Oregon Coast Trail Preview

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.