Mountain/Machine: A book about The Fireflies by Nick Livesey

"Weather-ravaged, high open spaces contrast with clinical and claustrophobic (yet lifesaving) machinery… the pictures are both uplifting and darkly unsettling." - Ridley Scott

Mountain/Machine

A book about The Fireflies by Nick Livesey

“Weather-ravaged, high open spaces contrast with clinical and claustrophobic (yet lifesaving) machinery… the pictures are both uplifting and darkly unsettling.”

So says the director Ridley Scott in the foreword he has contributed to this compelling record of a very special event in the cycling calendar.

Starting on the shores of Lake Geneva, the Fireflies is an annual ride to raise money for the leukaemia charity, Leuka. The nine-day event covers 1000km, from Geneva to Cannes, much of it over the gruelling passes of the Alps. During that time, the amateur riders, the ‘Fireflies’ of the title, test themselves to their limits riding to help fund pioneering research for Leukaemia at The Hammersmith Hospital.

In keeping with the spirit of the ride, the book documenting their efforts is also labour of love. Using a pinhole camera, the director Nick Livesey has painstakingly captured a series of unique and haunting images, setting rugged Alpine landscapes alongside the hi-tech hospital equipment the rides have helped finance. A tribute to an inspiring group of riders, the nature of the Fireflies is perhaps best described by their motto: “For those who suffer, we ride.”

Rapha has worked with Nick Livesey to produce this limited run of books. 100% of sale proceeds of the books available on this site will be used to finance the entire print run, helping Nick raise funds for Leuka.

This year’s Fireflies ride will take place from 16th-24th June.
For more information:
www.thefirefliesride.com