Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 6
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Release Date: 07/24/2025
The 2025 Holiday Spectacular
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Shifty the Elf returns for the annual holiday spectacular! 2025 was... a year. And as Shifty and I pack up for Seattle, there's a bunch of things we're going through and boxing up as we bid adieu to the year! Happy Holidays and see you in 2026!
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Honolulu and Seattle
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
A walk along Elliot Bay to discuss the short trip to Honolulu and more on the transition to Seattle and all the bikey adventures to come. Honolulu and Seattle A walk along Elliot Bay Honolulu thoughts More Seattle impressions N+1 thoughts on bikes
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Pedalshift's New Basecamp
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Big news for the show: The Pedalshift Project is setting up camp in a new city! This episode breaks down what that means for future tours, how this opens up brand-new riding possibilities, and why the destination may be a bit of a surprise and also not a surprise at all. My new home: Seattle! Why? This move is all about geography, access, and expanding the Pedalshift touring sandbox. Seattle places world-class touring terrain right outside the door and increases the show’s ability to cover more routes, more often. And yes—this is a return to the broader PNW. Think of it as a new...
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Best of Pedalshift 291: Working Remotely on Bike Adventures
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
It used to be that a bike adventure meant taking paid time off or quitting your job. Now that remote work is a reality for many of us, there’s a new option. But is bike travel while working remotely right for you? Originally podcast July 28, 2022.
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Thanksgiving Eve Live
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
A repodcast of our Thanksgiving Eve live show: following up on your comments on the state of bicycle touring, plus a bunch of great questions in an Ask Me Anything segment! Followup: Is Bicycle Touring in Decline? More emails on this than any topic in a while. Some selected thoughts from listeners: Regarding ACA Multiple listeners: Could ACA be losing older members in its attempts to expand into younger audiences, but worse… might not be succeeding on either front? It’s hard to do both, and that’s the challenge… you need to find what drives your constituencies and sometimes you...
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Is Bicycle Touring in Decline?
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Bicycle touring numbers feel like they’re down—fewer loaded panniers on the road, Adventure Cycling Association facing major financial headwinds, and a lot of long-time tourers quietly aging out. But is touring actually in decline, or is it just shifting into something that looks different—like bikepacking, gravel, and shorter, more flexible trips? In this episode I dig into Adventure Cycling’s recent membership and financial update, talk through generational and economic trends, and explore whether we’re seeing the end of an era… or just the end of one version of it. Is Bicycle...
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Bike Adventure Goals Scorecard
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Way back in January - and what feels like ten years ago to me - I set out a bunch of bicycle adventure goals for me in 2025. In a challenging year, I wasn't sure how I'd measure up but as I always like to do, I gave the goals a once over to see how I did. So on this episode we give it a scorecard treatment, but also a sneak preview of the final piece of 2025 adventuring that manages to check one of the boxes! 2025 Bike Adventure Goals Scorecard Celebrating plans already made, and taking care of yourself Sort of? A big ebike trip – maybe two. Taking the bike on a ride only the ebike can do…...
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Best of Pedalshift 249: Solo Touring Women
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
A chat with Sylva Florence, an experienced bicycle tourist and author of many things (including her blog The Sylva Lining) on touring as a solo woman, how people who want to be allies to solo women touring can do that without being creepy, and some of her favorite adventures. .
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The Ultralight Challenge
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
What if you could tour with just what fits in a single dry bag? No panniers. Just the essentials. On this episode, we take this as a challenge - borrowing from the ultralight backpacking folks, we cut off our toothbrush handles and weigh every gram for the ultralight bikepacking challenge! “What if you could tour with just what fits in your handlebar bag? No panniers. No rack. Just the essentials.” Why: curiosity, simplicity, nimble handling, testing limits for overnighters or credit card touring. Rules: one mid-size drybag (say 10–12L). No extra frame or seat bags. Trip assumptions:...
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A Game of Chance Revisited
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
We're bringing back one of the wackiest ideas in Pedalshift history — the Game of Chance! Using random number generators and the excellent Adventure Cycling Association routes, it's an unpredictable coast-to-coast bike tour from the Pacific to the Atlantic. When every turn is determined by chance the results are... surprisingly awesome? In This Episode: Revisiting the “Game of Chance” touring experiment from 2021 Using randomness to pick routes across ACA’s national network Riding (and re-riding) the Pacific Coast, Northern Tier, Lewis & Clark, TransAm, and more ...
info_outlineTransitioning from from the peaceful Toronto Island back into the urban sprawl of southern Ontario is a bit of a record scratch I’ll more thoroughly experience when I eventually ride this ride, but a fast forward to a stunning Niagara Falls hotel leads to an extensive e-bike exploration of the Niagara River and Falls area. But plans always have a way of changing and this day was no different.
Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 6
Toronto Island Farewell
- Final morning walk through the quiet island community
- Observations on the unique housing stock and lifestyle
- Discussion of waiting lists and the appeal of island living
- Apple tree sightings continuing the Lake Ontario apple theme
Hotel with a View
- Check-in at a dated but perfectly positioned Niagara Falls hotel
- Room with an "outrageous" view directly overlooking Horseshoe Falls
- Plans to bring dinner back to the room due to the unbeatable vista
- Discussion of off-season pricing and business travel perks
Vehicle Talk
- Introduction to the new Toyota RAV4 plugin hybrid
- Upcoming camping drawer system installation
- Comparison to previous vehicle setups
- Teasing of a major summer adventure
Navigation Adventures
- Challenges finding the proper cycling route to Niagara Parkway
- Discovery of abandoned rail right-of-way
- Multiple elevation changes due to the Niagara Escarpment
- Eventually finding the correct riverside path
Hydroelectric Discovery
- Learning about the Niagara Tunnel Project - 10.2 km underground tunnel
- Understanding how power generation works 40 meters below the river surface
- Observing the transformation from calm upstream waters to rushing rapids
- Multiple spillways and control structures
Falls Experience
- Cycling directly along the Niagara River as it approaches the falls
- Walking the bike through crowded tourist areas
- Experiencing mist from both American and Horseshoe Falls
- International tourism observations
- Discussion of why this isn't a national/provincial park
Family Matters
- Mid-episode phone call requiring attention to family health issues
- Decision to return home earlier than planned
- Reflection on how circumstances aligned properly for the situation
Looking Ahead
- Announcement of a "proper" Day 6 episode
- Plans to complete the original intended route from mother's former home to current home
- Postponement of international border crossing for future adventure
Statistics
Miles biked 6
Number of Superman II references 3
Outrageous parking cost at the hotel 45 CAD
Length in seconds of the full color cycle of the falls lighting at night 69 (nice)
iPod dockable clock radios in the hotel that are so vintage as to be worth way more than the hotel probably thinks 1
Flats 0