Month: February 2021

The Pedalshift Project 234: Route Scouting II: Attack of PA Route S

Hey, it’s still winter… so with snow on the ground and actual touring on hiatus for at least a few more weeks, why don’t we continue scouting Pennsylvania Route S? On this episode, the second edition for four, we hit the road and scout the second day of the ride to New York between Chambersburg and York.


The Pedalshift Project 234: Route Scouting II - Attack of PA Route S

Hey it’s the direct download link for  The Pedalshift Project 234: Route Scouting II: Attack of PA Route S (mp3).

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSSiTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – StitcherTuneIn – IHeartRadio – Spotify

Reach out to the show via email, Twitter 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

Housekeeping

Hey, new music!

Brock Dittus – Most Important Thing

Sunfields new album Late Bloomers drops 3/12 and the first track – Got Some (But it Ain’t Enough)  is available now…

Scouting Pennsylvania bike route S

  • Part of the route mentioned in Pedalshift 228 
  • Be sure to check out Part 1 from Pedalshift 230 (Episode I: The Phantom Bike Route).
  • We’ll be scouting this route through the next several episodes… some surprises and a lot of insights

Click the map for the PDF… then click on those numbers for links to detailed sections. Source: PA DOT

Penn Bike Route S

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 spring’s DC to Cincinnatti 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
Scott Angelo
Chad Reno
Daniel Gregor
Spartan Dale

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields has a new album in 2021, AND Jason has a new solo album in 2021, AND his first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen!

The post The Pedalshift Project 234: Route Scouting II: Attack of PA Route S appeared first on Pedalshift.

The Pedalshift Project 233: Rando Pannier Full of Followups and More

You know how a few days into a tour you have a pannier full of rando things in no particular order? Welcome to the 233rd edition of the pod, then! Odds and ends, followups and a Black History Month recommendation with a bike touring twist!


The Pedalshift Project 233: Rando Pannier Full of Followups and More

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 233: Rando Pannier Full of Followups and More (mp3).

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSSiTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – StitcherTuneIn – IHeartRadio – Spotify

Reach out to the show via email, Twitter 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 All Rando Pannier Episode

Odds and ends on my mind, inbcluding follow ups and a suggestion for some Black History month learning with a bike touring twist.

Followup on closures and detours

Hey, Whites Ferry has a chance after all! New owner of the ferry is negotiating with the VA landowners. 
 
Other C&O closure… Paw Paw tunnel is closed (sort of) until next year. I have thoughts. 
 
Highway 1 – road is still closed but CalTrans is on it but there’s no timeline.
 

Followup on bikepacking setup

FOTS Reinhart Bigl… how about replace that fork with a new one with proper brazons and get those fork cages?
 

Followup on the route scouting trip

FOTS Todd Grossbeck brings some knowledge!
 
short rail trail through Chambersburg that you can pick up before you get into downtown Chambersburg (confirmed!)
There are a fair amount of Amish folks on bikes north of Chambersburg, so people expect to see a bicycle on Rt 11.
30 east out of Chambersburg is as rough as I thought it was.  The shoulder appears again one town over in Fayetteville and there is a campground in Caledonia state park (right off of 30), and the park is beautiful.
 
RockWilliam2 does the same…
 
I just listened to your podcast about your DC to NY trip. I live in Mont Alto, Pennsylvania and frequently bike on both route 11 and route 30. I’m sure you have seen this, but if not Maryland 63 might be a “less traveled” route that would still support bikes. By using this you could go from Williamsport MD and connect with route 11 outside of Greencastle PA. This route is mostly rural and avoids riding through the center of Hagerstown.
 
Good luck! Let me know if you need anything when you are up this way!
 

Little Clown Bike love

Aloha Tim, 
Have enjoyed your show and tales of adventure for a few years- especially the fables and foibles of your Brompton upgrades and travels.  I ride a Bike Friday as far as I can…2020 limited me to an island in the pacific. 
Thought you may like to read of a couple that rode from Greenwich and back on their folders!  Great pictures too!   Don’t let anyone say a Brompton  can’t compete with the big wheelers! 
 
