Tag Archives: Mountain2Mountain

Road Tripping in Afghanistan.

I’ve always been fascinated with mountains. Their endless sense of adventure, their expansive high valleys and vibrant mountain flowers, and their forever long and steep slopes never cease to put a smile on my face and adrenaline in my legs. Although being in Kabul is an absolutely unique experience, there is something about having the Hindu Kush range surround the city, that provides a sense of comfort and familiarity.

Outside of Kabul

Photo by Sarah Menzies

The other day, we had the chance to check out what a training ride entails for the men’s and women’s national cycling teams. We met both teams on the outskirts of Kabul, and the mountains glowed as if to welcome us all to another beautiful day. The men’s team had ridden to this meeting spot, while Coach Sadiq had picked up the six women who were available that day to ride. Upon meeting up with the teams we confirmed that the planned route was closed due to protests in the next town up, so quickly picked a new route and watched the men’s team peddle off towards the next stop. We then loaded the women’s bikes and riders onto our bus and continued to film, while on the bus.

Afghan Women's National Cycling Team

Photo by Claudia Lopez Photography

As women in Afghanistan, there are still many precautions the team must take in order to be as safe as possible. Starting their ride outside of the city, was one of them. The men’s team met us at the drop off point, and after we unloaded their bikes and pumped up a few tires – it was time to film both teams, as they continued the ride together.

Afghan Women's Cycling Team

Photo by Claudia Lopez Photography

Taking advantage of a long, and somewhat flat road, we were able to pass, slow and even stop the bus a few times, to fully capture their concept of a training ride.

Photo by Claudia Lopez Photography

Photo by Claudia Lopez Photography

For women, riding a bike is still considered taboo in many areas of Afghanistan, however, we have learned while being here that Kabul is much more progressive in thought than many other regions. Regardless of the thought in Kabul, once you leave the city, you also leave that openness of thought. The riders then have to protect themselves from any and all types of transportation speedily passing by, while avoiding the large potholes, as best as they can – which is a feat in and of itself, since there were more potholes per half-mile of road than crappy buffets in Las Vegas.

Afghan Women's Cycling Team

Photo by Claudia Lopez Photography

A good 45 minutes later, the training ride culminated with a breakaway group consisting of one man, and one woman. They continued for another 5K before we picked them up, while the rest of the team formed a line, with Sadaf pulling the team back to the bus.

Afghan Women's Cycling Team

Photo by Claudia Lopez Photography

As we loaded the bikes back onto the bus, shared waters with the team and scanned the scene for a few more shots, the clouds shifted and the rain began. Much like we know that even when the thickest of clouds enshroud the mountains, they are still there — we know that if any of the women on this national Afghan team decides to pursue a life as a cyclist, we will be there to help support as best as we can.

As the Afghan Cycles film comes together more and more with every day of production, we grow more and more in awe of these teammates, the coach and the barriers that they are breaking – whether they realize it or not. Please continue to follow our Afghan Cycles Facebook Page + Twitter Page. Should you feel moved to donate to the project – please visit Mountain2Mountain.

Fist bumps to you all, and a big thank you.

Afghan Women's Cycling Team

Photo by Claudia Lopez Photography

Entering Afghanistan

The flight into Kabul, carried us through the Hindu Kush mountains, exposing some of the most mysterious yet burly range in South-Central Asia. Expecting much more turbulence on arrival, due to the range, I tried to sit back and close my eyes however, the curiosity of where we were landing, coupled with the dusty looking peaks, had us all clambering to get a better look out the windows.

Pardon the sideways photo – having trouble loading it properly while here in Afghanistan. Photo by Whitney Conner Clapper

The line for immigration went relatively quickly and porters eagerly awaited us on the other side, to help locate and load our 400 pounds of cycling gear, not including the 5 donated LivGiant bikes. After a simple walk through customs, we made our way to the designated meeting zone, and waited for Najibullah.

Our first stop, was the Cycling Federation where we were greeted by Coach Sadiq, the President of the Federation, and several of the men’s and women’s cyclists. Mutually expressing their gratitude for one another’s hard work and dedicated teams, Shannon and Sadiq took turns also introducing everyone in the room. It was clear from the moment that we shook hands with Sadiq and his teams, that we weren’t just meeting storyline subjects, we were meeting mentors and friends.

Photo by Claudia Lopez Photography.

Photo by www.claudialopezphotography.com

Day two began with a trip back to the Federation, in order to drop off all of the donated cycling gear that Shannon had collected over the past few months. 40 pounds of Skratch Labs hydration powder, 1 BMC bike, 5 sets of tires from Giant, 400 jerseys, spandex shorts and bibs for men + women, 20 pairs of bike shoes, 10 helmets from Giro, Boulder Cycle Sport jerseys + gloves, a variety of seats, and 2 cases of Polar water bottles filled the hallway floor of the Federation. The smiles on the Afghan’s faces, as Shannon told Sadiq about everything that we had brought them, were parallel to American’s watching Neil Armstrong walk on the moon — total awe and gratitude.

