I saw "The Way Bobby Sees it" on Saturday at the Bicycle Film Festival at the Barbican and frankly I been struggling to find the words to describe it or more maybe do it justice.

This film will be many things to many people and for most it will not fail to inspire, fill you with fear, bring you close to tears and elate you, all at the same time. For me it was a documentary about hope and being the masters of our own destiny. Bobby McMullen is one of todays inspiring hero's competing I feel like the true champions with only one person, himself.

So what is this story all about. Let's unravel some but not all of the story. "The Way Bobby Sees It" is a gripping documentary about a mountain bike racer Bobby McMullen who rides downhill, fast. It tracks Bobby's training and how he prepares himself physically, mentally and emotionally for the race.

Let's put this race in perspective. The Downeiville Downhill drops 5,000 vertical feet in 17 miles from Packer Saddle to Downieville, the Downieville Downhill is the longest and most demanding downhill mountain bike race in the country. This prestigious race course follows the paths of the Sunrise Trail, Butcher Ranch Trail, Third Divide Trail and First Divide Trail. It's big, it's bad and it's beautiful.

When you watch this documentary the camerashots will make you feel the sheer steepness, you willl shudder with the bumps of the technical section and the narrow ledges just a handfull of inches wide with sheer cliff drops to your side will make you feel that rollercoaster feeling as your stomach drops.

So again what's the fuss? It sounds like many mountain bike movies and there are many tough trails out there! Well what makes this one special is that Bobby McMullen, is legally blind.

Bobbylost his eyesight as a result of diabetes in 1993. Several years later his kidneys began to fail. He can't drive a car, grocery shop, or read a menu without help. He relies on others to see and takes 32 pills a day to stay alive. The Way Bobby Sees It is about one man's determination to live an active life even when the path is completely out of focus.

I spent much of the movie holding my breath. I was intrigued and warmed as how Bobby reveals his feelings openly with an inner strength as well as a vulnerability that he refuses to succoumb to and times and times again rises above. The relationship between his guides and Bobby is intricate, fascinating and key. This relationships intense and core for survival and success. We follow the guides commands word by word and see for a second how Bobby sees or more hears his way down the trail and although this is petrifying yet more still it is awe inspiring in terms of the sheer concentration, preperation and skill combined with pure darn dedication and utter unstoppable perseverance. When asked "why he does it?" one of his answers is along the lines of "I just like riding my bike" .Well I know we can all empathise with that. The rest will astound you. It is one of those movies where the audience clap at the end.

Watch the trailer below. The words kinda says it all.

To order the DVD go towww.poisonoakproductions.com/movies/

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