Andes Bicycle Expedition: A Crossing of the Bolivian Altiplano. (2006)

In their debut documentary, Kathleen Mullin and Yannick Daoudi take off on an unforgettable adventure across the Bolivian Altiplano-by bicycle! Unassisted by support vehicles, GPS, or communication devices, their expedition takes them across one of the world's most remote and forbidding areas. Set high in the Bolivian Andes at roughly 4000 meters (13,000 feet) in altitude, the Altiplano is known for its extreme climate and harsh living conditions. From Lake Titicaca, Yannick and Kathleen cycle southward, carrying everything they need on their bicycles: camping and cooking equipment, clothing, and food, knowing they are unlikely to find much shelter and sustenance in this desolate, sparsely populated land. Throughout the expedition, Yannick and Kathleen battle the elements in order to move forward: fighting altitude sickness and extreme cold; pushing their bikes through impossible stretches of sand and abominable roads; struggling against a vicious Andean wind; questing for water in the arid wilderness; and trying to find food in a country where roadblocks have cut off supplies to remote areas. Bolivia's political situation provides the backdrop for this journey. Yannick and Kathleen witness the unrest of the Aymara people, Bolivia's indigenous majority, whose history of conflict with European-descended leaders runs deep and fierce. During their stay, the Bolivian government is overthrown by mass civil uprising and protests, an event which will lead to the election of Evo Morales as Bolivia's first indigenous head of state. Like most adventures that are off the beaten track, this bicycle expedition will inspire you with highs that clearly outweigh the hardships endured. To sleep in perfect silence under a dome of sparkling stars; to cycle under a pristine blue sky with none but the occasional llama watching by the roadside; to meet and speak with the people who live at this barren altitude; to cross the vast and magical Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt desert. Like the landscape of the Andes itself, the peaks and valleys of Yannick's and Kathleen's experience reveal a journey that is truly unique and unforgettable.