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Saturday movie review: 'Go Grandriders'

Today I'm reviewing a movie you're highly unlikely to ever see. It's not currently playing anywhere in the United States nor is it slated to be, as far as I can tell. It's not available on Netflix. You can't buy it on iTunes. You can, though, purchase the Blu-ray from Amazon. (That's not an affiliate link.)

Go Grandriders

The name of the movie is GO GRANDRIDERS, and I tell you about it here even though you'll likely never see it simply because it's so darn inspirational. And to let you know that if you ever do have a chance to see it, you should.

GO GRANDRIDERS is a Chinese documentary (subtitled) about a group of Chinese senior citizens — as in 80 years old and older! — who set out on a trip of a lifetime, riding around the island of Taiwan on motor scooters. Now, these are not healthy old coots. They have heart problems, high blood pressure, hearing aids. Two have cancer. But they have life-long dreams to fulfill before it's too late.

For several of the Grandriders, this was their first time on a scooter, first time outside of their own town. The challenges these folks overcome — or at least endure in good spirits — during the 13-day, 1,178-kilometer journey (that's 732 miles) inspires, moves and amazes. I was floored by the determination of the 87-year-old captain who suffered from bleeding ulcers from the get-go. He was transported to the hospital off and on throughout the journey. But he kept on leading and encouraging the grandfatherly gang.

And they were mostly grandfathers. Yet there was one female in the Grandriders group, and she was determined to make the trip as proof of what she could still do after having battled cancer... twice. Mostly she was determined to enjoy the "honeymoon" that she and her husband never got to have when first married.

The stories of the riders are incredible — with much of best information about each one shared as the final credits roll.

Now, I'm the youngest of the baby boomers, born the very last year defining that group. Many times I find myself thinking, "Oh, I'm just too old for that." The Grandriders prove that's just a bunch of boloney and I have many, many years ahead of me in which I can do all kinds of wild and crazy things, just as they did. Whether my body thinks I can (or should) or not. I'm pretty sure anyone reading this would feel the same after seeing GO GRANDRIDERS. And since it's so difficult to find for viewing, I hope you'll consider the possibilities of what you can dream and do anyway, even without seeing the film.

I was introduced to GO GRANDRIDERS during my recent visit to Boston. A representative of Silver Linings Global introduced herself and the Forever Young movement that the Grandriders are part of. She offered me a copy of the film to review and gave me info on upcoming events. In Taiwan!

Events that may be of interest to those seeking an out-of-country adventure:

  • Grandriders Tour (Sept. 30-Oct. 9, 2014) — A 5-day, 4-night tour for seniors, on scooter or bicycle.
  • Forever Young Fall Festival (Sept. 27-Oct. 5, 2014) — Fun and festivities for seniors in Yilan, Taiwan.
  • Grand Baseball (Oct. 4, 2014) — An Invitational Game at the Forever Young Festival. Overseas contenders (that's us stateside folks!) are encouraged to attend.

Information on the Forever Young experiential travel packages for those 50 years young and above can be found on the Silver Linings Global website.

And if you're more of an armchair adventurer than one ready, willing and able to join the festivities in Taiwan, you can enjoy more of the Grandriders by visiting the official GO GRANDRIDERS website, where the theme is Dreams Never Get Old.

GO GRANDRIDERS isn't rated... nor is it available except on Amazon, as I mentioned above. But, if you ever get the chance to see it, do.