I'm not entirely sure if footage of sunny outdoors fun will cheer you all up or make matters worse during this wonderful summer we're having
Posted: 13 July 2012
by Nikalas Cook
First up is the epic Mountain Biking Freeride event, Red Bull Rampage. Held in the Utah Desert, there’s a start gate at the top of the mountain, a finish gate at the bottom and a totally free choice as to how the riders get down. The riders spend days beforehand preparing their lines, including toiling with shovels in the blistering desert heat, before seeing who can make the most spectacular run.
The next is a trailer for Murray Fredericks film Salt. Filmed on a vast Australian salt flat, even in this taster the sense of desolation, isolation and awe is incredible. The full film won the Best Artistic Film category at the 2011 Sheffield Adventure Film Festival, at which I was one of the judges, and, if you get the chance, seeing it on the big screen is truly jaw dropping.
Okay, lets see some suffering in the heat to make us feel better. The 1989 Hawaii Ironman (3.8 km swim - 180 km bike - 42.2 km run) is known as the Ironwar and is still acknowledged to have been one of the greatest endurance races ever. Two intense rivals who went head to head for the entire race and pushing each other to unknown levels of performance. Ignore the retro kit and Dave Scotts moustache and enjoy the battle.
