Life Cycles

Got out for a ride today. Which normally wouldn't be all that remarkable.  Except that it's February.  And I rode on some of my local trails here in Flagstaff, the ones at the base of Mount Elden.  And they were dry.  Dusty even, in spots.

Didn't ride long.  Just a short jaunt into the woods to recon the local sitch.  For whatever it's worth to ya: on the southern aspects just north of town, down low, there's a little mud here and there.  Some packed down snow and ice, too.  But in between, it's mostly summer-dry buff colored earth.  No kidding.

Strange enough to cause some concern.  For sure.

Anyway, I got home from my short ride and unpacked my bag, only to discover that I'd taken the DVD copy of Life Cycles, which I borrowed from the shop last weekend, with me on my ride.  I've been meaning to take it back.  But all week, I forgot to ride by the shop on my way home.  So the DVD's been just hanging around in my pack, useless to anyone, for a while now.  Sorry about that.

I bring this up for two reasons.  One: it is not my habit to ride with DVDs.  They're pretty much worthless on bike rides.  And two: because, if one were to ride with a DVD, there's probably no better DVD in the world to ride a bike with than Life Cycles.

There are an abundance of mountain bike movies on the market.  Just like ski movies, they appeal to many of us, especially towards the end of the off-season, as we're getting geared-up and excited about our upcoming opportunities to partake.  And, in general, most of these movies, regardless of their subject matter, are pretty much the same.  Fun to watch.  But formulaic.  Predictable.   Shot for shot, bit by bit, they all cover the same ground in more-or-less the same way, time-after-time, year after year.

All except for Life Cycles.  Without getting too effusive in my praise, I'll just say this about the movie and then let the trailer below speak for itself: Life Cycles is, without a doubt, hands-down, the most original, captivating, cinematically sophisticated, downright-awesome bike-movie I've ever seen.  It's gorgeous.  And fun.

I wanted it to be longer.

There's almost no reason to own DVDs anymore.  These days, between Netflix, Vudu, MegaVideo, and Surf The Channel, they're all waiting for you online.  Somewhere.  But Life Cycles is different. In my estimation, for so many reasons, it's a DVD that's well worth owning.  I'm ordering a copy.  Blu-ray, even.

Just as soon as I get down to the shop to take back the one I've borrowed.  Meantime, I just might watch it again.  Tonight.