Rick’s Epic Road Trip to Accelerate Parkinson’s Research

Friday, 19th June 2026

In July 2026, Shake It Up supporter Rick Lindsay will be taking on an epic road trip that will see him travel from Bangkok to Istanbul. Along the way Rick is driving towards a deeper purpose: to raise funds that will propel Parkinson’s research towards better treatments, and ultimately, a cure.

This adventure will be quite a feat, as the car is almost 100 years old – a dilapidated, green 1929 Pontiac Roadster. The journey will take Rick and the old car through Thailand, Laos, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and , and finally to Türkiye.

We spoke to Rick about what inspired him to take on this huge journey and what motivates his mission to raise funds for Parkinson’s research.

Rick, tell us all about the car!

My dad owned an iron foundry at Wagga, so we grew up surrounded by paddocks of scrap metal, mainly outdated farm equipment including many 1920s vintage car wrecks. Every so often, if one was good enough, we would rescue it from being melted down and do it up enough to get registered, and these were our family cars. At one stage we had three old 1920s cars. One for mum, one for dad and one for us kids.

The foundry was sold, but I kept an interest in the old cars and in 2019 bought a wrecked 1929 Pontiac from a farmer near Ivanhoe. It was during Covid and I had time to repair it enough so it would drive again. I learned it had been used as a fencing and goat shooting rig. There were no seats, the wheels were OK, the exhaust was missing, and the rear “dicky seat” was lying in a swamp somewhere near Hillston. But the engine was good. A good mate who is a genius with old things helped me get it all together and roadworthy – just.

What first inspired you to undertake this journey?

In 2024, I decided to drive up to see our 21 year old daughter Pip, who was working on a remote cattle station in central NT. We live near Mansfield Victoria, and I honestly thought it wouldn’t make it to Benalla 80 kms away. But it kept going. I slept mostly in a swag beside the car on the side of the road and met many wonderful people on the way.

Shabby old cars can be a magnet attracting all types of people, and driving slowly through the vast expanse of outback Australia was, for me, a very good thing. No phone, feeling tiny, insignificant and alone in a huge landscape with more time than ever to ponder stuff without distraction. It was a privilege.

After I returned to work and parked the old girl in the shed, I read about a group of six blokes who ten years previously had driven two similarly crappy old cars through China all the way to Finland. It sounded such a good thing to do, just the adventure of it, the cultures and people you’d engage with and the landscapes that you’d rattle through. Then I met someone involved with raising funds for Shake it Up, which gave the whole idea some real purpose. My dear wife approved (I’m married to the best), so here we go.

Your journey will raise awareness as well as funds for research. What is something you wish people understood more about Parkinson’s?

To be honest, and I suspect like many of us, I knew little about Parkinson’s. Several of my friends live with it and I thought it “was that shaky thing people get”. Until I got involved with Shake it Up, I had no idea that it’s the second most diagnosed neurological disorder after dementia. I had no inkling of what causes it, the diagnostics involved, the treatments available and so on. Let alone the successful research going on around the world.

I think our current minds are so distracted with news, opinion, and knowledge that unless something stands as an obstacle that affects us personally, we often swim past, just staying afloat and have no obvious reason to stop and help (I have personally swum past way too many things I could have helped with in my life).

Why did you choose to support Shake It Up specifically?

I met a client of mine recently from 30 years ago. He has Parkinson’s and we sat together at small rural horse race carnival. He’s one of those people who you meet after 30 years, and it was like yesterday. I left that day particularly happy because I had my eyes opened to a world of the most inspiring endeavour to put right something that is not right, and that is Parkinson’s.

He described the Shake it Up effort and it came over as a sensible, courageous, rational mob of people, to which I would add generous and kind. I have been involved with a few charities and they are all worthwhile. This one is a step up. 100% of donations go to research, and it was founded by a big-achieving person with Parkinson’s who is very clear in the intention to slow, stop and cure Parkinson’s.

It’s an entirely pragmatic organisation, no frills, and I’ve seen where the money goes.

Our mission is to slow, stop and cure Parkinson’s. What would that mean to you?

It means a lot to me. Again, if you allow yourself time to imagine the consequences on your own life of living with Parkinson’s, it doesn’t take long to realise how much it would mean to see people making a big effort toward giving you a hand.

Slowing and stopping the progression of Parkinson’s symptoms is already getting closer. And to cure Parkinson’s, well, I can’t think of something more worthwhile to strive for.

Having seen the laboratories and dedicated brains working toward a Parkinson’s cure, there are few reasons to feel anything but hope, and of course gratitude.

You can get updates from Rick and donate to support his journey here.