to beating jet lag, applying lessons from ultralight bike touring to international travel, and discovering the joys of exploring a new city with less planning and more winging it. Live Show - Friday 11/20 5pm PT, 8pm ET Quick housekeeping before we get going - we had so much fun in the last one it's time we did it again… a special Thanksgiving LIVE show Friday November 20 5pm PT, 8pm ET. It'll be the episode that drops on US Thanksgiving day so we'll definitely have some themage on that. Plus special returning guests… chat room… the works. Let's get ready for the holidays together! The Pedalshift Project 456: Exploring London London: Arrival and First Impressions Flying from Seattle to London and tackling an eight-hour time difference Testing the Timeshifter app to manage jet lag Heathrow Express to Paddington and the advantages of staying near the train station An evening walk through Hyde Park The curry chips side quest begins! Exploring London on Foot A surprisingly excellent fish-and-chips experience Discovering Sherlock Holmes at Baker Street Walking through Regent's Park and Queen Mary's Rose Garden Heading to Camden Market on a busy bank holiday A self-guided Britpop walking tour through Camden Music, Vinyl, and Camden Market Searching for rare '90s records The Stone Roses, The Beta Band, and the soundtrack to exploring London Crate digging and an unexpected score: eight vintage seven-inch singles for £20 The joys of discovering music in the places that helped shape it Ultralight Travel Beyond the Bike Applying bike touring and backpacking principles to international travel Navigating European airline carry-on size and weight restrictions A smaller roller bag, a versatile travel backpack, and merino wool clothing Packing light while leaving room for records and souvenirs Why flexibility matters when traveling between cities Onward to Bristol Taking the Great Western Railway from Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads First impressions of Bristol's industrial architecture and creative character Why Bristol's trip-hop scene inspired this visit Massive Attack, Portishead, and the city's musical legacy Planning a Banksy street art walk and more record shopping An unexpected discovery: Brompton bike rentals! Two full days of Bristol exploration ahead Coming in Part 2: More adventures in Bristol, exploring the city's music, street art, neighborhoods, and whatever unexpected discoveries come along the way.

