The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures

A chat with Mary McGowan is the Rebel Without a Car. She’s a Delaware native now in South Carolina who went from a car-free bike commuter to bike tourist and has discovered a ton of adventure along the way. Originally podcast September 24, 2020.

Just like last year, let's set some goals for bike adventures in 2024! Studies show you are more likely to achieve your goals if they are specific and measurable, plus you write them down and share them with others. As a nudge to get you to do the same, I'm sharing my goals for bike adventures in 2024 here on the pod!

1. New Experiences in Bike Travel

Goal Plan at least three bike trips to destinations never visited before, including local hidden gems and longer journeys.

Measurable Aspect Track and document the number of new places visited with photos and a travel journal.

2. Exploring and Enjoying the Trips More

Incorporate Unique Activities or Experiences

Goal Add at least one unique activity or experience to each trip, like local cuisine tasting, community event participation, or historical site exploration.

Measurable Aspect Record and rate each unique experience on a scale of 1-10 for enjoyment.

Plan a Low-Mileage, Slow-Paced Tour

Goal Conduct a bike tour emphasizing slow travel and low daily mileage, focusing on scenery enjoyment and local culture engagement.

Measurable Aspect Implement a daily mileage limit (e.g., no more than 30 miles) to allow for exploration and rest.

Engage with Local Communities

Goal Interact with local communities during tours, including staying at local guesthouses and dining at family-owned restaurants.

Measurable Aspect Document interactions, including names of stays, dining places, and community events.

Document the Journey

Goal Capture the tour's essence through photography, journaling, or video blogging, focusing on storytelling.

Measurable Aspect Create a travel log or digital album of key moments and stories.

3. Building a New Ebike with Long Range

Battery Capacity and Range

Goal Install a high-capacity battery system for a range of about 120 miles per charge, similar to Biking Brian's setup.

Measurable Aspect Choose a battery with around 1500Wh capacity.

Motor Efficiency and Power

Goal Select a mid-drive motor that balances efficiency and power, suitable for various terrains and distances.

Measurable Aspect Opt for a mid-drive motor with 250-750 watts power output.

Overall Design for Comfort and Durability

Goal Build a bike focusing on comfort and durability, including a comfortable seat, ergonomic handlebars, and a robust frame.

Measurable Aspects

Frame and Suspension Select a frame that balances weight and strength, with front suspension for terrain comfort.

Seating and Handlebars Ensure high-quality, ergonomic seating and adjustable handlebars.

Packing up and getting myself and my trusty Brompton to central Florida is a well-practiced mid-winter routine for me at this point. But this year, we’re mixing it up with a new route and (finally?) some actual camping in the sunshine state. But would the unfamiliar route and lack of decent conditioning through the holidays put the brakes on this adventure before we even start?

• Preparation and Packing
• Travel to Florida
• Arrival and Bike Setup in Winter Garden
• Trail Riding Experience
• Camping Preparations and Considerations
• Mechanical Adjustments and Bike Modifications
• Weather and Riding Conditions
• Navigation and Trail Experiences
• End-of-Day Reflections and Camping Experience

• Miles flown 862
• Miles biked 35.4
• Number of 44 stars given 1
• Times my phone dropped off my MagSafe bike mount 4
• Auto Clubs mentioned 2
• Footlongs consumed 1
• Flats 0

Avoid catastrophe and think about preventing theft before your next bike tour. On this episode some thoughts and tips on keeping your bike and gear safe.

• Bike theft
• • in camp
  • at a hotel or other roofed public accommodation
  • from your vehicle
• Gear theft
• • in camp
  • at stops when it's unattended

As always we like to close out the show with a special shoutout to the Pedalshift Society! Because of support from listeners like you, Pedalshift is a weekly bicycle touring podcast with a global community, expanding into live shows and covering new tours like this spring's DC to Cincinnatti bike tour! If you like what you hear, you can support the show for 5 bucks, 2 bucks or even a buck a month. And there's one-shot and annual options if you're not into the small monthly thing. Check it all out at pedalshift.net/society.

Kimberly Wilson Caleb Jenkinson Cameron Lien Andrew MacGregor Michael Hart Keith Nagel Brock Dittus Thomas Skadow Marco Lo Terrance Manson Harry Telgadas Chris Barron Mark Van Raam Brad Hipwell Mr. T Nathan Poulton Stephen Dickerson Vince LoGreco Cody Floerchinger Tom Benenati Greg Braithwaite Sandy Pizzio Jeff Muster Seth Pollack Joseph Quinn Drue Porter Byron Paterson Joachim Raber Ray Jackson Jeff Frey Kenny Mikey Lisa Hart John Denkler Steve Hankel Miguel Quinones Alejandro Avilés-Reyes Keith Spangl...

As always we like to close out the show with a special shoutout to the Pedalshift Society! Because of support from listeners like you, Pedalshift is a weekly bicycle touring podcast with a global community, expanding into live shows and covering new tours like this summer's upcoming bike tour! If you like what you hear, you can support the show for 5 bucks, 2 bucks or even a buck a month. And there's one-shot and annual options if you're not into the small monthly thing. Check it all out at pedalshift.net/society.

Kimberly Wilson Caleb Jenkinson Cameron Lien Andrew MacGregor Michael Hart Keith Nagel Brock Dittus Thomas Skadow Marco Lo Terrance Manson Harry Telgadas Chris Barron Mark Van Raam Brad Hipwell Mr. T Nathan Poulton Stephen Dickerson Vince LoGreco Cody Floerchinger Tom Benenati Greg Braithwaite Sandy Pizzio Jeff Muster Seth Pollack Joseph Quinn Drue Porter Byron Paterson Joachim Raber Ray Jackson Jeff Frey Kenny Mikey Lisa Hart John Denkler Steve Hankel Miguel Quinones Alejandro Avilés-Reyes Keith Spangler Greg Towner Dan Gebhart, RIP Jody Dzuranin Lucas Barwick Michael Baker Brian Bechtol Reinhart Bigl Greg Middlemis Connie Moore William Gothmann Brian Benton Joan Churchill Mike Bender Rick Weinberg Billy Crafton Gary Matushak Greg L’Etoile-Lopes James Sloan Jonathan Dillard John Funk Tom Bilcze Ronald Piroli Dave Roll Brian Hafner Misha LeBlanc Ari Messinger David Gratke Todd Groesbeck Wally Estrella Sue Reinert John Leko Stephen Granata Phillip Mueller Robert Lackey Dominic Carol Jacqi McCulloch John Hickman Carl Presseault David Neves Patty Louise Terry Fitzgerald Peter Steinmetz Timothy Fitzpatrick Michael Liszewski Hank O’Donnell David Zanoni David Weil Matthew Sponseller Chad Reno Spartan Dale Carolyn Ferguson Peggy Littlefield Lauren Allansmith Eric Burns Thomas Pearl Darrin McKibben Richard Stewart Dave Fletcher

You've been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields has a new album available NOW,AND Jason has a new solo album coming this year, AND his first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen! And Jason is doing live events in and around Montreal, so go listen LIVE too!

https://soundcloud.com/sunfields