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
Spring Break: Clean-Up Tour Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:44
I'd ridden an ok amount that year, but to be honest, as the year was winding down I realized there were two spots I always hit that I haven't been to yet. So I needed to play a little clean up and get wheels down on thos…
Spring Break: Clean-Up Tour Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:27
I'd ridden an ok amount that year, but to be honest, as the year was winding down I realized there were two spots I always hit that I haven't been to yet. So I needed to play a little clean up and get wheels down on thos…
Spring Break: A Game of Chance - Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:22
As I said last time… sometimes bad ideas go good, and good ideas go bad. And then there's the latest bonkers idea of a tour I had… a game of chance. In the final installment, we learn preparation can sometimes be the key…
Spring Break: A Game of Chance - Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:48
Sometimes bad ideas go good, and good ideas go bad. And then there's the bonkers idea of a tour I had… a game of chance. In the first of two parts, let's see how random selection of route, direction and more makes for a…
399: Cycling US National Parks in 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:56
It's planning season for spring and summer tours! But if you're in the US or planning a bike adventure here, there's some real question marks about our national park system. From budget cuts to layoffs and reinstatements…
Best of Pedalshift 287: Gifts Ideas for a Person on a Bike Tour [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:38
We're often asked what you should get someone into bike touring… but what about a gift for a friend or loved one who is literally in the middle of a bike tour? Inspired by a Reddit thread, but not one of *those* Reddit t…
398: Florida Coast Takeaways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:30
The Florida adventure is in the rear view mirror but I have so many lessons learned from this trip… and I'll share a bunch of them with you here on the takeaways edition to close out the trip. Hold the date… Pedalshift 4…
397: Florida Coast Part 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:43
The previous day's winds having ebbed, it was time to ride a full day again. And with grayer skies and the winds more at my back than my face, day 3 got things back on track. Would last year's free campsite be as welcomi…
396: Florida Coast Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:06
The previous day's winds having ebbed, it was time to ride a full day again. And with grayer skies and the winds more at my back than my face, day 3 got things back on track. Would last year's free campsite be as welcomi…
Best of Pedalshift 290: Beginner Mistakes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:28
I used to do a beginners series on the show (and hope to do another again) but never did a whole show on "don't make the same mistake I did." So, on this episode… mistakes to avoid as a beginner! Originally podcast July…