Mike's ride



Mike

 “I knew I had it as early as 1999.” Mike Reiman told me in one of our interviews as he sipped his coffee. “I had symptoms, mainly the oscillating hand movements.” He seemed almost indifferent, telling me. One could see he has fully accepted the grasp of the disease, eleven years, after the first signs.

I first saw Mike on a weekly organized group ride in 2009, called the Brookside Ride, in Kansas City. The group was moving slowly up a long hill, and I noticed a rider solo rider ahead of me.

The rider seemed focused on the road ahead, but seemed overly careful and cautious, I could tell there was something going on even though his line was true.

Uncertain what his issue was, I chose to ignore him on that first ride together. The second time on the ride I passed him and made some silly comment about the weather. The third time, I saw him after the ride with a group of cyclists who went for food and drink at a local pub. I sat at another table, and later that night the Brookside Ride leader told me, after I inquired about this man's story, that his name was Mike, he had Parkinson’s and that he use to play with the Chicago Symphony, then moved back to KC after he retired and was living in Brookside with a relative.

Mike's story was worth telling. But I did not do anymore group rides that year and did not see him again.

A year later I saw him in the grocery store in Prairie Village and introduced myself. Then, a few months later, he was at a coffee shop in Brookside and we had the first of many long and interesting conversations.

Getting ready for a downhill ride in the Rocky
Mountain National Forest

 “I grew up in Waldo, in Kansas City.” He said with a smile, “I got my first bike in 1968.” Staring out the window I could see he was thinking about the past.

Mike moved from KC to Chicago, and back to KC. He is living with a relative in Brookside. He lived in Chicago for a number of years, going there to study music at Northwestern. He played Trombone and the bass guitar. He studied with the Chicago Symphony and worked at golf course for his career.


“I started commuting to work and for errands in the 1980s; riding my bike  for transportation made more sense than using my car.” He said with a serious tone, “By the time I got in my car, dealt with traffic, and parking, I found I could already be inside the store if I had ridden my bicycle.”

I asked him about the Chicago winters.

“I still rode in winter when I could.” He smiled, “I remember one time, when it was snowing heavily, I got on my mountain bike and rode to a restaurant to meet friends for dinner. There I was, fully bundled up, wearing a ski mask,  rolling up on my bike. My friends just laughed.”

Mike developed symptoms of Parkinson’s and self diagnosed in 1999. “I wasn’t officially diagnosed with Parkinson’s until 2003” He stated as he looked me square in the eye, not seeking any recognition .



Mike and I in PV

“Did you slow down your bicycling?” I asked.

“No!” He said with conviction, “I rode more!” He told me he did not want the disease to get the better of him and the more he rode his bike the better he felt.

And ride he did. Eventually, he moved back to Kansas City to live with a relative in Brookside. Bicycling became a life style and a way to keep the disease at bay.

Mike rides with a passion and unassuming peaceful quality. Over that last couple of years the disease has caused him to ride less. But he rolls on, and with the help of physical therapy, massage, chiropractor, and acupuncture, he has been able to continue riding and keep the pain at a manageable level.

“I am not able to get the 15-20 miles a day I was doing the last few years, but I am able to ride.” He said, then he told me about riding down to the Plaza and back from his home the day before we met for the interview, it was 25f degrees. He grinned "Just like anything else in life, I have my good days and bad days."

I asked what adventures he had lately and he excitedly told me he was able to ride the Katy Trail over the last two years.



Mike staying in a hotel caboose on the Katy

 “In 2009, I rode from Clinton, MO to Jefferson City.” He said proudly. “It was hot, July, and like a lot of people, I ran out of water. Luckily I met someone who shared some with me.” He said and he laughed, “Then I got caught in a four day rain and decided to stop at Jefferson City.”

In 2010 he finished the trail riding from Jefferson City, Missouri to St. Louis. “Last year was harder, there was more pain.” He said solemnly. “I finished though, and made a video.”

Mike is doing well, winter is here, and for someone with Parkinson’s winter is no fun. On our last interview in November, he told me he had been hiking on some mountain bike trails, yes, hiking. He is as active as he can be. Still riding when he feels up to it, no matter what the weather and staying active.





If you are lucky and in Brookside, you may just bump into Mike. Be sure to chat with him.
Mike you are truly and inspiration and I appreciate the opportunity to get to know you. You have a disease that is tough to live with, but your inner fire is stoked and I am excited for your future adventures. I look forward to riding with you soon!


Mikes Katy Trail video:

Bob from Ohio- Carlite American profile!

I'm Bob, 59, Dayton, Ohio resident. White collar job. I am "carlite" and have been using my bike increasingly for both work commuting and all errand running which does not require hauling car-sized items and is within about a three-mile radius . I do most of our grocery shopping and other store runs by bike. I commute 11 miles each way one to three days a week, when I don't need a car for a distant out-of-office meeting.

I am trying to increase the number of days per week that I can be carfree by questioning the need for meetings and clustering the needed ones on the same days. I've found many meetings can be handled by phone or email, and I have begun walking and biking to almost all commitments within three miles of my downtown office.

