Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 4
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Release Date: 09/18/2025
Best of Pedalshift 340: Staying Safe on Bicycle Adventures
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Look, we all know there’s some inherent risk in bikepacking, bike touring and even bike commuting. Between bad infrastructure and inattentive drivers, we assume some degree of risk every time we’re in the saddle. But as with anything, there are things we can do to make our bicycle adventures safer than by doing nothing. On this episode, some thoughts on all the things you can do to have a safer ride! .
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Minimalist California Part 2
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
A fun night adjacent to the Happiest Place on Earth, but work to do on the final day of the adventure. A scouted ride to Orange County airport seemed easy, then challenging, then maybe easy again. But there’s been a peculiar lack of drama on this podcast that tends to have unnecessary drama in the trips. I wonder… could we find some? Statistics Miles biked 27 Zippers broken 2 Yards of tape used by SNA TSA to seal the bike bag 3 Futile attempts to repair the zipper in Seattle 1 Flats 0
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Minimal California Part 1
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
A flight to San Diego and operation get my bike to Seattle begins! Sunny Southern California lures me in with perfect… wait, what’s that? Rain all day? In San Diego? <sigh> That tracks. Day 1 of the experiment that is Minimal California has a soggy start and a magical finish, because all winter bike trips lead to Disney parks right? Statistics Miles biked 25+2=27 Busses 1 Trains 1 Water bottles needed to wash sand off bike brakes from beach side quest 4 Flats 0
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Minimal California Preview
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Welcome back from Winter Break! I was busy while we revisited some classic adventures, and went off and had a brand new one. On this edition, we preview Minimal California, a pared down adventure with a purpose, a destination, and... would you believe things that went awry? I should have shownotes but I'm still on winter break mode... it's a good episode and you should listen to it!
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The Jalapeño Popper Tour (Feat. Brock Dittus)
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Enough of my tour journals, let’s shake it up and bring in special guest star and longtime friend of the show, Pedalshift Society member Brock Dittus in on a tour of not the Oregon coast! Brock travels solo through some of the steepest riding in the state, fueled by fried spicy goodness. Would that be enough to handle the climbs and our old nemesis, wildfire smoke? Originally podcast July 13, 2023.
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Winter Break: A Brompton Stealth Overnight
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
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… Originally podcast July 16, 2020.
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Winter Break: Olympic Peninsula Part 2
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
In the second of a two-parter, it’s Pedalshift Tour Journals: Vol. 9: Olympic Peninsula! Join me and my trusty Brompton for 4 days of transit-aided bicycle touring from Washington, DC to Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula and wrapping things up in Astoria, Oregon. This week features a more-challenging-than-expected short mileage day, a visit to Kurt Cobain’s riverfront hangout, and a long bridge serving as a finish line. Originally podcast March 29, 2018.
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Winter Break: Olympic Peninsula Part 1
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
In the first of a two-parter during winter break, it's Pedalshift Tour Journals: Vol. 9: Olympic Peninsula! Join me and my trusty Brompton for 4 days of transit-aided bicycle touring from Washington, DC to Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula and wrapping things up in Astoria, Oregon. This week features the machinations of getting from DC to a tent in the shadows of the Olympic Mountains (if there were, y’know… sun) and the first very soggy day of riding. Originally podcast March 22, 2018.
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Winter Break: Evolution of Bike Adventure Gear
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Every once in a while it’s nice to look back on where it all came from – on this edition, we explore the evolution of bike touring gear from the beginning of the modern era in the 1970s through today’s high tech enhancements to bikepacking and more. Plus, a nod to what the future might hold with new materials and tech to make bicycle adventuring more fun and accessible! Originally podcast June 22, 2023.
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Adventure Goals for 2026
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
One more episode before we take a little winter break (with some great best of's!) we do our annual setting of goals. This year we mix in one non-cycling goal on top of the others. Hey if I hit all of these it's going to be a great year! Adventure Goals for 2026 Continued fitness upgrades Oh Canada! New bike(s) Ultralight gear and ultralight tours A Brompton adventure Seattle S24Os Big toe dip: backpacking… Hoh Rainforest? A transit-assisted adventure A food and beverage-centric adventure A ferry-centric adventure
info_outlineThe 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 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