‘Bike Box’ couple touring Utah to raise money to fight Parkinson’s visits local Rock Steady Boxing program

CEDAR CITY — A couple who have been touring the “Mighty 5” national parks in Utah on bicycle to raise money to help fight Parkinson’s disease stopped by a local fitness center in Cedar City on Monday to spend time working out with a Parkinson’s group.

Bike Box Project’s van enters Utah at the Colorado state line, August 2021 | Photo courtesy of Bike Box Project, St. George News / Cedar City News

Cedar City News caught up with Bethany Richards and her husband, Doug Townshend, inside the Snap Fitness gym on Main Street, where a Rock Steady Boxing class geared toward those battling Parkinson’s was just getting under way.

The couple spent a couple hours in the gym with some local residents who have Parkinson’s, the second most common neurological disorder after Alzheimer’s. Richards and Townshend provided words of encouragement as they held the punching bags for the boxers and went through a full workout session. They also met and visited with Dan Dail, who has been living with Parkinson’s for more than a decade and who started the Cedar City affiliate of the international noncontact boxing program.

The trip marks the first excursion to Utah for both Richards and Townshend, who hail from New Bern, North Carolina, a community about the same size as Cedar City.

The cyclists are both former firefighters who said that after they retired, they still felt the need to help others. Motivated by her own father’s battle with Parkinson’s, Richards said she founded the Bike Box Project to raise funds to fight the debilitating neurological disease. Over the past few years, she and her husband, along with other riders, have been pedaling their bicycles around in multiple states to raise awareness for the cause.

Although their 2020 summer excursion originally slated for Utah ended up taking place closer to home (North Carolina and Florida) due to the pandemic, Richards said she and Townsend decided they didn’t want to wait any longer to experience Utah’s natural wonders.

Doug Townshend and Bethany Richards of Bike Box Project visit with Dan Dail (center) of Southwest Parkinson’s Fitness Alliance, Cedar City, Utah, Aug. 16, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

The Bike Box Project’s Pedaling for Parkinson’s 2021 trip has been making its way across Southern Utah since the duo arrived in Moab at the beginning of the month, hitting all five of the state’s “Mighty 5” national parks in two weeks’ time.

Starting in southeast Utah, Richards and Townshend visited Arches and Canyonlands, after which they came west and toured Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion.

“There’s so much to see and do,” Richards said. “We have not had a day’s rest now, and we’re 2 1/2 weeks out.”

Townshend described Utah as “absolutely gorgeous.”

“It’s just breathtaking,” he said. “I can remember my ViewMaster when I was 5 years old, getting it for Christmas, and seeing the arches and seeing the parks out here and never thinking I’d ever see it live. It’s just been amazing. It doesn’t seem real.”

After spending a couple days in the Cedar City area, Richards said they next plan to head up to Salt Lake City to do some riding and hiking along the Wasatch Front. From there, they’ll head over to Colorado and meet up with Richards’ parents and continue their monthlong excursion, which they expect to wrap up in Colorado at the end of August.

Richards said they typically try to go on at least one bike ride and one hike each day, with the total daily distances varying between 25-100 miles.

“It just depends. Utah’s been a different kind of challenge because it is so hilly here,” she said. “You’ve got steep climbs and steep downhills – so not as many miles as we might do in North Carolina or Florida.”

Bethany Richards of Bike Box Project in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, August 2021 | Photo courtesy of Bike Box Project, St. George News / Cedar City News

When they aren’t riding their bikes or hiking trails, the couple can be seen driving the roads in their distinctive blue and orange van, emblazoned with the group’s logo and tagline highlighting the purpose of their trip.

“We have met so many people along our journey,” Richards said. “The bus gets so much attention, and then people want to know about the bike and why there’s a donation box on the back.”

She said that besides experiencing the beauty of Utah, talking to people and raising awareness makes the trip worthwhile.

“We’re physically staying fit by bicycling and hiking, we’re taking in all the beauty and we’re meeting awesome people.”

‘You must be willing to taste the salty brine of your own sweat’

There are approximately 10 million people worldwide who have Parkinson’s disease, with an estimated 60,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the United States alone.

Dail, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 12 years ago, told Cedar City News that of all the neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson’s is the one that can be addressed by doing something besides just masking the symptoms with potent medication.

The “silver bullet,” as Dail puts it, is exercise.

“Not just any exercise,” he added. “Forced intensity exercise. Exercise in moderation may have certain advantages for everyone, regardless of your age or physical condition.”

However, he said, moderate exercise is not much better than no exercise at all when it comes to combatting the symptoms of Parkinson’s.

“If you’re going to fight back against the symptoms of Parkinson’s and exercise is going to be your weapon, you must be willing to taste the salty brine of your own sweat.”

Therein lies the concept behind Rock Steady Boxing, a nonprofit organization devoted to fighting back against Parkinson’s using boxing training techniques. Founded in 2006, the organization now has nearly 900 affiliated locations worldwide, with Southwest Parkinson’s Fitness Alliance being affiliate No. 312.

Dail said studies have shown boxing to be ranked No. 1 among sports and fitness disciplines in terms of workout intensity. That’s true even without the combat aspect, he said.

Richards explained the type of boxing used in Rock Steady Boxing’s regimen:

It’s non-contact. We’re not putting two people in the ring together to have a knockout contest. The whole idea behind boxing is you start with a wide stance, which really prevents tripping and falling. So you keep a wide stance, and then there are big movements with boxing — you’re reaching out, you’re pulling back, there’s breathing.

Boxing’s a very intense workout. And when it comes to Parkinson’s specifically, that intense of a workout helps the symptoms diminish with that intensity. And that’s why they’ve found it’s good for people with Parkinson’s. It helps tremendously.

Additionally, Richards said the inherent support provided in a group setting enhances the efficacy of the workout.

“It’s just like having a workout partner or being at the gym. If you have accountability, you know people are expecting to see you at a certain time and day, then you want to show up,” she said.

Bike Box Project bike during visit to Cedar City, Utah, August 16, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Richards added that most people are “a little competitive,” and that edge of competitiveness drives the Rock Steady participants to do a little more and get a little better.

“They start to see their improvement, and that encourages them more.”

Richards said a portion of the money raised by Bike Box Project goes to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, named for the “Back to the Future” actor who was first diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s 30 years ago at age 29. 

The Bike Box Project organization also provides money and support to people who are living with Parkinson’s, as well as their caregivers.

“So people just put money in there, and I empty it out,” she said, noting that the organization has raised more than $250,000 since its inception about four years ago.

“Now we have several other Bike Box projects,” she said. “I have people with (donation) boxes just like this attached to their bike, and they raise money for Parkinson’s. We’re always looking for anybody that likes to bike and who wants to attach a box. We can send it out to them, and they can raise money by biking.”

There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s; however, Richards said she and other Bike Box members and supporters are determined to keep pedaling to fight Parkinson’s and supporting research to eventually find the cure.

“People see our shirts and they say, ‘Thank you for fighting back against Parkinson’s. My mom has Parkinson’s, my grandmother has Parkinson’s, or my dad,'” she said. “So many people are connected to Parkinson’s these days. People want to help, and they’re genuinely giving. It just makes us feel like we’re going to stay motivated. People want us to keep doing it.”

For those who missed the chance to drop money in the bike box, donations in any amount may be made by clicking the donate button on the organization’s websiteAdditional information about Bike Box may be found on its Facebook page.

To learn more about the Southwest Parkinson’s Fitness Alliance in Cedar City, visit the group’s website

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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