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fall bike touring

The Pedalshift Project 060: Fall bike touring and planning for winter

Fall bike touring my favorite kind of touring… just hopping on a bike, hearing the crunch of the leaves under the tires and enjoying the cool temperatures inside a warm tent. This episode I chat about my recent mini-tours on the C&O plus my plans for a winter ride in 2017!

The Pedalshift Project 060: Fall bike touring and planning for winterHey it’s the direct download link: The Pedalshift Project 060: Fall bike touring and planning for winter (mp3)

Reach out to the show via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Don’t forget to join the newsletter too.

Have some bike touring or overnight stories to share? Send your pics, audio or a quick tweet – all welcome. Email the show at pedalshift@pedalshift.net or call the lightly-used Pedalshift voicemail line at (202) 930-1109.

The Journal: Fall bike touring and more

Fall C&O weekenders

  • May try to wedge in one more through ride if I can pull it off
  • Did a wet ride this past weekend… really enjoyed the quiet trail and using the rain gear. When it’s a choice rather than having it foisted upon you, touring in the rain is great.
  • Want to see if I can get Belle Starr out there, but need it to be bone dry (i.e. no hurricanes like last weekend)
  • C&O Water Followup
    • Had a chat with a trail ranger a few weeks ago on the rumor we heard about the Park Service not treating the water pumps at the campsites anymore.
    • This was news to the volunteer and he was skeptical of the rumor. Dehydration on the trail is a costly issue for the Park Service requiring remote rescues that are pretty pricey.
    • In fact the ranger let me know that
      • (a) they are required to carry substantial amounts of extra water on patrol and even more interesting,
      • (b) there are secret caches of drinking water the Park Service has out for emergencies.
    • To be continued, but this makes me think it’s more likely the treatment would change before they would cease well treatment altogether.

Winter ride?

  • I hope to be able to pull off a longer tour next year, but just in case things break differently I’d like to add another week-long tour to the mix… so I’m considering a winter tour.
  • January or February week long ride south enough to be warm enough
  • I like the idea of segmenting the Atlantic route, but I’m not liking the infrastructure in a lot of the east. Florida from Fort Lauderdale to Jacksonville is one possibility and then segmenting the remaining portions north and south of DC in the spring, summer and fall.
  • The one that seems more interesting to me is a desert ride that would be 1 week of the Southern Tier route from San Diego up and over the mountains and across the desert basins to Phoenix. I’d look to complete the remainder of the southern tier in the spring and fall.
  • Crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel
Good Afternoon and thank you for contacting the CBBT.
 
The CBBT would be happy to shuttle you and your bicycle across this facility upon arrival.  We would like to ask that you notify the CBBT at least 48 hours in advance of your estimated arrival to make the transport arrangements.  Please contact the Operations Division at 757.331.2960 ext. 8940.
 
You will be responsible for your one-way toll of $13.
 
Safe travels!

Connections

Runner turned cyclist

Hi!
Your podcast episodes are my favorite! So informative and enjoyable! I’m a half marathoner turned cyclist, so you’ve inspired this newbie quite a bit! 
I’ve actually jotted down notes from your show for my first tour this past summer (from Santa Barbara to Orange County). Because of you I’ve been inspired to get a folding bike and take it up to the land of sunshine and bunnies (I’m from San Diego). 
Thank you so much for all the great episodes and wonderful interviews, especially the one with Patience. Her IG pics inspire girls like me to get out there and be adventurous!

Best,

Emmy

Getting back in the game

I am actually going through a training period thru the end of the year before I throw my hat in the ring for my own attempt  at a transcontinental ride.  I recently got back into biking using a recumbent trike after many years setting on the side lines.  I first got the urge to do a transcontentental ride when I was in high school a long time ago, before Bicentennial was even around.  Now at 60 years old with partial paralysis in my legs I am seriously making an effort to accomplish this bucket list item.
Jeffrey from Escondido

 

Pedalshift Society

A big thank you to all of the monthly supporters of the show! If you like what you hear, you can help me keep the show listener-supported while expanding the offerings. A buck, two bucks or even 5 helps with the costs of hosting the podcast and the website, plus the  Pedalshift Society allows me to do cool new things I’ll be rolling out in future shows. AND brand new by popular request… one-shot annual support and “choose your own adventure” one shot support if you’re not into the small monthly thing. Check it out and join at pedalshift.net/society. On to the Society!

