The Pedalshift Project 211: A Brompton Urban Stealth Overnight

With my proper trail bike in the shop but a real need to get out for an overnight, I turned to a C&O newbie… my trusty 12″ wheeled, very orange Brompton as my chariot to an urban(ish) stealth camping overnight. Would the trail chew up the Brompton? Would my orange gear prove too, well, orange for stealth camping? If you can’t get your adventure by the liter these days, may as well do it in sips…

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 211: A Brompton Urban Stealth Overnight (mp3).

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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

News and housekeeping

My touring bike is finally back! Now that it’s fully repaired (a) wow what a difference and (b) I’m hoping to pull together another mini tour to share with you all soon. And no, it won’t be the C&O… but the logistics are key.

Speaking of. Next week’s show is going to revisit the COVID situation. Touring as we knew it just isn’t possible and how we modify what we do is the difference between responsible and irresponsible. On next week’s show I’ll share my thoughts on what responsible bike touring looks like this year and beyond. If you’ve got thoughts, I’d love to hear them to help shape the episode… call the voicemail at 202-930-1109 or shoot me an email at pedalshift@pedalshift.net.

Pedalshift Tour Journals: A Brompton Urban Stealth Overnight

I won’t share details of where I was other than (a) it was accessed using the C&O trail, (b) to the best of my knowledge it was not on NPS property, (c) it was (barely) inside the Beltway a.k.a. I-495, the interstate that loops around my fair District plus suburban Maryland and northern Virginia, and (d) there were no “no trespassing” signs.

So, nobody saw me re-enter the trail and the ride back was uneventful. Sitting here now several days later I’m still really impressed at the Brompton and I don’t think I’ll underestimate its ability to handle a trail like that anymore. I’m also liking these quick overnights as mini sips of adventure… it’s not a good substitute to what I want, but it’s good enough. And that’s going to have to do.

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
Stuart Buchan
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
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

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields’ latest album may be their best yet. Go get it.

The post The Pedalshift Project 211: A Brompton Urban Stealth Overnight appeared first on Pedalshift.

July 9, 2020

The Pedalshift Project 210: Western C&O Loop, Day 3

Concluding my western C&O loop adventure! Day 3 began with a chilly, rainy start. The loop had to be closed, but would anything other than rain and tunnels stand in my way?

The Pedalshift Project 210: Western C&O Loop, Day 3

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 210: Western C&O Loop, Day 3 (mp3).

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News and housekeeping

Aaron Flores now holds the belt and is the winner of the Jun e 2020 draft. I came in a distant second, Guthrie third and Brock’s peculiar tall bike tour, was a beautiful unicorn that did not resonate with you, the voter.

My bike is in the shop for some super severe work (new bottom bracket, new fork… it’s a long story!) BUT that didn’t stop me from taking my Brompton out on a super fun S24O stealth camping adventure. That’s coming at you NEXT WEEK!

Pedalshift Tour Journals: Western C&O Loop

Day 3 began with a chilly, rainy start. It’s hard to believe a summer C&O ride would include anything other than hot, hazy and humid but it was what it was. The loop had to be closed, but would anything other than rain and tunnels stand in my way?

Photos

Check out Pedalshift on Instagram

Statistics

Miles biked: 44 (Go Orange, all my plan … not really)

Morning grilled cheeses: 1

Number of grilled cheeses eaten since this tour: 0

Downed trees: 2

Bat habitat tunnels: 1

Flats: zero

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields’ latest album may be their best yet. Go get it.

The post The Pedalshift Project 210: Western C&O Loop, Day 3 appeared first on Pedalshift.

July 2, 2020

Best of Pedalshift 054: Best Bike Touring Tires and Tents

In the summer of 2016, with one more big(ish) bike tour in my sights, it was prep time for an Oregon coast ride plus an extended bit of gear talk… what do I look for in the perfect bike touring tires and tents? Originally podcast July 21, 2016.

Best of Pedalshift 054: Best Bike Touring Tires and Tents

The post Best of Pedalshift 054: Best Bike Touring Tires and Tents appeared first on Pedalshift.

June 25, 2020

The Pedalshift Project 209: Western C&O Loop, Day 2

Continuing my western C&O loop adventure! On Day 2, I left the unique confines of Potomac Forks campground and looked to resupply in Cumberland and loop back. But would Cumberland offer me what I needed and would I get distracted from completing a full loop from where I began my day?

The Pedalshift Project 209: Western C&O Loop, Day 2

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 209: Western C&O Loop, Day 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.

News and housekeeping

Hey, be sure to make your vote be heard! Ok, that too BUT ALSO for the Episode 207 Bike Touring Draft. Click here to rank your top 4.

Pedalshift Tour Journals: Western C&O Loop

On Day 2, I left the unique confines of Potomac Forks campground and looked to resupply in Cumberland and loop back. But would Cumberland offer me what I needed and would I get distracted from completing a full loop from where I began my day?