After two episodes experimenting with electric-powered adventures on the Oregon coast, it's time to look at what worked, what could use some improvement, and what these experiences might mean for future ebike adventures. Live Show - Friday 11/20 5pm PT, 8pm ET Quick housekeeping before we get going - we had so much fun in the last one it's time we did it again… a special Thanksgiving LIVE show Friday November 20 5pm PT, 8pm ET. It'll be the episode that drops on US Thanksgiving day so we'll definitely have some themage on that. Plus special returning guests… chat room… the works. Let's get ready for the holidays together! The Pedalshift Project 455: EV Adventure Takeaways 1. The EV and e-bike combination opens up new possibilities Using a plug-in hybrid as a mobile base camp and an e-bike for exploring creates a flexible way to travel. Drive somewhere interesting, find a place to camp, ride a loop or out-and-back, and move on to the next destination. It's a model that could work well beyond the Oregon coast. Discussion points: The RAV4 Prime as transportation, sleeping quarters, and potential charging station. The e-bike as a way to explore an area without moving the car. The flexibility to change locations without committing to a continuous cycling route. How this combination could work for longer adventures. 2. Climate-controlled car camping is a game changer The ability to run air conditioning overnight makes camping in warmer conditions much more appealing. The RAV4's sleeping platform, battery capacity, and climate control offer a comfortable alternative to tent camping. Interestingly, the cool weather at Beaver Falls meant none of that electric capacity was necessary this time, but having the option remains valuable. Discussion points: The sleeping platform and quick conversion from driving to camping. Preserving battery capacity for overnight climate control. The advantages of sleeping with the windows closed in hot or smoky conditions. Previous experiences using climate control during cross-country travel. Potential for camping in places where summer temperatures would otherwise be prohibitive. 3. Finding overnight parking requires research and flexibility The iOverlander app helped identify a free overnight spot at Beaver Falls Trailhead. It worked out well, but the experience also highlighted the importance of checking parking restrictions, considering security, and having backup options. A little more preparation before arriving after midnight would have made the setup easier. Discussion points: Using iOverlander to identify potential overnight locations. Rest areas versus dispersed overnight parking. The Beaver Falls experience: quiet, comfortable, free. Security considerations, including evidence of previous break-ins. Preparing the sleeping setup before arriving at the overnight location. The importance of backup options. 4. E-bikes fundamentally change the Oregon coast riding experience The climbs around Neahkahnie Mountain and the Arch Cape Tunnel became substantially easier with electric assistance. Maintaining speed uphill and through the tunnel made familiar terrain feel different. The northbound headwinds were also much less consequential. Electric assistance could make challenging coastal routes more accessible and enjoyable. Discussion points: Climbing hills at speeds that would be difficult on an acoustic bike. The Arch Cape Tunnel experience and the advantages of maintaining speed. How electric assistance changes the experience of coastal headwinds. The difference between knowing an e-bike will help and experiencing that assistance on familiar terrain. Implications for riding the entire Oregon coast. 5. Battery range may be less limiting than expected The nearly 30-mile ride between Cannon Beach and Manzanita included significant climbing, yet battery capacity never became a serious concern. That raises interesting possibilities for longer trips, potentially without carrying a second battery. Understanding actual range under different loads, terrain, and assistance levels will be important before committing to a longer tour. Discussion points: Starting with a fully charged battery. Monitoring voltage rather than relying exclusively on the battery indicator. How much assistance was needed on the major climbs. The implications of riding unloaded versus carrying touring gear. Whether one large battery could be sufficient for longer coastal riding days. Charging strategies for multiday touring. 6. The car-and-bike combination could change the economics of touring Free overnight parking, sleeping in the vehicle, and using the e-bike for day rides could make for a remarkably inexpensive adventure. There's also the possibility of using the vehicle as a charging station for the bike, reducing dependence on hotels and other charging opportunities. It's worth exploring what the actual costs look like compared with traditional bike touring. Discussion points: Eliminating hotel costs through vehicle camping. Finding free overnight parking rather than paying campground fees. The cost of driving between riding destinations. Using the vehicle's electrical capacity to recharge the e-bike, assuming a workable charging setup. Comparing the costs of this approach with traditional loaded touring. The tradeoffs between upfront equipment costs and ongoing travel expenses. 7. This experiment suggests a whole new touring format The obvious next step is a multiday adventure using the car as a mobile base camp. Instead of riding an end-to-end route, drive between locations and explore each area by e-bike. This could make previously impractical destinations viable, particularly places without good cycling connections between the best riding areas. There's also an interesting question about whether a single e-bike battery could support more ambitious rides than expected. Discussion points: Developing a multiday itinerary built around several riding locations. Exploring areas that are difficult to connect by bicycle. Using the car to reposition between interesting routes. Testing the approach in hotter climates where air-conditioned camping would be especially useful. Determining whether the e-bike can handle longer days and more challenging terrain. Possibilities for combining this format with conventional bike touring. Wrapping Up: What's Next? The experiment was a success, and there's plenty of room to expand on it. Could this approach work for a longer Oregon coast adventure? What about hotter destinations where climate-controlled camping makes a bigger difference? And how might an e-bike change the experience of a traditional end-to-end tour? The combination of an electric-capable vehicle and an e-bike offers some interesting possibilities for future adventures. This probably won't be the last electric-powered adventure on The Pedalshift Project.

