Outspoken Cyclist – 11/12/2022

As we approach the holiday season, I’ve put together several episodes highlighting charitable gift giving opportunities that relate to cycling. This episode focuses on Parkinson’s Disease and especially the Davis Phinney Foundation. Davis Phinney is probably one of the most important U.S. cycling icons winning 328 races in his career, which spanned the 1980’s and 1990’s But, at the age of 40, Davis was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s Disease, and instead of succumbing to the worry and terror that the diagnosis might engender, he launched the Davis Phinney Foundation. One of the first projects that the Foundation invested in was the work that Dr. Jay Albers was doing here at the Cleveland Clinic, showing how cycling could reduce the tremors of Parkinson’s. Now at 63 Davis’s symptoms are still worsening, but his resolve to live his best life every day is stronger than ever. E.D. Polly Dawkins takes us from the inception of the Foundation to present day and what we can do to support those with the disease as well as helping those who are care givers. In the second half of the show, I speak with Andrew McLemore, the associate news editor of Gear Junkie. As he says, he’s a general news reporter for what he likes to call the REI sports – you know, climbing,, backpacking, kayaking, and of course, cycling! Andrew talks with me about a virtual reality experience at the upcoming World Track Championships in London next month – and I know less than nothing about virtual reality. We also discuss the crazy Walleye Fishing Contest where the alleged winners were found to be cheating, stuffing their catches with weights and other fish fillets. It sounds really weird, but we’re talking $30,000 in prize money! Then, next time, we’ll be speaking with Dave Wiens, the E.D. of IMBA.  Usually when we speak with Dave it’s about what IMBA does for us – this time, the conversation goes to how we can offer our support for the organization. We’ll also have Part I of our gift guide with Dan Cavallari – things you absolutely positively would LOVE to have!