Thereabouts - the doco

UPDATE: Please use the password “thereabouts” if prompted when trying to view the film.

A few months ago we published the photo feature “Thereabouts” by brothers Gus and Lachlan Morton. It told the story of their 2500km journey from Port Macquarie to Uluru in just twelve days and how they attempted to reconnect with the simple pleasure of riding their bikes.

After many months of production the brothers have released a documentary about their journey. This film gives an refreshing insight about how Lachlan Morton feels about his career as a professional cyclist and why Gus quit the sport altogether.

Gus was on his way to a career as a professional cyclist but gave it up completely a few years ago and never touched the bike again until this trip. Perhaps the best way he describes the point of this journey is by saying, “Sports have been reduced to statistics - the number of yards run for a touchdown, the number of goals kicked in the fourth quarter, the number of watts you put out per kilogram of body mass. And these things remove the larger than life elements of sports. What we’ve done on this trip is re-engaged that. We never raced those distances. We’ve tried to go down roads and go through places that are far more interesting than the number of watts we’re putting out and the speed we’re averaging.”

It’s a selfish sport and Lachlan describes it as a “necessary evil so that I can ride my bike every day.”

In the film Lachlan also talks about how hard it is to stay grounded. He says, “So I’ve had a girlfriend for a couple of years now, and we’re really close. I really love her. There’ll be times in the season you’re compromising things and you’re putting bike riding like ‘I really need to do this’ and you’re like, ‘maybe it would be easier if I didn’t have a girlfriend’? Then as soon as I say that I think ‘what the f**k are you talking about? That’s all you’ve got! That’s the best thing you have. You’re f**ing out of touch.’ Then all of a sudden you realise that you are out of touch…”

I encourage you to set aside 45 minutes and have a watch. If nothing else, it will make you want to go away on an riding adventure.

echidna_sg

couldn’t have come at a better time for me and my riding.
Matt

That was absolutely brilliant. Congratulations guys, and what an absolute bloody inspiration you both are!
lovecycling

a pure riding journey by two brothers…better than tour de france
Bones

frickin awesome story……..thanks for sharing
Aliceboy

Brilliant! So inspiring. Zen cycling. Spelt Coober Pedy wrong tho…
transalpen

brilliant. wish there were more cycling films like this.
Nate

Cant wait to pick up my first road bike at the end of the week!
tism

Such a refreshing perspective on riding and a great story about sibling rivalry and brotherly love. It’s easy as a weekend warrior to imagine that being a pro would be the pinnacle of the cycling experience but it’s so much more complex than that isn’t it? Confronting but inspiring at the same time.
Allez Rouleur

Looking forward to watching this! Couldn’t agree more with Gus! Too many sports now are just statistics, overanalysis, and drama. I’m an American and have given up on most U.S. sports, such as the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Boring, slow, and not enough chance, sporting, and fun left in them.

And in a somewhat interesting parallel, I played lacrosse my entire life and through college. Had a bad experience in college, with a very deceitful, lazy coach. I put my stick away the day I finished my senior season and have never looked back. After college I was looking for a new sport, since I love to be active. I liked testing myself, but no longer had the desire to really fight and scrap against others for a win. I began commuting to work by bike, to save time waiting for the busses and trains. Eleven years later I ride daily, own too many bicycles, and find the simple joy of riding a bike one of my favorite things to do.

I ride seven days a week, play pick-up futbol twice a week, and have raced bikes a bit, but now consider myself a “soul cyclist,” as I just really do it for pleasure and exercise.

I do follow the PRO peloton and love the races, scenery, and thrilling competition, but I would like to see less talk of watts, grams, etc.
Harry Dowdney

fantastic work to all involved… two of the coolest kids, supreme hitters and a wonderful adventure. loved every minute, thank you
CB

Any details regarding the bikes ridden? Also, I’ve got some pretty nifty old spoons in my kitchen if Lachie is still a collector…
- keith
  
  they are Mosaic XT-1(customer) and Ridley X-Fire cyclocross bikes.
  - CB
    
    Cheers Keith. Can’t wait for the sequel!
    - Allez Rouleur
      
      Ha…I should have read all the comments, Just asked that question myself! Thanks, Cool Keith.
Simon Gamble

awesome video guys!
Neil

Interesting video, great trip. Anyone have any ideas though about Lachlan’s form this year? Seems to have taken a few steps back.
- Lach
  
  Hey mate, have a read of his interview that was released today, some excellent insight into this years form.
  - http://cyclingtips.com.au Matt de Neef
    
    Link is here: http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/08/an-interview-with-lachlan-morton/
  - Neil
    
    Thanks guys, had a look
spoxehub

Loved it. One of those things that just makes you itch to ride.
Allez Rouleur

Would love to know a bit more about the bikes they’re riding. Angus looks to be on a Ridley, maybe a cx bike? Lachlan seems to ride more than one during the journey.

Also, would be curious to know if Lachlan risked a voided contract or stiff fine by not telling Garmin about this ride. I guess it depends what his contract states, but it seems like “long, crazy rides with ‘roos and maybe crocs about” would be written in there!
- RooBay
  
  I’ve heard it said (third-ish hand) that Vaughters was very cheesed off about the Mosaic and lack of team kit. Not sure what the repercussions were. Seems Lachlan has been racing a bit this year so doesn’t seem like he was benched.
Gez

Any idea what the song is at the end of this doco?
Gez

What’s the song at the end of the vid?
Eric

Loved the doco. It was also refreshing to not see “pros” in their pro outfits, posing. Riding for the love of it.
psi4power

well done piece and makes me want to take a cross country trip on my bike. If they can do this in Australia much respect to them
Patches O’Houilgan

Just looking at the Tour de l’Ain and Morton has been in the grupetto. How is he going this year? Obviously not so good at the minute…..
- http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
  
  We just posted an interview with Lachy here: http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/08/an-interview-with-lachlan-morton/
SLCBrandon

Hard to take them and their dislike of “watts and stats” with Garmins on their bikes……
Simon Gardner

Brilliant.
Ralph

Completely agree with the GF quote, and one reason I don’t have a computer/garmin.. spend all day looking at screens (i.e. right now), last thing I want to do on the bike.
David

What’s the password?
- Raphael
  
  Yup, need a password to watch it?
Chris

Password?
- http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
  
  As per the first line of the article, “thereabouts” is the password
Chris Lee

I really enjoyed this doco, it was good to see the guys discover what made them love riding in the first place. Insanely jealous and would love to do similar myself one day.