Tracing the Divide

While it doesn't carry the heart pounding intensity of the film Free Solo, Tracing the Divide still highlights the drive a select few have to push themselves beyond their limits.

The best friends at the heart of this film are engaging, inspiring and fun the watch as they tackle this 2400 mile trek and all the challenges and emotions that come along with it. Add to that the interviews of both men, separately, and it is a fun ride.

Beyond that, the scenery of the continental divide is breathtaking and captured beautifully.

I really enjoyed this film and it reinforces my belief that some people, in the best way, are just crazy. LOL.

This beautifully shot and well-crafted film is exactly what you'd hope for-a heartfelt story of two lifelong buddies pushing themselves to the limit, testing their friendship through both physical and emotional challenges. It's got all the makings of a great adventure: stunning mountain trails, grueling climbs, heart-pounding descents, and just enough campfire wisdom to make you want to grab a bike and hit the road yourself.

At its core, this isn't just a film about mountain biking-it's about the kind of friendship that's been through the wringer and still holds strong. The journey takes these two pals deep into the wilderness and even deeper into their own thoughts. And, as you might expect when two stubborn folks spend that much time together, tensions bubble up. There's some good-natured ribbing, a few honest (and maybe overdue) conversations, and a couple of moments where you wonder if they'll make it out still speaking to each other. But through all the sweat, scrapes, and scenic overlooks, they come away with a clearer sense of who they are and why they've stuck by each other all these years.

It's an easy, enjoyable watch, full of sweeping vistas, raw moments of frustration and triumph, and the kind of natural humor that happens when two old friends know each other a little too well. The breathtaking cinematography pulls you right into the ride, and the soundtrack sets the perfect tone.

Recommended!

Friends since childhood, a couple of middle-aged guys named Chris follow through on an epic bucket list item--riding the Continental Divide, from Canada to Mexico, on mountain bikes. Beautifully photographed, both by drone and up and close and personally by the director/editor, this film slowly unspools into much more than a glorious travelogue, which it certainly is.

These are not actors, or over-produced reality show contestants, desperate to get followers-- they are husbands and fathers hoping to test their physical limits and discover something about their character while seeing the country in a unique way.

Mission accomplished. They push themselves hard, and face myriad obstacles along the way-- weather, muddy paths, a wipeout injury and... punctured bear spray canister anyone? Chris and Chris's friendship comes across as solid and dependable, and despite a little occasional friction, they have some charming moments together along the way, including a memorable candy debate (Twizzlers vs. Mike & Ikes). One minor issue on the sightseeing front is that we don't really get to see/interact with local characters on-camera when they pit-stop in towns during their arduous, 24-day trek.

The film is bookend-ed with verite footage and interviews with their families, giving us a sense of just how profound an experience this would be, if we were thusly inspired, and decided to pedal over 2,000 miles.

Thoroughly enjoyable documentary which showcases a longtime friendship, the stunning vistas of the West, the delight of encountering trail angels, and the lessons learned en route which impact the riders lives afterwards. It also never ceases to amaze me what riders will endure to get through the miles and the variety of culinary treats (or not) that are devoured to fuel their ride. A major achievement for the riders and the filmmakers too. It is well worth the time to watch this buddy biking documentary although you feel guilty doing this while wearing clean clothes and enjoying the comforts of home.

Tracing the Divide is a film for everyone from armchair enthusiasts to weekend warriors to hardcore cyclists to anyone curious about long cycling adventures. If you've ever wondered how a massively long and difficult bike journey (2400 miles, following the Continental Divide from the Canadian border with Montana to the Mexican border with New Mexico) happens, this is your movie. Amazing cinematography, with great shots of the two bikers cycling through one majestic landscape after another, plus close ups of the bikers, Chris Hiebert and Chris Schmidt, navigating rocky trails in the dark and battling the mud caking on their bikes after a storm. Achingly beautiful vistas of mountains and sky are paired with shots of Hiebert and Schmidt up close and personal as they confront their vulnerabilities and test their physical and emotional strength. Moments of sheer joy and serendipity-a celebratory drink as they cross from one state to the next, and meeting various "trail angels," the people who helped them out along the way-alternate with moments of fear, uncertainty, even irritation. By film's end, we better understand why Hiebert and Schmidt undertook this trek, and how they changed as a result. A fine film about resilience and discovery and the splendor of truly immersing yourself in the landscape through which you're traveling.