Best of Pedalshift 310: Offseason Training for Bike Adventures

0

You know you’ve got a bike adventure coming up this year, so you want to make sure you’re ready for it. What are some things to do to make that easier in the offseason? On this episode, some insight into my plans this offseason plus tips from ACA, REI and other experts! Originally podcast January 19, 2023.

The post Best of Pedalshift 310: Offseason Training for Bike Adventures appeared first on Pedalshift.

The Pedalshift Project 426: The 2025 Holiday Spectacular

0

Shifty the Elf returns for the annual holiday spectacular! 2025 was… a year. And as Shifty and I pack up for Seattle, there’s a bunch of things we’re going through and boxing up as we bid adieu to the year!

The Pedalshift Project 426: The 2025 Holiday Spectacular

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 426: The 2025 Holiday Spectacular.

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSS – iTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – Stitcher – TuneIn – IHeartRadio – Spotify

Reach out to the show via email, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to join the newsletter too.

Have some bike touring or overnight stories to share? Send your pics, audio or a quick tweet – all welcome. Email the show at pedalshift@pedalshift.net or call the lightly-used Pedalshift voicemail line at (202) 930-1109

Happy Holidays – See you in 2026!

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.

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Jason has a new solo album available NOW. Go listen to JUKEBOX BOY wherever cool music is available! 

The post The Pedalshift Project 426: The 2025 Holiday Spectacular appeared first on Pedalshift.

Celebrating Advocacy Wins

0

As we close out 2025, we at Boulder Advocacy wanted to take a moment to celebrate some truly important wins from the past year Wins made possible by nonprofits pushing for justice in every corner of the country. It’s been a long year, and while progressive movements have faced real setbacks, that’s not the whole story. On this episode, we are taking the time to celebrate advocacy wins within the nonprofit community this year.

Shownotes

  • Housing and Economic Justice Victories
  • Healthcare and Reproductive Justice Wins
  • Understanding Advocacy vs. Lobbying
  • Court Victories for Transgender Rights
  • Nonpartisan Voter Engagement Successes
  • Ballot Measure Victories

Resources

afj.org

The Pedalshift Project 425: Honolulu and Seattle

0

A walk along Elliot Bay to discuss the short trip to Honolulu and more on the transition to Seattle and all the bikey adventures to come.

The Pedalshift Project 425: Honolulu and Seattle

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 425: Honolulu and Seattle.

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSS – iTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – Stitcher – TuneIn – IHeartRadio – Spotify

Reach out to the show via email, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to join the newsletter too.

Have some bike touring or overnight stories to share? Send your pics, audio or a quick tweet – all welcome. Email the show at pedalshift@pedalshift.net or call the lightly-used Pedalshift voicemail line at (202) 930-1109

Honolulu and Seattle

  • A walk along Elliot Bay
  • Honolulu thoughts
  • More Seattle impressions
  • N+1 thoughts on bikes

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.

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Jason has a new solo album available NOW. Go listen to JUKEBOX BOY wherever cool music is available! 

The post The Pedalshift Project 425: Honolulu and Seattle appeared first on Pedalshift.

The Pedalshift Project 424: Pedalshift’s New Basecamp

0

Big news for the show: The Pedalshift Project is setting up camp in a new city! This episode breaks down what that means for future tours, how this opens up brand-new riding possibilities, and why the destination may be a bit of a surprise and also not a surprise at all.

The Pedalshift Project 424: Pedalshift's New Basecamp

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 424: Pedalshift’s New Basecamp.

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSS – iTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – Stitcher – TuneIn – IHeartRadio – Spotify

Reach out to the show via email, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to join the newsletter too.

Have some bike touring or overnight stories to share? Send your pics, audio or a quick tweet – all welcome. Email the show at pedalshift@pedalshift.net or call the lightly-used Pedalshift voicemail line at (202) 930-1109

Pedalshift has a new basecamp

Why? This move is all about geography, access, and expanding the Pedalshift touring sandbox. Seattle places world-class touring terrain right outside the door and increases the show’s ability to cover more routes, more often.

And yes—this is a return to the broader PNW. Think of it as a new basecamp, and not a commentary on my beloved Portland. It remains the land of sunshine and bunnies, and it’s just down I-5.

There’s obviously other details to all of this but they are far more weedsy than worth getting into for you all. Let’s focus on the parts that impact the pod!

