Month: September 2025

The Pedalshift Project 415: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 4

The morning starts strong at Cape Lookout with perfect James and Tim weather, but what begins as a confident push toward Beverly Beach slowly unravels into mechanical mayhem and decision-making paralysis. But with the original plan officially in shambles and multiple escape routes beckoning, will we unleash a suffer fest or pivot to something unexpected?

The Pedalshift Project 415: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 4

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 415: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 4.

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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

Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 4

Key Highlights

  • Perfect weather conditions – cloudy and cool, exactly what Tim and James prefer for cycling
  • Hydration revelation continues – Tim credits proper hydration for yesterday’s success and focuses on “cameling up” each morning
  • Pacific City pit stop – Tim’s favorite Oregon coast town, featuring Stimulus Coffee House for snacks and wifi
  • Mechanical troubles return – James’s borrowed bike proves problematic again with rear tire issues
  • Strategic retreat – Quick pivot from camping at Devil’s Lake to a tiki-themed hotel in Lincoln City
  • Planning paralysis – Original trip itinerary officially in question with multiple options on the table

Route Details

  • Departed Cape Lookout State Park early morning
  • Stopped at Stimulus Coffee House in Pacific City (quarter-way point)
  • Break at Neskowin Market before the big Lincoln City climb
  • Final destination: Lincoln City hotel instead of planned Devil’s Lake camping

Bike Performance Notes

  • Tim’s bike performing excellently with great rolling and shifting
  • Occasional gear hopping suggests minor tune-up needed
  • Mostly riding in middle and first chainrings
  • James’s borrowed bike continuing to present challenges

Food & Fuel Strategy

  • Morning: Hydration focus plus caffeine
  • Pacific City: Egg burrito repeat from successful Day 3 strategy
  • Mid-ride: Red Bull for energy boost
  • Lincoln City: Local Mexican restaurant meal (lunch/dinner hybrid)

Decision Point Analysis

  • Short day option: Devil’s Lake camping (~40+ miles)
  • Original plan: Beverly Beach (would have required 20 more miles plus significant climbing)
  • Actual choice: Lincoln City hotel night for recovery and planning

Statistics

  • Miles Biked: ~40+ miles (shorter day due to mechanical issues)
  • Hotel theme: Tiki (delightfully not high-end but perfectly located)
  • Bird species that defeat earplugs: 1 (mystery frequency specialist)

••Flats: Zero

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.

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 JUKEBOX BOY wherever cool music is available! 

The post The Pedalshift Project 415: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 4 appeared first on Pedalshift.

The Pedalshift Project 416: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 5

A well-rested morning in Lincoln City spawns what seems like a reasonable plan to salvage the cursed tour, but James’s borrowed bike has other ideas entirely. But with tubleless tire disasters forcing yet another major pivot, will this newly condensed coastal adventure finally find its groove or continue spiraling into beautiful chaos?


The Pedalshift Project 416: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 5

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 416: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 5.

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

Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 5

The New Plan (Before It All Changed Again)

  • Today: Lincoln City to South Beach State Park via Newport
  • Tomorrow: South Beach to Yachats for hotel exploration
  • Final day: Yachats to Honeyman State Park near Florence
  • Split: James continues south, Tim buses north to Eugene for flight home

The Reality Check

James’s tubeless rear tire completely fails outside Bike Newport, requiring conversion to tube setup. Tire damage deemed too severe for continued long-distance touring, prompting complete itinerary overhaul.

Key Highlights

  • 5 AM Red Bull run – James’s thoughtful breakfast procurement while Tim sleeps in
  • Equipment curse continues – Second bike, same problems for James’s borrowed setup
  • Bike Newport saves the day – Last major bike shop on coast provides crucial tire conversion
  • Strategic retreat activated – Both riders pivot to Eugene ending for maximum certainty
  • Financial silver lining – Trip changes actually save money on cancelled Medford logistics

Route Details

  • Lincoln City to Newport: ~25 miles through official bike route (hilly and exhausting)
  • Extended stop at Bike Newport for mechanical crisis management
  • Final 4 miles to South Beach State Park
  • Tomorrow: Abbreviated plan toward Florence before Eugene bus

Mechanical Drama Timeline

  1. Morning discovery: Slow leak confirmed in James’s tubeless rear tire
  2. Newport arrival: Tire immediately starts “spitting sealant”
  3. Shop diagnosis: Tire damage too severe for tubeless repair
  4. Solution: Convert to tube in rear, maintain tubeless front (“mullet setup”)
  5. Reality check: Tube setup is temporary fix, not permanent solution

Cultural Observations

  • Newport bike route: Scenic but punishing for loaded touring
  • South Beach State Park: Tim’s favorite coast campground (tied with Cape Lookout)
  • Yachats mystique: Tim’s long-desired exploration of this coast town finally abandoned
  • Eugene adventure: First-time visit for longtime Portland resident Tim

Food & Beverage Strategy

  • Breakfast: Red Bulls and bananas (James’s 5 AM procurement mission)
  • Newport: Extended hydration break during mechanical crisis
  • Dinner: Beer One brewery (skipped lunch strategy)
  • Evening: Junior Rangers fire ecology program spotted but not attended

The Ship of Theseus Situation

James notes he’ll return a completely different bike to his friend after replacing virtually every component during the tour – a philosophical equipment conundrum.

Statistics

  • Miles Biked: 25 
  • Original plan survival rate: 0%
  • Hours spent at Bike Newport: 1.5
  • Ounces of tubeless sealant sacrificed: 6
  • Tubeless fails: yes
  • Nontubeless flats: Zero

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.

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 JUKEBOX BOY wherever cool music is available! 

