The Community Issue

Riding alongside a good friend is often about more than shared laughs and exercise. At their best, these hours on trail transcend everyday life and open portals to deeper communication, problem solving, and meaning. In this issue of Freehub, we examine human connection through the lens of mountain biking. Tim Wild reports from Scotland, where government programs are adopting the sport wholesale to promote and fund healthy, meaningful lifestyles. Elladee Brown examines the life of Alice Jowett, an enterprising woman born in England in 1853 who later came to own and operate the Windsor Hotel in Trout Lake, British Columbia. Still in operation, the Windsor sits at the base of some of interior B.C.’s most stunning and remote singletrack. These stories, and many others in this edition, all point to a simple fact: Humans thrive on shared experience, with bikes acting as the perfect tool for facilitating their journeys.

DEPARTMENTS

Leaning In | We All Want the Same Things

Ride or Divide | Finding One Reality on Trail

Club Dirt | Grimy and Grand Mingle in a Small Idaho Community

FEATURES

Backcountry Haunt | The Legend of Alice Jowett and the Windsor Hotel

Higher Ground | Resilience in the Aftermath of Hurricane Helene

Decades in the Making | Photographers Reflect on 20 Years of Crankworx

The High Road | One Country's Bold Mountain Bike Investment