Hi! I know a lot of you are new readers, so welcome. My friend Rachel Walker recently described Sticks and Stones as a weekly newsletter of “feminist writings and critical analysis of the state of the world,” which honestly is way better than any tagline I’ve come up with. Thanks for signing up.

Excuse me for being mushy for one sec: I also want to thank all of the subscribers who’ve been with me for the past couple years. THANK YOU for recommending my newsletter, sending me engaging links and notes to comb through, and being an awesome, supportive crew of readers. I’ve connected with so many smart folks through Sticks and Stones, and I want you to know that means a lot to me. So thanks for subscribing, thanks for reading, and thanks for sharing. My Mondays are always a little better because you’re a part of them. 😘😘😘

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What I’m reading

An Open Letter to the Asshole Who Called Her Truck a Piece of Junk: “I sought out that truck. It wasn't something I settled for. It was an intentional purchase. As intentional as choosing homesteading over corporate design. Yeah, she's a little rough but so am I.” [Jenna Woginrich on Cold Antler Farm]

The 15-Year-Old Climate Activist Demanding a New Kind of Politics: Since the election, Greta Thunberg has returned to school for four days a week; she now spends her Fridays on the steps of parliament. She is demanding that the government undertake a radical response to climate change. She told me that a number of members of parliament have come out to the steps to express support for her position, although every one of them has said that she should really be at school. Her parents think so, too, she said—that she should really go to school, though she is right to protest. [Masha Gessen for The New Yorker]

How a New Beer Is Helping California’s Fire Victims: More than 1,100 breweries nationwide have signed on to brew Resilience Butte County Proud IPA. All profits from the beer will go toward a fund to help victims of California’s recent Camp Fire. [AC Shilton for Outside]

Rwandan Women Paddle into the Male World of Fishing: “Now a woman can say: ‘I can build a house by myself. I can look after my family properly. And even if my husband dies, we can live a better life.’” [Shannon Sims, Holly Pickett, and Clàudia Prat for The New York Times]

Finally: Women’s Swimsuits That Won’t Fall Down: Bikinis that stand up to every wave for women who rip [Kelly Bastone for Outside]

Camping Out With Long-Distance Firefighters: The Mendocino Complex Fire was the largest fire ever to strike California, consuming more than 400,000 acres and killing one firefighter. The fire crew worked shifts as long as 30 hours and slept in portable bunks, on the ground, wherever they could. [Justin Maxon, Elise Craig, Antonia Cereijido, and Jonaki Mehta for Cal Sunday]

Let’s talk about our mistakes

I’m just here to fangirl all over Caroline Gleich for talking about hers.

Caroline Gleich@carolinegleich❤️❤️❤️ I hope we can change the stigma of talking about close calls and set an example to other snow sports athletes and industry professionals to share their experiences so we can all learn. https://t.co/kLD8FDJunJ

Abigail Wise@AbigailWise

So much love and respect, @carolinegleich. Thanks for being open and honest and rad af. https://t.co/Edzr99weiC https://t.co/4CTwVm8csa

December 3 2018

10 Retweets64 Likes

Other reads

This is the section where I pop in a good story I’m reading that has nothing to do with the outdoors. This week: “Ghosts of Highway 20” in The Oregonian by Noelle Crombie:

Kaye Turner vanished 40 years ago while running along an empty road in a rustic central Oregon retreat. She was kidnapped and killed, her remains dumped in the deep woods.

Then Rachanda Pickle went missing from the desolate highway compound where she lived, never to be seen again. She was 13.

It wasn’t long before teenagers Melissa Sanders and Sheila Swanson disappeared from a camping trip to the coast. Their bodies were found off a logging spur.

It now appears their killer was the same man. The breadth of his crimes has never been revealed until now.

Last but not least

Here’s to a productive Monday.

Blair Braverman@BlairBravermansleigh all day

December 5 2018

62 Retweets1246 Likes

Hello! Happy Monday. If you’re new to Sticks and Stones, welcome and thanks for subscribing. This is the newsletter where I break down what I’m reading every Monday.

It’s beginning to look a lot like December in New Mexico.

Here’s Ted after yesterday’s run ^

Back to business.