  • Ethan Georgi
  • Matt Buker
  • Kimberly Wilson
  • Caleb Jenkinson
  • Cameron Lien
  • Andrew MacGregor
  • Michael Hart
  • Johnny K
  • Josiah Matthews
  • Keith Nagel
  • Brock Dittus
  • David Kolb
  • Michael Riscica
  • Seth Krieger
  • Marco Lo
  • Terrance Manson
  • Noah Schroer
  • Harry Telgadas

Thank you for supporting the show!

Music

The Pedalshift Project theme is America courtesy of Jason Kent off his self-titled solo album. Check out his band Sunfields‘ album, Habitat, wherever cool music resides.  I heard Jason’s new album in January and it is AWESOME. More info when that drops!

bicycle-touring-tributes

The Pedalshift Project 059: Bike touring tributes

On this episode we chat with Instagrammer extraordinaire and cross-country bike touring vet, Patience — aka @biker_girl_pay — on overcoming obstacles and turning loss into something better. Bike touring tributes, plus connections and more!

pedalshift-059-bike-touring-as-a-tribute-to-othersHey it’s the direct download link: The Pedalshift Project 059: Bike touring tributes (mp3)

Reach out to the show via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Don’t forget to join the newsletter too.

Have some bike touring or overnight stories to share? Send your pics, audio or a quick tweet – all welcome. Email the show at pedalshift@pedalshift.net or call the lightly-used Pedalshift voicemail line at (202) 930-1109.

Dedication

This episode is dedicated to Shelli Snyder. Many of you have heard she was on a tour from Cleveland to Seattle and was struck from behind by a person driving a vehicle in Montana. She’s in very bad shape, but we’re hearing good news about her recovery. Pedalshift Society members… your monthly contributions are all going to her recovery fund at GoFundMe. If you’re listening to this and would like to help more, check out the GoFundMe page and consider supporting the fund for her recovery.
 
The story hits close to home in particular because Patience, as you’ll hear, met Shelly on her ride. I’m really happy to be able to share her experience with you so we know a little more about Shelli outside of what happened in Montana.

Latest update since recording and as the show goes live: Shelli has been transferred home to Cleveland’s MetroHealth. She’s in good hands, but obviously has a long road to recovery.

The Interview: Bike touring tributes with Patience

patience

Patience, or “Pay” AKA @biker_girl_pay on Instagram and her adventures crossing America — from Seattle to Boston — by bicycle.

  • Your adventure had two main driving forces… a bike touring tribute to a friend you lost last year and doing something big between graduation and “the real world.” What about biking from Seattle to Boston checked those boxes?
  • How did the people in your life react to your trip?
  • Your photos in Instagram were  stunning and helped tell your story so well… what were you using to take the pictures and was there anything you’d recommend to bike tourers on how to up their Instagram game?
  • One of the things that pulled me into your ride was it had some classic bike touring drama… some pretty low parts revealing humanity’s awfulness and high points showing off real generosity. What’s stuck with you more?
  • You had someone you were riding with take your wallet… how does that color trust of fellow riders in the future?
  • Let’s talk about your gear. First of all I saw lots of orange so Pedalshift stamp of approval. What were you riding and what guided your bike and gear choices?
    What one thing did you think you’d use a lot, but ended up sending back or otherwise regretting to bring?
  • What was the thing you think most people don’t take on tour, but you wouldn’t leave home without?
  • People often have trouble adjusting to the end of tours… you also are transitioning from school to work…. and you have a connection to the tragedy of Shelli Snyder from Cleveland who was struck from behind by a person in a vehicle in Montana which has really impacted a lot of us. Any one of these things is tough… how has this triple whammy return to “the real world” gone?
  • Any future tours on the horizon?

Connections

Merit Badge?

PS member and FOTS Ethan Georgi
Just listened to ep 58 with Riscica talking about being homeless while bike touring & it reminded me. Recently on tour someone asked me if I was homeless. Is there a merit badge for that?

Congrats, you win the first Pedalshift Merit Badge! This is the highly coveted, “Dude, really?” badge for those SMH questions you get on tour.

