Bicycle Dreams Movie Review

, , , | UltraRob | Monday, May 25th, 2009 at 1:24 pm

Bicycle Dreams is a new documentary about the 2005 Race Across America (RAAM). Bicycle Dreams won the Best Documentary Feature at the Fallbrook Film Festival.

RAAM Starting Line in OceansideRAAM has been called the world’s toughest sporting event. The top racers ride their bike 3,000 miles from coast to coast in only 9 days. More people have stood on the summit of Mt. Everest than have finished RAAM. It’s more than just an event. It’s an extreme journey.

I first became fascinated with RAAM over 20 years ago. I found a book about it at the library when I was in high school. I continued to follow the race but for many years I didn’t think I’d actually compete in it. In 2006 I did race in RAAM although I dropped out at the Mississippi River, 2,000 miles and 8 days into the race.

Riding into the Night During RAAMBecause the racers are riding more than 20 hours a day and end up spread across several states, it is a difficult event to cover. Filmmaker Stephen Auerbach and his crew traveled inside the riders’ crew vehicles to get an inside look at the race. They used 18 cameras to capture the scenery and the highs and lows of the racers.

Auerbach doesn’t cover the race much from how the racers are doing in the race standings but focuses on their own personal battles. Battles with things like sleep deprivation, hallucinations and physical ailments that come from pushing the body to the extreme.

Pain of RAAMOne of the things that the film tries to answer is why someone would attempt to do an event like RAAM. In trying to find the answer, it looks at the history of some of the racers and how it motivates them.

The 2005 RAAM was the year that tragedy stuck and Bob Breedlove was hit head on and killed instantly. Bob was a 5 time RAAM finisher. Bicycle Dreams follows Patrick Autissier as he tries to deal with Bob’s death on top of his race battle.

I have seen several RAAM videos over the years and Bicycle Dreams shows the emotions of the race the best. RAAM fans will love the film. Even non-cyclists will enjoy watching it and seeing how riders deal with pushing their limits.

Bicycle Dreams is now available on DVD from Amazon or from the Bicycle Dreams website. I suggest you order your copy today.

For more about RAAM, check out my Race Across America FAQ. The 2009 race starts on June 17th.

Salomon X Alp Pro GTX Hiking Boots
Salomon X Alp Pro GTX Hiking Boots
Regular Price: $280.00
$209.95 on sale
 
Asolo TPS 520 GV Evo Hiking Boots
Asolo TPS 520 GV Evo Hiking Boots
Price: $268.44
 
Scarpa Zen Pro Mid GTX Hiking Boots
Scarpa Zen Pro Mid GTX Hiking Boots
Price: $159.94
 

Tags: , , ,

3 responses to “Bicycle Dreams Movie Review”

  1. […] sporting event. More people have summitted Mount Everest than have finished RAAM. In the movie Bicycle Dreams, Perry Stone says, “It’s not a sporting event in a classic sense. It’s more of […]

  2. […] by on in RAAM. In 2004 it was reported that in almost 9 days he had slept a total of 8 hours. The RAAM movie Bicycle Dreams showed how hard he […]

  3. […] Call them seekers, madmen or angels hell-bent on riding across America. This documentary follows voyagers in the 2006 Race Across America (RAAM) as they discover what is truly at stake, praying for the deliverance only the finish line can bring. By journey’s end, some are saved, others are lost, but all learn that the fuel that takes a soul toward its own true destiny is desire. The movie will begin at 7 PM. at the Stargazers Theatre. Tickets for this event start at $10 in advance and $15 at the door the night of the show. You can read my Bicycle Dreams review here. […]

Leave a Reply to 2009 Race Across America | UltraRob's Adventures Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Email: web@ultrarob.com

Business Seal       Privacy Seal