How a cross-country bike trip helped ease one man’s Parkinson’s symptoms

CITYnews halifax / By Parker MacFarlane

A former race car driver is not letting Parkinson’s disease stop him from seeing the country.

Lloyd Taylor was put in contact with The Rigid Riders, who helped him discover that biking eased the symptoms caused by the progressive neurological disorder that can lead to tremors and stiffness.

“I called my wife at the end of the day, I said, ‘You won’t believe it, when I ride the bike I don’t shake,’ she said, ‘You better keep riding,’” Taylor told Nova Scotia Today with Dan Ahlstrand, in an interview.

The Rigid Riders were co-founded by Steve Iseman, who started the group to inspire others living with Parkinson’s disease to stay active and motivated.

“Most people diagnosed are spinning their wheels, I think we can help,” Iseman said.

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Iseman asked Taylor if he wanted to bike across the country with them, and after careful consideration, he agreed. And what was supposed to be one day quickly turned into 60 days of biking across the country.

During his time biking across Canada, Taylor says he met countless people at each stop, but one thing remained the same: the kindness of strangers.

“People just wanted to play their part and help; they thanked us for giving them a chance to be a part of it. It showed me that not only are people kind and they want to be kind, but they need it and they’re looking for opportunities to show kindness,” he said.

The cycling group started out as just five members, but by the end of their cross-country excursion, hundreds of people showed up to bike alongside them for a day or a week at a time to show support.

Taylor is in Nova Scotia promoting The Kindness of Strangers: Coast to Coast to Coast in 60 Days, the book that was inspired by his journey.

He recently announced he’ll be getting back on the road with The Rigid Riders for another bike tour across the country, kicking off in British Columbia on Aug. 17.

For more information, you can visit spinningwheelstour.ca.