Collect all 44 badges[footnote]this is arbitrary[/footnote] by making one up and emailing pedalshift@pedalshift.net.

Rabbit hole.

FOTS Todd Tillinger 

More on the rolling resistance of tires. This is for touring and e-bikes, but they test other categories as well.

http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/tour-reviews

It’s a nerd’s delight… graphs and data on rolling resistance plotted   against inflation PSI, puncture resistance and more. My head hurts… in a good way!

The Marathon Supremes I roll on get 5/5… I also got some good data-based advice on what pressure is best to roll on. It also confirmed that the puncture resistance is great on the tread but below average on the sides… which we know 😉

Strava + Google Streetview followup

Chatted about Strava heat maps in Ep 056… here’s what PS Society member Cameron Lein on what he does:

What I used to do is look at google maps and try to piece my route together by looking at the overall map and zooming into streetview to see if it is a safe/do-able route. This took some time if I was say headed from western Oregon to eastern Oregon. Now I start by looking at the Strava map and see what route most people are taking. If I look at a section of road and there isn’t any bike traffic then there is usually a good reason for that. 

Glacier Bandits on the GAP

Shares a pic from outside The Crabby Pig in Cumberland…

glacier-bandits-in-cumberland

We can haz evin moar 5 star reviews!!!

Dublavee
Greg Braith
Runner from Evanston

Pedalshift Society

A big thank you to all of the monthly supporters of the show! If you like what you hear, you can help me keep the show listener-supported while expanding the offerings. A buck, two bucks or even 5 helps with the costs of hosting the podcast and the website, plus the  Pedalshift Society allows me to do cool new things I’ll be rolling out in future shows. AND brand new by popular request… one-shot annual support and “choose your own adventure” one shot support if you’re not into the small monthly thing. Check it out and join at pedalshift.net/society. On to the Society!

  • Ethan Georgi
  • Matt Buker
  • Kimberly Wilson
  • Caleb Jenkinson
  • Cameron Lien
  • Andrew MacGregor
  • Michael Hart
  • Johnny K
  • Josiah Matthews
  • Keith Nagel
  • Brock Dittus
  • David Kolb
  • Michael Riscica
  • Seth Krieger
  • Marco Lo
  • Terrance Manson

Thank you for supporting the show!

Music

The Pedalshift Project theme is America courtesy of Jason Kent off his self-titled solo album. Check out his band Sunfields‘ album, Habitat, wherever cool music resides.  I heard Jason’s new album in January and it is AWESOME. More info when that drops!

Bike Touring Gift Guide

The Pedalshift Project 058: Bike touring across America

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 linkThe Pedalshift Project 058: Bike touring across America: The Pedalshift Project 058: Bike touring across America (mp3)

Reach out to the show via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Don’t forget to join the newsletter too.

Have some bike touring or overnight stories to share? Send your pics, audio or a quick tweet – all welcome. Email the show at pedalshift@pedalshift.net or call the lightly-used Pedalshift voicemail line at (202) 930-1109.

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

mr-sidebarMichael 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?

Pedalshift Society

A big thank you to all of the monthly supporters of the show! If you like what you hear, you can help me keep the show listener-supported while expanding the offerings. A buck, two bucks or even 5 helps with the costs of hosting the podcast and the website, plus the  Pedalshift Society allows me to do cool new things I’ll be rolling out in future shows. AND brand new by popular request… one-shot annual support and “choose your own adventure” one shot support if you’re not into the small monthly thing. Check it out and join at pedalshift.net/society. On to the Society!

  • Ethan Georgi
  • Matt Buker
  • Kimberly Wilson
  • Caleb Jenkinson
  • Cameron Lien
  • Andrew MacGregor
  • Michael Hart
  • Johnny K
  • Josiah Matthews
  • Keith Nagel
  • Brock Dittus
  • David Kolb

Thank you for supporting the show!

Music

The Pedalshift Project theme is America courtesy of Jason Kent off his self-titled solo album. Check out his band Sunfields‘ album, Habitat, wherever cool music resides.  I heard Jason’s new album in January and it is AWESOME. More info when that drops!

