15 years ago, Chris Smith was officially classified as legally blind. To honor this milestone, he’s currently taking on the Tour Divide, and has been uploading videos along the way. Learn more about Chris, make a donation, and watch his Tour Divide videos here…

On November 4th, 2009, a state social worker came to Chris Smith’s house to deliver a letter that stated that his vision had deteriorated to the point he was considered legally blind. Chris was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, an inherited genetic condition that causes central vision loss. It started as a blurry arch and progressed to the point that Chris couldn’t see what was directly in front of him and what others could read from 40 feet away; Chris could only see at 2 feet. He turned to biking to get to work, joined a cycling group, and started taking on longer rides and different bike events.

  • Legally Blind Tour Divide
  • Legally Blind Tour Divide

To honor 15 years of legal blindness, Chris is taking on the Tour Divide, a 2,700-mile bikepacking event from Banff, Alberta in Canada, to the US/Mexico border in New Mexico. As part of the ride, he’s fundraising for the Fighting Blindness Foundation, with a goal to raise $25,000 and is just a few thousand dollars away. If it’s available to you, you can donate here. Chris is currently 1,133 miles into his ride in the Teton National Forest and has been uploading video updates along the way. Watch the first few episodes below and then follow along via Instagram here.

Legally Blind and Racing the Tour Divide

Tour Divide Days 0-3

Tour Divide Days 4-5

Tour Divide Days 6-8

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