The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures

Continuing the UK adventure, we spend a day exploring Bristol, England, on foot, following a trail of original artwork by the legendary street artist Banksy. From politically charged murals to hidden neighborhood gems, this walking tour turns into one of my favorite days of the entire trip. Along the way, we discover Bristol's neighborhoods, record shops, cafés, and waterfront, with a little music history and an unexpected ferry ride thrown in for good measure.

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!

A Great Start to the Day

• Jet lag update: Still zero! The light exposure and sleep strategy continue to work.
• Breakfast at The Bristolian, featuring an enormous meal, excellent eggs, and the joys of baked beans.
• The day's plan: Find Banksy artwork, explore record shops, and experience Bristol beyond the usual tourist attractions.
• An evening concert featuring Michael Shannon, Jason Narducy, and friends performing R.E.M.'s Life's Rich Pageant.

The Banksy Walking Tour

Using the GPSmyCity walking tour as a guide, we explore some of Bristol's most famous pieces of street art.

1. The Mild West – Stokes Croft
   • My first original Banksy!
   • A teddy bear throwing a Molotov cocktail at riot police.
   • A commentary on police crackdowns and Bristol's counterculture.
   • Exploring Stokes Croft, a neighborhood reminiscent of Adams Morgan, Hawthorne, and Capitol Hill.
2. Rose on a Mousetrap
   • A small, intimate piece tucked into a residential neighborhood.
   • Local residents pooled their money to protect the artwork behind glass.
   • A conversation with a neighbor and an unexpectedly moving encounter with street art.
   • One of the highlights of the entire day.
3. Queen Ziggy
   • Queen Elizabeth II meets David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust.
   • Created during the 2012 Diamond Jubilee.
   • A playful mashup of monarchy, celebrity, and pop culture.
   • A particular favorite for this Bowie fan.
4. The Well-Hung Lover
   • A famous mural depicting a man hanging from a window ledge.
   • Connections to Bristol's music scene and Massive Attack.
   • The story of how the artwork survived efforts to crack down on graffiti.
   • Reflections on vandalism, public art, and whether street art is ever truly finished.
5. Paint Pot Angel – Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
   • A sculpture from Banksy's 2009 museum exhibition.
   • A classical angel statue covered in dripping pink paint.
   • Getting remarkably close to an original Banksy.
   • An amusingly underwhelming museum gift shop.
6. Girl with a Pierced Eardrum
   • Banksy's take on Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring.
   • A surveillance alarm takes the place of the famous pearl.
   • Commentary on surveillance and the evolving nature of street art.
   • Additional graffiti, including a Wu-Tang Clan reference.

Exploring Bristol Along the Way

• Discovering the city's surprisingly steep hills and distinctive neighborhoods.
• Record shops, coffee stops, and other street art.
• Bristol's musical heritage, including Massive Attack and Tricky.
• Missing a Tricky performance at the Forwards festival by just a few days.
• A delightful £1.30 pedestrian ferry crossing.
• Colorful houses and a scenic walk along Bristol's waterfront.

Wrapping Up

• Why a themed walking adventure is such a great way to discover an unfamiliar city.
• Reflections on street art, public spaces, and the relationship between art and its surroundings.
• Looking ahead to an R.E.M.-themed concert aboard a decommissioned boat.
• One more ferry ride, complete with a little waterfront soundscape.

Resources

• Banksy Walking Tour: GPSmyCity – Bristol walking tours
• Bristol Museum and Art Gallery: Home of Banksy's Paint Pot Angel
• Banksy Documentary: Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)
• Music: Massive Attack, Tricky, and R.E.M.'s Life's Rich Pageant

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.

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!

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.

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!

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!

• 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

• 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.

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!

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

• 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