Making Positive Change Often Involves Doing Hard Things

Hi 👋 - I'm Travis Scott, the Founder and Executive Director of Cycling On Purpose.

This summer I will be embarking on the journey of a lifetime as I ride my bike (and my cousin's bike) - from my home in Spokane, WA to Indianapolis, IN, close to where I grew up.

Why Am I Doing This?

Our youth are experiencing a mental health crisis that has skyrocketed since the smartphone and social media came on the scene around 2007.

Whenever a product comes out that is harmful to kids and teens, there's usually swift action to create barriers and safeguards through laws and regulations to protect them.

That has NOT been the case with smartphones and social media. 

That needs to change. Which is why I started Cycling On Purpose and am willing to ride my bike 2800 miles across the country to raise awareness of this issue and meet with parents and educators in the cities and towns I'll be riding through.

It's Also Personal

There are personal reasons- several - as to why I'm doing this.

First, I struggled with my own depression and anxiety for more than a year and a half from 2023 through most of 2024. 

Several things happened at the same time to put me into a depression and one was the passing of my cousin, Brent due to a heart condition. He was only 52 and it was very unexpected. Brent was like a big brother to me as a kid and he was extremely generous and philanthropic. He also happened to be an avid cyclist. 

In August 2023, I was able to bring his beloved Trek Madone from Indy to Spokane. In that moment, I wanted to do something to honor Brent and his selflessness, generosity, and willingness to never back down from a challenge. 

I decided I would ride his bike back to Indy the following summer - in 2025.

This newfound purpose ignited something in me and it was the beginning of the end of my depression.

I then realized the power of purpose in helping overcome mental health issues and wanted to do something to help the youth in our communities discover their own purpose. 

Resiliency has also been a key element of overcoming depression and other mental health ailments. 

As the father of three small kids, their future mental health and realizing how different their childhood would be compared to mine (I'm Gen X) has made me fearful for their futures. 

I could have chosen to support adult mental health or men's mental health, both of which are important and need as much support and funding as they can get. 

But I want to do everything I can to pave a path for my kids' future and the future of other kids throughout the country. 

The Road Ahead

• The Route: Liberty Lake, WA to Indianapolis, IN (ending location TBD)
• Distance: About 2,800 miles
• Dates: June 12th to around August 2nd or 3rd
• Timing: Approximately 50 days
  
• Where I'll Be Sleeping: A mix of hotels, cabins, and camping
• Notable Landmarks: Yellowstone National Park, Devil's Tower National Monument, Mt Rushmore, Badlands NP, Buffalo Gap National Grassland
• Key Stops: Missoula, MT, W. Yellowstone, MT, Gillette, WY, Rapid City, SD, Vermillion, SD, Dubuque, IA, Kankakee, IL, Peru, IN, Carmel, IN, Indianapolis, IN
• Events: RAGBRAI 52 -Ride across Iowa

Prior to heading out on June 12th, I'll be training and preparing. You can follow along - both the ride and the training - on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn (links below). 

You can also follow me on Strava, where each ride will automatically be posted.

Hope to see you there!