Anybody interested in a movie on RAAM?

[dekindy]

This week's toadbikerider.com newsletter profiled this movie. I went to the website and apparently it is winning awards at independent film festivals. The trailer was interesting.

http://bicycledreamsmovie.com/

http://bicycledreamsmovie.com/trailer.html

Sadly in the 2005 RAAM profiled in the movie a veteran participant had a heart attack or seizure and veered into oncoming traffic and was killed. I have no idea how much this is portrayed in the movie.

[gone]

Sadly in the 2005 RAAM profiled in the movie a veteran participant had a heart attack or seizure and veered into oncoming traffic and was killed. I have no idea how much this is portrayed in the movie.

Well, not exactly. That's the way his death was ruled but let's just say there are those who question both the investigation and the ruling. The rider was Bob Breedlove. Here (http://outside.away.com/outside/culture/200611/bob-breedlove-biking-death-1.html) is a link to the story Outside magazine ran.

The movie looks interesting.

[dekindy]

Well, not exactly. That's the way his death was ruled but let's just say there are those who question both the investigation and the ruling. The rider was Bob Breedlove. Here (http://outside.away.com/outside/culture/200611/bob-breedlove-biking-death-1.html) is a link to the story Outside magazine ran.

The movie looks interesting.

I did not realize there was a controversy regarding Dr. Breedlove's accident and cause of death. My reference to Dr. Breedlove's death is not relevant to the movie and I am not even sure why I included it. Let's concentrate on the movie instead.

Reading the article and seeing the trailer made me realize how inherently dangerous sleep deprivation is related to solo RAAM. Other drivers are not allowed to do it and bicyclists are not an exception. Due to it's inherent danger solo RAAM should probably not be allowed in it's present format.

[fiamme red]

This movie screened last Tuesday at the Hoboken International Film Festival (http://www.hobokeninternationalfilmfestival.com/2009schedule.php) in Teaneck, NJ. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend. I'm certainly interested in seeing it.

[Kevan]

I know someone who attended and she's apparently left on the cutting room floor.

[Kevan]

I know someone who attended and she's apparently been left on the cutting room floor.

[rockdude]

Ok, After watching the trailer- Where do I signup. I need to quite drinking coffee, its making me think crazy...

[dekindy]

Ok, After watching the trailer- Where do I signup. I need to quite drinking coffee, its making me think crazy...

http://bicycledreamsmovie.com/
Buy the DVD is in the upper left in blue letters.

[RABikes2]

Oh my gosh, I always wondered what they did with all the footage shot on RAAM 2005 since it wasn't aired on TV that year. I got goose bumps watching the trailer.

The second guy talking in the trailer who comments about what Lance had said and also about how many starters do not finish, is Tom Rodgers. I crewed for Tom that year as his massage therapist and was also one of the drivers responsible for driving the follow van after Tom. Most of the solo competitor's that year were assigned an extra person who's job was to video tape during the crossing; we had a guy with us the entire trip.

Tom is a great athlete and a very talented cyclist, however, it was the sleep deprivation that got to him. I can't remember what state we were in at the time, but I was icing his feet down in the motor home. Tom looked at me and said that he enjoyed Ironmans much more as there was a stopping point at the end of the day's race. It was unnatural for him to go so long with so little sleep.

Again, he's an unbelievably gifted athlete. Unfortunately, we were 100 miles west of the last checkpoint and wouldn't make it to the checkpoint before the cutoff time. Tom had to DNF. It sucked as he was still biking excellently, but just needed more sleep than RAAM allows for a solo competitor to get.

It was a rookie crew with a rookie rider. He was so gracious in thanking his crew. I had a lot of admiration for him. Tom's wife was our crew chief and did a wonderful job managing everything.

RAAM report: http://serotta.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10327&page=1&pp=15

Thanks for posting the links to the new DVD. ;)

RA

[scrooge]

DVD looks great...I'd love to see it.

On the sleep deprivation thing--didn't they make a new category that requires a certain amount of sleep?

[dekindy]

On the sleep deprivation thing--didn't they make a new category that requires a certain amount of sleep?

Follow the article link above if you want to read the whole story. The 2006 race had a traditional solo division and an Enduro solo division that included mandatory sleep breaks. I am not sure if this was was done in 2007 but I followed RAAM in 2008 there was no Enduro division that I recall and there is not one listed for 2009.