Biking in the fall with Parkinson’s disease

Riding a bicycle is one of the best exercise options for people with Parkinson’s disease. And the fall season makes it one of the most beautiful.

There’s something about the crunch of fallen leaves under my tires and the sight of the autumn colors that makes me want to sing out loud. 

Yeah, kind of like that.

I’m not huge into biking, but I go for rides often in the summer. Sometimes it’s just a jaunt to the library or a store. Other times I find a trail that requires the Unshakable Husband to load the bikes onto the car rack for us to get there.

But when the trees are dressed in their autumn best, I’m especially motivated to get out. 

Biking and Parkinson’s disease

Research shows that biking can be especially beneficial for those living with Parkinson’s disease. While PD affects movement, coordination, and balance, biking helps improve mobility in all of those areas and, therefore, quality of life, too.

A 2021 meta analysis of 22 studies looked at the mobility and overall health of Parkinson’s patients’ who began biking. 

The analysis starts by saying, “Many Parkinson’s disease patients are able to ride a bicycle despite being severely compromised by gait disturbances up to freezing of gait.”

So even people who have trouble walking can pedal a bicycle and stay on it?

Yes!

According to the research, those who adopted a regimen of biking saw measurable improvement in their balance and speed while walking.

Ideas on where to bike

Now that I’ve most certainly convinced you to get on a bike this fall, here are some ideas on where you can take that two-wheeler for some up-close leaf peeping.

Your neighborhood

If your area has lots of trees that change color, you are among the very blessed. But beyond marveling at the red and yellow leaves, biking around town gets you out of the house to where things happen. How well do you know your city? Biking through it opens your eyes to what your community has to offer – and what it might need. 

I love biking in my neighborhood. There are paved paths, side streets, designated bike routes, and painted bike lanes that make it easy. Sometimes I pass people I know, and I smile and say hi to those I don’t know. I get a better sense of place, like I belong to something that matters.

Old railroad trails

For decades, new bike paths have been springing up where, long ago, freight and commuter trains zipped by. These “rail trails” have become popular biking destinations. 

Trains don’t like to go up and down steep hills, and they like a wide bed. That makes these converted rail routes perfect for bikers with Parkinson’s who feel a bit unsteady and are worried about safety. For those who go slow, the trail is wide enough to allow others to easily pass by.

Here is a list of rail trails in the U.S. Maybe there’s one near you.

I recommend two rail trails that I’ve ridden over the years. They are lined with trees that combine to create a dazzling show of fall colors.

Heritage Trail, Iowa: This trail rolls 29 miles along the old Chicago Great Western rail line. It starts in Dubuque County near the Mississippi River and ends in the town of Dyersville, home to the “Field of Dreams” movie set. I rode this trail a long time ago when it was rather new, and many amenities have been added since then.

Of course, on both of these trails, you don’t have to go all the way to the end and back. Stop and turn around whenever your Parkinson’s says you are reaching your limit.

Other designated trails

There are hundreds of wooded bike trails found around the Midwest, where I live. In addition, from coast to coast you can have your pick of different types of terrains.

Here are some of my favorite places I’ve biked. 

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

The park has a Towpath Trail for bikers, runners and walkers. The route follows a canal that in the 1800s was used as mules towed freight to Lake Erie for transport to the Eastern U.S. Bike rentals are available in the area. I blog about the trail here.

Moab, Utah

Moab is a desert town near Arches National Park that’s known as a mecca for bikers. While mountain biking reigns supreme, there’s room for bikers of all skill levels. Our family found a trail with only a few ups and downs with a surface that a hybrid bike did just fine on. You won’t see colorful, leafy trees there, but in the fall the weather will be cooler.

Kankakee River Trail, Illinois

I recently completed this 21-mile round-trip trail just as the leaves were starting to turn. It follows a river in a state park about an hour south of downtown Chicago. I’ll have more details about the trail in a future blog post. 

Start spinning your wheels

Are you ready to go? I hope to have inspired you even just a little.

Whether I’m riding through my neighborhood on streets or taking a bicycle path through the woods, fall biking is one way I can breathe the outdoor air and enjoy the gifts of nature. Communing in this way fills my heart, strengthens my body, and lifts my soul.

Tips for biking with Parkinson’s

Photo credits from unsplashed.com: Allan Feit, Rosi Van Morais, and Daniel Andraski (home page photo).