What Seattle Unlocks for Bike Adventures

Puget Sound & the Islands

  • Bainbridge, Vashon, Whidbey, and the San Juans
  • Ferry-based overnighters and S24Os

Olympic Peninsula

  • ACA Pacific Coast connections
  • Port Townsend → Sequim → Forks routes
  • Big coastal scenery for trip diaries

Cascade Range

  • Palouse to Cascades Trail (hello, cross-state gravel epic)
  • Snoqualmie Pass corridor
  • North Cascades Highway rides when the snow gods allow

British Columbia

  • Vancouver + Victoria loops
  • Easier cross-border touring content

Western US Access

Simpler jumps to NorCal, SoCal, Alaska, and Rocky Mountain tour starts

How the Show Evolves

More Micro-Tours

Seattle puts quality riding minutes—not hours—away, which means more short trips, more experiments, more rapid-fire episodes.

Some Non-Bicycle Adventures

Exploring by foot – hiking, urban adventures and more. Not a replacement for bikes, but a compliment.

New Possible Arcs

  • The Islands Project
  • The Puget Sound Loops
  • Palouse to Cascades: Piece by Piece
  • Return to the Coast (Seattle → Portland → Coast → beyond)

Year-Round Riding

Milder PNW winters = more shoulder-season content and gear discussions. Also proximity to southern CA for winter riding?

What Stays the Same

  • The philosophy of intentional, practical, joyful bike travel
  • Long-form tours and multi-state adventures
  • Portland is the land of sunshine and bunnies, and Seattle will need a tagline

Early Seattle Recon

  • Riding West Seattle, Alki, and Elliott Bay
  • Ferry recon missions
  • Scouting trails, routes, and spots for easy S24Os
  • Checking out the local bike shop ecosystem

Production Notes

  • Scheduling in winter and spring TBD with some back and forth travel
  • Regular episode cadence with best-of’s 

Listener Input Wanted

  • Got Seattle, Puget Sound, or PNW route suggestions? Hidden gems? Ferries worth timing for golden hour? Winter riding hacks?
  • Hit me up—I’ll feature the best ones in future episodes.

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.

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Jason has a new solo album available NOW. Go listen to JUKEBOX BOY wherever cool music is available! 

The post The Pedalshift Project 424: Pedalshift’s New Basecamp appeared first on Pedalshift.

Nonprofits Under Siege: Don’t Panic, Prepare!

0

In recent months, the threats facing nonprofit organizations have continued to develop at a furious pace. In the face of challenges like funding reductions and congressional investigations, nonprofits are taking the time to shore up their defenses and prepare for what’s to come. On this episode, we’ll discuss several recent events that have the sector talking so that your nonprofit can take the steps necessary to ensure your continued ability to boldly advocate on behalf of your communities.

Attorneys for this episode

· Brittany Hacker Leonard

· Tim Mooney

· Natalie Ossenfort

Shownotes

· In recent months:

o Federal Executive Orders & Memos:

§ March 7: EO entitled “Restoring Public Service Loan Forgiveness“, which makes employees of organizations with a “substantial illegal purpose” ineligible for public service loan forgiveness benefits.

· “Targets orgs supporting terrorism and aiding an dabetting illegal immigration”

§ August 28: EO entitled “Use of Appropriated Funds for Illegal Lobbying and Partisan Political Activity by Federal Grantees“, where the President directs the Attorney General to investigate whether federal grant funds are being used to support lobbying initiatives.

§ September 25: National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM-7)+ Sept 22 EO designating Antifa as domestic terrorist org: designating domestic groups as terrorist orgs.

o Congressional Oversight (Letters and Hearings):

§ October 6: Ways and Means Committee Letter to IRS requesting investigation of specific nonprofits and revocation of their tax-exempt status

§ October 28: Letter sent to three 501(c)(3) foundations regarding their compliance with nonprofit tax law

§ November 5: Letter sent to the Environmental Protection Agency regarding its funding of “far-left” organizations via the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund

§ Check out the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law’s congressional investigations tracker for additional examples.

o State-Level Actions:

§ Texas: November 18 Executive Order designating certain organizations “foreign terrorist organizations“, barring them from purchasing property in the state.

· Stay alert:

o Be on the lookout for new state laws related to foreign contributions to ballot measures. At least 19 states have enacted bans on contributions from foreign nationals to ballot question efforts, nine during the 2025 legislative session alone.

o Expect a possible uptick in I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) Enforcement. Employers are required to timely and properly complete and retain Form I-9 for each employee they hire.

· What you can do:

o Don’t fall for the sternly worded “Letters to Santa” by Members of Congress.

o Conduct a compliance self-assessment with AFJ Bolder Advocacy’s “Advocacy Check-Up” tool.

o Take advantage of the Nonprofit Legal Defense Network (created in partnership with We The Action).

o Brush up on federal and state election season advocacy rules in advance of the 2026 Midterms, and adopt an election season advocacy policy for signature by staff, board members, and volunteers.

o Lobby against legislation that would create new barriers to your nonprofit’s advocacy. Just remember to stay within your public charity lobbying limits.

o Go on the offense.

o Reach out to AFJ’s Bolder Advocacy team for free technical assistance.

