The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures

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

Day two on the Oregon Coast Trail takes us south from Nehalem Bay for a day dominated by beach walking, a tiny boat crossing, unexpected rain, relentless headwinds and the discovery that not all sand is created equal. What initially looks like an easier day turns into nearly 11 challenging miles, and convincing proof that MJ and I might actually be backpackers after all.

My Tent is Not Viable!

Because this pod has become all Oregon Coast all the time (and no, spoiler… more to come) I have to share yet another special creation. Newly minted Pedalshift listener and merch designer Simone was so moved by the Brock and Tim Sprocketshift disaster of night 1 that she created a special design just for the two of us… yes, my tent is not viable has now been memorialized on an ornament. But you have to see it in the shownotes at pedalshift.net. It features the classic line and… because of course… a flooded tent. Plus the new Pedalshift logo, which you might get to see soon on other things! COMING SOON. Super excited to show you what we've been working on! Go check out the special edition my tent is not viable design and more Simone's designs at her Etsy shop… link in the shownotes!

Live Show!

Friday September 11th, 5pm PT - 8pm ET

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 at the site.

Oregon Coast Trail – Part 2

• Breaking camp at Nehalem Bay State Park after a less-than-restful first night.
• The day's route comes with an unusual Oregon Coast Trail feature: a small boat crossing of the Nehalem River.
• Hiking out the Nehalem Bay spit rather than road walking Highway 101 or relying on another bus.
• A $10, on-demand boat ride that you essentially hail like a water taxi. Naturally, Tim is delighted.
• Early beach walking into a surprisingly strong south wind—and the realization that hiking into a headwind can be plenty annoying too.
• Overcast, cool Oregon Coast weather turns out to be pretty much perfect hiking weather for Tim and James.
• Then the rain finally arrives.
• Rain gear gets its first legitimate test as wind, rain and cold hands briefly turn the morning into some genuine Type 2 fun.
• Reaching the mouth of the Nehalem River, where ocean waves, river current and fishing boats all converge.
• Calling for the boat and crossing the Nehalem River to continue south.
• Boat-crossing soundscapes, fishing stories and a little local wildlife discussion along the way.
• An unexpected rail walk after the crossing, followed by some improvised navigation back toward the beach.
• The terminology of the trip is established: good sand is firm and easy to walk on; bad sand is soft, energy-sucking nonsense.
• Continuing south toward Rockaway Beach with sea stacks appearing down the coast.
• Sustained headwinds approaching 20 mph turn what should have been a helpful prevailing wind into an all-day adversary.
• Rockaway Beach provides a badly needed break from the wind—and Indian food for the day's big meal.
• Back into full rain gear for the final push toward Barview Jetty.
• Headwinds + rain + bad sand = a surprisingly demanding backpacking day.
• Despite the conditions, Tim and James finish just shy of 11 miles.
• Another successful test for the new backpacking gear, including Tim's Hyperlite Southwest 40.
• Arriving at Barview Jetty Campground thoroughly cooked and very ready for dry clothes and tents.
• The campsite itself gets mixed reviews, particularly when Tim discovers that "level tent site" is apparently more of an aspirational concept.
• Day two verdict: challenging, fun and another successful proof of concept.
• Bigger conclusion: Tim and James may officially be backpackers again—and longer trips suddenly seem entirely plausible.

Statistics

• Miles hiked 11
• Nehalem Rivers crossed by boat 1
• Prevailing tailwinds received: 0
• Headwinds: Yes
• Sand varieties identified 2
• Indian food recs in Rockaway Beach 1
• Campground rating: 7
• Flats: N/A

The Oregon Coast Trail backpacking adventure officially begins! Mysterious James and I head for the Oregon Coast expecting a roughly 10-mile first day over Neahkahnie Mountain. Naturally, the adventure starts with us watching our connecting bus leave without us. Is the entire trip scuttled before we even begin?

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.

