When Larry Bowen's friend suggested that they ride bicycles across the country, Bowen asked, "Why?"
"I never thought I would do something like this, but now we can do it for something important," he said.
Bowen, 57, of East Pennsboro Twp., and his friend, Ed Thomas, are taking part in a 2,600-mile, coast-to-coast bike ride sponsored by the Davis Phinney Foundation to promote awareness of Parkinson's disease and to raise funds for research.
They will leave Carlsbad, Calif., on March 20 and will bike through eight states -- California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, arriving in Brunswick, Ga., around April 30.
Bowen, a retired leatherworker, knows how important Parkinson's research is to the more than 1 million Americans afflicted with the disease. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 17 years ago.
"This isn't about me," Bowen said. "It's more about helping find a cure for Parkinson's and encouraging those who have the disease that they can do things despite having the illness.
"This makes me realize that I can take on a challenge. If I can ride coast-to-coast with Parkinson's, they can do the normal things in life. Life would be boring without challenges."
Bowen and Thomas will ship their bicycles to Indiana, where they will be picked up and shipped to California. Bowen's 15-gear Trek touring bicycle is in the shop, being outfitted with new tires and having worn parts replaced.
"I decided to have some repairs done now, rather than have to do them along the side of the road," he said.
Bowen said he has a lot of support from family and friends in coping with his illness. Many of them already have made donations in support of the bike ride. Supporting Parkinson's research is as important to them as it is to him, he said.
Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder with no known cause and no cure. It occurs when a specific group of brain cells begin to malfunction and die. These cells produce a chemical called dopamine, a chemical responsible for telling the body how and when to move.
When approximately 80 percent of the dopamine-producing cells are damaged, the symptoms of Parkinson's disease appear.
The key signs of Parkinson's are tremors or shaking, slowness of moving, rigidity or stiffness and difficulty with balance.
"By the time you get your first tremor, you have already had Parkinson's for five years," Bowen said. "Someone finally put the name on what you are feeling."
Parkinson's disease affects men and women in almost equal numbers, according to the National Parkinson Foundation. It shows no social, ethnic, economic or geographic boundaries. In the United States, it is estimated that 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, joining the 1.5 million Americans who already have it. While the condition usually develops after age 65, 15 percent of those diagnosed are under 50.
There are a number of effective medicines that help ease the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The medicines most commonly used will attempt to either replace or mimic dopamine.
Several new medicines are being studied that could slow the progression. Many promise to improve the lives of people with Parkinson's disease.
The Davis Phinney Foundation, based in Boulder, Colo., was established in 2004 by Davis Phinney, a professional cyclist who was diagnosed with Parkinson's at age 40. Phinney was the first American to win a stage of the Tour de France, the world's most popular cycling race.
The foundation is focused on promoting and funding innovative and progressive research into the benefits of quality-of-life therapies on Parkinson's disease.
"There is no cure for Parkinson's, but there is plenty you can do about it," Bowen said. "First of all, stop complaining as if you are the only person who has ever had it. Think about using your disability to make others more comfortable instead of worrying about yourself."
Bowen and his wife, Beth Acri-Bowen, went skydiving for the experience of jumping out of an airplane. They also have sailed the Caribbean, living off the reef and depending on what they catch for all their meals.
Bowen and Thomas have completed several "centuries," 100-mile bike rides, including one across parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania.
The coast-to-coast ride will be his longest bicycle trip, Bowen said. The participants will camp out or stay in schools, churches and an occasional motel.
"I feel fortunate to have the ability to do this," he said. "I'm sure there will be days when we don't seem to be making progress and I will want to quit, but I expect to stick with it."
Bowen said his hope is that his participation in the bike ride will make others aware that time has a way of erasing opportunities.
"Having Parkinson's makes you realize it's time to grab hold of your dream and do it before it gets out of reach," he said.
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