Finding Time, Keenan DesPlanques' Short Film

November 4, 2017 - Keenan DesPlanques kindly shared his film, Finding Time, with Adventure Cycling.

I am Keenan DesPlanques, the filmmaker for Finding Time. 

This concept of this adventure began in a classroom where I was writing my thesis paper on the subject of time perception. In this paper, I was investigating the scientific and anecdotal reasoning for why differed time perception occurs when traveling. For my final piece of my thesis, I needed to develop a final tangible piece that would implement my knowledge of time perception, and I decided I wanted to make a film on a subject that would be challenging and be the best to investigate how time perception changes when you travel.

So, I decided to do a bike tour. Except, I had one issue. I had never bike toured before, let alone traveled 2500 miles (4000 km) from Bergen, Norway to Barcelona, Spain.

I managed to convince two of my friends that had no bike touring skills as well, to join me. Starting the tour, our learning curve on bike touring was intense and we questioned what we were doing. Eventually, the days got easier and easier and we got into a flow.

The feeling of moving through countries all by the power of your two legs was a gratifying feeling that captivated me to the very core. Bike touring is such a simple and affordable way to experience every detail of a landscape and country. We lived on almost 10 dollars a day and slept in the dirt and under the stars every night.

Sure, it was difficult. Especially for me with a 120-pound (55kg) bike packed with heavy filmmaking gear. We broke bikes and camera gear, we crashed, we had unforgiving headwinds, we were rained and snowed on, and we showered about six times over three months. But without all of the struggles, we wouldn’t have learned or grown, and that is what bike touring is all about. Time is not found in the ordinary.

I hope you enjoy my film Finding Time. I have dumped my heart into this film and have spent countless hours working on it to present it to you as it is today.

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