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On the downhill side of our fourth month hiding out from the coronavirus, Leah and I have taken to watching a movie every night. Doing so has given us incentive to dig deeper into the movie vault and take a chance on films that might not normally hit on our radar.

Such was the case with the documentary “Slow Ride Home,” but I’ll admit the plug –  “8 pals from Seattle’s Soldiers of Destiny scooter club ride 3,700+ miles of American back roads from Florida to Washington in 11 days” – had already pulled me in.

Such extended trips hold great appeal for me. Four years ago, Leah and I spent five weeks walking end-to-end on the Erie Canal Trailway. Two years ago, we started in Boston with the intent of driving U.S. Route 20 to the Pacific. For that, we had a traveling companion, but, alas, our grandson just never got into the novelty of our quest … we called it off in Chicago. I have plenty of other long trips on my dream list.

Not everyone will identify with this film or its eight central characters. I mean, why would grown men opt to ride scooters – to be clear, not motorcycles but small motor scooters – from coast to coast, not to mention having latex animal masks stretched over their helmets?

But Dream Chasing 101 is all about breaking away to do that something special, different and memorable, so I’m confident you’ll find ways to sync with these guys who decided to do something a little crazy … just because.

The Scooter Cannonball Run has taken place every two years since 2004. This film follows the Soldiers of Destiny, a scooter club from Seattle, as the riders and a support van trek from Fernandina Beach, Fla., to Mukilteo, Wash., during the 2016 run.

Like any good road trip story, the guys doubt themselves, bicker, tease, face challenges and, ultimately, move into an even deeper friendship.

My regret was not having an opportunity to see more of the sights along the way, but the well-documented realities accompanying long, often grueling, days on the road, helps one understand this is simply not that kind of movie. They’re pursuing a different dream.

What it does have is excellent music by rider Jesse Morrow. The images, though sometimes monotonous due to having to rely mostly on cameras mounted on the bikes or riders, are fun to watch. Additionally, drone footage gives interesting aerial views.

Ultimately, what makes Slow Ride Home work is the guys, having fun, being themselves, and not holding back because of a camera.

Please comment, with as little or as much specificity as you wish, about a dream trip or project that’s rolling around in your mind.

Links:

“Slow Ride Home” website

Watch on Amazon

Page on Internet Movie Database

Scooter Cannonball — Next run scheduled July 2021, 4,250 miles over 10 days from Bar Harbor, Maine, to Eureka, Calif.