Ride The Divide, the award-winning feature-length documentary about the world’s toughest mountain bike race, will continue its Midwest mid-winter tour when it stops in South Bend on Sunday, January 30, at Notre Dame’s Eck Visitor’s Center. The film chronicles the story of several mountain bikers who attempt the 2,711-mile race named the Tour Divide along the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains. The movie was named the Best Adventure Film at the 2010 Vail Film festival. Ride The Divide embraces the inspiring stories of three of the racers who experience he immense mountain beauty and small-town culture as they attempt to pedal from Banff, Canada, to a small, dusty crossing on the Mexican border. There’s Mike, a 40-year-old family man who uses this challenge to chart a new course in life; Matthew, a leader in extreme endurance racing who’s competing for his fifth time; and Mary, the ?rst female rider to race this route. As they set out, they will attempt to accomplish what very few have been able to. Over the course of a few weeks, they’ll attempt to climb over 200,000 vertical feet along the backbone of the Rocky Mountains.
Ride The Divide will be shown at 7 p.m. at the Eck Visitor’s Center, located near the main entrance to Notre Dame University. Tickets are $15 at the door, and $10 in advance at www.IMAthlete.com/Events/RideTheDividemovie. The event is sponsored by the Spin Zone bike shop of South Bend and is a benefit for the Northern Indiana Mountain Bike Association.