Photo by Claudia Lopez Photography.

Photo by www.claudialopezphotography.com

The remainder of the day was spent at Coach Sadiq’s home, where Sarah and I interviewed him, while Claudia captured him in still form. As we drove back to our guesthouse, jet lag set in however the sights and sounds of Kabul kept us awake. Beautiful green trees lined the streets as well as filled the parks, students laughed in groups – perhaps on their walk home, the traffic intertwined together like macramé – with people walking in-between cars to cross the street, green parrot police trucks scanned the crowds for disturbances, a few women in burqas strolled the sidewalks, while more women in headscarfs carried bags to where ever they were going. Compared to the average American city, it is similar. Sprinkle in some burqas to New York City, along with many more simplified basic boutiques, add in fully covered people, and some burro-drawn carts, and you’d have Kabul in the states.

Photo by Claudia Lopez Photography

Coach Sadiq, post interview with our badass crew: (L-R) Ky Hunter, Shannon Galpin, Claudia Lopez, Jayme Moye. Photo by Whitney Conner Clapper

Do you want to get involved with Afghan Cycles or another project that’s similar? Please consider donation to Mountain2Mountain, click here. Thank you all for following along on this journey! We can’t wait to show you the finished project!

En Route to Afghanistan

I’ve watched two movies so far and we still have eight hours and twenty-three minutes until we land in Dubai. The movies have both been comedy with a touch of romance because quite honestly the other options were either too drama ridden or of literally no interest to me. As I scan other’s screens around me, bloody bodies litter the back of people’s seats, and if not bloody bodies, massive guns and frightened faces appear – why do people like those movies? Doesn’t trying to make it in our current world, drama enough? With the amount of people choosing to watch intense movies around me, I have to wonder if our world is the way it is because of some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy?

As I flip to the map option on the small personal screen in front of me – I stare at the screen of blue as we cross the Atlantic. The first major city that we’ll fly over is London. Slightly to the Southwest is Spain. I’ve never been to Spain, but someday we’ll visit. Right now Lisbon is winking at me because it’s on the coast, and the Basque region has always been intriguing. In fact KC and I once bought a book entitled, “Living Abroad in Spain” – perhaps we’ll use it at some point.

In Dubai, the 5 of us will connect with Krystal making our team 6. She’s flying in from Jordan and apparently freshly engaged. I’ve yet to meet her, but I’ll hug her in celebration regardless. Our layover is 10 hours, and come 3am, we’ll board our last flight to Kabul.

Once we land, Najib will help gather and load our individual bags and 12 bike boxes crammed with not only bikes but jerseys, shorts, bibs, gloves, helmets and water-bottles for the women’s cycling team, into a van. Najib is our fixer for the trip, and will escort Sarah and myself most days as we film, since neither of us speak Dari. I kick myself for being another lame American who expects everyone else to know English. It will be just before 7 on Friday morning in Kabul, so the plan is to drop off bags and gear at our guesthouse and quickly re-group over tea with Najib.

My clock now reads 9pm MST on Wednesday, and as I raise my head to arch my back to stretch, I see that a few screens have shifted from drama to laughter, compassionate embraces and a dog that’s wagging its tail. I exhale a sigh of relief and drift off to sleep with the wonder in my mind of what the future has in store for us all …

Afghan Cycles on MSNBC

As some of you may know, I have the chance to be involved with a film project that will help tell the story of the Afghan Women’s National Cycling Team. Being a long time admirerer of the most beautiful human creation involving two wheels, a cyclist and a student of women’s studies during my college days, this trip tugs on my heart strings as I imagine what it will be like to sit and ride with these teammates.

I grew up hearing the mantra, “You’ve got a bike, use it” from my parents, and often peddled 8 to 10 miles a day to tennis lessons, to the local swimming pool, over to friend’s houses and back home again each night – only to eat, sleep and repeat, especially during the summer. As a child growing up amidst the corn fields and open country roads in the mid-west, I found my freedom on the bike. I learned how to be self-sufficient on the bike, and I came to deeply respect the bike as a viable mode of transportation. Except for the occasional small town driver who wasn’t ready to share the road with a cyclist – rarely did I ever encounter any resistance to the countless miles that I racked up every year on my bike.

It’s hard to even conceive of the fact that biking is a taboo subject for women in Afghanistan. The bike is a worldly vehicle, allowing people the chance of survival, fitness and competition. Riding a bike seems harmless and peaceful. Yet in order to ride their bikes, the teammates on the National team must ride in secret. They must ride completely covered, despite the heat, and they often leave their own country to compete in smaller races. Guarding themselves from jeering comments from passing vehicles while out on training rides, the women’s Afghan cycling team not only grows stronger mentally and physically with each peddle stroke, they also have their heart set on the 2016 Olympics.

