Cyclists pedalling across Canada for Parkinson's disease say the ride is like medicine

When they get on their bikes and hit the road, Jim Redmond and Mike Loghrin have a sense of freedom.

Getting active helps alleviate the symptoms of their Parkinson's disease and they want to share that experience with Canadians, says Redmond. That's why they're one of three teams biking across the country for the Spinning Wheels Relay.

"Lots of times with Parkinson's you slow down and you get tight, your muscles cramp," Redmond said. "But, when you get on a bike there's just something about it that's like magic …. It's medicine."

They want to show people how much exercise and community connections help them while raising awareness for Parkinson's, Redmond said.

Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disease that can impact a person's ability to move and speak. There is no cure and Parkinson Canada says more than 100,000 Canadians live with the disease.

Loghrin says Spinning Wheels is about having "more fun focusing on what you can do for the disease instead of what the disease is doing to you."

On Saturday they arrived in Brandon, Man., after biking about 3,000 kilometres from Victoria, B.C.

Redmond and Loghrin are part of the Spinning Wheels Western crew. They left Victoria, B.C. on July 27 and will arrive in Ottawa's Parliament Hill on Sept. 28 after cycling about 5,500 kilometres. At the same time, a team is travelling from Newfoundland to Ottawa, and On Sept. 1 a team will travel from Dawson City, Yukon., to Tuktoyaktuk, NWT.

Remond and Loghrin will enter Ontario on Aug. 29, and on Sept. 17 the three teams will meet up and cycle to Ottawa together. Collectively, the Spinning Wheels riders will have completed over 10,000 kilometres in rides touching three coasts.

They plan on having more relays in 2024 and 2025. Their goal is to have more people joining them be it for a block or across a province, Redmond said.

Riding for a cause

Redmond and Loghrin first rode across Canada for Parkinson's in 2022. They had a great experience connecting with different people and wanted to continue spreading their message of getting active and building community, Redmond said.

While the days can be long and blend together, the moments of connection make it worth it because they help spread positivity when it comes to living with Parkinson's disease, Loghrin said.

"It's not the end of the world. Your life isn't over. ... When you get a diagnosis like this it's scary," Loghrin said. "You think, 'Oh no death, you're going to degenerate all your life.' There's ways to stop it and there's way to help."

They average about 100 kilometres a day on their bikes, Redmond said.

Some days Redmond's Parkinson's can cause stiff legs that make it hard to get on the bike and pedal, his tremors can make it hard to hold on to the bar, his hands cramp or he has brain fog.

"The reality is this is hard," Redmond said. "We've cycled in 37-degree temperature … we've cycled through the smoke, we've cycled through a little bit of rain."

They just keep on going with a positive attitude because they know they'll get through it, Redmond said. He added that's their life philosophy when it comes to living with Parkinson's.

But the biggest challenge his team faced was when their bikes were stolen from outside a hotel in Edmonton on Aug. 12. They had chosen specific bikes able to take on any terrain because they were never sure what to expect on their route.

Redmond said it turned into a positive with the amount of media coverage they received for Spinning Wheels and offers of help and encouragement were unbelievable.

People even loaned their bikes to keep them on their journey, and a local bike store added accessories to help them on their way.

"When you're going around the block if the bike doesn't fit it's not a big deal, but if you're doing 100 kilometres a day it does make a ... difference if your bike doesn't fit," Redmond said. "Your knees get a little bit sore, your back gets sore, your wrists get sore so it makes it more challenging."

Loghrin is now riding a fat tire bike after his custom gravel bike was stolen. He says their bikes have been found, but his was heavily damaged and the wheels were wrecked so he'll have to get it rebuilt.

The duo are looking for people to come out and join them the rest of the way, or join in next year. The more people there are the more light is being shone on Parkinson's.

"It's how you can live best with this silly disease. It's a problem, it keeps going, there's no cure, but we've got to do what we can to live best with it because your life is not over, that's for sure," Loghrin said.