If ever there was a short film arriving at the right time – it has to be this new gravel adventure from Trek and Anthill Films ‘Never in the way’. It features (Red Bull-sponsored) Chicago bike messenger, Nico Deportago-Cabrera as he swaps the daily drops around the gridded streets of the frozen Illinois lakeshore for a long distance ride through Arizona – from Flagstaff to Phoenix – 400km of backcountry roads and Sonoran solitude.
If you’re looking for a brief glimpse of freedom and sunshine, check this out. We’re on the way to springtime and bike rides in the sun, we hope.
In Nico’s words: “If you’re never in the way, then you’re always right where you need to be.” – which reflects on the mantra of the city bike messenger. To quote the legendary ‘Buffalo Bill’, London bike messenger – ‘a good bike messenger is like a good footballer – you pass and move into space’. Contrary to popular belief, the quickest bike messengers aren’t usually the ones who run lights and argue with taxis. That takes time (especially if you get hit or stopped by the police) so the quickest way through a city is with the minimum of fuss and the greatest flow. Don’t ride according to the traffic in front of you, ride according to where it’ll be five seconds from now. Work that out and plot the smoothest route. Bike messengers really can see into the future – by about five seconds or so.
Pics from the wonderful Sterling Lorence/@eyeroam. And for more from Anthill Films – look here: anthillfilms.com
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Sure is some kind of wonderful, what we would do for a few days riding away straight from our doors.
He did have to travel half a continent to get there….
‘spending time with just yourself and the things you need’ what does that include a film crew? I was a bit marmite about this film. A red bull sponsored rider & film crew go out and create a ‘film’ about finding yourself yada yada yada. It is really just a big advert.
* Sorry I didnt have a good sleep last night so i maybe a bit salty this morning