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.