• Portland to Tillamook goes exactly according to plan. This will not last.
• A confusing route-number change leads to Tim and James missing their northbound connection while essentially standing next to it.
• With Uber, Lyft and other escape routes unavailable, it's time for Plan B.
• A few bonus hours in Tillamook include an unexpectedly excellent visit to the Tillamook County Public Library.
• The revised plan: take the later bus to Manzanita, establish a base there and turn the day's planned hike into an out-and-back toward Neahkahnie Mountain.
• First impressions of experiencing familiar Oregon Coast territory on foot instead of from a bicycle.
• The backpacking finally begins with a walk along the beach at Manzanita.
• Important navigational discovery: if the Pacific Ocean is on your left, you're probably walking north.
• Firm beach sand: surprisingly excellent walking. Soft beach sand: considerably less excellent.
• Heading inland and uphill on the Headwaters Trail toward Neahkahnie Mountain.
• About 3.5 miles of continuous climbing provides the first real test of the new packs and gear.
• Early verdict: the pack weights feel completely manageable for the planned 7–10 mile days.
• Tim and James discover that humid-weather backpacking may not be part of their future long-distance hiking careers.
• The shortened route still delivers nearly everything they wanted from the original day: climbing, forest trails, beach walking and plenty of mileage.
• Back in Manzanita for the most important part of any successful hiking itinerary: pizza and beer.
• A surprising amount of actual bike content, with multiple loaded touring cyclists spotted along the coast.
• The final walk to Nehalem Bay State Park is longer than expected, pushing the day's total close to nine miles.
• First impressions of the Nehalem Bay hiker-biker campsite, including lockers, charging and bike repair facilities.
• The new tent gets its first setup and the backpacking gear earns high marks.
• Day one verdict: despite immediately borking the original plan, the Oregon Coast Trail experiment is a success.
• Next up: more beach walking, changing weather and Day 2 on the Oregon Coast Trail.

• Miles hiked 9
• Missed buses: 1
• Loaded bicycle tourists spotted: 7
• Plans successfully improvised: 1
• Days of rain on the Oregon coast we did not expect 1
• Flats N/A

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. Originally podcast November 30, 2023.

Welcome to a different kind of Pedalshift adventure. For the first time, we're leaving the bikes behind and heading out on foot for a three-day section hike of the Oregon Coast Trail. Along with returning friend of the show and legendary 5-timer Mysterious James, I'm testing new ultralight gear, revisiting familiar terrain at walking speed, and exploring whether slowing down even more changes the way we experience a place we've ridden through so many times. It's a little experimental, a little ambitious, and very much in the spirit of adventure.

• A first for Pedalshift: backpacking instead of bikepacking.
• Joined by returning guest James for a three-day Oregon Coast Trail adventure.
• Transit-powered trip: Portland → Tillamook → north coast by bus before hiking south.
• Revisiting familiar Pacific Coast territory from an entirely different perspective.
• Can walking reveal things even bike travel misses?
• Route highlights include:
  • Neahkahnie Mountain
  • Manzanita
  • Nehalem Bay State Park
  • Beach hiking along the Oregon Coast Trail
• Planning roughly 10-mile hiking days with hiker-biker and county campground overnights.
• Weather forecast calls for classic Oregon Coast uncertainty, with rain possible after a dry first day.
• New ultralight gear gets its first real test:
  • Hyperlite 40L backpack
  • Big Agnes Copper Spur Bikepacking tent
  • Carbon fiber trekking poles
• Thoughts on balancing premium gear with the long-held Pedalshift philosophy that the best gear is the gear that gets you outside.
• Pack weight comes in around 18 pounds, with room for future refinement.
• Trail food strategy includes hot coffee, plenty of snack bars… and James carrying enough bananas for what appears to be a small primate sanctuary.
• Why this trip fits the evolving vision of Pedalshift: adventures adjacent to bicycling that still embrace human-powered exploration.