What I’m reading

On Running in the City as a Woman: In his much-loved book ‘What I Talk About When I Talk About Running,’ Haruki Murakami completely misunderstands what it means to be a female runner. [Tatum Dooley for Outside]

2018 Is Pro Surfing’s Year of the Woman: Surfers have a tendency to overuse the word legend to the point of meaninglessness, but when it comes to Stephanie Gilmore, there is no better descriptor. [Andrew Lewis for Outside]

Gifts for Them: Because “gifts for her” and “gifts for him” don’t really speak to everyone who loves getting outside. [Amil Reddy for MEC]

Amy Irvine Takes Ed Abbey to Task in ‘Desert Cabal’: What do we do with the work of complicated outdoor men? One new book—released in time for the 50th anniversary of ‘Desert Solitaire’—searches for an answer. [Heather Hansman for Outside]

The Underground Railroad Bike Route Is a Source of History and Hope: There’s the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route, a 2,000-mile journey that roughly parallels its clandestine namesake, which was staffed with abolitionists and traveled by African-Americans who sought freedom from slavery in the early 19th century. This is the trail Daniel White chose to travel—for himself, for his ancestors, and for the next generation. [Shawnté Salabert for Adventure Journal]

A Vindication of the Rights of Women: It’s the unique burden of women athletes that they have to argue for the existence of their sports. [Jen See for Beach Grit]

Ann Bancroft Foundation’s New Director Katie Lauer Wants Girls to Dream Big: She’s only weeks into her role, but Katie Lauer has been preparing for the job much of her life. [Gail Rosenblum for the Star Tribune]

Other reads

“Blood Cries Out” by Sean Patrick Cooper for the Atavist:

On the morning of November 14, in coffee shops and hair salons along Washington Street, people were incredulous. First a farmer’s wife was party to murder, now another one had been shot dead in her bed. This wasn’t the stuff of a quiet, God-fearing town.

Last but not least

Nicole Cliffe@Nicole_Cliffeoh my globbbbb sir https://t.co/Jm9eb7flkb

November 26 2018

11 Retweets137 Likes

The first day back after a long weekend is always a bit rough. So here’s some solid reading material to distract you from your overflowing inbox.

What I’m reading

How Outdoor Programs Are Empowering Transgender Youth: Camps and wilderness expeditions offer a refuge from prejudice and political battles, giving trans kids the tools they need to face future challenges. [Rachel Walker for Outside]

The Wildland Firefighter Opening Doors for Women: Bequi Livingston found power and confidence in physical strength. Now she’s teaching other women to do the same. [Zoe Rom for Outside]

A Historic Win in Utah Is Good News for Bears Ears: “If Grayeyes could beat his Republican opponent there, Native American people could control the law enforcement, finances, and transportation needs of their ancestral homeland for the first time since Mormon settlers arrived in the nineteenth century.” [Krista Langlois for Patagonia]

This Montana Snowbowl Ad Is So Bad: In a time when so many brands are marketing to women in smart ways, the body-shaming fliers that sparked major blowback in Missoula felt especially tasteless. [Heather Hansman for Outside]

Heather Anderson Completed a Calendar-Year Triple Crown: Only five others—all men—have completed the thru-hiker’s Holy Grail in fewer than 365 days. [Colleen Stinchcombe for Outside]

This Trail Race Pays Women More Than Men: This Utah 50K and half marathon event is taking one small step toward closing the wage gap. [Abigail Barronian for Outside]

Other reads

I Battled My Body For 30 Years. Having A Transgender Daughter Changed Everything.

I would look at my mother’s body and think of all things that were ‘wrong’ with it, while my daughter looks at my body and sees the body we define as female―a body she wants for herself.”

[Paria Hassouri for The Huffington Post]

Murder on a Mountain Bike

Everyone has theories, but the questions linger. Was he ambushed and robbed by a transient? Targeted as a mountain biker? Accidentally hit by a sport shooter, then killed to cover up the mistake? Was he pedaling when he was shot? Was his body moved?

[Devon O’Neil for Outside]

You want this book

David Roche@MountainRocheFresh off the printers! We just got word from our awesome publisher that it will be shipping soon. The Intro is now available to read for free on the Amazon page! https://t.co/OlxdA7o7zN

November 16 2018

17 Retweets200 Likes

Last but not least

Nicole Chung@nicole_soojung"Where the president has insisted that fighting global warming will harm the economy, the report responds: Climate change, if left unchecked, could cost the economy hundreds of billions of dollars per year, and kill thousands of Americans to boot." https://t.co/2nHJIGyHps

November 24 2018

88 Retweets113 Likes

Happy Monday. Hope your weekend was rad. I spent mine at the crag.

