frecklerawk

This thing seems too good to be true. The attached flyer is only slightly informative, but if you email them at ilikebike@bicyclefilmfestival.com, they get back to you explaining everything in greater detail. The basic thing is that they're rounding up 42 people to bike across the country in 55 days. Two groups of 21, as opposed to one huge 42-person group. It's fully supported, and they're taking care of the camping/accommodations/food all along the way. And they're paying people $3,000 a pop to do it. They're PAYING PEOPLE. I'd freaking do it for free.

I asked the guy if there was like an overwhelming wave of applicants and he said NO! They're, like, needing people. But I mean what do you guys think of this thing?

I for one am applying....

valygrl

Is this like The Real World on a bike? Do you get voted off the tour?

Omiak

Meh, you have to advertise for them.

lighthorse

Did they want you to send in a deposit?

stachemaster

its legit. The Bike Film Fest has been growing steadily for the last few years, expanding to more and more cities. A new sponsor (42Below) wants to get recognition, develop a brand image as they begin to distribute their product stateside. The total costs they will spend on the ride is most likely comparable to putting up a few billboards and doing open bars at parties.

I have toured cross country before with a friend - I can't image what it would be like to go with 20 others. That said, it's sure to be a fun time for those that get to go. If the jerseys are well made, what's the big deal about wearing one with a logo? Any touring cyclist knows the first thing you forget to pack in your panniers is your self-awareness and concern for looks.

rhm

I sent them an email saying I'm in if they'll have me.

Bicyclists wear all kinds of crazy advertisements, team jerseys of teams they've never been on, names of companies that make components that cost more than they're worth, and so on. I recently bought a wool jersey, and the only one I could find that I liked said "Louis Garneau" on it. That doesn't bother me, but i'd have preferred it blank. In cycling, one rarely has an opportunity to wear an advertisement for something one is actually invested in, and I'd be glad to do it.

frecklerawk

same. the thing is totally legit. i hope it becomes an annual thing...

Enthusiast

I'm applying. I'm planning on doing a tour from Wisconsin to Vermont throughout June but I think it'll be worth it to pull some long days and get to NY by June 26th. If the WI-VT tour goes by too quickly, I might have to do it over to catch what I've missed!

I don't care for most advertising but I'm ok with supporting the Bike Film Fest and some Vodka. I really hope we get each get a bottle or two for the trip...

tarwheel 

I would consider doing it if I could take that much time off work. If I was young and just out of college, I wouldn't even have to think about it, particularly in today's job market.

delver

So, should one be honest with them if applying and being a non drinker? Any promo shots of rider taking, well, shots, just sort of sling it over the shoulder?

I sent in my info. Since the spelling and grammer sounded right in the flyer, and there is no "FIRST BNK OF NATIONAL NIGERIA" involved... Thanks to the OP for bringing this up.

Mr. Jim

I'm going to apply, sounds great and i am still job hunting.

nubcake

skeptical to say the least but the email is sent.

jkmartin

Kind of sketchy. Cost of getting 42 people to ride is around $250,000 and that's before figuring in the cost of the touring company (I'm assuming someone is driving a SAG wagon, figuring out a route, probably carrying luggage, and finding accommodations). No indication of what happens if you have to back out before the ride or during the ride (or what happens if the touring company splits). Five weeks to get your affairs in order to do this is possible, but likely excludes those of us with the detritus of middle age.

Never had much use for vodka other than as a disinfectant. Burning it in my alcohol stove would probably produce a lot of smoke.

thehum

hmmmmmmm. well, i'm 21, have the summer off before next semester, am just getting into touring, and don't quite have a summer internship yet.


though, i don't know how i'd feel about being a poster boy for vodka. in fact, if I were to ever tour across the country i'd probably want to do it solo and unsupported, taking my leisurely time.

On the other hand, I don't know if i'll ever have another summer off in my life after school, or another opportunity like this where I could get paid to do it.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Enthusiast

I've sent in my app. but haven't heard back yet. Has anyone heard more about the logistics of the tour? The flyer says we get 25 per diem. That makes me think that it'll be more like 42 self-supported riders rather than a giant supported ride. Bike Film Fest would have to partner with a touring company if they were trying to keep this super organized and I'd imagine that partnership would have been on the flyer. How are they planning to keep the group from getting too spread out? Since this is for the Bike FILM Festival, I'm guessing there'll be some kind of documentary made. Having the group too spread out wouldn't make for a good film, nor would having all the rider's needs provided by a touring company.

As you can see, I'm excited about this ride, thinking about how it might go. Daydreaming is fun but I'd love to hear some solid information!

10 Wheels

$25 x 55 days = $1375
$800 for travel to start and return home
Total $2175

Who knows.
I asked for more details.