Pedalshift 057 Bike touring the Oregon coast

The Pedalshift Project 057: Bike touring the Oregon coast and saluting our partners for putting up with us

I may have only been bike touring the Oregon coast last week, but there’s a lot to say about it! On this episode we also cross over with The Sprocket Podcast 315 to celebrate our partners and how they put up with our antics on and off the bike. Plus… a rant in part 2!

Part 1

Part 2

The Pedalshift Project 057: Bike touring the Oregon coast and saluting our partners for putting up with usHey it’s the direct download links: The Pedalshift Project 057: Bike touring the Oregon coast and saluting our partners for putting up with us (Part 1) (mp3)

The Pedalshift Project 057: Bike touring the Oregon coast and saluting our partners for putting up with us (Part 2) (mp3)

Reach out to the show via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Don’t forget to join the newsletter too.

Have some bike touring or overnight stories to share? Send your pics, audio or a quick tweet – all welcome. Email the show at pedalshift@pedalshift.net or call the lightly-used Pedalshift voicemail line at (202) 930-1109.

Part 1

The Interview

Saluting our partners: From The Sprocket Podcast, Adele + Brock and Anna + Aaron and my better half, Kimberly.

Part 2

The Journal: Bike touring the Oregon Coast

  • Tillamook County Transportation: The Wave
  • Pacific City and Webb County campground – H/B rate is $19 but it’s all about location
  • Maybe breaking up with Pelican?
  • Relentlessly Oregon dinner
  • Day 2 ride to Beverley Beach SP
  • Beautiful stretch – nice climb and descent to Lincoln City
  • Lincoln City is great for pancakes but not for riding
  • Beautiful vistas and beach access
  • Tsunamis and Earthquakes – The Really Big One (The New Yorker, July 2015)
  • Beverley Beach campground redeemed: great amenities!
  • Shoutout to Tim from Cinci
  • Short day to South Beach SP begins with ride to Yaquina Head lighthouse
  • Newport
  • South Beach SP – a gem
  • Rogue Brewer’s On the Bay
  • An early wake up
  • Lincoln County bus to Albany and train to PDX

A nearly perfect trip: simple, fun and easy. Didn’t need to push and make miles… Got to linger and savor the central coast. Feeling like a full coast trip with transit aided FF return is in the cards next time.

Thanks to everyone for joining for Pedalshift AM – it was a fun experiment to do some live shots on tour. May do some more with that in the future… Go check them out on Facebook!

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 7: Oregon Coast will be available soon in Pedalshift Plus! If you got to listen along with the quasi-live feed and want to hear any previous volumes, check them out in the Pedalshift Plus archives – it all goes to supporting the show!

The Pedalshift Project 057: Bike touring the Oregon coast and saluting our partners for putting up with us

Pics from the trip

The Rant

Seriously, WTF people. Thank you Kevin MacLeod for the Pedalshift rant theme. Again. [footnote]For the curious and, perhaps more importantly, to fully comply with my Creative Commons obligations… the title is Adventure Meme and it’s licensed under CC Attribution 3.0.[/footnote]

Pedalshift Society

A big thank you to all of the monthly supporters of the show! If you like what you hear, you can help me keep the show listener-supported while expanding the offerings. A buck, two bucks or even 5 helps with the costs of hosting the podcast and the website, plus the  Pedalshift Society allows me to do cool new things I’ll be rolling out in future shows. Check it out and join at pedalshift.net/society.

If you’re interested in one-shot support, consider something over at Pedalshift Plus and get something cool in return! If the Oregon coast talk is interesting, consider Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 1 my epic Pacific Coast tour with multiple daily podcasts chronicling my ride in 2014. You can get that at Pedalshift Plus. On to the Society!

  • Ethan Georgi
  • Matt Buker
  • Kimberly Wilson
  • Caleb Jenkinson
  • Cameron Lien
  • Andrew MacGregor
  • Michael Hart
  • Johnny K
  • Josiah Matthews
  • Keith Nagel
  • Brock Dittus
  • David Kolb

Thank you for supporting the show!

Music

The Pedalshift Project theme is America courtesy of Jason Kent off his self-titled solo album. Check out his band Sunfields‘ album, Habitat, wherever cool music resides.  I heard Jason’s new album in January and it is AWESOME. More info when that drops!