Hi Erin 👋^

Let’s dive in. Note: I’ve got a lot of Outside links this week. Usually I try to mix it up, but I figure if we’re publishing this much stuff that fits into this newsletter, that can’t be a bad thing.

What I’m reading

Miss Jean’s Wild Ride: What happens when America’s most fabulous advice columnist fires up her polka-dot car and hits the road to ask total strangers about love and cleaving in a bunch of tiny towns called Eden? Let’s just put it this way: Paradise is Regained, and John Milton himself would have said, “Oh. My. God.” [E. Jean Carroll for Outside]

Pattie Gonia Is the World's First Backpacking Queen: A Nebraska-based photographer is bringing positivity and drag culture to the great outdoors—in six-inch heels. [Grace Perry for Outside]

Why Is Free People Suddenly Making Ski Apparel? The hipster brand's new ski apparel line is more about fashion than function. But if making the sport trendy gets more women on snow, then that’s OK. [Heather Hansman for Outside]

This College’s Sports Bra Ban Is a Disgrace: Athletes at Rowan University were banned from running in sports bras because it “distracted” the football team. The incident highlights a much bigger issue about policing women’s bodies. [Christine Yu for Outside]

Khadjou Sambe: The Surfer with Olympic Dreams: The Senegalese surfer is making fans all over the world. Next stop: The 2020 Olympics. [Anne Wernikoff for Outside]

Every Bike Shop Should Be Like Hard Knox Bikes: Owner, founder, and mechanic Binky Brown started the mobile shop and educational space to serve marginalized communities in the Bay Area. [Kathryn E. Styer for Outside]

This. Is. Awesome.

Brigitte Bradford@brig42Check out the radness from this pre-race email from @ultrajim25! @AbigailWise made me think of you

November 14 2018

16 Retweets89 Likes

Last but not least

Paul Bronks@BoringEnormous"Dave, thank God you're home. A bit of the door fell off"

November 14 2018

7099 Retweets25075 Likes

(h/t Molly Mirhashem)

Hi! I’m back after a week off while I was traveling in Brazil. I’ve got a bad case of the post-vacation blues, but it’s good to come home to a little snow.

Tijuca National Park in Rio de Janeiro

Here’s what I’m reading

Where Are the Women in Sports Science Research? For years, female athletes have relied on training protocols, injury guidelines, and nutrition plans based on research conducted with men. That’s starting to change. [Christine Yu for Outside]

Your Body Is the Content: It took Bianca Vesco four years to build up 10,000 followers on Instagram. [Leah Prinzivalli for Digg]

Notes on My Queer Bromance with My Personal Trainer: I originally hired Andrea to help me do push-ups. In the end, we both got a lot more than we bargained for. [Grace Perry for Outside]

The Greatest Invention in Running—EVER—Is the Sports Bra: “In our personal lives, careers, and even in our political rights, things can be taken from us—by bad judgment, bad luck, or other forces beyond our control. But not in running. Every mile run is a mile that cannot be erased, every finish line crossed is a line that cannot be uncrossed.” [Erin G. Ryan for Runner’s World]

Why U.S. Women Are Outperforming Men in the Marathon: A friendly reminder that a 2:10 marathon is actually still pretty hard. [Martin Fritz Huber for Outside]

Just for fun

Blair Braverman for the win with “I’ve Pet That Dog Is The Best Thing on Twitter.”

Fifth grade is a big year, and Gideon has big plans—to pet more dogs. “There’s still tons more dogs left in Cedar Falls,” he says. “I’d say maybe 50. I get to look out the window and say, Do I have that dog? That dog looks awesome.”

A cool Insta account to follow

My friend Chantell, smarty pants, climber, dog mama, and all around badass, is taking over @stanfordblackpostdocs this week! Check her out.

Last but not least

Alex Heard@alexheardI saw "Free Solo" last night. Most of all, I'm having trouble getting past the horror of Alex Honnold's decision to buy a wobbly little white refrigerator that was way smaller than what his girlfriend obviously wanted for their new condo.

November 6 2018

8 Retweets162 Likes