This Spring a small crew of us will head over to Afghanistan to meet the team. We will spend time listening to their stories, interviewing these women in their homes and hearing more about their Olympic goals. I say all of this under the assumption that this will happen – however as any international journey goes to a 3rd world country, where the unknowns greatly outnumber the knowns – the only thing that we can guarantee is we will be able to practice patience.

You can join the journey here at Afghan Cycles, and learn more about the producer and dreamer of this film, Shannon Galpin, watch this MSNBC coverage of an interview with Shannon:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Be well and keep those wheels spinning.

Afghan Women’s Cycling Team Featured on NBC Nightly News.

1 Reply

Last night Mike Taibbi, a reporter from the NBC Nighty News, covered a group of people that is near and dear to my heart, in the segment “Making A Difference“.

The reason this group of people, being Shannon Galpin and the Afghan National Women’s Cycling Team, is near and dear to my heart is because later this spring I have the chance of joining Shannon and the team in Afghanistan to listen, ride, write and film alongside them, as I assist Sarah Menzies of LET MEDIA in creating the story of Afghan Cycles.

Afghan Cycles is a 15-20 minute documentary that will not only highlight the Afghan National Women’s Cycling team through their mountainous practice sessions on the backroads and highways outside of Kabul, this film will also share an intimate look at the lives of these teammates when they’re not on their bikes. Working with a translator and consciously entering the women’s homes, filmmakers will take a closer look at what it means to be a woman in the male dominated and war-torn country; while challenging gender barriers and setting an example to Afghan women at home, empowering women worldwide.

In preparation for this trip, we are currently seeking funds to fly not only ourselves, but close to 50+ boxes of donated bikes and gear over to the men’s and women’s cycling teams in Afghanistan. We are close to our goal, but not there yet. To be a part of this project, please donate to: Afghan Cycles Kickstarter.

If you feel inspired, please share this blog or any of its contents with your friends and family. Thank you and enjoy your day.

Namaste.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The Bicycle, An Agent for Empowerment.

2 Replies

I can’t image what it would be like not to be able to ride my bike any time that I wanted to, let alone not in public. Yet historically, there have been times in America, as well as in Afghanistan that the notion of women on bikes has been thought of as promiscuous and taboo.Using the bike as an agent for change, the Women’s National Cycling Team in Afghanistan is practicing hard, despite the many threats that face each teammate, to become strong enough to eventually make it to the Olympics. Anita DeFrantz, Chairwoman of the International Olympic Committee’s Women and Sport Commission and an IOC member recently commented on the role that sports play in ending violence towards women, saying that: “Sport and its values are valuable tools to address and improve self-esteem, body control, leadership and assertiveness – all being elements which can contribute to tackle violence.” No where is this more true than in Afghanistan today.

As the Women’s National Cycling Team begins to meet and train, cycling is still very much a taboo in Afghanistan. It is considered offensive, and much like the women that dared to ride their bikes in petticoats in the late 1800’s, the stigma of immorality and promiscuity is hard to push past. However, similarly to the women’s suffrage movement in America, where the bicycle was intrinsically linked, riding a bike could be a vehicle for change in Afghanistan. The Western view of women’s rights in Afghanistan is often of oppression and cruelty.

Comprised of bike lovers and women’s rights supporters, there is a small group of US citizens, myself included, that will be traveling to Afghanistan to document this team. Afghan Cycles will tell the positive story of the brave women teammates who are challenging this point of view, with each peddle stroke. Please consider donating to our Afghan Cycles Kickstarter to help us tell this story.

Many thanks and keep those wheels turning.

Two MoveShake Films Launching This Thursday!

There is something about people living, moving and breathing from the heart that when their stories are shared and told, even a stranger can feel that grace and power is being expressed.
I didn’t know who Shannon Galpin was until Allie and Sarah asked me to preview her story, a few months ago. I watched Shannon’s story more than a handful of times that day, for no other reason than wanting to be a witness to her bravery, commitment and strength – over and over again. Humbled and in awe of Shannon, she’s empowered me to strive to live from my heart.

Directed by Allie Bombach and produced by Red Reel - the first two MoveShake films, including Shannon Galpin’s, will premiere this Thursday night – the 7th, from 6-8pm PST, on MoveShake.org. After the films, we will also be able to participate in a live Q+A session with Shannon, the founder of Mountain2Mountain.

To learn more about MoveShake and to be a part of the community, please click: UNITE.
To learn more about Mountain2Mountain, please click: RAD Organization.

A big bowl of gratitude to the women of Red Reel for continuing to tell honest stories through their own unique lens.

Hope to hear you all on Thursday!

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