Reveal the path ... what's it about?

[Bearbonesnorm]

I watched it last night but still feel the need to ask the question. There are some lovely locations (although I don't think it did Scotland any justice) in which people do a lot of standing around, a little riding and much talking about very little.

I suppose I just expected something different or maybe something I could relate to a bit more. I kept being told that 'it's all about the path' but I really don't know what that is or what it means. There didn't seem to be a path or journey ... if they'd ridden between their destinations that would have been something I could grasp. If anyone has a deeper understanding, I'd love to have it explained to me as I feel I'm missing something/everything.

I really want to like the film, so at present I'm willing to accept that the problem lies with me. BTW this isn't a 'dig' 'pop' or moan it's a genuine question.

Didn't see a single bivvy bag either ... very poor

[gairym]

Funny, I also watched it (well, most of it, I didn't bother finishing it) for the first time last night and I've been trying to think what exactly about it annoyed me so much - here's what i've come up with:

Make a film with those blokes simply riding in those locations (but with better camera work) and I'd have loved it.

But it wasn't that - it was a group of Americans talking (babbling) on film like a bunch of gap-year students on their first trip abroad and it was annoyingly shallow ("foreign countries are only foreign if you don't live here" - cripes!).

I'm not knocking them or what they can do on a bike but that, in no way, qualifies them to make sweeping statements about the world and 'the path' without coming across as naive and unworldly goons.

That's my take on it anyway.

Less annoying psuedo-insight and more bikes on trails in pretty places for me please!

[Ian]

I found it fairly unfulfilling to watch. Their attitude to some cultures was patronising, along the lines of "look at these people, they have nothing yet they're so happy"
Not entirely sure I saw the point to it all. I suppose it was to do with the places and cultures bikepacking can take you, and if it had just been people riding bikes, it would have been very inward looking. Trying to focus on places/ culture a bit more gave great potential, but they just missed the target.

[Dan_K]

I didn't really enjoy it because it just seemed a bit pointless. To me it felt like an excuse for a free holiday for some endurance riders.

[Ray Young]

Their attitude to some cultures was patronising

I just wrote and then deleted a whole spiel about the attitude of America to the rest of the world as this is not the forum for it. Made me feel better writing it though. :x , this might give you a clue as to how it went.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Watching it has made me think that a film depicting the European bikepacking 'scene' would / could be very good. I've got a dvd somewhere about the SSWC in Scotland from a few yars back, it's only about 10 mins long and was made by the girlfriend of someone racing. It manages to capture the whole atmosphere of the event and the mentality of singlespeeding ... something like that but longer would be great, 'Reveal the cheeky path' perhaps?

[restlessshawn]

look at these people, they have nothing yet they're so happy

was this the bit in Scotland

I haven't seen it, not sure I'll bother now

[Ian]

was this the bit in Scotland

Morocco I think.

I just wrote and then deleted a whole spiel about the attitude of America to the rest of the world as this is not the forum for it. Made me feel better writing it though. , this might give you a clue as to how it went.

Well, I've written now
I didn't think it was a particularly contentious viewpoint - I'm entitled to make the observation having seen the film, just as much as they are to make their observations in the film :)
Clearly our culture is different to America, aligned to different values and we and they have different outlooks.

There was something about the first film, Ride the Divide, that lots of people seemed to be able to relate to. There was a purpose to the story, a progression, characters, drama and good dialogue. Reveal the Path was short on some of these, imo.

Does anyone know what sort of a reception it had in America, or elsewhere outside of it?

[Gari]

Have to agree, world class navel gazing. Great locations, but was I the only one that was interested in seeing what the riding was like in say, Nepal, only to be offered rickshaw riding???? :evil:

The scene at the beach with the fatties is excruciating viewing. I watched the tour devise film a few nights ago and was similarly disappointed. All the way through both films I was thinking about how easy it would be to make a "spinal tap" homage

[FLV]

oh dear.

I haven't seen it yet but was looking forward to it as its been built up so much, I was kind of expecting it to be really really good.

I'll watch it anyway I think.

[Taylor]

Does anyone know what sort of a reception it had in America, or elsewhere outside of it?

Not a very good one judging by the reviews I've just read, some were quite scathing.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Was it just me that felt there were times when Mr Lee reallllly looked like he didn't want to be there?

My favoutite bit was ... moaning on about running out of water while stood next to a raging river and carrying a Steri-pen :D

[Blackhound]

Just riding along in beautiful places is never going to be 'rad to the power of sick' compared with throwing yourself of buildings and 'nailing' it. A difficult thing to pull off.

