The further away, the better
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“I’ve ridden many thousands of miles on my bike all these years and I can’t say I regret anything… There were rough times but also good times. You just know it’s a challenge that you’ve got to overcome.”
We all have roads that lodge in our mind, routes we want to take. One such route is across the Sprengisandur, an uninhabited highland plateau crowned by an 826-metre pass in the central ranges of Iceland.
Plenty have tried to cross, and plenty have failed. In 2015, Rapha sent filmmaker George Marshall and framebuilder Tom Donhou to attempt the crossing. But after days of high winds, the pair were forced to stop. Four years later, George returned to lead another group across the 170 miles between the end of the tarmac near Reykjavik and the northern stronghold town of Akureyri. But they were far from being the first to make the crossing.
Over 60 years before, Ron Bartle joined Dick Phillips, Bernard Heath and their guide Raymond Bottomley for the first-ever unsupported ride across the Sprengisandur. They spent ten days in the wilderness, crossing rivers in inflatable dinghies and pushing their bikes for miles over boulder fields until they finally reached the first farmstead in the north.
Now in his mid-eighties and still an avid cyclist, Ron has recounted the story of his unexpected Icelandic adventure. And at a time when many of us cannot ride the roads lodged in our minds, he reminds us that they’ll still be there this year and the next.
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Пікірлер: 113
"It's a grand way to spend a life." Indeed.
@tomcosgrove8005
3 жыл бұрын
indeed
Nothing hits more than him saying "You might have a few problems on your mind, but once you get out on the bike, you forget all these things" 👏
I basically have two goals in life: 1. Prioritize my family and friends and maintain loving and caring relationships 2. Ride my bike as long I live. This man is living the dream.
@chefjonsf
3 жыл бұрын
Cheers! A simple life is a robust and rich life. No need to extend beyond that!
The screenshot of his 'palmarès' at 2:04 is something to behold, not just for the touring - look at the right-hand column: he's beaten cancer and overcome an aneurysm, too!
@chiennanyang1
3 жыл бұрын
Respect！
Ron, and his like, are the true pioneers and heroes of cycling to me. From a fellow Ron I salute you and you have inspired a misanthropic 62 year old. Chapeau.
There are no better cycling documentaries in existence than the ones Rapha make
What a guy, brilliant film.
This is what it feels like after not training all winter and you go for a local ride in the spring
@McStoolio
3 жыл бұрын
I found that out last week. I got smoked. 😂
I thought this was going to be another Rapha product promo masquerading as adventure but I was wrong. It dwells on endurance, spirit, attitude and character, exactly what expedition riding demands of you.
Brilliant I love this I have a lot of catching up to do at 71
@spongedaddy315
3 жыл бұрын
@James Herd -- You got this, mate :)
@jonjon9135
3 жыл бұрын
Forward🇦🇺🤙
Me: trying to make my rear der work with a 50. Ron Bartle: “fixed gear”
Absolute Hero! Chapeau Ron and cracking film from Rapha as always 🤙
Love the comment about having a few problems on your mind, but once you get out on a bike you forget all these things 😀
This is a LEGEND! And he still rides his bike every week!
Great film and Ron explains what riding a bike is all about. Best Rapha film yet.
1:50 take a screenshot and read that. Something truly inspiring, sad, yet so totally wholesome and poignant in equal measure to see a life listed in such a way. What an incredible man, and what an incredibly full and well-lived life - with no sign of stopping the journey either! Would love to have a brew and a chat with Ron. Rapha, cap doffed to you for a fantastic feature of a brilliant human 👏
Brilliant stuff!! Really good to see this, especially as Bernard Heath and Raymond Bottomley were both founding members of our club, Huddersfield Star Wheelers!
What an impressive man I'm 60 he's my new idol amazing
I love Rapha Films, i got back on the bike thanks to you 8 years ago, Thanks.
I'm 64 years old and this guy gives me hope that I can continue cycling for the next 20, I hope so anyway because I just spent $10,000 on a new custom built bike.
Oh, Rapha! What an absolute delight to watch. This is why we do it. This is what makes all the pain and punctures worthwhile. Almost brought a tear to my eye. Almost.
4 days across rough seas then the adventure starts...legendary Ron !
I have driven that road... In a Big ass defender. He is a absolute mad lad. Imagine riding through the interior of Iceland on that old School gear. This movie somehow make me stop and Think if im on my right patch
@c-9233
Жыл бұрын
There were others with Ron who crossed Iceland and were never really credited during their lifetimes
"Toughen you up maybe" What a hero.
Ron is a legend
Who the hell is disliking this! The guys is an inspiration to us all. Well done Ron. 👍💪
Huddersfield Star Wheelers member. Just goes to show there’s not a lot new in cycling. Riders were gravel riding way back. Love it. An inspiration.