Part two of the EV adventure swaps four wheels for two as I pull the e-bike out in Cannon Beach and put it to the test on a familiar stretch of the Oregon Coast, finding out just how much an e-bike can flatten some very familiar coastal hills. A pretty compelling experiment in electric-powered adventure! The Pedalshift Project 454: EV Adventure - Part 2 The Ride Start/finish: Cannon Beach, Oregon Route: Cannon Beach → Arch Cape → Arch Cape Tunnel → Neahkahnie Mountain → Manzanita → return to Cannon Beach Out-and-back ride on US 101 E-bike with a full battery and essentially no touring load Plenty of climbing, particularly around Neahkahnie Mountain and the Arch Cape area Southbound ride through the Arch Cape Tunnel with maximum assist Turnaround in Manzanita Northbound return into the usual Oregon Coast headwind Post-ride: lunch in Cannon Beach, beach walk and tide pools near Haystack Rock Sidequest: Cannon Beach s'mores Ride Statistics Distance: ~30 miles Arch Cape Tunnel speed: ~20 mph southbound Climbing speed: ~11–12 mph with assist Comfortable downhill ceiling: ~25 mph Highly scientific effort conversion: 30 e-bike miles ≈ 15 acoustic-bike miles Blackberries consumed roadside: significant Hoped for pesticide exposure: less significant Flats: 0

The big project for 2024 is building the ultimate custom ebike. On this episode we go over the three key components to the build, from picking the perfect frame, the right  mid-drive motor and a battery that gives range and power. What's better than a project that blends tech with cycling?  Originally podcast January 25, 2024.

First of  two-parts! An EV adventure on the Oregon Coast begins with four wheels before shifting to two. In Part 1, I take the RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid out for a post-concert overnight to see how well my car-camping setup works in the real world before the e-bike comes off the rack for its first Oregon Coast adventure. The Pedalshift Project 453: EV Adventure - Part 1 After catching Suki Waterhouse in Portland, I point the RAV4 toward the coast with a simple plan: use iOverlander to find a free overnight spot, get some sleep in the back of the vehicle, and wake up positioned for the next day's ride. Along the way, I weigh the merits of rest-area camping against pushing farther toward Beaver Falls, talk about why the plug-in hybrid makes such a useful camping platform, and revisit how valuable climate control was during last year's cross-country travels. The sleeping platform turns the back of the RAV4 into a surprisingly comfortable little camper, with battery power available for AC, charging, and whatever else the night might require. The eventual destination is Beaver Falls Trailhead near Clatskanie, Oregon — quiet, dark, free, and tucked into the forest well away from Highway 30. The EV capabilities turn out to be more optional than essential on this particular cool night, but the setup works remarkably well. There is, naturally, a minor early-morning incident involving the vehicle alarm. Because apparently quietly exiting a car you've been sleeping inside is exactly the sort of suspicious behavior modern automobiles were designed to prevent. By morning, the experiment is a success and the RAV4 is packed with a full electric charge, an e-bike on the back, and two possible destinations ahead: Astoria or Cannon Beach. Next time: EV Adventures Part 2, when four wheels become two and the e-bike finally gets its first ride on the Oregon Coast. Topics in this episode include EV car camping, the Toyota RAV4 Plugin Hybrid, sleeping platforms and car-camping setups, iOverlander and finding overnight spots, rest-area camping, climate control while camping, Beaver Falls Trailhead, Oregon Coast trip planning, and setting up an e-bike adventure from Cannon Beach.

We are live baby live for a special edition of Pedalshift Live, with a summer in review, a bit of a fall (and even early winter!) preview, the merch unveiling and preview, plus an ask me anything on all things bike adventures! The Pedalshift Project 452: Pedalshift Live Summer in review Sprocketshift Reunion (my tent is not viable) MJ Backpacking (and new ultralight gear!) eV Adventure - coming soon London/Bristol/Dublin - coming soon Fall… Tokyo, NYC, Maui… Merch Preview Special thanks to Simone, joining us in the chat… literally could not have done this without her skill, savvy and expertise! datenightmarket.com Deck settle our bet ornament story from 2015 and giveaway Shifty the Elf ornament? MAAAAAYYYYYBEEEEE… COMING FALL 2026 … and we have more ideas, so more to come in 2027 AMA Bike Adventure Questions

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