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
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Live From Seattle
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Our very first live show of 2026 is also the inaugural live show from Seattle! On this episode we chat more in depth about Seattle biking adventures to come, both locally and launched from here, give a quick Brompton update, an even briefer ACA update, and then a bunch of questions in the live show AMA! Live from Seattle Thoughts on Seattle as a bike launching point Local trails Gateway to multiple adventures Vancouver crossing loop Pacific coast Washington Parks STP SEA direct flights Year round cycling Brompton update ACA Building Sale Seems like the sale of the building is serving as a...
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All Who Wander Are Not Lost
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
We've often talked about how slow travel by bicycle helps you see your adventure with far more detail than by car. But can we slow it down even more and reinforce that lesson? On this episode, exploring the parallels of exploring a city by foot and how that proves the point! All Who Wander... Exploring Seattle without a car Using walking as a way to scope neighborhoods Slow travel lessons from bike touring, applied to everyday life What you notice on foot that you miss by bike or car Sound, sight lines, and the feel of a place Low-friction wandering and following curiosity Inefficiency as a...
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Rightsizing Your Bikes for a Move
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
So you’ve decided to relocate - congratulations! Now you have to figure out what to do with all of your bikes. Do you just move them all or is it time to rightsize your fleet? On this edition, we take a long hard look at my situation with a cross-country move. Do I move them all or is there a better solution? • Moving long-distance as a forcing function for downsizing • Applying “does this still serve me?” to bikes • When sentimental value isn’t the same as utility • Overlapping bikes and letting go of duplicates • Keeping the most flexible, all-conditions bike •...
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Best of Pedalshift 310: Offseason Training for Bike Touring
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
You know you’ve got a bike tour coming up this year, so you want to make sure you’re ready for it. What are some things to do to make that easier in the bike touring offseason? On this episode, some insight into my plans this offseason plus tips from ACA, REI and other experts! ALSO... Pedalshift SEATTLE Live will be Friday January 16 at 5pm PT/8pm ET. Check out the details in your email, YouTube and pedalshift.net/live.
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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...
info_outlineWhat 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: 1–2 nights, shoulder season, mild weather but possible cool nights.
Riding style: paved/mixed surfaces, moderate daily mileage.
Shelter
Options to debate:
Tarp + bivy sack (light, cheap, minimal bug protection).
Minimal trekking pole tarp (if you carry a pole or can use the bike).
Emergency bivy + bug net (super small but spartan).
UL single-wall tent (if you can compress to fit — ~1lb tents exist).
Hammock
Where I land:
Shelter Zpacks Hexamid Pocket Tarp 5.2 oz Dyneema, no floor; packs to fist size
Groundsheet Polycryo sheet (cut to size) 1.5 oz Cheap and super compact
Bug Net Sea to Summit Nano Pyramid (solo) 2.9 oz Optional if mosquitoes likely
Stakes 6 titanium shepherd hooks 2 oz Can share with tarp
Guyline 2 mm reflective cord 1 oz Multipurpose (also for repairs)
Total Shelter Weight: ~12 oz (340 g)
Sleep Kit
Pad: short closed-cell foam (Z-lite cut down) vs ultralight inflatable (NeoAir Uberlite).
Quilt: 40°F down quilt packs to a grapefruit.
Sleep Clothing layering: puffy jacket + base layers to extend quilt rating.
pillow (there are some ultralight inflatables too)
Where I land:
Sleep Pad Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite (small) 6 oz Packs smaller than a soda can
Quilt Enlightened Equipment Enigma 40°F 13 oz Compresses to a grapefruit
Pillow Exped Air UL pillow (small) 1.6 oz Optional luxury
Sleep Clothes Lightweight merino top + boxer briefs 6 oz Doubles as camp wear
Total Sleep Weight: ~27 oz (765 g)
Cooking vs. No-Cook
No-cook: bars, wraps, cold soak jar.
Minimal cook: Esbit/solid fuel stove + titanium mug.
Coffee strategy: instant packets vs small UL brewer.
Space/weight trade-off: ditch cook kit for luxury (camera, extra clothes).
Where I land:
Cold Soak System Plastic PB jar 2oz
Utensil Long Ti spoon 0.5 oz
Mug (if separate) MSR Titan 2.4 oz
Food for 2 days Wraps, instant oatmeal, nuts, bars, jerky, instant coffee ~24 oz
Water 1 L Smartwater bottle (frame-mounted)
Total Cooking/Food Weight (excluding water): ~29 oz (820 g)
Clothing & Tools
No change of clothes on this one… one base layer, puffy jacket layer.
Rain shell = big payoff for little space.
Simple wool hat
Micro tool kit: multi-tool, chain link, tiny pump, patch kit instead of spare tube.
hygiene: Dr Bronner’s in smallest travel bottle, small camp towel, travel toothbrush.
Where I land:
Rain Shell Patagonia Houdini or OR Helium 6 oz Ultralight but reliable
Insulation Layer Montbell Plasma 1000 puffy 5 oz Packs to palm size
Extra Base Layer / socks Wool top + socks 5 oz For camp
Toiletries Toothbrush, mini paste, Bronner’s, wet wipes 3 oz Minimalist hygiene
Headlamp Nitecore NU25 1 oz USB rechargeable
Total Clothing/Personal Weight: ~20 oz (570 g)
Multitool Lezyne RAP II-12 3 oz Compact essentials
Mini Pump Lezyne Pocket Drive 3 oz Mount to frame if possible
Chain link / tape / zip ties / patch kit Small zip bag 1 oz Field repairs
Phone + powerbank 10 000 mAh Anker 6 oz Also powers headlamp
Map / ID / Credit Card — negligible “Ultralight credit card touring” insurance
Total Tools/Misc Weight: ~13 oz (370 g)
Packing Tetris
Bottom: sleep system (quilt/compressed pad).
Middle: shelter/tarp.
Top: food/clothing.
Outside: light rain shell/camp shoes?
Safety & Bail Out Options
Emergency bail plan: credit card, rideshare, motel.
Weather veto: if forecast turns ugly, change trip.
My Packed Total
Category Weight
Shelter 12 oz
Sleep 27 oz
Cooking/Food 29 oz
Clothing/Personal 20 oz
Tools/Misc 13 oz
Total ~6.31 lb (2.86 kg) inside dry bag
Conclusion
Who this works for: weekenders, credit card tourists, fair-weather minimalists.
Who it doesn’t: long winter trips, remote routes with no services, the comfort-oriented
The psychological side of going this minimal: what you gain (freedom, simplicity) vs. what you lose (comfort, margin).