25/05/2016

Now that I am home again with my family I can fully process all of the incredible experiences that I had during my challenge. I had so many fantastic moments on the road and met so many inspiring people with Parkinson’s, their friends and families or simply people that could relate to the cause of my tour: increasing awareness for Parkinson’s and deep brain stimulation and connecting people with Parkinson’s across borders.

Meeting other people with Parkinson’s and getting their support will give me energy and strength for the future. In Padua for instance, I met somebody who has lived with Parkinson’s for eight years now. He treats the disease as his life companion in the good times and the bad. Thanks to his unquenchable willpower he never gave up trying to continue living life as he knew it in all these years. On another day, we encountered a couple from Germany who was travelling by bike from Sicily to North Cape. Maybe that could be one of my next destinations.

However, none of this would have been possible without the support of so many strong people, among them my wife Christiane, my tour companions Alexandra Pauler and Benno Lex and all of the local patient associations. It has truly been an overwhelming experience to encounter so many warm welcomes and receive so much encouragement on the road. I hope that I could also encourage other people in return, showing them that you should never give up, and that a normal guy like me can already set things in motion, even if he is just starting with himself.

And who knows, maybe a new project is waiting for me and my journey will continue. =(:-)°

Get a glimpse of Tony's 11-day cycling route from Altoetting to Padua with the GPS tracker on the right.

19/05/2016

On the last few meters of the home stretch, pushing the pedals just once more will get me to my goal. Turning the corner on the road to Prato della Valle, Padua’s central square, I could already see them. They were waving, cheering, taking pictures with their cameras, and there was even a camera team from a local TV station. And they all just came for me and my tour – it was simply unbelievable.

When I arrived at Prato della Valle, I was overwhelmed by my emotions. I had planned this journey for more than two years now, starting with the promise I had made before the neurological surgery that marked the beginning of my successful DBS therapy. I could not have imagined in my wildest dreams that it would become this big, that I would meet so many people along the way, and be able to share my story and listen to theirs.

At the square, I even overlooked the biggest surprise of all: my wife, Christiane. She travelled all the way from Altoetting just to be here with me in this very special moment where I finally fulfilled the promise that has defined our lives for the last weeks and months. Without her constant support and love, none of this would have been possible and I am so lucky and so proud to have her at my side.

After being welcomed and congratulated by everyone, including representatives from Parkinson Italia, Parkinson's Europe, as well as other local patient associations for my successful tour and Parkinson’s 100 Challenge, they guided me to the Basilica of Saint Anthony. Here, father Enzo Poiana, rector at the Basilica del Santo was already waiting for me. Together with him I had the chance to visit the tomb of Saint Anthony. It was just then that I realized: I made it.

Get a glimpse of Tony's 11-day cycling route from Altoetting to Padua with the GPS tracker on the right.

16/05/2016

The past days of the tour were full of little challenges: a stopover at the bike workshop, an elevation gain of 400 meters within the 60km from Villach to Valbruna and of course heavy rain pouring down on us on day 6 - with the latter almost ending our entire undertaking.

The morning we wanted to start cycling from Valbruna to Venzone it rained cats and dogs, but we still decided to continue our tour right away since rain was forecast for the entire day. When I went to get my bike from our hotel’s basement, I realized that the battery had not charged overnight so that we had to delay our tour for another hour. Whilst checking on the battery’s progress Alexandra got an unpleasant surprise. The rain had flooded the basement. Fortunately we had placed the charger on a bag above the water. Otherwise, the tour would have come to an end at that very moment.

Back on our bikes, we mostly cycled downhill so this part of the tour should have been quite easy. At least that was what we had thought. All of a sudden there were steep ramps for which signs recommended getting off a bike and pushing it. I am guessing that nobody had tried that with a recumbent bike before. A few meters further on it got even worse. There were only stairs and I would not have managed to get down there alone. Thus, as always, we can only achieve something if we act together – in daily life and in our fight against Parkinson’s.

After a restful night in Venzone, we continued our tour through forests and fields to Udine where we were to meet other people with Parkinson’s. At first, we could not find the meeting point, but the local police was already awaiting us. Suddenly there were two police cars which escorted us to a local museum where we were welcomed by representatives of the city, local physicians and patient associations. After I had shared my story and exchanged personal experiences with the other people with Parkinson’s, a choir sang for us. Even those severely affected by the disease were singing and clapping along. It is hard to describe how emotional this moment actually was for me. I hope I could show, with my tour and my story, that despite Parkinson’s you can still achieve something in life and that you should never give up.

Make sure you keep up to date on Tony's trip here, and follow his route with the GPS tracker on the right.

Download Tony's challenge flyer.

11/05/2016

Beautiful cycling trails, majestic mountains, blue rivers, and little streams – that was the scenery we encountered during the last two days of our tour in Austria. After raiding a bike store for additional apparel to protect us from the strong sun, we cycled towards Sachsenburg. There, we were welcomed by a local journalist who wanted to find out more about the tour and my personal story. It has been fascinating for me to see how many people are interested in my journey, and I hope that this gives other people with Parkinson’s a little bit of courage not to give up.