'in which people do a lot of standing around, a little riding and much talking about very little' is probably what most of us do to be honest :)

At best they showed people how many beautiful places there are in the world and that it is fairly easy to jump on a plane, fly somewhere, and have an adventure. Often quite cheaply - something I wish I was more aware of (or confident enough about) 20+ years ago.

And what does grate - and it really shouldn't - is that there are many lovely Scottish* songs. And for the Scottish section they use a rather beautiful Irish song. WTF!

*Black Is The Colour, Anachie Gordon, Shang-a-lang for starters.

I should add us Irish can't complain about appropriating other nations songs. Besides Black Is The Colour, you can add Dirty Old Town, Go Move Shift and Lakes of Pontchartrain for starters. I was once in Killarney and left a pub with The Green Fields of France playing (written by a Scot then living in Aus) and walked into another pub to be welcomed by the very same song! Two pints of Guinness please.

[Bearbonesnorm]

At best they showed people how many beautiful places there are in the world and that it is fairly easy to jump on a plane, fly somewhere, and have an adventure. Often quite cheaply - something I wish I was more aware of (or confident enough about) 20+ years ago.

Yeah but Judith Charmers did a better job of it

[johnnystorm]

Far too many bike films have as much pseudo-spiritual guff in them as riding. That's not to say I don't find riding a purely mechanical activity but they often sound so false. "From the inside out" is particularly guilty of this IMHO.

[jameso]

http://vimeo.com/43613878I saw this on MTBR - a relaxing bikepacker film. I imagine it's hard to convey the solo trip on film but I thought it worked well. I liked the occasional narrative.

[Taylor]

I've been following Peters blog for a couple of year now and it's a very good read.

[mattf]

was this the bit in Scotland

Morocco I think.

I just wrote and then deleted a whole spiel about the attitude of America to the rest of the world as this is not the forum for it. Made me feel better writing it though. , this might give you a clue as to how it went.

Well, I've written now
I didn't think it was a particularly contentious viewpoint - I'm entitled to make the observation having seen the film, just as much as they are to make their observations in the film :)
Clearly our culture is different to America, aligned to different values and we and they have different outlooks.

Hi, Matt here. Long time lurker and, it seems, the token American on the forum. I do agree that there must be a cultural differance between us when it comes to this movie. I don't know how you chaps managed to buy that movie and attempt to watch it. I could not even make it through the horible free trailers that litter the internet. :)

[99percentchimp]

Borrowed this from Blackhound (on it's way back now Kevin!)...
Not sure I got it either... there should have been much more biking and I think they missed the chance to really show some of the areas in greater depth esp. Scotland and Nepal.
I don't really get the introspective narative either.
I did struggle to finish it (not even in 1 sitting) but have watched Ride the Divide a few times (seems to be better and more focussed production).
Oh well - at least it's trying to promote a different style of riding.

[Ian]

Hi, Matt here. Long time lurker and, it seems, the token American on the forum.

Welcome aboard Matt :)

[gairym]

Yes - welcome and sorry for my somewhat anti-american comments above - obviously not ALL americans deserve to be tarred with the same brush

[YetiTony]

Watched this the other night and like most of you on here felt let down.
Too much sitting around talking about feelings and 'the path' and not enough locations or actual riding.
Dont get me wrong, I like the emotional man in the wilderness, getting back to nature ramblings but this just went too far.
After watching 'Ride the Divide' which I did enjoy I had higher hopes. The best bit was the bonus section with the bikepacking kit.
Maybe a thread needs starting for homemade bikepacking films on vimeo/YouTube? Or has that already been done? Wheres my camera....

[BRP]

I've been wanting to watch this for a while now...

http://vimeo.com/24628823

[johnnystorm]

I've since watched it. Echo a lot of the comments here.

RTD worked as Ian says because the ride had a purpose. A to B what challenges await. There was no mention of "why" they chose those locations, what inspired them, the logistics involved, etc. Ok in that I'll watch any bike stuff in HD but you could watch each chapter individually as there wasn't much to link them. To repeat myself on the same thread (!) there does seem to be a desperate need for film makers to add spiritual nonsense to pad out films. From the inside out suffers from this as well. Me, I'm happy to say I just like bikes outdoors. I'm not going to try and force myself to be "deeper" because I'll sound stupid(er).

[YetiTony]

I've been wanting to watch this for a while now...

http://vimeo.com/24628823

Coming on digital download soon!
http://300milesofgravel.blogspot.co.uk/
Looks worthy of a watch...