I ride a 1986 converted Raleigh mountain bike (fenders, lights, grocery-bag sized open saddle bags, etc.)

Best parts: built in exercise, lost weight, feel better, scenery with deer, herons and other birds, no depressing news on the car radio on the way to work, etc. Worst part: changing clothes at work, a few non-attentive drivers, time commitment (15 minute drive = hour ride). I am lucky in that 8 of my 11 miles is on a multi-purpose, separated trail, lightly used on week days, so my commute is fairly free of traffic.

I don't try to recruit (yet) but tell people who I know how much I enjoy it. My wife has done it a couple times (she works ten miles away in the opposite direction) but changing clothes is not an option for her.

Advice: put a rack and bags on your bike and start with errands if you're not ready for a work commute. Try to replace anything under 3 miles with your bike for starters. Those are the most environmentally damaging trips and the ones hardest on your car. Don't spend a bunch of money on a new super light-weight ride unless you are also going to race or tour. Old mountain and hybrid bikes are gathering dust in garages all over. Leave early, ride slower than you could - look around. Get ready the night before or you will forget something. Build it into your life by replacing time spent eating out, watching the tube, etc. You'll love it.




June 8, 2010 9:43 AM

Thank you Bob for participating in the Carfree/ lite American profile project. This is great info, love the advice! Thank you for sharing. Carfree American

Eric Rogers - a carlite commuter profile

Tell me a little bit about you (name, age, occupation, carfree or carlite, where you live).

"My name is Eric Rogers. I am a thirty-something resident of Midtown Kansas City, Missouri. My wife and I have a car-lite household. We made a conscious choice to live in a compact neighborhood that is near our jobs, has good transit service, and has all the essentials within walking and/or biking distance."

"I am web developer by trade, and I am also heavily involved in bike/ped advocacy on the boards of Let's Go KC and the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation. Part of that work includes organizing Kansas City's Bike Week events and the Car-Free Challenge program."

When did you start using a bicycle for commuting?

"I started bicycling for transportation around 1996, and got really serious about it around 2000."

What inspired you to start?

"My first job out of college didn't pay much, so bicycling and transit were good ways to avoid paying for parking. Plus, bicycling kept me in decent shape without the expense of a gym membership. Kansas City is a beautiful city with great architecture, interesting urban neighborhoods, and lots of trees. This makes for great bicycling that is never boring."

What is a day in your bicycling life like?

"I currently live about 12 blocks from work, so I actually walk to work more than bike. These days most of my bicycling is for non-work errands to the grocery store, library, hardware store, etc."

Do you recommend cycling to friends/family members/others? Have any taken you up on it?

"Several of my co-workers and friends have started bicycling for transportation in recent years, and I'd like to think I played at least a small part in some of those decisions. "

What kind of bike are you currently riding?

"My main bike is a mid-range hybrid road bike. I am not a racer or long distance touring cyclist, so I just need a bike that reliably gets me from Point A to Point B. I also have a folding bike that is very handy for traveling. I often take it on the train to Chicago, St. Louis, etc."

In your opinion, what’s the best part about cycling?

"Experiencing my city in a very intimate way, while getting a great workout."

What’s the worst?

"Our climate and terrain. Missouri has unpredictable weather in both winter and summer. And the hills confirm that Kansas City definitely isn't in Kansas. These are things that cyclists have to adapt to over time. And I think they make us hardier cyclists than people in flat cities with mild weather."

What are three pieces of advice you would give to someone starting/ considering commuting by bike?

1. "You don't necessarily have to bike to work. The average commute in the KC region is 20 miles, so bike commuting isn't always a good option. However, most of the non-work trips we take are under five miles - so it's really easy to bike for errands like shopping and such."

2. "Find compatriots, both newbie and experience commuters, to share experiences and advice."

3. "Don't automatically try cycling on the same roads you would drive to work. Kansas City is a grid city, so it's easy to find low-traffic side streets just a block or two away from the main arterial streets you are used to driving. Do a trial run on Saturday when traffic is light."

Anything else you would like to add?

"First, start small by going to a store or restaurant. Work up to longer trips and try leaving your car parked for an entire weekend."

"Second, take a hard look at where you choose to live and work. How far apart are the two? Does the neighborhood have sidewalks, crosswalks, tree cover, and an interesting streetscape? Are there services within a 10 minute walk or bike ride? Are there transit routes that go where you need to go and run frequently enough to be convenient? These things all effect your ability to live car-free/lite, and the quality of that life."


To learn more about Eric and the great work he has done for cycling and transportation go to:

http://kcbike.info/

carfreeAmerican project -profiles

Do you ride a bicycle for transportation, if so I would like to hear from you. I am looking for carfree/ carlite americans to profile for the blog and an up coming book, you wont be paid, but i will immortalize you :) If interested contact me at bill@poindexterrecruiting.com put carfreeAmerican project in the subject heading. peace! See the first profile on the blog tomorrow!