Cinelli Splash Black and Red Cork Tape! He's got good taste!
‘Build a bit of character’ 🥰
Simply beautiful. A peaceful, quiet life, well lived. Indeed a great way to spend a life :-)
Ron Bartle, what an excellent cycling ambassador. Chapeau Ron and Rapha for telling his story.👏👏
Absolutely outstanding way to spend the moments before calling it a day.
Made me smile. Rapha you make great videos -haha so true. Steve
The power and persistence of the human spirit is an incredible thing!
Chapeau. So so good.
Love everything about this. Thanks for making it.
There is a folder containing letters, newspaper clippings, accounts of supplies etc for the organising of this trip. This was before Ron was involved. It is such a shame that this video was not made when Raymond Bottomley and Bernard Heath were still alive.
Brilliant story, incredibly inspiring. Just shows that life is about adventure and creating amazing stories.
What a legend... Respect ✊🏾
That is the greatest weather vane I've ever seen.
What a lovely film! Thanks!
What a story. What a pioneer. Puts my LEJOG ride in 2019 into perspective - LOL. Note to self - 'must do more touring'. You're an example to us all Ron Bartle. Chapeau.
Love these stories!
Wonderful film 🙂 I hope I can look back at my cycling adventures one day and they'll be half as good as those. ❤️
Imagine the bikes, the gear and clothes they had back then compared to what's available to us now. True warriors.
Interesting and inspirational film.
What a legend. Great short vid Rapha. 👌🏻👌🏻
I would much prefer a Jersey or t shirt honouring people like Ron Bartle 🤘
@steveplant1799
3 жыл бұрын
Totally agree retro styled gravel/bike packing jersey in merino👍
When someone says a person is badass this fella is who they are comparing them too to get that title. Thank you for sharing these amazing stories of pure adventure and sisu.🇨🇦 “ It never, always gets better” is the old ultramarathoner mantra and applies to all of life’s sticky points.
Brilliant film, thank you 👍🏼
These videos are everything
Living legend!!
Love this! thanks for making these inspiring documentaries!
Inspirational and next time we think about not going for a ride that is the face and the words to get us out
Mind blowingly well made and edited, what a great adventure and what a great guy.
Amazing....what an adventure. I'll use his story for motivation
Another fantastic video.
I loved this video, thank you Rapha. I've been off the bike for most of January and February due to a health issue, and this video just whets my appetite even more to be well enough again to get back on - hopefully next week all being well!
Very moved and inspired by this. Great work 🚲🔥😎👍
Beautiful work
A wonderful spirit.
What a wonderfully life-affirming and beautifully shot video! Wow! Thank you, Rapha! Please put all your films and videos up here - still not all the Festive500 are here :(
Incredible film!
What an inspiration
Perfection 👌
Inspiring. Thank you.
Brilliant film!
Love it Ron
Very nicely put together.
Absolutely inspirational!
So good. Loved this
Wow. Just wow...
absolutely beautiful
That was awesome! Thanks
The best Rapha film.
@tychoMX
3 жыл бұрын
D'Acciaio is still my favourite... but this has a better adventure.
amazing
Despite continued asking over the decades, so-called 'Icelandic Dick' Phillips claimed all the photos and rock samples collected on the 1958 trip were "lost in the post". They only emerged once photographer Raymond Bottomley dies and Bernard Heath in a care home, 60 years later. Where did Ron acquire the slides and photos taken by, but denied to Raymond Bottomley...
Superb!
Life well lived!
No honestly I’ve just got a bit of dirt in my eyes... 😢
@tychoMX
3 жыл бұрын
Just a bit too sandy out there :)
Brilliant
Legendary 😍
Chapeau
вдохновляюще 💪
wonderfull......
Inspiring
Oh, and I would love to have done the one in 1957. The rest sound a little too cold for me!
Well, I guess its time to put some money in the bin for a flight-ticket for Lachlan to Iceland.
They were bike rafting in ‘58!
Genial !
Chuffing magic!
wow!
Yes
rapha film, lidl jacket. witty witty man :)
Fucking epic!
Original badass cyclist!!!!
How was the reliability of tires way back then? Were they built more robustly than they are now? It seems like people are flatting at least 4x per Rapha ride, but that would have killed everyone in that 1958 attempt, let alone the 1933 attempt.
@georgemarshall118
3 жыл бұрын
Ron said they had 4 or 5 flats, we had tonnes in 2015 and just 1 in 2019
Keep trying. Keep going.
Pause the video when he pulls out his diary. Unbelievable.
👍🏽👍🏽