The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Touring Lifestyle

I'd ridden an ok amount that year, but to be honest, as the year was winding down I realized there were two spots I always hit that I haven't been to yet. So I needed to play a little clean up and get wheels down on those two gems! In part 2, I revisit one of my favorite campsites… maybe one of my single favorite places I can get to from home, by bike!

I'd ridden an ok amount that year, but to be honest, as the year was winding down I realized there were two spots I always hit that I haven't been to yet. So I needed to play a little clean up and get wheels down on those two gems! In part 1, I tackle the big hill on the Cumberland side of the Great Allegheny Passage!

As I said last time… sometimes bad ideas go good, and good ideas go bad. And then there’s the latest bonkers idea of a tour I had… a game of chance. In the final installment, we learn preparation can sometimes be the key to a good tour, or it can mean you carry a lot in your panniers more for show. Originally podcast October 28, 2021.

Sometimes bad ideas go good, and good ideas go bad. And then there’s the bonkers idea of a tour I had… a game of chance. In the first of two parts, let’s see how random selection of route, direction and more makes for a tour. Where are we going – chance decides! Originally podcast October 21, 2011.

Four hundred episodes into this project, we gathered together on April 11, 2025 for a live show to celebrate the occasion. On this edition I revealed a new tour, announced a short spring break (with episodes, never fear!), and did some Ask Me Anythings! Pedalshift 400 Live Hey check out the video if that's your bag... https://www.youtube.com/live/EJfDdaQDgeE?si=NruP9cvgb0mgY8ip   Introduction •Tim kicks off Episode 400 live with listeners in the chat •Reflects on 10+ years of podcasting, over 1.3 million downloads •Expresses gratitude to listeners and the broader bike travel community   Shout-Outs & Tributes •Listener shout-outs: •Forrest from Whitehorse on the GAP Trail •Byron and the Sprocket listener crossover poll (results were a 50/50 split) •Tribute to The Sprocket Podcast: •Final episode recently released •Strong influence on Pedalshift’s creation •Encourages new listeners to explore the Sprocket back catalog •Shared values and crossover episodes remembered fondly   Tour Reveal: Circumnavigating La

It’s planning season for spring and summer tours! But if you’re in the US or planning a bike adventure here, there’s some real question marks about our national park system. From budget cuts to layoffs and reinstatements to ever-increasing demand… is this the right year to consider a trip through Yellowstone or Shenandoah?  Pedalshift 400 Live Hold the date… Pedalshift 400 Live will be Friday April 11th at 8pm ET - 5pm PT. Check out Pedlashift on YouTube or pedalshift.net/live for more. Ask Me Anything for sure, the rest is a surprise maybe to me as well? What’s Happening with US National Parks in 2025? •Brief overview of the budget situation: potential closures, service reductions, delayed seasonal openings February firing of a category of federal employees Buyout offer to some employees Just recently a court order led to reinstatement of them Still a huge gap in the staffing needed for the increasing demand •Types of services at risk: ranger programs, campground availability, road maintenance, shuttle syste

We’re often asked what you should get someone into bike touring… but what about a gift for a friend or loved one who is literally in the middle of a bike tour? Inspired by a Reddit thread, but not one of *those* Reddit threads… some fun ideas that would really help make someone’s tour! Originally podcast July 21, 2022.

The Florida adventure is in the rear view mirror but I have so many lessons learned from this trip… and I’ll share a bunch of them with you here on the takeaways edition to close out the trip. Hold the date… Pedalshift 400 Live will be Friday April 11th at 8pm ET - 5pm PT. Check out Pedlashift on YouTube or pedalshift.net/live for more. Ask Me Anything for sure, the rest is a surprise maybe to me as well? Takeaways from the Jacksonville-to-Orlando Bike Tour Day 1 (Jacksonville to St. Augustine) 1. A Ferry Ride to Kick Things Off – The journey began with a ferry ride across the St. Johns River, adding a scenic and unique element right from the start. Incorporating ferries into bike tours always makes for an enjoyable experience. 2. Gate Code Saves the Day at Anastasia State Park – The planned shortcut to the campsite led to a locked gate, but having the code allowed access without a detour. Avoiding extra miles at the end of a long day was a major win. 3. Improvised Gear Setup on the Brompton – A key piece of

The previous day’s winds having ebbed, it was time to ride a full day again. And with grayer skies and the winds more at my back than my face, day 3 got things back on track. Would last year’s free campsite be as welcoming on this trip? Pedalshift 400 Live Hold the date… Pedalshift 400 Live will be Friday April 11th at 8pm ET - 5pm PT. Check out Pedlashift on YouTube or pedalshift.net/live for more. Ask Me Anything for sure, the rest is a surprise maybe to me as well? Florida Coast Part 4 Statistics Prę dawn cycling sections 1 Miles biked part 1 - 10 Miles biked part 2 - 20.1 Ubers 1 Towns with beach in the name 0 Flats 0

The previous day’s winds having ebbed, it was time to ride a full day again. And with grayer skies and the winds more at my back than my face, day 3 got things back on track. Would last year’s free campsite be as welcoming on this trip? Pedalshift 400 Live Hold the date… Pedalshift 400 Live will be Friday April 11th at 8pm ET - 5pm PT. Check out Pedlashift on YouTube or pedalshift.net/live for more. Ask Me Anything for sure, the rest is a surprise maybe to me as well? Florida Coast Part 3 Statistics Miles biked - 37.8 Ubers 0 Towns with beach in the name 0 Free camps 1 Flats 0

I used to do a beginners series on the show (and hope to do another again) but never did a whole show on “don’t make the same mistake I did.” So, on this episode… mistakes to avoid as a beginner! Originally podcast July 21, 2022.

