Tag: new york

April 18, 2024

The Pedalshift Project 360: Mindfulness and Bicycle Travel

When we talk about mindfulness in bicycle travel, we mean paying close attention to our experiences and feelings while we are biking. Sometimes this is a natural thing to do and doesn’t require any added thought, and sometimes it’s helpful to be intentional about it because it can often enhance your travel. On this edition, we talk about how bicycling can be a mindfulness practice.

The Pedalshift Project 360: Mindfulness and Bicycle Travel

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Mindfulness and Bicycle Travel

1. Introduction to Mindfulness in Bicycle Travel

Definition of mindfulness in the context of biking
Importance of being present and enjoying each moment of the ride
Concepts of self-awareness and non-judgmental observation
Benefits of mindfulness for enhancing the enjoyment of bike trips

2. Mindful Preparation and Planning

The role of careful planning and setting intentions for bike trips
Choosing routes and destinations mindfully
How mindful planning enhances connection to the adventure

3. Experiencing Joy While Riding

The practice of being present during bike rides
Techniques for staying mindful, like deep breathing and sensory attention
Examples of joyful moments experienced by other cyclists

4. Mindful Encounters with Nature and Culture

Opportunities for connecting with nature and local communities during rides
Importance of openness and curiosity in these encounters

5. Overcoming Challenges with Mindfulness

Facing physical and environmental challenges during bike trips
Using mindfulness to manage difficult situations calmly
Stories of cyclists who overcame obstacles through mindfulness

6. Featured Stories

Story 1: The Hill and the Hawk
Story 2: Raindrops and Revelations
Story 3: The Sunset Cycle

As always we like to close out the show with a special shoutout to the Pedalshift Society! Because of support from listeners like you, Pedalshift is a weekly bicycle touring podcast with a global community, expanding into live shows and covering new tours like this summer’s upcoming bike tour! If you like what you hear, you can support the show for 5 bucks, 2 bucks or even a buck a month. And there’s one-shot and annual options if you’re not into the small monthly thing. Check it all out at pedalshift.net/society.

Kimberly Wilson
Caleb Jenkinson
Cameron Lien
Andrew MacGregor
Michael Hart
Keith Nagel
Brock Dittus
Thomas Skadow
Marco Lo
Terrance Manson
Harry Telgadas
Chris Barron
Mark Van Raam
Brad Hipwell
Mr. T
Nathan Poulton
Stephen Dickerson
Vince LoGreco
Cody Floerchinger
Tom Benenati
Greg Braithwaite
Sandy Pizzio
Jeff Muster
Seth Pollack
Joseph Quinn
Drue Porter
Byron Paterson
Joachim Raber
Ray Jackson
Jeff Frey
Kenny Mikey
Lisa Hart
John Denkler
Steve Hankel
Miguel Quinones
Alejandro Avilés-Reyes
Keith Spangler
Greg Towner
Dan Gebhart, RIP
Jody Dzuranin
Lucas Barwick
Michael Baker
Brian Bechtol
Reinhart Bigl
Greg Middlemis
Connie Moore
William Gothmann
Brian Benton
Joan Churchill
Mike Bender
Rick Weinberg
Billy Crafton
Gary Matushak
Greg L’Etoile-Lopes
James Sloan
Jonathan Dillard
John Funk
Tom Bilcze
Ronald Piroli
Dave Roll
Brian Hafner
Misha LeBlanc
Ari Messinger
David Gratke
Todd Groesbeck
Wally Estrella
Sue Reinert
John Leko
Stephen Granata
Phillip Mueller
Robert Lackey
Dominic Carol
Jacqi McCulloch
John Hickman
Carl Presseault
David Neves
Patty Louise
Terry Fitzgerald
Peter Steinmetz
Timothy Fitzpatrick
Michael Liszewski
Hank O’Donnell
David Zanoni
David Weil
Matthew Sponseller
Chad Reno
Spartan Dale
Carolyn Ferguson
Peggy Littlefield
Lauren Allansmith
Eric Burns
Thomas Pearl
Darrin McKibben
Richard Stewart
Dave Fletcher
Jack Smith
Luke Parkinson
Ryan Patterson
Cyrus Farivar
John Gardiner
Sam Scruggs

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Jason has a new solo album available NOW. Go listen to COMMON TONGUES wherever cool music is available!

April 11, 2024

The Pedalshift Project 359: Urban Bike Touring

So much of our bike travel is out on the open road, or along some back country trail. But what about the cities? On this edition, we talk about how to make cities and suburban riding a fun and enjoyable part of your next urban bike tour!

The Pedalshift Project 359: Urban Bike Touring

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 358: The eBike Build Update.

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Urban Bike Touring

Planning Your Urban Adventure

– route planning in urban areas.

– researching bike-friendly cities and regions.

