400: Celebrating 400 Episodes [Live]

400: Celebrating 400 Episodes [Live]

Author: Tim Mooney April 17, 2025 Duration: 51:57

Four hundred episodes into this project, we gathered together on April 11, 2025 for a live show to celebrate the occasion. On this edition I revealed a new tour, announced a short spring break (with episodes, never fear!), and did some Ask Me Anythings!

Pedalshift 400 Live

Hey check out the video if that's your bag...

https://www.youtube.com/live/EJfDdaQDgeE?si=NruP9cvgb0mgY8ip

 
Introduction
•Tim kicks off Episode 400 live with listeners in the chat
•Reflects on 10+ years of podcasting, over 1.3 million downloads
•Expresses gratitude to listeners and the broader bike travel community
 
Shout-Outs & Tributes
•Listener shout-outs:
•Forrest from Whitehorse on the GAP Trail
•Byron and the Sprocket listener crossover poll (results were a 50/50 split)
•Tribute to The Sprocket Podcast:
•Final episode recently released
•Strong influence on Pedalshift's creation
•Encourages new listeners to explore the Sprocket back catalog
•Shared values and crossover episodes remembered fondly
 
Tour Reveal: Circumnavigating Lake Ontario
•Dedicated to Tim's late father; the lake was important to him
•Starting in Western New York, likely near Tim's mother's home
•Full loop around Lake Ontario
•Using the e-bike with a second battery for extended range
•No camping: entirely hotel or Airbnb lodging
•Expected duration: under a week
•Part of 2025 goals: new route, international travel, expanded e-bike touring
 
Pedalshift Spring Break
•First planned break in podcast history (show remains weekly)
•Begins April 24, 2025
•Through May, rebroadcasting selected past mini-tours:
•Game of Chance Tour
•Cleanup Tour
•Fill in the Blanks Tour
•New content returns in June with:
•Los Angeles Metro Bike Adventure (Episode 401)
•Lake Ontario Tour coverage begins with Episode 402
 
Ask Me Anything (Live Chat Q&A)
 
Tour Planning and Equipment
•Uses RideWithGPS, Google Maps, and Street View for route planning
•Recommends overlays like RideWithGPS heatmaps for checking route popularity
•Apple Notes is the go-to tool for organizing transit and fast-forward trips
•Safari and Brompton are the most used bikes for local/urban riding
•Gravel/dirt touring is appealing, especially with proper gear; has done C&O and Erie Canal
•Tour terrain preference: tie between forested and coastal routes
 
C&O Canal Guidance
•Cumberland to DC is a favorable direction due to logistics and parking
•Recommends Harper's Ferry to Shepherdstown segment for beginners
 
Tour Ideas and Alternatives
•Florida ride likely to be retired after repeated versions
•Considering Arizona desert rides, Florida Keys, or San Diego to Phoenix
•Airline logistics (especially Southwest policy changes) influence decision-making
•Possibility of international touring (Europe later in 2025, Australia someday)
 
Fun Pop Culture AMA
•Favorite Prince songs to bike to:
•Let's Go Crazy
•Seven (all-time favorite)
•Raspberry Beret, Purple Rain, 1999 also mentioned
•Brief discussion of cycling music and personal playlist choices
 
Future Travel Hints
•Canada's Lake Ontario loop is Tim's first true international bike tour
•Possibility of a short European ride in late summer 2025
•Dreaming of riding in Australia during shoulder seasons
 
Closing Remarks
•Gratitude to listeners and live show participants
•Encouragement to get out and ride, share stories, and connect with community
•Next live show planned for later in the year
•Spring break content begins April 24, new episodes resume in June
 

There’s a particular kind of freedom that comes from traveling by bicycle, where the journey itself becomes the destination. The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures, hosted by Tim Mooney, delves into that experience through a mix of personal stories, practical advice, and wide-ranging conversations. Rather than just a how-to guide, this podcast feels like sitting down with a knowledgeable friend after a long day on the road. You’ll hear firsthand accounts from fellow bike tourists, each with their own unique tales from the pavement and gravel, alongside Tim’s own reflections and experiments in bicycle touring. The discussions naturally cover the logistical tips and tricks that make trips smoother, but they also explore the cultural and educational aspects of moving through the world at a human pace. It’s about more than gear and routes; it’s about the connections made and the perspectives gained when you embrace a slower, more engaged form of travel. This audio companion to Pedalshift.net aims to demystify bicycle adventure, making it feel accessible and deeply rewarding. By sharing these stories and ideas, the hope is to inspire your own two-wheeled explorations, proving that a bicycle can indeed shrink the world in the most wonderful way. Tune in for a thoughtful, grounded take on seeing the world from the saddle.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Podcast Episodes
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 6 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:19
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 sp…
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:24
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 p…
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:51
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 or…
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:03
Mysterious James and I emerge from our three-night Cannon Beach odyssey to accidentally unlock our cycling superpowers, turning a modest Tillamook target into a shocking 52-mile triumph. It's the usual stuff: ice cream a…
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:14
Day two and three of the Oregon Coast tour evolve into an epic quest for an elusive bicycle part. Is this a mere repair mission or a saga worthy of Greek mythology with adaptive problem-solving, multiple contingency plan…
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:28
Day 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 ma…
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:14
We are so back.... on the Oregon Coast with the Mysterious James for another round of two-wheeled mayhem. Ten days, 360 miles, zero expectations, and maximum potential for randomness. The Safari's ready, MJ is in, and we…
Best of Pedalshift 321: East Coast Greenway [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:00
Despite living on the east coast, we spend a whole heck of a lot of attention on bicycle adventures on the west coast, right? Well, it's time we changed that! On this episode, we chat with Regina Yan about the East Coast…
Lake Ontario 2025 Takeaways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:57
Six days, two countries, multiple ferries, and one very stubborn e-bike brake magnet later, the Lake Ontario circumnavigation attempt has wrapped up in ways both expected and completely unforeseen. What started as an amb…
Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 7 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:12
What was supposed to be a triumphant border crossing and final push from Niagara Falls back to the starting point became something entirely different when family health concerns required an immediate pivot. But sometimes…