LucasA

I applied, and it definitely sounds like a completely self supported tour. 25 per diem would be great!

delver

https://video.google.com/videosearch?...num=4&ct=title

has anyone researched the company? some of their stuff seems so irreverent...

most of the "flyers I found are on fixed gear, messenger, and hipster bike forums/blogs.
makes me wonder if they actualy are looking for experienced tourers.(not that hipster messengers fixed gear riders could not do it) But I wonder if, based on thier style, they would rather have a bunch of gasping people in tight jeans laying about in ditches.

Just a thought, I am daydreaming just as much as anyone. IF anybody has any other solid contact info or insights this may bea good place to share them, aside from the cutthroat competition applying involves

They do seem to have sponsored a few other rides of shorter duration though, so who knows. I think that anyone who gets accepted should go into it with eyes wide open, get a contract of some sort, and have a bailout plan of their own.

10 Wheels

Here is all the contact e-mails if you want to ask more.


https://bicyclefilmfestival.com/2009_site/contact.php

stachemaster

Hey! I resemble that remark!

What makes my experiences of touring cross-country on a dumpstered fixed-gear conversion (albeit a px-10) with little mechanical knowledge any less remarkable than that of an "experienced tourer"? You're holding yourself to a pretty high standard for a bike ride. It's not a race. If their routes are about 3500 miles or so, that's 60 miles a day for two months- not a hard pace at all. In fact, if it was all pro riders or "Adventure-Cycling certified Cat1 tourers" () the ride wouldn't be very interesting at all. It's the problems, the difficulty, the humor in things breaking, sweat & discomfort that makes for good tv/good advertising/good short films.

I know nothing about the vodka company, but the Bike Film Fest are the ones organizing the tour. I'm fairly certain there will not be a touring company supporting the ride, but [this is an assumption] instead some filmmakers/sponsors following along to document, since it would be futile to fund the whole thing and not get great shots of it. They could probably use that van as mechanical/sag vehicle should need be, but I would assume this ride to be no-frills.

Also, if you are not familiar, I would suggest checking out the Film Fest site. Understand they are gearing up for playing in dozens of cities worldwide at the moment, apart from organizing this ride, so be patient for the replies. They put out a dvd of favorite films last year - you might want to check it out to see what the organization is like. It's not all "hipster messenger types" that attend - i've seen that when i've attended screenings in both NYC and Minneapolis.

bats

anyone else get a follow-up email with questions to answer?

Enthusiast

Not yet, now I get to be jealous of you!

42Below Vodka seems to have decided that they want to market themselves to urbanites in the states. They're poping up as sponsors of several events and seem to have given loads of money to BFF. 7 cities in the states last year to 42 this year! Since bikes are cool with young urban professionals right now, it makes sense to partner with an organization like BFF. BFF is very welcoming to all sorts of cyclists but its been adopted by urban riders particularly passionately, so I can see why it's mostly the urban rider blogs that have picked up on the news. Heck, I learned about the ride from UrbanVelo. Seems like 42Below is running a smart marketing campaign. The next step is to popularize a drink combining their vodka with PBR!

delver

Its not less remarkable, its probably more. But for this ride it would just have more drama and comedy potential, which would be great for a film.
For what its worth, I have a virtualy Zero dollar outlay policy on my bicycles, at least untill the student loans are paid off.

[In fact, if it was all pro riders or "Adventure-Cycling certified Cat1 tourers" () the ride wouldn't be very interesting at all.]

exactly. That is the basis of my theory about this. Nothing I deeply believe, just speculation. Heck I don't really believe it, much.
I was imagining most of the roll your own smoking, PBR drinking cool kids whose bikes I work on doing something like this and saw the documentary/editing possibilitys. It would be a laugh riot, though note I did say that there was no reason that they could not.
I admit that I am generalizing the hipster genre, and also admit that many of my hipster friends can out last and out sprint me, Not in a pissing contest about who can tour here. Touring is after all, mostly about just riding a bike. Mostly. But I should like to se a group of "adventure cycling certified cat one tourers" participating in an allycat, wouldn't you?

Yeah, I did scope the fest site, but will take your advise and look more closely. I was looking more at the vodka companys ads, imagining that they are the ones paying for it, they would have some say in the creative proccess.

If it were me doing a documentary thing like that, it would kind of look like "Lord of the flys" on bikes, as written by Thorne Smith.

Finaly

[You're holding yourself to a pretty high standard for a bike ride]

Not a high standard, just recognizing that it would be less interesting to film me doing something like this than it would be to film some others. Not trying to sound elitist(I ride a bike with a freewheel cluster, not real cutting edge, am in general a slow riding goofball), just speculating. Really not looking to step on any toes or piss anyone off. For penance I will ride my fixed gear to the post office today, with all my packages tied to it

rhm

No, not yet... but I guess it's only been six days or something, so no need to give up hope....

tdreyer1

Ah man, I AM young and just out of college, but I've got a job that I can't quit because of today's job market!