– know the area and any rules of paths

Choosing the Right Bike and Gear

– bike and gear choices for urban touring.

– have a flexible setup

– Gear recommendations – locks, lights, and bags

Navigating Cities and Suburbs

– Tips for navigating city streets safely and confidently.

– Discuss bike lanes, bike-sharing programs, and public transportation integration.

– Strategies for dealing with traffic and busy intersections.

Finding Accommodations

– Roofed vs unroofed

-hotels, hostels, rentals, camping.

– Plan ahead vs. staying flexible

Immerse Yourself

– Highlight the unique cultural experiences that urban touring offers.

– Suggestions for exploring local cuisine, art, and events.

– Best experiences – NYC, Tampa, SF, LA, San Diego

Challenges

– theft concerns and bike security.

– “bad parts of the city” may be real or may be reverse hype

– comfort over all else

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Jason has a new solo album available NOW. Go listen to COMMON TONGUES wherever cool music is available!

January 25, 2024

The Pedalshift Project 351: Building an eBike

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?

The Pedalshift Project 351: Building an eBike

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 345: eBike Adventures with Biking Brian.

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Building an eBike

The Ebike Build Plan Overview

– Intentions and possibilities for the ebike build, including cost considerations and potential delays.

Inspiration and Goals for the Custom Ebike

– Aim for a custom battery build to cover more ground in less time, inspired by Biking Brian’s rig.

Bicycle Selection Criteria

– Choosing a durable and compatible frame, with considerations for material (steel vs. aluminum) and geometry.

Mid Drive Motor Choice

– The importance of selecting an efficient mid-drive motor, focusing on power output and brand reliability.

Custom Battery Build Exploration

– Options for a custom battery build, prioritizing safety and capacity, and the possibility of a prebuilt battery.

Roadmap and Next Steps for the Ebike Project

– The complex process and interdependencies among bicycle selection, motor choice, and battery build.

Listener Engagement and Feedback

– Encouraging listener experiences and advice on ebike builds.

Programming Note!

– Preview of future episodes, including bike tour previews and training for a first bike tour.

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Jason has a new solo album available NOW. Go listen to COMMON TONGUES wherever cool music is available!

November 30, 2023

The Pedalshift Project 345: eBike Adventures with Biking Brian

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.

The Pedalshift Project 345: eBike Adventures with Biking Brian

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eBike Adventures with Biking Brian

Brian’s eBike touring experience
Brian’s charger and battery pack
Brian’s background and early bicycling experience
Building eBikes and battery packs
The ease of installing eBike components
Potential future eBike tour routes
The challenges of finding charging spots during the day
The availability of online videos for guidance in installing eBike components
The future of eBike touring and its potential popularity
The complexity and process of building eBikes and battery pack
Future adventures

Watch this conversation

Biking Brian on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@bikingbrian
Brian’s Indiana to Boston ride route – https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43237806

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Jason has a new solo album available NOW. Go listen to COMMON TONGUES wherever cool music is available!

April 28, 2023

The Pedalshift Project 321: Bicycle Adventuring on the East Coast Greenway

Despite living on the east coast, we spend a whole heck of a lot of attention on bicycle adventures on the west coast, right? Well, it’s time we changed that! On this episode, we chat with Regina Yan about the East Coast Greenway, her epic trip and how she and the East Coast Greenway Alliance is making this route a contender for all of our future cycling adventures!

The Pedalshift Project 321: Bicycle Adventuring on the East Coast Greenway

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Bicycle Adventuring on the East Coast Greenway

Hey, want to watch an actual video of us talking? Check it out!

Regina Yan is a UX designer and artist based in Washington DC. She grew up in Kansas and was a very “indoorsy” child, but fell in love with the outdoors after going to school in New Hampshire. When the pandemic hit, she got into cycling and immediately fell loved the way biking expanded her world. So much so, in the fall of 2021, kind of on a whim decided to try biking the East Coast Greenway from ME to Key West, FL completing the 3,000 miles trip in an intensely compact 29 days, experiencing all the ups and downs of a bike touring lifestyle.

Regina Yan

What made you to choose the ECG for your trip over another route?

You described it as response to a “quarter life crisis” – did the ride help that or prompt more introspection on where you’re at in life?

Your film did a great job of sharing the lows as much as the highs… sometimes when I look back on lows of my tours, I look back on them more as the “type 2 fun” we all talk about in the bike travel community. How do you assess your lows now – any one stand out?

With such an aggressive schedule, the mechanicals you had were extra disruptive but you still persevered! Did you have any takeaways from them for future tours?

One small part of your film that stuck with me was learning how to eat on tour, watching you pull what looked like frosted shredded wheat from a baggy… was that one of the solutions for you? What did you learn as you rode about all of this?

