Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 1
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Release Date: 08/28/2025
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 ...
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Best of Pedalshift 295: Making Your Tent Stealthier
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Stealth camping is a great skill to develop and a fantastic option to have for emergencies or maybe even your main overnight plan on a bike tour. But what if your tent is so bright it can be seen from miles away? On this episode, we talk about what worked for my last tent and what I’m trying on my newer one. Originally podcast September 8, 2022. Making a Tent Stealthier The old tent – ALPS Mountaineering Zephyr 2 Spray panting the tarp Tarp was orange so it needed full coverage Used a matte forest green Took 3 full cans to cover (more than I expected) Then covered with a waterproofing...
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Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Takeaways
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
The Mysterious Oregon Coast adventure is in the rearview mirror, but we always like to peek back before moving on. On this edition we marvel at the fun we had on a fairly cursed tour of some of our favorite parts of the Pacific coast! Bike prep is key — but stuff still breaks. Even a tiny crank arm pin can end a day. Know shops and backup transport. Have Plans A–F ready. Flexibility and quick pivots kept the ride alive when mechanicals hit. Buses & rideshares save tours. Coastal transit and surprise Ubers kept us moving. Greatest hits still feel fresh. Cape Lookout, South...
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Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 6
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
A leisurely morning at South Beach State Park sets the stage for what should be the triumphant finale, but James's bike has one last surprise in store. Sometimes a cursed bike adventure is the best kind. But with tire splits threatening the final miles and Eugene's punishing heat waiting ahead, will we actually make it to the finish line or become stranded out on the coast? Key Highlights South Beach State Park downgrade - Charging lockers removed, replaced with non-charging metal versions Classic Oregon coast weather returns - Fog, cool temperatures, and the riding conditions that...
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Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 5
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
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 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...
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Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 4
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
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? 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...
info_outlineDay one of an Oregon coast adventure - what could possibly go wrong? As Mysterious James and I began our journey from Astoria after navigating July 4th rental car details, we encounter (because of course) the first of many issues we’ll encounter on the most mysterious of Oregon Coast adventures ever.
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 1
Morning, Turned Afternoon Departure
- 1:00 PM start time after bike assembly and hotel checkout
- Bikes transported in rental car not designed for two bikes
- TSA inspection didn’t damage gear (deraileur hanger protection removed)
- Successful bike reassembly and adjustment
The Ride Begins
- Largely flat terrain - unusual for Oregon Coast
- Two notable climbs between departure and Seaside
- Decision to shorten day from Nehalem Bay to Cannon Beach
- Use of Perplexity AI to find alternative "off-book" campsite a success
Seaside Stop & Food Strategy
- Delightful lunch that both riders "really needed"
- Tim's nutrition timing issues affecting performance
- Plan to shop for breakfast supplies at local market
The Mechanical Crisis
- James's left crank arm completely falls off while riding to market
- Discovery of tiny pin mechanism in Shimano crank arm
- Initial DIY repair attempts fail spectacularly
- Kind local offers help but problem proves beyond field repair
Professional Intervention
- Bike shop discovery 470 feet away in Cannon Beach
- Ian at local rental shop (also starting bike repair services)
- Diagnosis: stripped internal teeth, unrepairable in field
- Shop closing at 7:30 PM but Ian stays to help
The Damage Assessment
- Left crank arm completely stripped internally
- Cannot be field-repaired
- Options: Replace single crank arm or entire crankset
- Potential multi-day delay due to Sunday/Monday shop closures
Contingency Planning
- Morning departure to Seaside bike shops (two available)
- Transportation options: Uber (surprisingly available) or bus service
- Multiple backup plans if repair takes longer
- Flexibility to modify entire tour routing if needed
Technical Details
- Equipment failure: Shimano crank arm with pin retention system
- Daily mileage: Approximately 30 miles completed
- Terrain: Two moderate climbs for Oregon Coast standards
- Upcoming challenge: Arch Cape Tunnel (uphill tunnel on Highway 101)
Local Insights
- Cannon Beach: Block-by-block character variation
- Seaside: Extremely crowded July 5th weekend
- Tourism impact: Half of Portland/Seattle metro areas visiting simultaneously
- Bike infrastructure: Limited bike parking in tourist areas
Lessons Learned
- Try DIY first - But know when to seek professional help
- Rental shops can be repair shops - Ian's dual business model
- Community support - Locals willing to help stranded cyclists
- Flexibility is key - Every PedalShift tour goes sideways at some point
Tour Philosophy Discussion
- Expectation that something will go wrong on every tour
- Value of riding companions with compatible problem-solving approaches
- Benefits of building in extra days and flexible routing
- Options to modify tour scope based on circumstances
Looking Ahead
- Immediate goal: Get James's bike repaired in Seaside
- Backup plans: Shortened tour, bus connections, or complete rerouting
- Distance flexibility: 20-30 mile days vs. 55-mile days depending on circumstances
- Route options: Continue south vs. return north via Portland
Notable Quotes
- "All bike tours in the PedalShift universe go sideways at some point"
- "There are worse places in the world to be stranded"
- "It depends on the block you're on" (describing Seaside)
- "We expect something to go sideways at some point, and you just deal with it"
Statistics
Miles biked 30
Percentage of crank arms that did not fail 75
Distance in feet from Ian’s Cannon Beach bike rental -slash- shop 475
Cumulative nights spent in Cannon Beach (so far) 1
Flats zero