Ever wonder what it’s like to cross the US by bike? On this episode of the pod, we chat with a guy who’s done it not once, not twice, but three times! Michael Riscica talks about the highs and lows of bike touring across America, including what it’s like to transition to the real world back home. Plus gear talk and more!

Hey it’s the direct download link: The Pedalshift Project 058: Bike touring across America (mp3)

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Gear Talk

Touring Brompton specs: “The Pedalshift Touring Brompton”

– Touring Brompton specs
– Boo: no orange for Bromptons! H/T Anna at Clever Cycles for letting me in on that.
– A few things to add: I really like the Brompton toolkit (ingenious storage in the tube) and the third party Off Yer Bike handle. For a lock, I’m experimenting with a folding version that’s a knockoff of the ALBUS ones and I just supported a Kickstarter campaign for a cinching lock by a Portland company called Ottolock. Super lightweight and fairly resistant to cutting.

Bicycling with your dog followup

Based on the advice of fellow dog biker and follower Jim in Louisville, I asked for Outward Hound’s Pooch Pouch backpack for my recent bday… both pups fit in it, Belle Starr a little better than Mookie. Looking to a fall overnight with her to test it all out!

The Interview: Bike touring across America with Michael Riscica

Michael Riscica is a Licensed Architect in Oregon. He grew up in the New York City Area and moved to Portland by bike in 2007. A veteran of three cross-America bike tours, Michael rode the Transam in 2005, the Northern Tier in 2007 and returned to the Transam in 2016… all east to west, like a boss. He writes at YoungArchitect.com and coast2coastbikeride.com. He’s also on Instagram & Twitter [@BikeTouring999].

• What was your inspiration to move across country by bike on your first cross country ride?
• You strike me as a pretty laid back guy, but critics of your ride, your gear or your style, and even how you wrote your blog got under your skin. Frankly as a reader I felt the same way. What’s your take on “backseat bicyclists”?
• Your dog patiently waited for your return and you could tell you missed her a lot on the ride. Would you consider bringing her along on a future ride?
• How challenging was it to do work on the road? Was there ever a point when you needed internet or cell signal and didn’t have it?
• What’s the one thing friends and family got consistently wrong about your rides that you always felt you needed to correct about bike touring across America?
• What’s the best advice or assistance you got on tour?
• Favorite gear?
• You’ve done the northern tier and the Trans Am now twice. Are you thinking about trying the southern tier ride at some point?
• Three cross-country rides in… what’s changed with riding across country?
• Did you have a tough time transitioning back into reality when you got back? What tips do you have?

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