Photos

Check out Pedalshift on Instagram

Statistics

Miles biked: 36

New to me grocery stores in Cumberland: 1

My mask to other peoples’ mask ratio: 1 to 1 bajillion (possibly slightly overstated)

Gross hard lemonades sipped and disposed off of mic: 1

Evening grilled cheeses: 0

Flats: zero

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields’ latest album may be their best yet. Go get it.

The post The Pedalshift Project 209: Western C&O Loop, Day 2 appeared first on Pedalshift.

June 18, 2020

The Pedalshift Project 208: Western C&O Loop, Day 1

Everyone’s universe has shrunk a lot since the beginning of the pandemic, and nowhere has it hit home more than bicycle touring. I’m fortunate enough to have one of the country’s crown jewel routes right around where I live. The first trip this year looped the eastern third near DC. This time, I roll out into the wilderness of the western third, looking for adventure and solitude. On Day 1, I picked up a freshly repaired bike in Hancock and rolled off. But would the bike behave and more importantly, would my body betray me after just a day on the trail?

The Pedalshift Project 208: Western C&O Loop, Day 1

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 208: Western C&O Loop, Day 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.

News and housekeeping

Hey, be sure to make your vote be heard! Ok, that too BUT ALSO for the Episode 207 Bike Touring Draft. Click here to rank your top 4. Aaron Flores seems to be in the lead in early precinct results! We’ll tally the votes at the end of June, so make your voice be heard!

Pedalshift Tour Journals: Western C&O Loop

On Day 1, I picked up a freshly repaired bike in Hancock and rolled off. But would the bike behave and more importantly, would my body betray me after just a day on the trail?

Photos

Check out Pedalshift on Instagram

Statistics

Miles biked: 40
Grilled cheeses grilled: 2
Gear disasters averted by Dollar General run: 2
Campsites on the wrong side of the trail: 1
Embarrassing screams from debilitating and weird leg cramps: 2
Future bike tours where I don’t bring electrolyte pills: zero

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields’ latest album may be their best yet. Go get it.

The post The Pedalshift Project 208: Western C&O Loop, Day 1 appeared first on Pedalshift.

June 11, 2020

The Pedalshift Project 207: June 2020 Bicycle Touring Draft

Six months since the defeat of Mysterious James in the inaugural Pedalshift Bicycle Tour Draft, we sweeten the pot with 3 new contestants from a certain show podcasting from The Land of Sunshine and Bunnies to vie for my title belt! I explain the rules at the top, and we kind of make it up as we go along, but the essence is each of us chooses pieces of gear or other elements of a bike tour that the other person now cannot choose, and then you get to choose who wins.

The Pedalshift Project 207: June 2020 Bicycle Touring Draft

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 207: June 2020 Bicycle Touring Draft (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.

News and housekeeping

Thanks for the positive feedback on last week’s best of. I reached out to Jasmine prior to the release and she’s doing well and still playing her violin. If you’ve listened to this show for any period of time you probably know I’ve been a proponent of more diversity in bicycle touring. It goes without saying black lives matter and this podcast will do better in lifting those voices up.

I wanted to mention this all before this episode because the tone is, well, lighthearted. And with everything going on lately I don’t want it to come off as out of touch. That said, we could all use a little light-hearted banter… so… welcome to the second bicycle touring draft!

But before we dive in a quick bit of housekeeping…

Check out the brand new podcast by Warmshowers called Bike Life! It’s bike touring stories told through the lens of Warmshowers guests and hosts and I’m on the latest episode entitled Shrinking the World by Bike. A lot of fun and I think the pod’s worth a listen!

I’ll be tackling the western part of the C&O starting this week and the next Pedalshift Tour Journal is Western C&O Loop! More to come starting next week.

The Pedalshift June 2020 Bicycle Touring Draft

Rules in a nutshell… each person picks once per round. We pick an element of bike touring gear. The other person is no longer able to pick it! After 7 rounds we argue who has the better draft and YOU get to judge the winner!

The Draft results

Winner will be determined by fancy RANKED CHOICE VOTING, a super cool and superior way to vote. Click here to rank your top 4 (just drag and drop the names in order) and the winner is crowned! We’ll tally results at midnight on July 1st.

Again… you have the rest of June eastern time to vote… who has the better tour setup?

VOTE

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields’ latest album may be their best yet. Go get it.

The post The Pedalshift Project 207: June 2020 Bicycle Touring Draft appeared first on Pedalshift.

June 4, 2020

Best of Pedalshift 069: The Cycling Vagabond Life with Jasmine Reese

A chat with global bike tourist Jasmine Reese, on her journey, her four-legged companion, Fiji, and the adventures living the cycling vagabond life. Originally podcast February 2, 2017.

Best of Pedalshift 069: Living the Cycling Vagabond Life with Jasmine Reese

The post Best of Pedalshift 069: The Cycling Vagabond Life with Jasmine Reese appeared first on Pedalshift.

