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Around The World -- Trek For A Cause By Kamika Dunlap Mercury News Posted on Thu, Oct. 02, 2003 A group of adventurers from Los Gatos are gearing up to journey around the world on a nine-month trek to raise $1 million and awareness about Parkinson's disease. Traveling in specially equipped Land Rovers and touring 34 countries, the team of men and women will participate in the Drive Around the World -- Longitude Expedition. Among them is Nancy Olson, a former U.S. Marine Corps officer who served during the Persian Gulf War and worked as a public affairs officer at the Pentagon during the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. She will help lead the team with her experience gained from participating in armed forces triathlons and other competitions, namely the 2003 Land Rover G4 Challenge, which required her to use precision four-wheel driving, trail running, climbing and mountain biking. ``I share this way of life called adventure,'' said Olson, 30, who is in the Marine Corps Reserve. ``I've got an incredible opportunity to use my skills and what I love to make a difference. It's more than an around-the-world adventure for me because it hits close to home.'' Olson's 85-year-old grandfather has battled Parkinson's, a progressive disorder of the nervous system marked by muscle tremors, for 15 years. ``Incorporating Parkinson's awareness helps to make the trip enriching, '' she said. In that spirit, the team will leave Nov. 1 from the Parkinson's Research Center in Sunnyvale to South America, Australia, Asia, Eastern Europe, Canada and Alaska to visit other research centers. During the expedition they will interact with Los Gatos High School and other schools across the United States using wireless Internet access and satellite phones from their vehicles. The participants hope to educate students through their Web site www.drivearound theworld.com about Parkinson's disease, which affects more than 1 million Americans. There are about 50,000 new cases each year, according to the National Institutes of Health. The team also hopes to interact with students -- answering questions kids post on the Web site -- as well as teach them about the culture and history of each region as they proceed. Along the way they plan to raise visibility about their efforts by inviting celebrities who are battling Parkinson's -- such as Michael J. Fox and Muhammad Ali -- to join them on a leg of the trip. Land Rover's certified pre-owned division donated four vehicles for the expedition. In addition, two vehicles were donated to be used for the schools' educational program. Before Olson came off of active duty in 2000 she participated on Marine triathlon teams and in the Armed Forces Eco Challenge, known as the world's premier expedition race. Through such high-level athletics, she learned concepts of physical and mental endurance, teamwork and navigating in the outdoors. ``The Marine Corps has instilled a sense of confidence in me,'' Olson said. ``I don't know the meaning of the words `I can't,' because I always use my brain and resources to overcome obstacles.'' To prepare for the 31,000-mile international expedition, team members underwent intense training for off-road driving last month. They learned how to maneuver their Land Rovers -- rigged safari-style, with bars guarding the headlights and taillights, car-top tents, extra gas cans, global-positioning systems, laptop computers, and satellite phones -- across various terrain. Each member learned about the mechanics of using a winch if their vehicles get stuck in mud or sand. In July, the group took a trip to the Mojave Desert to get better acquainted and to practice using the camping equipment. ``It sounds silly to test out camping,'' Olson said. ``But we need to learn as much as we can about each other and to come up with a standard operating procedure for our trip. When we pull into a camp along our route, we'll be tired, hungry and in unknown territory.'' Drive Around the World is a non-profit organization and the brainchild of Nick Baggarly, 35, of Los Gatos. He came up with the idea based on expeditions such as the Great Race of 1907 from Peking to Paris, and the book ``Around the World in 80 Days'' by Jules Verne. Baggarly's older sister was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1999, and it inspired him to do anything he could to help researchers find a cure. ``For a year or so I felt hopeless, and I watched her degradation,'' Baggarly said of his sister, who continues to battle the disease. ``But I'm trying to make this the longest journey attempted with the focus on Parkinson's.'' Olson accepts the challenge. She hopes to help lead her team members in spreading knowledge about the disease. ``I'm looking forward to the trip,'' she said. ``Part of adventure is meeting and interacting with people from all over the world and impacting their lives no matter how small.'' (following 2 links edited and updated by murray) If you would like to make a pledge, (As part of their fund-raising efforts, we are taking donations based on the kilometers the Expedition will cover) please go to our Support section https://www.parkinsonsinstitute.org/support/drivearoundtheworld/ and show your support of the LONGITUDE team and Parkinson's research. For more information about the roving Rovers, to read the journals and see photos or to donate, visit http://www.drivearoundtheworld.com SOURCE: Mercury News / The Parkinson's Institute, Sunnyvale, California http://www.thepi.org/news/Aroundtheworld--trekforacause.htm * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn