[On the Cover] Julia Hoffmann, a former downhill and enduro racer from Germany who now organizes mountain bike camps in the Alps, carves a near-sunset turn above the Italian mountain town of Sexten. Says Mattias Fredriksson, "She loves the Dolomites and returns to Sexten, near Dobbiaco, as often as she can." Mattias Fredriksson FEATURES How The West Was Changed Even after a few decades of change, the landscape of West Texas's Big Bend area remains unforgiving and still alluring enough to keep photojournalist Zach White returning to explore by bike. The Rise Of Lift-Assisted Mountain Biking Back when bike parks were largely considered a "dumb-ass investment" by resort owners, a few pioneers were willing to go against the grain to build lift-accessed trails. But those early bike parks—and the riders who frequented them—ushered in a new era of mountain biking. On Tour And Trail With Birds Of Play Members of the band Birds of Play forgo stability, job security and 401ks in pursuit of art and singletrack. They are mountain town troubadours who embrace dereliction as they chase their music-making dream in towns with only the best riding. Life Reimagined In Tasmania From the temperate rainforests of Derby to the white, sandy beaches of St. Helens, northeastern Tasmania is building a mountain biker's paradise, whether that's for absolute beginners, XC hardtailers, enduro racers or jump junkies. And the tin mining town's rags-to-riches story adds another dimension to this island nation's charm and appeal. DEPARTMENTS Editor's Note Letters Gallery Profile: Trailbuilder Valerie Naylor From the familiar hardwood forests of the eastern U.S. to the rocky steeps of the Alps, Valerie Naylor's cumulative experience has landed her on visionary jobs around the world. Trail Anatomy: A Way Forward Landowners call the hand of unruly riders by shuttering access, and Vermont's Kingdom Trails Association goes all in to stay in the game. Chain of Fools: Bring Back the Pink Bikes Marketing hype be damned, columnist Whitney James wants a bike that reflects her personality. Of Bikes and Beer: Flatten the Curve An official statement from the People's Office of Defensible Consumption. Effecting Change: All Mountain Brothers A social media movement encourages people of color to mountain bike. Tested: Kona Honzo ST Tested: Why Cycles S7 Tested: Niner Rip 9 RDO Tested: Norco Fluid FS1 29 Paraphernalia Framebuilder: In Beta with BTCHN' Bikes Drawing from his moto-racing roots, framebuilder Tyler Reiswig pushes to understand the integration of human, machine and dirt. Tailwind: Lost Boys Reincarnating "Neverland" on the forest trails of the West Coast.