Aloha,
Scott Gilbert

Some Black History Month watching and reading

 
The 25th Infantry’s bicycle trip from Missoula, Montana, to St. Louis, Missouri in 1897. 2000 miles on steel tires, averaging about 60 miles per day! The Black infantry was “volunteered” to test a theory that the bicycle would replace the horse in transporting men for the army. Fascinating look at the amazing feat these Black soldiers accomplished, despite the obstacles.
 
Bicycle Corps: America’s Black Army on Wheels (PBS)
 
 

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 spring’s DC to Cincinnatti 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
Scott Angelo
Chad Reno

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields has a new album in 2021, AND Jason has a new solo album in 2021, AND his first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen!

The post The Pedalshift Project 233: Rando Pannier Full of Followups and More appeared first on Pedalshift.

The Pedalshift Project 232: Handling Bike Route Detours & Closures

Detours and closures are a part of bike touring, but how do you handle it? On this edition, five things to think about on how to handle bike route detours and closures without losing your cool.


Pedalshift Project 232: Handling Bike Route Detours & Closures

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 232: Handling Bike Route Detours & Closures(mp3).

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSSiTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – StitcherTuneIn – IHeartRadio – Spotify

Reach out to the show via email, Twitter 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.

Handling Bike Route Detours & Closures

Me in the trees in 2016 just south of the outage, then the 2021 outage:

trees off CA Hwy 1
CA Hwy 1 outage

  • The C&O will sometimes have issues (MM52 washout, Big Slackwater)
  • My experience on the OTET near Akron (unannounced detour)
  • This is common. What’s the best bet?

1 – Attitude
Routes are not sacrosanct. They are also subject to evolution, so don’t go into any tour with the feeling that it’s ruined if you can’t roll every single inch the way it’s been done in the past.

2- Your ride is the experience, not the map
Folks who through hike major trails deal with stuff like this all the time. Even if the route deviates from past years, one still is hiking the AT. Fires, floods, etc. make the trail a dynamic thing… think of it that way for bicycle touring too

3 – To prep or not
This gets into philosophies… I prep, others ride what the road gives them. Neither is superior… a preparer may know what the options are ahead of any issue, but a ride what the road gives you type may be more mentally prepared for outages. Embrace who you are!

4 – Ask locals
There may be far better options than what you can tell from a map. Ask folks in the area… you may be surprised at the outcome (better route than you planned… an offer for a fast forward around the outage, etc.)

5 – Keep safe
There may be a temptation to YOLO your way through an outage. That might be ok. Or it might be reckless and a real risk to your safety, and then the first responders’ safety to haul your ass out. Be reasonable and remember outages generally mean you are trespassing if you barrel through them.

Thoughts on the specific outages

C&O

  • not a lot I can recommend for lodging on the MD side
  • look into shuttles to hotels semi-nearby the trail (there might be a lone B&B or Airbnb option nearby?)
  • Consider revamping your miles so your lodging straddles the Leesburg night
  • Hope public pressure gets the VA farm folks to take the money for the easement 😉

Hwy 1

  • CalTrans is on it… more of the road opened recently
  • It will be fixed, just a question of when
  • Pacific Coast route season seems to be narrower than ever… road closures from mud slides in rainy season and then smoke closures from fire season.
  • Be flexible, optimize your options (know your fast forwards, towns with transit options, ability to ship your bike, etc.)

Bottom Line

  • Our next tours are going to have a lot of energy behind them since we had so many plans scuttled due to COVID.
  • Remember outages happen and they are not ruining your trip, just throwing a curveball and maybe making it more memorable

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 spring’s DC to Cincinnatti 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
Scott Angelo
Chad Reno

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields has a new album in 2021, AND Jason has a new solo album in 2021, AND his first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen!

The post The Pedalshift Project 232: Handling Bike Route Detours & Closures appeared first on Pedalshift.

Best of Pedalshift 081: Bikepacking Adventures

It only took 81 episodes to finally talk about bikepacking on Pedalshift… better late than never, right? On this best of episode, Rob Knapp joins us and chats about what it was like to pick up bikepacking as a racer and how that informs him in how he bikepacks when not trying to come in first. Originally podcast May 25, 2017.

Best of Pedalshift 081: Bikepacking Adventures

The post Best of Pedalshift 081: Bikepacking Adventures appeared first on Pedalshift.