An inspiring piece indeed!
From: blind-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:blind-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Jacob Kruger
Sent: 08 May 2015 09:35 AM
To: NAPSA Blind
Cc: BlindZA
Subject: [Blind] Article about Carl de Campos
Carl, sorry for posting this here before you <smile>
http://www.georgeherald.com/news/News/General/136027/Blindness-no-hurdle-for-Carl
(see article contents below)
Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
"Roger Wilco wants to welcome you...to the space janitor's closet..."
---article contents---
Blindness no hurdle for Carl
Carl during an endurance ride.
GEORGE NEWS - Carl de Campos, a blind Magaliesberger who bravely lives life to
the full despite his disability, has recently made George his new home, moving
here to be closer to family.
The 37-year-old sequel database administrator is a keen runner, horse rider and
tandem cyclist. He has completed one Comrades and many of the other major
races, and has done the Argus and a number of other cycling races by tandem.
With his horse, Billy, he completed numerous endurance rides, including the
Fauresmith ride, becoming the first blind person to do so. The Garden Route
being a paradise of mountain biking trails, Carl is switching over to mountain
biking and a week after settling into his spacious garden flat in George, his
new tandem mountain bike was delivered. "I am looking for people who would like
to try out the tandem bike with me and also runners who I can join," says Carl,
who is a bit of a daredevil.
On his uncle and aunt's Magaliesberg farm, where he lived until relocating to
George, he delighted in horse riding all on his own, cantering in the paths
right alongside his other great love - main line trains, which regularly pass
through the area.
Carl was taught to be independent since childhood, having been blind from
birth. He cooks, cleans and does his own laundry; he did the furniture
arrangement in his new flat and even set up the surround sound system by
himself. On the day he moved in, he ventured out on his own, taking a walk
around the block to suss out his environment and, a few days later, after more
walkabouts further out, established where the nearest takeaway and supermarket
are - on foot. The routes are all logged on his iPhone's GPS, a feature that
also enabled him to have outrides on Billy and go running on his own on the
farm.
His sense of touch and hearing are highly developed. He can, for instance, pick
up the position of objects by their echo, which helps him to move around safely.
Carl has been to the Transnet Museum twice, a wonderful place to satisfy his
keen interest in steam engines, which originated from his trips on the former
Trans Karoo train from Johannesburg to Worcester where he was a pupil at
Pionier School. "I use touch to discern what something looks like, so I can
identify the different classes and garrets," he says.
He might be buying a younger horse as he has retired Billy from endurance
riding. "In the meantime, I ride now and then with a relative of my cousin,
Karen Young, in Wilderness Heights," says Carl. And always willing to try new
things, he has also gone kayaking with another relative.
His positive attitude to life is an inspiration to all who meet him. "I do not
have sight, but I live life to the full. My outlook is that problems are
surmountable. Do not let them keep you back."
Carl in front of his computer. He is employed by Business Connection as a
sequel database administrator. "I am really fortunate to have wonderful
employers who had no problem with me relocating to George," says Carl. Photo:
Alida de Beer
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