Day 1: Sioux Center to Cherokee (Déjà vu)

The thermometor in Cherokee, Iowa ready 102 degrees.  And that was at 1:30 PM. It got hotter.  I heard from several reliable sources that it  couldn’t possible be hotter this year than last year.  Someone forgot to knock on wood.  Enough whining about the heat.  Day one was a great start despite the heat.  Being back in the Iowa cornfields with all the beauty that surrounds them was refreshing.  Being back with the Pedaling for Parkinsons group was even more refreshing.   We spent  Saturday night at Jay Alberts lifelong friend, Jason Moser’s, home.  Jason has helped Pedaling for Parkinsons for the last seven years organize, navigate,  .etc. etc. etc.  If it needs to get done, Jason’s the man.  He probably knows more of the back roads of Iowa than anyone alive.  We had a lovely dinner and were energized to start the first day of riding.  And off we went.

We arrived in Cherokee at the Careage Hills Retirement Center and again were greated with the best of Midwestern hospitality.  Homemade treats, showers, rooms to sleep in inside a fabulous dinner, and most importantly Air Conditioning. Sweat has a whole new meaning after riding for 3 hours in the heat and humidity.  One thing I had taken for granted before Ragbrai was a shower.  Long lines at the restroom? No, these are long lines for the shower.

We all got cleaned up and were able to hear Jay Alberts speak to the staff and residents at Careage speak about forced exercise and Parkinsons.  I’ve heard him speak many times before and it still is great to listen to because if hits home with me in so many ways.  If you haven’t had the chance to see what the program is all about, check out this link (Mandy Penko and  Karen Jaffe in video are two of the PFP riders) http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/04/24/bike-riding-helps-parkinsons-patients-ease-their-symptoms/

John Carlin (PWP) and Pat showing how far we still need to go.