When Jim Redmond and Mike Loghrin get on their bikes and ride off, they feel a sense of freedom.
Exercise can help ease the symptoms of their Parkinson’s disease, and they want to share that experience with Canadians, Redmond says, which is why they are one of three teams cycling across the country in the Spinning Wheels Relay.
“With Parkinson’s, you often slow down and your muscles cramp,” Redmond said. “But when you get on a bike, it’s like magic… It’s medicine.”
They want to show people how much exercise and community contact can help them while also raising awareness about Parkinson’s, Redmond said.
Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease that can affect a person’s ability to move and speak. There is no cure and, according to Parkinson Canada, more than 100,000 Canadians live with the disease.
According to Loghrin, Spinning Wheels is about “having more fun and focusing on what you can do about the disease rather than what the disease is doing to you.”
On Saturday they arrived in Brandon, Man. after cycling about 3,000 kilometers from Victoria, BC.
Redmond and Loghrin are part of the Spinning Wheels Western crew. They left Victoria, BC on July 27 and will arrive at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on September 28 after travelling approximately 5,500 kilometres. At the same time, a team will travel from Newfoundland to Ottawa, and on September 1, a team will travel from Dawson City, Yukon to Tuktoyaktuk., NWT.
Remond and Loghrin will arrive in Ontario on August 29, and on September 17, the three teams will meet and cycle together to Ottawa. Together, the Spinning Wheels riders will have covered over 10,000 kilometers on rides touching three coasts.
They plan to hold more seasons in 2024 and 2025. Their goal is to have more people join them, whether for a block or an entire province, Redmond said.
Cycling for a good cause
Redmond and Loghrin drove across Canada for Parkinson’s for the first time in 2022. They had a great experience connecting with different people and wanted to continue spreading their message of taking action and building community, Redmond said.
Although the days can be long and blend into one another, the moments spent together are worth the effort because they help spread a positive attitude about living with Parkinson’s disease, Loghrin says.
“It’s not the end of the world. Your life is not over. … When you get a diagnosis like that, it’s scary,” Loghrin said. “You think, ‘Oh no, death, you’re going to degenerate your whole life.’ There are ways to prevent that, and there are ways to help.”
On average, they cycle about 100 kilometers a day, says Redmond.
Some days, Redmond’s Parkinson’s can cause his legs to become stiff, making it difficult for him to get on his bike and pedal. His tremors can make it hard to hold onto the bar, his hands can cramp, or he can have trouble concentrating.
“The reality is this is tough,” Redmond said. “We drove in -37 degrees… we drove through the smoke, we drove through a little bit of rain.”
They just keep going with a positive attitude because they know they’re going to get through it, Redmond said, adding that’s their philosophy of life when it comes to living with Parkinson’s.
The biggest challenge for his team, however, was the theft of their bikes outside an Edmonton hotel on August 12. They had selected special bikes suitable for all terrains, as they were never sure what to expect on their route.
Redmond said this has changed for the better because of the media coverage of Spinning Wheels and the incredible offers of help and encouragement.
People even lent their bikes to ride along on their journey, and a local bike shop provided accessories to make their ride easier.
“When you’re riding around the block, it’s no big deal if the bike doesn’t fit, but when you’re riding 100 kilometers a day, it makes a … difference if the bike doesn’t fit,” Redmond said. “The knees hurt a little bit, the back hurts, the wrists hurt, so it gets harder.”
Loghrin now rides a fat bike after his custom gravel bike was stolen. He says their bikes were found, but his was badly damaged and the wheels were broken, so he had to get it rebuilt.
The duo are looking for people to come along and accompany them the rest of the way or join them next year. The more people join in, the more light will be shed on Parkinson’s.
“This is the best way to live with this stupid disease. It’s a problem, it’s ongoing, there’s no cure, but we have to do what we can to live with it as best as we can because your life is not over, that’s for sure,” Loghrin said.
