Product Details

• Actors: Victoria O'Coin
• Directors: Robert Weber
• Format: Color, Digital Sound, NTSC
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 1
• DVD Release Date: September 1, 2002
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00006JP4X
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #214,052 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

From the Actor
The program starts in Washington, DC. The first ride demonstrates how a relatively short trail can take riders past landmarks from the 1700's, the 1800's, the 1900's and right up to the present time. It is the introductory ride to demonstrate the layers of history. The next segment features a reenactment of what life was like in St. Mary's City in the 1600's. This site is along the Potomac River where the first settlers arrived in Maryland. The fashions, the music and the struggles are presented to gain some appreciation for the difficulties encountered by early colonists.

Product Description
George Washington never rode a bicycle. He did travel extensively throughout the colonies and led the Continental Army to Victory in the War for Independence. His primary means of transportation was the horse. Boats, ships and other water craft were also important for moving people as well as cargo during that particular period.

Routes of travel were carefully documented by George Washington in his journals. Waterways provided natural routes for travel and many trails follow the banks of rivers. Even before colonial times, the native Americans used similar routes.

Bicycling through History is a collection of rides along the trails used by George Washington and other early colonists. Without some understanding of history, one might ride along these trails and think they have merely been constructed for modern recreation. The truth is more likely that the trails are centuries old, and by knowing what to look for, people can enjoy their cycling with the added benefit of retracing the very same trails as those used by our fore fathers. Evidence of historical events can frequently be found along the trails.

Reference books or the Internet can provide valuable insights far beyond the capability of the DVD. What these video presentations do offer is an audio - visual experience. People can see what the trails look like. For those who enjoy cycling, this can be a way to evaluate whether a particular trail might be worth riding. For those who prefer to exercise in their home or gym on a stationary cycle, the DVDs can provide motivation. For those researching history or geography, these offer yet another source for information.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable..., October 16, 2005

By	C. Winter "Tango" (Ashburn, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

At first, I thought that I couldn't possibly write a review of this video. I didn't want to be mean. Then I realized that I had to do so, if for no other reason, just to be sure that nobody would be fooled by the glowing "five-star" reviews of the videographer's friends....

In short, I would describe this video (and perhaps the entire series of eight they've done so far!) not with five-stars, but rather deserving the full five martinis -- that is the number of drinks you'll need to get through the experience if you buy this DVD.

Among my "Top 10" bits you surely must not miss:

10. Where Vickie, the helmetless (!!) rider who "stars" in the film, at one point comments that the camera battery is probably running out, so they'll have to stop filming, thus ending a segment....

9. The repeated and excessively rapid zooms of the camera that give scant milliseconds of time to sites of historic interest as Vickie rides on by. Indeed, most places are passed without comment! Indeed, no research or forethought appears to have gone into this video; they just film as they go, riding and commenting seemingly almost at random, oftimes not even knowing where they are or what they're looking at.

8. The segments where we follow Vickie's backside as she rides along bike trails that could as easily be in Maine, North Carolina, Ohio or, for that matter, the Ukraine.

7. The mismatched music track drones away in the background; for instance, at one point, something like the William Tell Overture thunders away, leading the viewer to perhaps expect an impending bicycle accident or explosion along the bike trail.

7 and a Half. When Vickie comments that the video itself is "filmed by my 48-year old boyfriend who thinks we'll be millionaires by doing these cheap videos... so please help us reach our goal..." or somesuch (I have to paraphrase here, as I cannot bear to watch this video another time to get the exact quote).

6. The depressing sneer on Vickie's face as she rides along, every now and then making really astounding comments like (and I'm not kidding here), "That sign says 'No Trespassing'," or while huffing along, she suddenly sticks her tongue out, dismounts from her bike and says, "that was a short hill."

5 and a Half. The wonderful moment where Vickie, in mid-sentence , suddenly interrupts herself and points skyward, saying, "Do you hear that?" -- the camera zooms up to a DC-9 passenger jet as it flies low overhead, both drowning out and distracting her from the rest of whatever she was going to say.

5. When Vickie, while riding along the C

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Drink a lot of coffee to stay awake., July 16, 2003

By A Customer

Boring, Boring, Boring. This woman did not want to do this DVD. She seems to be half asleep most of the time. Nice to have a DVD on this subject (riding a bike and letting us see) but someone who wants to be on the bike would be nice.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Some Kind of Stupid, August 15, 2008

By	W. Fisher "the fish tank" (USA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Wow...that was by far the worst video I have ever seen. Don't get me wrong it has absolutely ZERO educational and informational value, but it is the funniest thing I have ever seen. I haven't laughed so hard in my life. Keep cranking out more! I'll just check them out at the library after a hard day.