There are few rules in bicycle adventures, but I am a firm believer in the one that says you do not taunt the bike touring gods. Day 1 was a breeze, I said! The bike gods respond with a breeze of their own. Would their wrath of headwinds push me to screeching halt on my way to Daytona? Pedalshift 400 Live Hold the date… Pedalshift 400 Live will be Friday April 11th at 8pm ET - 5pm PT. Check out Pedlashift on YouTube or pedalshift.net/live for more. Ask Me Anything for sure, the rest is a surprise maybe to me as well? Florida Coast Part 2 Statistics Miles bikes 30.4 Miles not biked 27.4 Ubers 1 Towns with beach in the name 6 Flats 0

The first day of the Florida Coast adventure starts from the cooler air of Jacksonville, carrying me south through a series of beach towns on the way to a state park outside of St. Augustine with two entrances… the short way has a locked gate… would I be able to get through or have to go all the way back around (complete with extra miles) to get to camp? Pedalshift 400 Live Hold the date… Pedalshift 400 Live will be Friday April 11th at 8pm ET - 5pm PT. Check out Pedlashift on YouTube or pedalshift.net/live for more. Ask Me Anything for sure, the rest is a surprise maybe to me as well? Florida Coast Part 1 Statistics Miles bikes 52.5 Miles ferried .3 Towns with beach in the name 7 Regrets for not stopping for a cuban coffee 1 Flats 0

My annual tradition of a winter ride in the sunshine state continues! Unlike past years, I’m shaking things up with the start and focusing on a coastal ride along the East Coast Greenway before turning inland. But the Florida Coast is the name of the game for this adventure, and on this episode we preview the ride! Florida Coast Preview The ride Jacksonville to WDW over 4 days! East Coast Greenway! A ferry! Mostly coastal riding with the ocean over my left shoulder (who knew?) Revisting the Florida Coast to Coast Trail Riding all the way to my finish line resort at WDW (no Lyfts at the end this time!) The gear Brompton 3 days of camping Backpack mode with front pannier (same as last year) Keeping things minimal as the camping gear takes up some room No stove Details JAX-St. Augustine St. Augustine - Daytona Daytona - Lake Monroe Lake Monroe - WDW Highlights Day 1 St. Johns ferry and St Augustine Day 2 All coastal riding to Daytona Day 3 Reuniting with the FLC2C trail and camping at the free Lake Monroe campgr

I ride three different bikes for touring, and each one has plusses and minuses depending on what kind of ride I’m looking for. But if you’re new to bike touring or looking for another bike, what should you be thinking about? On this episode, the things I look for in a touring bike! Originally podcast August 11, 2022.

So I successfully rode 75 miles on a single charge of my eBike battery (with a little bit of a top off!). What did I learn from the adventure and what does it mean for future trips with my ebike?  eBike Range Test Takeaways 75ish miles is pretty great with a little top off… that’s amazing for the C&O and other reasonably flat terrain! 1.Battery Management is Key •The ride underscored the importance of efficient battery use. Keeping the e-bike battery between 20% and 80% for everyday use is recommended, but for extended trips, charging to 100% proved essential. However, overuse of higher pedal-assist levels (like Level 3) quickly drained the battery, emphasizing the need to stick to lower levels (1 or 2) to maximize range. 2.Comfort Adjustments are Ongoing •Experimentation with the saddle and handlebars revealed that finding the right configuration for long rides is a process. While the new saddle and bar extensions offered some comfort, they weren’t perfect, suggesting that further adjustments or a differ

On this episode we ride from my cabin to Cumberland, MD on the C&O towpath to see if we can squeeze 75 miles out of my eBike battery! With only one real opportunity to top off, this is a real test with fairly unfun consequences if I run out… did I make it or did I have to pedal the last bit without that little extra boost?    Quick programming note… this episode is a beast, so I’m going to do takeaways next episode… feel free to listen to this one in chunks as it’s over an hour!

On this episode we turn the page back to last fall when I did a secret mini tour with a big purpose… to test the range of my eBike battery on the C&O trail! Can I stretch one full charge enough to get a full day’s ride in with all of the pedal assist I want? Let’s find out the hard way!  eBike Range Test Preview The ride Cabin to Cumberland, road and trail 1 day, 1 charge* eBike! The idea Can I stretch the battery enough to get me 75.1 miles from cabin to Cumberland? Learning about range Learning about methods to conserve power Can I pedal this bike comfortably without pedal assist? Will I have to? The weather We haven’t had rain in the region for a month, so of course we are forecast for rain the night before the ride BUT it should be dry day of, with a cold start and low 60s as a high The gear No camping this trip… doing a hotel in Cumberland and taking the train back No camping? A lot less gear! Bringing two emptyish panniers Charger Clothes for next day May bring my sleeping bag for emergency’s sake E

On this edition of the pod, we kick off 2025 with the intent to make it a year of celebration in a time of loss for me. But celebration is more fun, so let’s do that.   2014’s trip was a shout out to my grandmother and 2025 now has to be the same for my dad, who passed away at his home in NY just before Christmas. So, what are we doing by bike to celebrate his life and all sorts of other things?   Celebrating plans already made, and taking care of yourself - yes, I’m in western NY for a few weeks this winter but I’m taking some time to ride my ride in Florida. Familiar trip to be sure… the finish line is the same, but the route is so much more. Details in a few weeks!   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.   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.   West coast - what

With a bunch of snow and ice on the ground where I’m at, it’s a good time to focus on things that will help bike tours coming after the thaw. On this episode, an update on my winter fitness goals, what I’m doing to keep it going plus some ideas on winter bike maintenance. Originally podcast January 20, 2022.