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Guest Contributor: Christie Ivanstrom I was born with Albinism, a rare genetic condition which impacts vision, skin and hair color. I’m legally blind, lack depth perception, have snow white hair, require gallons of sunblock when I step outside, am unable to drive, and have an extreme sensitivity to light. For much of my childhood I was super shy and timid, worried about being different and fitting in and unsure how I was going to navigate the world. I have found my calling.  Fishers Tower - Moab, UT I’ll admit, every so often I get caught up in the deep, dark rabbit hole of YouTube. The majority of my glazed over viewing sessions are wildly unproductive but occasionally, a video strikes a chord. Beau Mile’s film entitled “A Mile An Hour” strummed that productive chord beautifully and I instantly set a goal to replicate the experience myself. What an amazing experience it turned out to be.  Good question. I’ve wondered the same thing myself and heard wildly different descriptions of the “444-mile recreational road and scenic drive through three states” according to the National Park System website. After biking the 476-mile Blue Ridge Parkway in 2017, this route brought some natural intrigue. A few years of “one of these days” chatter, I finally got the chance to bike the parkway from end-to-end over 4 days last month. It was everything and nothing that I expected all wrapped up into one. I wouldn’t do it again. Let me explain.  Here was my justification ... weekend getaway, marginal paddling experience, tagging along with some good buds, always up for a micro-adventure. That's how I joined Brandon Jones and Greg Nance of the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation (CRF) on a 3-day self-supported expedition to kayak the entirety of the 75-mile Wateree River.  |
