About this project

Against the Grind started out as just a bike trip that Jessica proposed to Rachel in the summer of 2010.  “What better way to experience the country than at the pace of a bicycle?”  It seemed perfectly reasonable to us, but we were soon told by many that this was an extraordinary trip.  “I’m jealous!” some would proclaim, but all were unable to envision themselves leaving jobs, homes, and friends behind.  Additionally, they were all afraid for our well being due specifically to the lack of male presence and the protection a man would provide on the road.

For this very same reason, bicycle touring has been the domain of solo men or coupled men and women.  We are here to prove that just like in many areas of life, this doesn’t have to be the standard.  We are both filmmakers by trade, so we decided to turn the cameras on others and ourselves along the way.  By chronicling stories through documentary film shorts with an emphasis on contemporary women’s rights issues, we will use the medium we know best to introduce feminism to bike touring.

We quickly discovered that the concerned comments about our traveling alone stem from larger issues surrounding women in the United States today.  Our bike tour across the country gives us unique access to women from every corner and walk of life.  We will explore many issues, including safety, employment, motherhood, and cultural identity that women face every day.  Through the video shorts series, you will ride along with us as we document the harsh realities of why so few women take to the road, break free from molds that bind them, or live "against the daily grind."

Although this project is currently in pre-production, we have already taken many of the steps to ensure this project will go off without a hitch.  By visiting our website, you can read about the route, the project, our gear, our budget and our emotional journey via the blog section in great detail.  In addition, we have begun filming portions of our story and highlighting them on our video page.   

We have budgeted out the $4000.00 to cover a few, but very important, needs that will affect the success of our project as a whole. 

All of the funds will cover the cost of the remaining video, audio and editing equipment.  Boompoles, microphones, hard drives and so on are not cheap!  We're working around the clock to scout deals. 

We thank you for your generous backing of this project and will make sure to be very open with you about the process while preparing and once we're on the road.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions, concerns, or ideas either here or via our contact page.