BlogThe Spinning Wheels tour wraps up on the Pacific coast The Spinning Wheels tour wraps up on the Pacific coast Posted Date : Aug 3, 2022 Right place, right time Steve, Mike, Jim, and Darlene have made their way through the Pacific coast from their start in Clover Point Park in Victoria beginning on June 25th, 2022. Steve has journaled about the incredible people they have encountered along the way, and many of the encounters have been, “right place, right time,” as most great surprises in life are. Many days into their tour, the cyclists made a pit stop in Nelson where they shopped for more supplies. Their RV’s signage, spreading awareness for Parkinson’s and the tour itself, fulfilled its purpose that day when a woman approached Steve and the crew. “We happened to be standing in the Nelson Riverside shopping center beside our RV at the precise moment that a woman named Katherine walked by. Katherine was diagnosed with Parkinson’s a week ago,” Steve says in his blog. “It was clearly on her mind, as she was carrying an Internet print-off of Parkinson’s facts and a serious expression. And there we were, all four of us, in the exact right place and time, buzzing with energy from a fun ride and with time to focus entirely on Katherine.” Meeting Katherine – a fellow Canadian experiencing confusion and troubling thoughts about her prognosis – reminded Steve of all the stories he’s heard from others. “It is a vulnerable time,” Steve says, remembering how difficult receiving his own diagnosis was. “What happens next can define the attitude that you adopt about life with Parkinson’s and all the things that you do or don’t do as a result. I think that Katherine needed to see the effects of staying positive – not read about it or watch a video, but see it so she could assess, question, and believe it. Today, she met four people who showed her that an active and positive life is still possible with Parkinson’s, and she liked it.” More than 15 stops along the Pacific coast Steve and the crew zigzagged their way across the one-of-a-kind landscape of British Columbia (BC) and Alberta (AB), stopping in places like Vancouver, Princeton, Osoyoos, and Fernie, BC, and in Cereal, Drumheller, Calgary, and Belleview AB, to name a few. Steve reports meeting more people than they could have imagined. They’ve connected with people impacted by Parkinson’s (like Katherine) as well as those who weren’t familiar with Parkinson’s at all, and created memories they (nor their new acquaintances) are soon to forget. These connections mean the world to Steve, Jim, Mike and Darlene as it serves as a reminder of why they’re pursuing this adventure – to bring Parkinson’s disease into everyday conversation and to inspire those living with it to rediscover exercise and wellness. The crew also tapped into personal connections which led them to tour through places filled with family and friends long awaiting their company. In between the familiar faces and accommodations, the crew utilized the RV to its fullest extent, finding hidden gems of campgrounds and trailer parks scattered across BC and AB. Making full use of their time, they lined up eight radio show interviews and a podcast recording of When Life Gives You Parkinson’s hosted by Larry Gifford during their downtime in between rides, sometimes making for tight deadlines that added an element of urgency to their normal cycling pace through the elements of nature. It’s clear that the Spinning Wheels tour is doing everything possible to show Canadians impacted by Parkinson’s just how much they’re able to give back to themselves by embracing an active lifestyle. Steve is sharing near-daily updates about these one-on-one encounters with his fellow Canadians. Visit his blog to follow along as they cross the prairies and head into central Canada. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on the Spinning Wheels tour. Share this post: Your Story Matters: Inspire and Connect Inspire hope and connect with others by sharing your Parkinson’s journey. Your voice can make a difference. Share your story Discover more like this Jan 31, 2025 A deep dive into the 3rd Annual Movement Disorder Meeting Jan 29, 2025 How I became a Muffin Dec 23, 2024 Experimental Drugs ORCHESTRA and PADOVA show Mixed Results