402: Lake Ontario 2025 Preview

402: Lake Ontario 2025 Preview

Author: Tim Mooney June 12, 2025 Duration: 32:52

After years of circling this ride (pun intended) it's time to do a lap of the lake that I've lived near for a big chunk of my early life. Would it have been easier to pick a smaller lake? Sure. But Lake Ontario truly is a Great Lake in the sense it is surrounded by diverse and interesting places we'll discover together.

Lake Ontario 2025 Preview

The basics

About 540 miles

Two countries, two border crossings

Ferries galore

All roofed lodging

Rural stops and big cities

Driving ebike to WNY that is the beginning and end of the loop

The weather

Warm days and cool nights

Mixed bag for rain and dry

The gear

eBike - biggest ride yet!

Brooks saddle pulled from Brompton for more comfort

Rewrapped my bar end extenders to improve comfort

Batteries and chargers = biggest weight

Riding very light otherwise… 2 days of riding clothes I'll wash each night plus a set of "civilian" clothes and rain gear

Bringing more tools in to handle bigger ticket issues

Tightening down everything in advance

The highlights

Memorial trip for my dad

Checking off some boxes - new to me, international, cool places

Lakeside lodging in a few places

Multiple ferries, including intl crossing

Toronto island stay - true Lake Ontario vibes with killer views of TO

Niagara Falls (probably!)

Weird Tim tourism: Love Canal! Be ready for history talk of American pollution!

A different route to the Erie Canal towpath

The challenges

Distance - despite the ebike, we're looking at some 90 mile days and that could be rough?

Time in saddle - haven't had good long days in the saddle since February

ebike - can it handle this? Sure? Maybe?

rural spots tough for a bailout

unfamiliar places in Ontario until Toronto and even then… new to me by bike


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
Best of Pedalshift 324: Return to the C&O – Day 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:50
After a nice night at the cabin, the second day looked to be a wet one… with forecasts of dangerous winds whipping the trail. Calling an audible seems to be the plan, but would there be another more mechanical issue that…
Summer Bike Adventures [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:31
Seattle is starting to feel less like a move and more like home base. With the long stretch of travel beginning to slow down, this week's episode looks ahead to what summer adventure might look like from the Pacific Nort…
Exploring Chicago [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:08
On this edition, we go to the Windy City, and it was windy , and we ride around a little bit and walk around a little bit and do a little bit of discovery. A cool neighborhood, Wicker Park, and just discovery of things t…
Not Just Bikes: May Music Adventures [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:46
On this edition, we hop off the bike for a bit to chat about some non-cycling adventures I'm in the middle of this month! As you all know I'm a huge music fan, and as my big move and other transitions have pretty much cr…
Best of Pedalshift 323: Return to the C&O – Day 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:29
Having said adieu to the C&O, let's revisit the spring 2023 ride of the C&O towpath for the next few months? Back then we had stellar conditions for riding. But with the Paw Paw tunnel closed, the trail posed a hefty cha…
Goodbye to the C&O, For Now [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:17
The C&O has been a recurring spine of the show for years, from early episodes with zeroes in front of the numbers through bigger runs like DC to Cincinnati, and C&O But Slow. The show is now pointing toward Seattle, righ…
Bainbridge Island [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:24
Continuing more discovery of the Seattle area by bike and transit… this time it's a completely new to me place in Bainbridge Island! The real feature of course is the ferry, since we all know I love me a ferry. Some aqua…
Crossing Lake Washington [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:35
The weather is getting better, and I have bikes on hand... it's time to explore more of Seattle by bike! On this edition we start kind of big - crossing Lake Washington via the floating bridge by bike. Plus bonus Lunar N…
Minimal California Takeaways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:53
The bike is in Seattle safe and sound, but the adventure getting it here? We have things to talk about! On this episode the takeaways from Minimal California! Takeaways I really really like going with less Panniers have…
Best of Pedalshift 015: Critter Protection and Gearing for Dummies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:00
Hey we have some production delays on the latest episode, so look for that within the next few days... but to ensure your earballs get a regular Thursday listen, here's a special best of that goes ALL the way back to the…