Welcome to a different kind of Pedalshift adventure. For the first time, we're leaving the bikes behind and heading out on foot for a three-day section hike of the Oregon Coast Trail. Along with returning friend of the show and legendary 5-timer Mysterious James, I'm testing new ultralight gear, revisiting familiar terrain at walking speed, and exploring whether slowing down even more changes the way we experience a place we've ridden through so many times. It's a little experimental, a little ambitious, and very much in the spirit of adventure.
The Pedalshift Project 447: Oregon Coast Trail Preview
- A first for Pedalshift: backpacking instead of bikepacking.
- Joined by returning guest James for a three-day Oregon Coast Trail adventure.
- Transit-powered trip: Portland → Tillamook → north coast by bus before hiking south.
- Revisiting familiar Pacific Coast territory from an entirely different perspective.
- Can walking reveal things even bike travel misses?
- Route highlights include:
- Neahkahnie Mountain
- Manzanita
- Nehalem Bay State Park
- Beach hiking along the Oregon Coast Trail
- Planning roughly 10-mile hiking days with hiker-biker and county campground overnights.
- Weather forecast calls for classic Oregon Coast uncertainty, with rain possible after a dry first day.
- New ultralight gear gets its first real test:
- Hyperlite 40L backpack
- Big Agnes Copper Spur Bikepacking tent
- Carbon fiber trekking poles
- Thoughts on balancing premium gear with the long-held Pedalshift philosophy that the best gear is the gear that gets you outside.
- Pack weight comes in around 18 pounds, with room for future refinement.
- Trail food strategy includes hot coffee, plenty of snack bars… and James carrying enough bananas for what appears to be a small primate sanctuary.
- Why this trip fits the evolving vision of Pedalshift: adventures adjacent to bicycling that still embrace human-powered exploration.