Before, we had cycled from Bischofshofen to a little town called St. Johann im Pongau, where we took the train for a few kilometers to Mallnitz. We had planned this part of the journey in advance, because parts of this passage would have been too steep for my recumbent bike. The Alpine stages of the tour have already been quite a challenge for me: Going downhill, my bike reached speeds of up to approximately 50 kilometers per hour, so I needed to handle the brakes very carefully in order to remain in control.

On the next day, it rained for the first time since the start of our tour, but even that could not keep us from cycling onward. We put on our rain jackets and off we went, following the river Drau, which lead us to Villach on the evening of May 10. The weather forecast looks quite promising for the next days, and I am already excited to meet more people on the road stopping over in Udine, Mestre and Padua.

Make sure you keep up to date on Tony's trip here, and follow his route with the GPS tracker on the right.

Download Tony's challenge flyer.

09/05/2016

Following the overwhelming farewell on Altoetting’s Kapellplatz where my family, friends, neighbors and peers from my local self-help group gathered to send me off, I have already cycled more than 130 kilometers in the first two days of my tour. My steady companions on this journey are Alexandra Pauler, my osteopath, and Benno Lex, a fellow DBS patient, and we were even joined by a local unicycle group for the first five kilometers. It was a great start to raise awareness for Parkinson’s and deep brain stimulation and inspiring to see that so many people are following my challenge.

On the first day, we cycled through fields, forests and hills towards the Alps, stopping over at the small German towns Asten and Fridolfing to get some rest prior to the kilometers ahead. After about 65 kilometers we reached Freilassing, right by the Austrian border and just across from Salzburg, where a representative of the local patient association welcomed us and showed us around Salzburg the next morning. It was great to meet someone with Parkinson’s from another country and to talk about life with Parkinson’s disease, because although Austria is only 60 kilometers away, patient groups are hardly connected between regions.

After visiting Salzburg’s historic center we got on our bikes again and cycled approximately 70 kilometers to Bischofshofen. The first interim result: apart from being a little bit sunburned and some sore muscles all is well and we are looking forward to the next part of our tour.

Make sure you keep up to date on Tony's trip here, and follow his route with the GPS tracker on the right.

Download Tony's challenge flyer.

07/05/2016

Day 1 of Tony Seidl’s Parkinson’s 100 Challenge, a 11-day bike tour across the Alps.

At the beginning, there was a vow: “If everything goes well with this surgery, I will cross the Alps by bike and visit my namesake Saint Anthony of Padua.” That is what Tony Seidl promised himself prior to a major neurological procedure called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) to treat the quickly deteriorating symptoms of his Parkinson’s disease. Today, on his 50th birthday, DBS patient Tony Seidl from Altoetting, Germany starts his 519km bike tour to show other people with Parkinson’s that they can still set things in motion. With his bike tour, Tony participates in the Parkinson’s 100 Challenge, a fundraising initiative by Parkinson's Europe (Parkinson's Europe), aimed at improving the lives of people with Parkinson’s.

A long anticipated tour

7 AM on Saturday morning, 7 May 2016: the idyllic town of Altoetting, situated just below the Alps 90km east of Munich is still asleep. While most of its inhabitants turn over in their beds once more, Tony Seidl is already wide awake. It is his big day: the start of his extraordinary journey which will take him across the Alps to Padua in Italy. Hard to believe his dream is finally about to come true. Plans for the journey were made more than a year ago and he has trained for many weeks and months.

Incredible support and first meetings with other PD patients

When Tony arrives at Altoetting’s Kapellplatz, the central square of the town flanked by baroque buildings including the town hall and church, his family, friends and companions from his local patient group have already assembled. They want to accompany Tony at the start of his journey and wish him well for his trip of a lifetime. 

“During the last few weeks, I have received incredible support which makes me very thankful and happy. Several people even decided to join me, among them my osteopath and a friend who is also a fellow DBS patient.” After a short speech by the local mayor and a travel blessing by the local priest, Tony and his companions start pedaling.

The first stage of the tour leads Tony from Southern Germany to the Austrian border, stopping over at Freilassing near Salzburg, where he meets with members of a local Parkinson’s patient organization. “My first day on the road, and what a remarkable and eventful day in my life! I couldn’t be more excited about setting things in motion, starting with myself,” Tony says with a gleaming smile on his face.

11/04/2016 

Parkinson's Europe is happy to welcome a new brave Challenger onboard!

Just in time for his 50th birthday on May 7^th, 2016 and after two years with deep brain stimulation therapy, Tony Seidl will kick off his 11-day bike tour from Altoetting, Germany to Padua, Italy.

Despite having Parkinson’s disease, Tony will keep a promise he made to himself: he wants to cross the Alps by bike and visit the grave of his namesake Saint Anthony of Padua, so he can meet with other people with Parkinson’s along the way and encourage them not to give up.

We wish Tony the best of luck and we hope that the Parkinson’s community supports him in his Challenge. Make sure you keep up to date on his trip here!

Download Tony's challenge flyer.