Award-winning documentary, 'Bicycle Dreams,' to premier in Cleveland Heights

"Bicycle Dreams," the award-winning documentary about the Race Across America (RAAM), has its Cleveland premiere at the Coventry Big Dog Theater in Cleveland Heights on Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. The Race Across America is an epic, 3,000-mile bicycle race from the Pacific to the Atlantic. First held in 1982, RAAM is considered the most challenging sporting event in the world. Top riders finish in under ten days, riding more than 300 miles each day and sleeping only a few hours each night.

The film is "an up-close look at what RAAM riders go through,” said Stephen Auerbach, the director and producer of the documentary. “They deal with searing desert heat, agonizing mountain climbs, and endless stretches of open road. And they do it all while battling extreme exhaustion and sleep deprivation. It’s a great subject for a film,” Auerbach added.

Local RAAM rider Jim Karlovec will be on hand for a question-and-answer session about his RAAM experiences after the film.

The Big Dog Theater is located at 2781 Euclid Heights Blvd., on the corner of Euclid Heights Boulevard and Coventry Road, on the second floor of the historic Centrum Building. Tickets are $11 in advance and $15 at the door. To purchase advance tickets, order online at www.imathlete.com/events/bicycledreams. 

The screening is a benefit for the Cleveland Heights Bicycle Coalition and Cleveland Bikes. The event is sponsored by HubBub Custom Bicycles of Chesterland. For more information on the film, go to www.bicycledreamsmovie.com or e-mail info@bikesintheheights.org.