A group of bike riders don't ride on RAGBRAI, but a doctor who did discovered an amazing way to help people with Parkinson's disease.
And like many medical breakthroughs, this was a happy accident.
The simple act of pedaling a bicycle can reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's by more than 35 percent.
The doctor who made this medical discovery said he was riding RAGBRAI 11 years ago when he noticed a friend on the back of his tandem bike with Parkinson's felt much better after being forced to pedal on a vigorous ride. It turned out that was no coincidence.
Parkinson's patients and their friends pedaling in an indoor cycling class at the YMCA Healthy Living Center in Clive have RAGBRAI to thank for helping to control the disease.
"It's surprising to me," said Parkinson's patient La Dona Molander. "It's awesome. And I do better in the class than I do on my own."
Molander and her classmates are cycling Neuro Wellness. Personal trainer and RAGBRAI veteran Bill Roach leads the class.
"A typical Parkinson patient is going to want to pedal at 40 or 50 rpm, and my job is to get them pedaling at 70 and 80 rpm because that's where we get the best effect from the exercise," he said.
The theory holds that forced or faster pedaling helps the brain better control movement disorders caused by Parkinson's. The former Iowa scientist who discovered it by accident on RAGBRAI is spreading the word this week at Methodist Medical Center.
"The pedaling was a very similar action on the brain as medication," said Dr. Jay Alberts, who is riding RAGBRAI this week.
Alberts said he has been researching his findings for more than a decade at the Cleveland Clinic.
"This intervention could be a candidate for something that could be neuroprotective or slow the disease down," he said.
The YMCA Healthy Living Center hopes more people with Parkinson's will try the Neuro Wellness Class.
"They love being here, and most important, they tell me that when they go home they feel better," said Roach said.
"It would be huge for somebody who doesn't know about it to come and just try it out," said Molander. "It's just like riding a bike. Hop on and try it."
One important note, the benefits of cycling don’t seem to work as well if a person pedals on their own. Forced pedaling at a faster rate seems to be the key.
Scientists are doing research to see if pedaling can help people with other motor function problems.