Message from David
Cycling gives me back what Parkinson’s tries to take away. It gives me balance, focus, and joy. It reminds me that I’m still me. I’m very grateful that the discipline of cycling was already there for me long before Parkinson’s hit. I’m just doing what I’ve been doing.

About David

Still Riding.

For as long as I can remember, a bike has been part of my life. As a kid, it meant freedom — racing friends down dusty roads, pedaling until the streetlights came on, feeling the joy of freedom. Over time, cycling became more than just a pastime, it became a way of life where movement equals possibility.

I grew up building things — first as a construction worker, then as the owner of a small window-washing business. I liked being outside, using my hands, seeing the results of a hard day’s work. But a few years ago, everything began to change. My hands didn’t move the way they used to. My balance was off. My energy came and went.

The diagnosis confirmed what I already feared. Parkinson’s disease. The same disease that had taken my father piece by piece.

I knew what lay ahead. I’d watched the tremors, the stiffness, the quiet frustration that comes with a body that doesn’t always obey. For many people, that knowledge might have led to retreat. But not me.

Instead, I made a choice: keep moving. Because for me, cycling isn’t about speed or competition. It’s about agency — the power to keep moving, to define each day on my own terms.

My wife and I moved to Bend, Oregon — drawn by its trails, its mountains, its spirit of outdoor living. Bend offered me something precious: space to keep doing what I love, surrounded by a community that shares the same passion for riding.

These days, I ride my gravel and mountain bikes several times a week, often joining group rides with Dirty Freehub. I’m a familiar face — quick to smile, steady in spirit, and always ready to lend encouragement to the next rider.

Parkinson’s hasn’t stopped me. It’s just made the journey more intentional. I manage my symptoms with medication, careful nutrition, and movement. Cycling, in many ways, is part of my treatment — not just for my body, but for my mind. The balance, rhythm, and focus that riding demands help quiet the noise that Parkinson’s
brings.

There are hard days. Days when my muscles feel stiff before I even clip in, when fatigue hits too early, or when tremors make even the simple act of pulling on gloves a battle. Sometimes I ride my ebike to help me through them. But then there are the other days — the limitless ones — when I find that perfect cadence, the gravel beneath my tires, and I’m back to riding like a kid.

On those days, I’m not a man with Parkinson’s. I’m just David — a rider, a husband, an adventurer.

I know what’s coming. I know there will be more challenges ahead. But I also know the power of momentum — that as long as I can turn the pedals, I’m not standing still.

In Bend, Oregon surrounded by trails, friends, and the woman who still rides beside me, I keep writing my story — one gravel road at a time. Because Parkinson’s may shape my journey, but it doesn’t get to define the destination. I do.

Organizations Dave Supports:
The Michael J. Fox Foundation
The Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s'
Parkinson’s Foundation

Articles about Cycling with Parkinson’s Disease
Cycling My Help Restore Neural Connections Damaged Parkinson’s Disease Brain Function:
Dave’s Favorite Dirty Freehub Routes:
Westside Tour – I can ride it from my front door, and it checks all the gravel/road/single
track boxes. 
Discovery – I like taking friends who are new to gravel riding on this loop. 
Gravel Cracker
Sherman’s Waltz – one of the first routes I did. 
Green Ridge Lookout
Horn of Metolius – a beautiful, rugged ride in the beginning (wishing I had the mountain
bike) but then big open gravel roads to finish. 
The Pawn – This one has it all. Big views, some challenging terrain, and some sweet single track.