Flashback to 1972

Facebook reminded me today of when I posted a photo of Will, our friend Jersey and me heading on a bike journey from our home in Pennsylvania to Bev and Brent's wedding in Magog, Quebec.  This was 1972.  Cutoff shorts were the style for all three of us, no bike helmets, regular athletic shoes and old fashioned toe clips.   Our packs were heavy and we had to deal with broken spokes throughout the trip.

 I had a whistle around my neck that my mother gave me so I could fetch Will back if he got to far ahead of me.  We stayed in a cow pasture, a churchyard, a couple of campgrounds, and one motel after it rained and we had to ride through construction.  The last day of the trip was a century day for us through the ski hills of Quebec.  We arrived home, lean, tan  and ready for  a new challenge.  Sort of like today with PD.

Biking with Parkinsons

Will and I have probably hung up the tandem for good.  In January he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease or PD.  Because of a loss of strength in his right side it's difficult to maintain balance on the tandem.  We took a mighty big spill at Bowlus this summer with multiple bruises and scrapes. Over a series of months and a long wait for assembly, Will started to ride a new Scorpion Trike,  Unfortunately it came at the end of the season but nature gifted us with some warm November days so we've been able to bike together.  Today was the Cannon River Trail.  Why is this good for a PD patient?

It's exercise,
the activity focuses the mind so that bad thoughts
don't intrude,
and for the two of us it is a quality of life experience.

This blog will become more than writing about biking but
my observations on living with someone you love who has
Parkinson's disease.