First Woman Crossing Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley by Bike

In 2009, Shannon Galpin became the first woman to mountain bike in Afghanistan, during a series of rides in Panjshir province and the hilltops of Kabul on my beloved 29′er single-speed, in an attempt to challenge gender barriers. Afghanistan is one of the few countries in the world where women are not allowed to ride bikes. A photo essay of the journey.