Shauna Farnell

conducts running and cycling competitions in historic locations in Alabama and Tennessee with the goal of educating the public on events that took place there and how they were instrumental in driving change during the civil rights movement. In response to the recent turmoil and these senseless deaths, the Civil Rights Race Series is hosting 1 Million Miles for Justice , a virtual event in which anyone, anywhere can make strides toward racial equality. Wherever you are, your weekly jog, your daily walk around the block, your hike, your bike ride can play a positive part in providing equal opportunities and paving the road toward a better life for someone whose every day experience doesn’t consist of the qualities many of us take for granted, for someone whose every day experience feels far from equal and never feels safe.

While there are way more females of all ages out on the trails now than there were 20 years ago when I initially fell head over heels with the sport (and consequently went heels over head a few times during the intensive learning process), mountain biking is unquestionably still a male-dominated sport. However, with vastly improved bike technology, clothing and protective accessories, not to mention a dire need for a testosterone balance on the trails, there is no better time for women to experience the incomparable thrill that comes with saddling up on a set of fat tires. With super burly tires, wide handlebars, an efficient 1x12-speed drive train, a surprisingly light frame (considering its burliness), precise and responsive brakes, well over 5 inches of adjustable travel and most importantly, a drop seat, even the most intimidating aspects of mountain biking (sharp switchbacks, steeps descents, rock drops, etc.) can be conquered seamlessly. those token D-Bags that blow down the trail totally disregarding the prescribed etiquette (yield to uphill traffic, stay in control, say hello, etc.) or feel the need to increase their speed all of a sudden to ride on your ass or not let you by when you’re faster.

Home to a brand new bike park (which is lift-served on weekends through the end of September), Snowmass offers both uphill and downhill trails (for those of us who like to go against gravity before we earn our DH treat) that pretty much cover the mountain biking gold standard spectrum ... especially true when you’re surrounded by golden leaves. Start at Elk Camp gondola base and ride the dirt service road about a quarter mile before taking a left on Village Bound. Village Bound uphill: a smooth, wide and flow-y singletrack (also used for downhill) on which you can activate your G-Force superpowers by hammering into some of the switchbacks. : This is a swinging, super fast and fun downhill trail complete with huge bank turns, whoopties for small airs and wooden bridge and plank features to make you feel like you’re a DH badass (but nothing we uphill sloggers/careful descenders can’t handle).

An 18-year-old woman from Florida who was reportedly obsessed with the 1999 Columbine High School shooting had made some threats, flown to Colorado, bought a gun and was on the loose. I was attending Colorado State University when Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold walked into Columbine High School and shot the place up, killing 12 students, one teacher and themselves. I never met Eric, but of the many thoughts swimming through my head as I watched the CNN newsreel display a string of students walk across the school lawn with their hands on their heads after finally escaping from a choir room where they’d been hiding for hours during the shooting, was that I would have probably been friendly with guys like Eric and Dylan when I was in high school. Instead of instilling all of this fear, closing down schools across Colorado, investing time and energy into a manhunt, how about, at the very least, making it harder for a kid to walk into a store and buy a gun?