What bike did you ride and outside of the mechanicals did you like how it performed? Considering any changes to gearing or anything like that?

Do you have another long distance trip in mind?

You’re now a board trustee for the ECG Alliance, which lets me put on my nonprofit lawyer hat for once on this pod… what’s your experience been like serving in that role and what’s the organization aiming at in the short and long term to support the Greenway?

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Jason has a new track available NOW, and a new album dropping very soon AND Jason’s first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen!

December 29, 2022

The Pedalshift Project 308: 2022 Holiday Spectacular

This has been a fantastic year for bicycle travel, and so the holiday spectacular is here once again to wrap up the top episodes, take a look back on all of the tours and adventures and assess each and every goal I set for myself for 2022. Happy New Year!

The Pedalshift Project 308: 2022 Holiday Spectacular

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2022 Holiday Spectacular

Top Episodes

292: Touring Bike Essentials

290: Beginner Mistakes

295: Making Your Tent Stealthier

294: Minimalist Packing for a Credit Card Tour

280: The Missing Link – Part 1

286: Bicycling New York City

288: A Late Start on the C&O

Best of Pedalshift 099: Bicycle Tour Food

297: Empire State Trail Preview

A look back on the tours

Florida

California

C&O

New York

A look back on my 2022 goals

At least one new-to-me route

Check – not fully new, but hit new sections of SoCal and NYS

Fitness: lose the 2021 weight and keep it off

Nope. Full fail.

Revisit a route (or portion of one) I’ve only done once

Check!

Think about a remote work-tour option (work-ride-work-ride… something else?)

Partial credit. I did think about this, but touring options were limited this year.

Continue to improve my stealth camping skills

Partial credit. I put a lot of thought and improved my gear, but didn’t pull off the stealth camping I wanted to this year.

Repair or replace worn gear

Check! Replaced a number of worn and not repairable things like sleeping pad, duffel bag and more.

Organize bike touring equipment and improve storage

Check! Reorg of my cabin storage this week at the cabin and that will flow into the stuff I keep in DC.

Episode 300/Millionth download celebration

Check! We did the live show and properly celebrated together for the millionth DL.

Music

December 22, 2022

The Pedalshift Project 307: Empire State Trail – Day 7 + Takeaways

Looming storms, transportation question marks, and some subtle messages from a ligament in my knee all pointed to one thing… this phase of the tour was coming to a conclusion. But one more bit of adventure awaited to share with you. Plus, takeaways!

The Pedalshift Project 307: Empire State Trail - Day 7 + Takeaways

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Empire State Trail – Day 7

Statistics

Miles biked 8

Airports traversed 2 (including returning the car)

Minutes of ride recorded 0

Flats 0

Takeaways

1 – The Empire State Trail is truly one of the great routes in the US.

2 – Thank you local bike shops for swooping in to save the day

3 – Thank you trail towns that provide such great amenities

4 – Airports… I continue to love riding to or from them directly!

5 – I hate calling tours early, but I’m so glad I get to ride what I can

6 – When you deviate from routes, make sure to pay attention to what side of rivers you ride and where you’re going to (relying on bridges)

7 – Keep your electronics dry even if they can get a little wet

8 – Find your edge

Music

December 15, 2022

The Pedalshift Project 306: Empire State Trail – Day 6 – Part 2

Continuing the journey to Troy, NY and the completion of the Erie Canal portion of the Empire State Trail… the hills of the capital region of NY kick in, but the finish line beckons with a roof and a dry overnight.

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 306: Empire State Trail – Day 6 – Part 2 (mp3).

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Empire State Trail – Day 6

Audio update for day 6… my phone was still recovering from its dousing on days 4 and 5, so audio quality takes a hit late in the day 6 shows. Howly winds in some segments but totally listenable if not up to snuff by my usual standards!

Statistics

Miles biked 66.9 miles

Steepest climb 9.6%

Steepest descent -16.5%

Unnecessary flashy lights pointed at my eyes 5

Canal trails completed 1

Flats zero

Music

December 8, 2022

The Pedalshift Project 305: Empire State Trail – Day 6 – Part 1

Day 6 finally brought some dry sunny weather, and some new-to-me portions of the trail. In part one, we say farewell to Fort Plain’s peacock and try to avoid getting lost in Canajoharie on the way to Troy.

The Pedalshift Project 305: Empire State Trail - Day 6 - Part 1

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 304: Empire State Trail – Day 6 – Part 1 (mp3).

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Quick sidebar before we get started on Day 6… for those of you who listened to last week’s best of regarding the Eastern Express, Frank’s website is indeed retired so his old cue sheets are only out there if you downloaded them back in the day. His route is a combination of current ACA routes and FOTS Preston Paige Piper checked in with the ACA for the details:

In order to ride Frank Moritz’ original entire Eastern Express Route, you’ll have to use a combination of our TransAmerica Trail, Eastern Express Connector, and Chicago to New York City routes. The combo of these 3 routes follow Frank’s original route with a few deviations that we decided to make when we took over the route.