Resources

· Break in Case of Panic! hub

· Preparing for Politically Motivated Attacks on-demand webinar

· How Nonprofits Can Fight Back Against Trump’s Harmful Executive Orders blog

· Advocacy Check-Up: compliance self-assessment tool for 501(c)(3) public charities

· Nonprofit Legal Defense Network

The Pedalshift Project 423: Thanksgiving Eve Live

0

A repodcast of our Thanksgiving Eve live show: following up on your comments on the state of bicycle touring, plus a bunch of great questions in an Ask Me Anything segment!


The Pedalshift Project 423: Thanksgiving Eve Live

Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 423: Thanksgiving Eve Live.

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSS – iTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – Stitcher – TuneIn – IHeartRadio – Spotify

Reach out to the show via email, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to join the newsletter too.

Have some bike touring or overnight stories to share? Send your pics, audio or a quick tweet – all welcome. Email the show at pedalshift@pedalshift.net or call the lightly-used Pedalshift voicemail line at (202) 930-1109

Followup: Is Bicycle Touring in Decline? 

More emails on this than any topic in a while. Some selected thoughts from listeners:

Regarding ACA

  • Multiple listeners: Could ACA  be losing older members in its attempts to expand into younger audiences, but worse… might not be succeeding on either front? It’s hard to do both, and that’s the challenge… you need to find what drives your constituencies and sometimes you swing and miss.
  • @BounceBackWesterner”I subscribed to the ACA magazine for one year.  I was happy with one edition, but then, it seemed like there was a trend to rides that were extremely challenging and demanding whether that be road or offroad. These folks predominantly seemed younger and maybe that’s where most of their subscriptions come from. “
  • Another point: ACA was built on a need which may not exist anymore. Before they were the best and maybe only resource for routes and maps that had been vetted. Now there are way more resources.
  • Listener Harry Hellerman was a great example of someone who’s let his ACA membership lapse after 20 years. The reason? Kind of what ACA was saying… he says he’s aging out and the roads are now occupied by larger and larger vehicles, so there’s a safety concern. 

Regarding Touring being down

  • Multiple listeners: Travel is down across the board, but travel to the US in particular has taken a huge hit. Lots of factors there, but you can’t ignore the current politics as a possible reason here.
  • Listener Andrew Piper: “Data point: For a 2-year comparison, the overall demand for search terms around “bike touring” is infact down 25%-35% YoY. However, using the same comparison, the demand for terms around “bikepacking” is up about 40%. Which does lend itself to the change in nomenclature more than an actual decline in interest.”
  • “I think I am maybe a couple years younger than yourself at best. Of the people I have seen doing this, I always feel I am on the younger side of the sport. Logistically it makes sense. Who has time to do this….older people.” 
  • Bicycling for older generations was a big part of freedom – it might not be that for younger generations?
  • Listener Dr. G4 wrote a really thoughtful email from the perspective of a younger rider. 
    • Shorter touring is much more of a thing
    • Some of the places where the routes go don’t feel welcoming (political, demographics)
    • Real shift to urbanism amongst younger generation
    • Poor infrastructure/safety
    • perception: ACA represents an older version of bicycle travel (longer trips)
    • “I think what the next generation wants is not road maps, but trail maps and advocacy for more trails and trail amenities (and, I might note, probably videos, how-tos, explainers, and meetups, not print versions of easily-googleable information).”
    • “it’s clear from the overabundance of urbanist youth getting around by transit, bicycles, or even scooters that travel by bicycle isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. But turning them into bicycle tourers involves developing routes and programs that are closer to cities and farther from cars, marketing dedicated bicycle trails as one piece of an integrated solution for transit- and bicycle-accessible nature, specifically focussing on routes with many transit junctions to allow long routes to be chewed in smaller chunks, helping the rapidly-growing contingent of bicycle commuters to learn how to use their bicycles beyond weekdays to short or long weekends (with week-long or more tours being an eventual end goal, not the primary purpose), and politically advocating for car-displacing trains, trails, and cycle tracks that make all this possible.”

•Rails to Trails Conservancy may have the better model?

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.

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Jason has a new solo album available NOW. Go listen to JUKEBOX BOY wherever cool music is available! 

The post The Pedalshift Project 423: Thanksgiving Eve Live appeared first on Pedalshift.