A Cross Canada Parkinson's Journey

A coast to coast cycling event in support of Canadians living with Parkinson’s Disease.

85 days of the Spinning Wheels Tour.

We dipped our tires in the Pacific on June 25, 2022 and in the Atlantic on September 17, 2022. We did all 10 Provinces!

Thank you to everyone who made this a success!

Distance traveled to date = 8,000 km

Vertical climb to date = 50,000 m

Funds Raised for Parkinson’s = $120,000

What do you do after cycling across Canada with Parkinson's?

You keep the conversation going! The next journey for Spinning Wheels is our podcast: Spinning Wheels, Parkinson’s Conversations with Jim Here.


Watch or listen as people share their experiences with PD. We talk to people diagnosed with PD, who work with PWP and who are trying to medically help PWP. It’s a whole Parkinson’s scene we have going on! And we always figure out a way to see the positive while acknowledging the challenges.


We are just starting out and really want to provide a podcast that brings insight and positivity to PD. Please like, share and comment (on what you like, what you think we could do differently or what you would like to see).


Host: Jim Redmond
Engineer: Mike Loghrin

Want More Spinning Wheels Tour?

We are available to speak to groups or clubs about our journey. We can do in-person presentations and online. Get more details from the riders themselves. Please send inquiries to info@spinningwheelstour.ca.

Don't forget to see and hear what we said on our media page.

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What we DID

Canada is a big country.  It is home to over 100,000 people living with Parkinson’s disease, 9 in 10 of which suffer in silence, isolation, or without the support of a knowledgeable organization or community.

Why we DID it

You have probably heard of Parkinson’s Disease. You may even know people who suffer from it.  Get used to it, as Parkinson’s disease is the world’s fastest growing neurological condition, set to double in number by 2040.

Who We Are

Steve Iseman
Jim Redmond
Mike Loghrin
Darlene Richards-Loghrin

Friends and Family, Old and New

We are dedicating this spot to the friends and family we have met up with along the journey!

It does not include everyone but it includes a lot!

What are We Doing

Canada is a big country.  It is home to over 100,000 people living with Parkinson’s disease, 9 in 10 of which suffer in silence, isolation, or without the support of a knowledgeable organization or community.  Starting in June 2022, we aim to cross our big country by bicycle to meet as many of these people as possible to personally deliver this message: get moving to stay moving.  

We start In Victoria, British Columbia and ride east through every Canadian province, and hundreds of cities and towns along the way.  Our route is approximately 8,000 km, and we expect to average 125 km a day, six days a week for approximately three months.  Our Spinning Wheels Tour team will include two riders with Parkinson’s Disease, as well as two ride-along supporters to keep things moving.  Along the way, we will be meeting with people whose lives are touched by Parkinson’s, and encourage them to get moving with us, get engaged in support communities, and to set up their own group athletics.

We are not athletes, just people with the resolve to do what it takes to live well with this disease, and to encourage others..  

Along the way, we hope to hear these words, “If they can do it, I can too.”

 

Why We Are Doing it

You have probably heard of Parkinson’s Disease. You may even know people who suffer from it.  Get used to it, as Parkinson’s Disease is the world’s fastest growing neurological condition, set to double in number by 2040.

Parkinson’s Disease occurs when the brain’s dopamine-producing cells die prematurely. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter necessary for many functions of the brain and body, including muscular control, and its loss affects all forms of movement and balance, as well as non-motor functions such as memory, concentration and motivation.  Think of dopamine as the electricity in an electric car: without it, the lights dim and the wheels stop spinning.

There is currently no cure, no bio-markers to aid detection, and little is known about how it is triggered, except that Canadians are disproportionately afflicted

Most people living with Parkinson’s reduce or even discontinue regular intensive physical activity after their Parkinson’s diagnosis.  Why?  Their actual skills and abilities do not suddenly evaporate on the date of their diagnosis, though their mental fortitude often does.  As a result, many abandon the very restorative health practices, such as regular exercise, when they are needed the most.  For people with Parkinson’s, intensive exercise can boost energy, sharpen the mind, elevate spirits and keep the body mobile.  Studies indicate that intense exercise can help train the Parkinson’s afflicted brain to use dopamine more efficiently and be able to do more with less.

Let’s use the dopamine we have to build the lives we want.