final ascent through Riverview Cemetery.
– Watch video below –
Portlander Merritt Raitt’s dreamy commute takes him from his home in Ladd’s Addition, along the Willamette River via the Springwater Corridor Trail, and then over the river and up the hills to Oregon Health Sciences University. It’s such a nice ride that Raitt decided to make a movie about it.
But Raitt didn’t make just any movie, he painstakingly edited a play-by-play of his commute that mimics a stage of the Tour de France — complete with narration by legendary announcers Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen.
Raitt, a 50-year old cardiologist at the Portland VA Medical Center, says he’s a “big pro race fan” who often hears Phil and Paul in his head while he rides to work. After attending Filmed by Bike last year, he was inspired to combine his dreamy commute with his dream of riding in the Tour de France.
In his short film, “Commuter Dreams,” Raitt has edited the commentary of Phil and Paul so it matches his commute perfectly — from the “first move of the day” (when he sprints ahead of the pack on the Springwater), to “riding into the belly of the whale” (the “high mountains” through Riverview Cemetery). There’s even the obligatory helicopter flyover shot, fist-pumps at the finish line, and podium girls (his wife and daughter)!
As someone who spent most of their college years watching old Tour de France videos (just kidding mom) and reciting Phil Liggett quotes with teammates on training rides, I think Raitt’s movie is spot on brilliant!
Watch it below:
By the way, Raitt says he entered the film into Filmed by Bike, but it wasn’t selected into the final program (the jury must not be big racing fans!).