The deviations are likely for the better… as Frank mentioned in our chat the route was a beta and he got a bunch of local help tweaking it, and now ACA has it in their system and updates as conditions warrant.

Empire State Trail – Day 6

Audio update for day 6… my phone was still recovering from its dousing on days 4 and 5, so audio quality takes a hit late in this show (part 1) and early in next week’s part 2. Howly winds in some segments but totally listenable if not up to snuff by my usual standards!

Statistics
Coming next episode

Music

November 24, 2022

The Pedalshift Project 304: Empire State Trail – Day 5 – Part 2

Day 5 was supposed to be the chill easy day… no long miles, no massive rain storms. Or at least that’s what I thought. A special holiday week in the US deserves a holiday two-parter for our fifth day of the Empire State Trail. This is Part 2 – Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The Pedalshift Project 304: Empire State Trail - Day 5 - Part 2

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 304: Empire State Trail – Day 5 – Part 2 (mp3).

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Empire State Trail – Day 5

Programming note… we have a fantastic best of next week featuring a chat with Frank Moritz on his original Eastern Express route he built five years ago that is now a full fledged Adventure Cycling Association route (the Eastern Express Connector). A week or so ago they gave him a shout out on their Twitter feed, so I thought it’s a good time to revisit our conversation… check that out next week.

ALSO… I’m looking for audience participation for this year’s Pedalshift End of the Year Holiday Spectacular awards program. This year we have a listener’s choice for best episode – email your choice of any episode from 269-306 before Midnight eastern time December 25th – pedalshift@pedalshift.net!

The wet phone situation from Day 4 makes for some less than stellar audio at times here and there… all still listenable but if you think it sounds like I’m talking inside a wet paper bag sometimes, it is not just you.

Statistics

Miles Biked – 63.5

Maximum Grade 5.4%

Max speed 24.9mph!

Calories burned 2467

Calories consumed like 4000

Loose exotic bird encounters 1

Flats 0

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Mindfulness and Bicycle Travel

Music

Urban Bike Touring

Planning Your Urban Adventure

Choosing the Right Bike and Gear

Navigating Cities and Suburbs

Finding Accommodations

Immerse Yourself

Challenges

Music

Building an eBike

Music

eBike Adventures with Biking Brian

Watch this conversation

Music

Bicycle Adventuring on the East Coast Greenway

Music

2022 Holiday Spectacular

Music

Bike tour consulting – 1 hour

Bike tour consulting – 4 pack

Pedalshift Society – $29 one-shot

Pedalshift Society – $59 one-shot

Pedalshift Society – Choose Your Own Adventure

Pedalshift Tour Journals Bundle (2014-2016)

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 1: Pacific Coast

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 2: DC to Pittsburgh / C&O & GAP

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 3: New York State/Erie Canal

Empire State Trail – Day 7

Music

Bike tour consulting – 1 hour

Bike tour consulting – 4 pack

Pedalshift Society – $29 one-shot

Pedalshift Society – $59 one-shot

Pedalshift Society – Choose Your Own Adventure

Pedalshift Tour Journals Bundle (2014-2016)

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 1: Pacific Coast

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 2: DC to Pittsburgh / C&O & GAP

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 3: New York State/Erie Canal

Empire State Trail – Day 6

Music

Bike tour consulting – 1 hour

Bike tour consulting – 4 pack

Pedalshift Society – $29 one-shot

Pedalshift Society – $59 one-shot

Pedalshift Society – Choose Your Own Adventure

Pedalshift Tour Journals Bundle (2014-2016)

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 1: Pacific Coast

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 2: DC to Pittsburgh / C&O & GAP

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 3: New York State/Erie Canal

Empire State Trail – Day 6

Music

Bike tour consulting – 1 hour

Bike tour consulting – 4 pack

Pedalshift Society – $29 one-shot

Pedalshift Society – $59 one-shot

Pedalshift Society – Choose Your Own Adventure

Pedalshift Tour Journals Bundle (2014-2016)

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 1: Pacific Coast

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 2: DC to Pittsburgh / C&O & GAP

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 3: New York State/Erie Canal

Empire State Trail – Day 5

Music

Bike tour consulting – 1 hour

Bike tour consulting – 4 pack

Pedalshift Society – $29 one-shot

Pedalshift Society – $59 one-shot

Pedalshift Society – Choose Your Own Adventure

Pedalshift Tour Journals Bundle (2014-2016)

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 1: Pacific Coast

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 2: DC to Pittsburgh / C&O & GAP

Pedalshift Tour Journals Vol. 3: New York State/Erie Canal