Lauren Byrd joins Following Waters for a conversation about discovery, resilience, and building community through paddling.

Lauren’s roots run deep in the Southeast — growing up spending time in and around the waters of the Smokies. But like many river stories, her path wasn’t linear. After time in the Soldier Recovery Unit, paddling entered her life in a new way — not just as recreation, but as something grounding and restorative.

In this episode, Lauren reflects on finding her way back to the waters of the Southeast and why returning there later in life felt like coming full circle. We talk about the RV lifestyle and what it means to build a life around competition, travel, and community. Lauren shares her experience in freestyle kayaking, her hopes for the future of the sport, and the importance of visibility, inclusion, and accessible entry points for new paddlers.

We also dive into her newest project — Paddle Calendar — a one-stop platform designed to help paddlers find events, festivals, competitions, and pool sessions across the country. It’s an effort to make the community more connected and easier to navigate, especially for those just finding their way in.

This conversation is about more than competition. It’s about returning to place, building something that didn’t exist before, and finding purpose in the rhythm of life on and off the water.

Mentioned in this episode:

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