The post The Pedalshift Project 416: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 5 appeared first on Pedalshift.

The Pedalshift Project 414: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 3

Mysterious James and I emerge from our three-night Cannon Beach odyssey to accidentally unlock our cycling superpowers, turning a modest Tillamook target into a shocking 52-mile triumph. It’s the usual stuff: ice cream as performance enhancer, and the stunning revelation that hydration might actually matter. But with tomorrow’s weather turning and our schedule still behind, will this newfound confidence carry us forward or set us up for an epic crash?


The Pedalshift Project 414: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 3

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 414: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 3.

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

Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 3

Key Highlights

  • Morning departure from Cannon Beach with sunny weather (rain expected tomorrow)
  • Arch Cape Tunnel challenge – one of the less enjoyable parts of the Oregon coast, but navigated successfully with proper lighting and safety gear
  • Strong riding performance despite variable winds – tailwinds providing good speed, headwinds creating challenges around rivers and inlets
  • Confidence boost as both riders felt strong throughout the day, a marked improvement from their struggles the previous day leaving Beaverton
  • Hydration success – Tim credits focused hydration efforts for dramatically improved performance
  • Cape Lookout State Park arrival – described as potentially “the best camp on the coast” with individual pod-like clearings and ocean wave sounds

Route Details

  • Departed Cannon Beach early morning
  • Climbed through Arch Cape Tunnel to Manzanita (20-mile checkpoint)
  • Continued south past Garibaldi and Bay City to Tillamook
  • Extended ride from Tillamook to Cape Lookout State Park
  • Riders met at Safeway in Tillamook for resupply (chicken strips and ice cream)

Camp Review: Cape Lookout State Park

Pros: – Excellent location directly on the coast – Individual pod-like campsites with perfect flat ground – Beautiful ocean wave sounds – Great overall facilities

Cons: – Long walk to bathhouse/showers – Charging stations only have USB-A ports (no USB-C or standard 110V outlets)

Tomorrow’s Plan

  • Targeting Beverly Beach as the main goal
  • South Beach as potential stretch goal (though 70 miles seems too ambitious)
  • Weather forecast: overcast and cool – ideal “James and Tim weather”
  • Still working out end-of-week logistics due to being behind schedule
  •  

Technology MVP

Perplexity AI proving invaluable for route planning and logistics, including confirming their direct route choice over the longer ACA (Adventure Cycling Association) scenic route.

Statistics

  • Miles Biked: 52
  • Times Tim arrived before James: 2 (hmm… that’s not normal. Foreshadowing…)
  • Power of James’s insane phone charger: 100 watts
  • Consecutive nights at Cannon Beach: 3 (do I need to declare it as a part time residence this year?)
  • Flats: Zero

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.

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 JUKEBOX BOY wherever cool music is available! 

The post The Pedalshift Project 414: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 3 appeared first on Pedalshift.

The Pedalshift Project 413: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 2

Day two and three of the Oregon Coast tour evolve into an epic quest for an elusive bicycle part. Is this a mere repair mission or a saga worthy of Greek mythology with adaptive problem-solving, multiple contingency plans, long-distance bus adventures, heat stroke avoidance, and kind bike shop professionals who go above and beyond?


The Pedalshift Project 413: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 2

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 413: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 2.

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

Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 2

Day Two Morning – Plan Multiplication 

  • Late wake-up due to flexible schedule
  • Pig and Pancake breakfast at classic Oregon Coast institution
  • 10:30 AM: First Seaside shop call – negative result
  • 12:00 PM: Multiple plan permutations discussed off-mic
  • Decision to purchase additional campsite night for gear security

The Great Plan Cascade

  • Plan A: Dead on arrival (Seaside shop #1)
  • Plan B: Dead at noon (Seaside shop #2)
  • Multiple Portland options considered and analyzed
  • Ian consultation reveals Monday/Tuesday availability conflicts
  • Plan F: Warrenton option with Ed the Legend emerges
  • 50/50 assessment of success probability based on Ed’s memory

Day Two Leisure Activities

  • Haystack Rock exploration and beach time
  • Two consecutive meals at Pelican Brewery
  • Server confusion when Tim and James reversed their lunch/dinner orders
  • Extended campsite stay and gear planning sessions

Day Three – The Portland Pivot 

  • Early morning departure preparation and coffee
  • Bus route research reveals 2.8-inch tire compatibility issues
  • Warrenton bus only runs twice daily, next departure at 5:50 PM
  • Strategic decision: Portland certainty over Warrenton uncertainty
  • Critical discovery: Portland bus stops in Beaverton near Universal Cycles

The Beaverton Solution 

  • Successful mid-route bus exit in Beaverton
  • 12-18 minute walk to Universal Cycles in 90-degree heat
  • Online inventory confirmation: 8 units in stock
  • Successful charm deployment for installation service
  • Same-day return bus to Cannon Beach secured

Statistics

  • Plan iterations reached:  26 maybe 100
  • Bus route options analyzed: 3
  • Bike shops contacted/visited: 5 
  • Days with minimal cycling: 2 
  • Temperature differential: 30 From a chilly marine layer in Cannon Beach to 90°F blazing sun in Beaverton
  • Flats: 0

Notable Quotes

  • “Plan F. We think from plan double Z” – Tim on the ever-evolving situation
  • “It’s a coin flip” – James assessing Warrenton success probability
  • “Don’t let us down. Don’t let us down.” – High expectations for Universal Cycles

• “We need a win” – Emotional state after multiple plan failures

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.

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 JUKEBOX BOY wherever cool music is available! 

The post The Pedalshift Project 413: Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 2 appeared first on Pedalshift.