From the cowgirl on our cover to the stories of cowgirls inside, including coverage of the Cowgirl Hall of Fame and the appeal of art by and about cowgirls, this issue pays special tribute to the feminine side of the Western world.

Though we don't make a habit of declaring particular themes for issues-and you will find that each issue in each year hits on all of our regular topics ("Western lifestyle, travel, people")-still, there are times in the year when we will beef up a particular kind of coverage to serve a particular interest. This May/June issue, then, has been an occasion for doting on the women. In the next issue, the July/August, you can expect to see lots of outdoorsy material and a larger-than-normal amount of space given to rodeo. Plus coverage of the National Day of the American Cowboy, which falls within that timeframe. (This year's observance will be on July 28.) Then in the fall we tend to pump up the entertainment quotient with more attention to Western music and Hollywood or television Westerns. And so it goes through the year, with some facets of Western life getting added emphasis as their time comes around.

But the topic of travel is one that always gets strong treatment in any issue of this magazine. That's because, as a magazine that takes the West as its primary regional tie, most every article has some sort of travel angle to it, whether direct or indirect. Obviously, our regular "travel" feature is our most direct coverage of the region's travel offerings. In this issue we take you through the Rocky Mountain states of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Montana. But beyond that, we present another main feature ("Where Dreams Come True") that, although it is not labeled as "travel," was prompted by the same impulse-to give you deeper insights into the recreational possibilities and opportunities to be experienced out West. On the surface, that article explores something we call "active Western pursuits," the emphasis being on "active." We know that some of you are seeking a more challenging, active way of experiencing cowboy life and the West, and so we share with you some of the more handson opportunities that await you adventuresome types. But those opportunities themselves are found in particular places, and so it comes around again to places-i.e., travel. And as you'll see from the article, "doing" the West is a matter also of seeing the West, and the West is a very beautiful place.

So it goes through the rest of the issue. Our Trailriding column also has a connection to a place-generally a very scenic, culture- rich place. Our profiles of individuals take you to the places where they live, work, or do whatever it is that makes them so interesting. Our history coverage relives the events that defined the West, and that always involves significant place names, many of which can be visited today, such as the Pea Ridge National Battlefield (see Backward Glance). Our rodeo articles report on events you can attend and see yourself. Plus we urge you to make a habit of scanning our Events pages and, for a fuller treatment, going online and seeing our calendar at americancowboy.com (click on Events).

Altogether, it adds up to an ongoing commitment to Western travel that you won't find matched anywhere. So enjoy it, neighbor, and join us again next issue as we expand the horizons yet further