Lines – Episode 2

New motorsports DVD profiles Oregon's Highway 30

Take one of the most scenic and well-engineered roads in the world, a track racer, two film makers and a passion for motorcycling and you've got Lines - a series of short films that place local track racers on some of the twistiest roads in the Northwest.

The latest to come out is episode 2 – Highway 30, Oregon. Film makers Matt Sanders and Brad Allan commandeer track rider, Tracy Roy, to ride Highway 30 from Mosier to The Dalles, filming her every inch of the way using a series of on board, still and chase cameras.

For those who have ridden this stretch of road, you already know it's one of the most awesome examples of road engineering in the world. Along this length there are half a dozen sweepers that are built with a minimum of 100 foot radii, each providing fantastic turning sensations within the legal speed limit of the road.

Originally built between 1913 and 1917, the road was conceived by Sam Hill (of Maryhill fame) and final engineering was handled by Sam Lancaster, one of the countries foremost road engineers of the time. Lancaster and Hill traveled to Europe for their inspiration. The goal was to take the traveler from The Dalles to Portland while offering them a series of scenic overlooks to the Columbia River Gorge. The obstacle was elevation which Hill and Lancaster overcame with the series of sweepers and the minimum 100 foot radii rule. The end result – they thought they had built a world class road – they did. What they probably didn't understand was that they had built a road that would cause any motorcycle rider to wet their pants again and again while riding it.

With cameras attached to the rear of Sanders' bike and the front of Allan's bike, the trio ran the road several times, then set up stationary in order to achieve oncoming and exiting shots of Roy as well as several overview shots that tell the true story of the road's twisty tale and highlight the scenic vantage points looking into the Gorge.

The DVD also features interviews with Roy about her riding style, her racing history and her choice of bikes. Roy's most important line of the movie comes in the beginning when she points out "The most important thing I've learned in riding is to be easy on the throttle and easy on the brakes." While the line holds true to motorcycling in general, it is particularly critical to enjoying this length of roadway.

Episode 2 provides the viewer with an in-depth look at this stretch of road and the special features section includes the unedited footage from six different angles of onboard and trailing cameras. Basically it puts Highway 30 under a microscope for all to see. The photo gallery put together by Don and Tiff Daugherty is a well-done extra, too.

The ultimate thrill of Highway 30 comes when you actually make your way to it and ride it yourself. The road is a regular attraction during Sportbike Northwest each year and the viewpoint on Rowena Crest is repeatedly utilized as a poker run checkpoint during the event. The event promoters provide enough time on the run for riders to repeat the stretch over and over a few times before having to move on. It is highly recommended that riders taking a leisurely stroll to this area do the same.

Sanders' and Allan's efforts are to be applauded. Finally someone has put out a motorsports DVD that doesn't go against the legal grain and instead personifies the legal side of the sport by providing viewers with information they need to find great roads locally and have a look at them in advance. The music selected for the film comes from a number of independent artists and is well-suited as a backdrop that provides a modern day sonic groove soundtrack for the region, without the grinding metal noise often found in motorsports DVDs today.

TM/Winter 2005

For more information about the Lines series of DVD's, or to purchase a copy of episode 2 on DVD visit www.linesthemovie.com