May 28, 2020

The Pedalshift Project 206: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited – Part 3

Revisiting my never-released 2015 bike tour journal of the Erie Canal Trail through western and central NY with some perspective from 2020. In part three we wrap up the tour with some of the best riding of the entire trip, and a fantastically comical ending because I taunted the bike touring gods.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/pedalshift/psp206.mp3

The Pedalshift Project 206: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited - Part 3

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 205: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited – Part 3 (mp3).

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News & Housekeeping

Breaking news! Great news for you C&O heads… the campgrounds on the northern/western end of the trail are OPEN. (Frederick, Allegheny and Washington counties). Look for another socially distanced, responsible Pedalshift tour in June! Details on the C&O conditions page.

Hiker-bike Campsites – open in Frederick, Washington, and Allegany Counties (Calico Rocks mm 47.6 to Evitts Creek near Cumberland). Please bring your own water as pump handles will not be replaced and turned on at this time. Restrooms may be open and will be cleaned twice weekly. Please bring your own hand sanitizer, soap, and toilet paper as these items have been the subject of theft.

Amazing news. I plan to do a tour in the next few weeks that loops from my cabin in WV to the Cumberland end of the trail and back. More to come!

This week… the thrilling (and frankly, hysterical) conclusion to the 2015 Erie Canal adventure. Next week’s best of will be the wrap up episode from the ride just to tie a ribbon around things.

We have amazing stuff coming in June… a new tour it looks like, some interviews and more. Stick around!

Tour Journal: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited

Since bike touring adventures are on pause, but the desire to be on them isn’t, the Pedalshift Project is proud to dust off never-releases tour journals of past rides! For the next several weeks we’ll be revisiting my 2015 tour of the trail that started it all for me… the Erie Canal Bike Trail.

I’ll pop in from time to time to give a little 2020 perspective on the ride. I’m going to be listening to this for the first time in years, so in some ways it’ll be like riding it all over again.

In part 3 we wrap up the ride through the rest of central New York and wrap up on the east side in Albany.

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 The Kessel Run and The Missing Link bike tours! 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. Sunfields’ latest album may be their best yet. Go get it.

The post The Pedalshift Project 206: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited – Part 3 appeared first on Pedalshift.

May 21, 2020

The Pedalshift Project 205: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited – Part 2

Revisiting my never-released 2015 bike tour journal of the Erie Canal Trail through western and central NY with some perspective from 2020. In part two we kick off actual trail riding in my hometown of Fairport and ride through the heat to my college town of Syracuse, NY.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/pedalshift/psp205.mp3

The Pedalshift Project 205: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited - Part 2

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 205: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited – Part 2 (mp3).

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
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Reach out to the show via email, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to join the newsletter too.

News & Housekeeping

FsOTS Annalisa van den Burgh and Erik Dowds are back from their adventure in India juuuust under the wire before all this went down and I’m hoping to get them on a show this spring to chat all about it. In the interim they’re running a contest over at milesofportraits.com/readandride with giveaways of books, films, cycling gear and more to keep everyone inspired in our less bike travely state. Go check it out!

Just chatted with Brock Dittus this week and I think we’re looking at a SprocketShift Happy Hour soon… details will be at pedalshift.net/happyhour and in the newsletter.

Tour Journal: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited

In part 2 we actually get on the Erie Canal Trail, covering my ride from my hometown of Fairport, NY winding through my college town of Syracuse over a couple of sultry western and central NY days.

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 The Kessel Run and The Missing Link bike tours! 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. Sunfields’ latest album may be their best yet. Go get it.

The post The Pedalshift Project 205: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited – Part 2 appeared first on Pedalshift.

May 14, 2020

The Pedalshift Project 204: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited – Part 1

Revisiting my never-released 2015 bike tour journal of the Erie Canal Trail through western and central NY with some perspective from 2020. In part one we set the table with some history (personal and the canal) plus kick off with the pre-canal ride entries from Batavia to Rochester, NY.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/pedalshift/psp204.mp3

The Pedalshift Project 204: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited - Part 1

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 204: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited – 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.

News & Housekeeping

The C&O campsites are still closed as I sit here, but I went out for a mini Mother’s Day hike with Kimberly and the pups and it all looks great. It’ll be there for us!

Speaking of… great news! The new surfacing is still going down, and the expansion will connect up Swains Lock with White’s Ferry which means (a) the cruddiest stretch of the trail will be fixed and (b) that means MM 17-72 will be smooth riding, representing about 1/3 of the total trail. Great stuff and yet another reason to ride the trail when we can!

Hey, the SprocketShift happy hours continue! We’ve done four live shows and the date of there next one is posted at pedalshift.net/happyhour. Check it out… a tight 40 minutes on one topic and we always get kicked off Zoom in a comical way.

Tour Journal: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited

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 The Kessel Run and The Missing Link bike tours! 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. Sunfields’ latest album may be their best yet. Go get it.

The post The Pedalshift Project 204: The Erie Canal Trail Revisited – Part 1 appeared first on Pedalshift.