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
395: Florida Coast Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:11
There are few rules in bicycle adventures, but I am a firm believer in the one that says you do not taunt the bike touring gods. Day 1 was a breeze, I said! The bike gods respond with a breeze of their own. Would their w…
394: Florida Coast Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:44
The first day of the Florida Coast adventure starts from the cooler air of Jacksonville, carrying me south through a series of beach towns on the way to a state park outside of St. Augustine with two entrances… the short…
393: Florida Coast Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:28
My annual tradition of a winter ride in the sunshine state continues! Unlike past years, I'm shaking things up with the start and focusing on a coastal ride along the East Coast Greenway before turning inland. But the Fl…
Best of Pedalshift 292: Touring Bike Essentials [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:10
I ride three different bikes for touring, and each one has plusses and minuses depending on what kind of ride I'm looking for. But if you're new to bike touring or looking for another bike, what should you be thinking ab…
392: eBike Range Test Takeaways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:46
So I successfully rode 75 miles on a single charge of my eBike battery (with a little bit of a top off!). What did I learn from the adventure and what does it mean for future trips with my ebike? eBike Range Test Takeawa…
391: eBike Range Test Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:52
On this episode we ride from my cabin to Cumberland, MD on the C&O towpath to see if we can squeeze 75 miles out of my eBike battery! With only one real opportunity to top off, this is a real test with fairly unfun conse…
390: eBike Range Test Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:26
On this episode we turn the page back to last fall when I did a secret mini tour with a big purpose… to test the range of my eBike battery on the C&O trail! Can I stretch one full charge enough to get a full day's ride i…
389: 2025 Bicycling Goals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:37
On this edition of the pod, we kick off 2025 with the intent to make it a year of celebration in a time of loss for me. But celebration is more fun, so let's do that. 2014's trip was a shout out to my grandmother and 202…
Best of Pedalshift 270: Winter Fitness and Bike Maintenance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:34
With a bunch of snow and ice on the ground where I'm at, it's a good time to focus on things that will help bike tours coming after the thaw. On this episode, an update on my winter fitness goals, what I'm doing to keep…
388: Pedalshift Holiday Spectacular 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:58
Shifty Saves the Holidays! It's an annual tradition around here that we celebrate the holidays with my senior executive producer and best buddy Shifty the Elf celebrating the year that has been. This year, in a nearly al…