Month: November 2021

The Pedalshift Project 264: Holiday Bike Draft 2021

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, or so the song goes… so let’s gather ’round the Zoom and warm up with our friends from the Land of Sunshine and Bunnies at the Sprocket Podcast, and compete in our semi-regular bike draft! Armando, Joan, Aaron and I pick seven rounds of bike touring gear to see who has the best setup… just in time for the holidays!


The Pedalshift Project 264: Holiday Bike Draft 2021

Hey it’s the direct download link for  The Pedalshift Project 264: Holiday Bike Draft 2021 (mp3).

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSS – iTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – Stitcher – TuneIn – 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

Holiday Bike Draft 2021

Don’t look at this chart unless you want to be spoiled, but come back and check it out to decide who should win (cough cough me cough).
 
 

Armondo

Joan

Tim

Aaron

1

Spare tubes

Rear rack

Ortlieb O bag

Frame pump

2

Water filter

Ortlieb panniers

Camping hammock

Front rack

3

Masterlink

fenders

Schwalbe marathon plus tires

Tubeless tires

4

Backpack

Warm Showers account

Showers Pass rain gear

Caradice double flap

5

front headlight

Rain cape

Self heating MREs

3 person tent

6

Puffy jacket

Water bottle

Bike multitool

Swiss army knife

7

iPhone

Bike map of UK

Camelback

Compass

BIKE

Salsa Fargo

Disc Trucker

Brompton

Pugsly

Pedalshift LIVE

Friday, December 10, 9pm ET – check it out on YouTube or pedalshift.net/live!

Pedalshift LIVE

Join me LIVE on Friday December 10th at 9pm ET!

As we close out 2021, we gather for a long-delayed live show… we’ll chat all things bicycle touring, so bring your questions for a big ol’ Ask Me Anything. PLUS I’ll reveal my first tour of 2022! Check it all out over on YouTube or pedalshift.net/live.

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

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields has a new album available NOW, AND Jason has a new solo album coming this year, AND his first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen! And Jason is doing live events in and around Montreal, so go listen LIVE too!

The post The Pedalshift Project 264: Holiday Bike Draft 2021 appeared first on Pedalshift.

The Pedalshift Project 263: Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath – Part 2

I’ve taken listeners on a bunch of rides on the C&O, but I’ve never really done the full guide to cycling it. In the second of two parts, we go section by section from DC to Cumberland. It’s an audio guide to cycling the C&O Canal towpath whether you’re a first timer of a full on expert.


The Pedalshift Project 263: Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath - Part 2

Hey it’s the direct download link for  The Pedalshift Project 263: Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath – Part 2 (mp3).

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSS – iTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – Stitcher – TuneIn – 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

Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath – Part 2

A few things to add based on feedback:
 
  • I didn’t mention the parallel paved options available. Most notable is the Western MD Rail Trail which effectively goes from 11 miles downstream from Hancock to Little Orleans with a few on and off options (one forced) to the C&O. It’s a common alternate for folks through-riding.
  • One option that is less accessible for the moment is the Washington & Old Dominion Trail on the VA side of the river from Arlington to Purcellville. The upstream access is extremely limited since the closure of the cable ferry at White’s Ferry. I hear there are shuttles from hotels and other providers that are bringing cyclists back and forth, so a hotel stay might be an efficient way to do over 30 miles of paved trail in lieu of the C&O (but you miss a lot and the W&OD is far less scenic).

C&O Towpath Sections

C&O Guide Main Page
Washington, DC – Capital Beltway (MM0 – MM9)
Capital Beltway – Great Falls (MM9 – MM20)
Great Falls – Edwards Ferry/Leesburg (MM20 – MM30)
Edwards Ferry – Dickerson (MM30 – MM40)
Dickerson – Point of Rocks (MM40-MM50)
Point of Rocks – Harpers Ferry (MM50-MM60)
Harpers Ferry – Antietam/Shepherdstown (MM60-MM70)
Antietam/Shepherdstown – Taylors Landing (MM70-MM80)
Taylors Landing – Opequon Junction (MM80 – MM90)
Opequon Junction – Williamsport (MM90 – MM100)
Williamsport – Ft. Frederick (MM100-MM110)
Ft. Frederick – Little Pool (MM110-MM120)
Little Pool – Hancock – Leopards Mill (MM120-MM130)
Leopards Mill – Little Orleans (MM130-MM140)
Little Orleans – Stickpile Hill (MM140-MM150)
Stickpile Hill – Paw Paw – Town Creek (MM150-MM160)
Town Creek – Pigmans Ferry (MM160-MM170)
Pigmans Ferry – Cumberland (MM170-MM184.5)
 
 

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

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields has a new album available NOW, AND Jason has a new solo album coming this year, AND his first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen! And Jason is doing live events in and around Montreal, so go listen LIVE too!

The post The Pedalshift Project 263: Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath – Part 2 appeared first on Pedalshift.

The Pedalshift Project 262: Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath – Part 1

I’ve taken listeners on a bunch of rides on the C&O, but I’ve never really done the full guide to cycling it. In the first of two parts, it’s an audio guide to cycling the C&O Canal towpath whether you’re a first timer of a full on expert.


The Pedalshift Project 262: Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath - Part 1

Hey it’s the direct download link for  The Pedalshift Project 262: Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath – Part 1 (mp3).

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSS – iTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – Stitcher – TuneIn – 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

Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath – Part 1

Basics

  • Route and length
  • Brief history
  • Surface
  • Weather

FAQs

  • Do I need big tires?
  • How many hills are there?
  • What’s the best direction?
  • What’s the best time of year?
  • Where do I camp?
  • I don’t want to camp – can I do this?
  • Where do I eat?
  • Where can I fill my water bottles?
  • What’s the wildlife situation?
  • Hey I thought this trail went to Pittsburgh?
  • What’s the best way to get to the trailheads?

Next episode

The C&O is 184.5 miles… let’s break each section down in ten mile chunks and chat about each section!

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

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields has a new album available NOW, AND Jason has a new solo album coming this year, AND his first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen! And Jason is doing live events in and around Montreal, so go listen LIVE too!

The post The Pedalshift Project 262: Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath – Part 1 appeared first on Pedalshift.

Best of Pedalshift 120: Touring Alaska

Ella Embree is a born and bred Alaskan with a big sense of adventure. Recently Ella was inspired by Lael Wilcox to tackle a new adventure – bicycle touring 1000 miles around her home state, some on a tandem. It’s all about touring Alaska on this best of, as we listen in on what she was thinking on the eve of the first leg!

Originally podcast May 31, 2018.

Best of Pedalshift 120: Touring Alaska

The post Best of Pedalshift 120: Touring Alaska appeared first on Pedalshift.