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Scot King is Riding to Remember

By Darren Dencklau

Scot King is a man on a mission, one that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Beginning in Salem, Ore., on May 7, the former U.S. Marine and Portland resident is planning on riding his bike to the steps of every state capitol building in the lower 48. His assignment: to boost awareness and raise funds for Afghanistan and Iraq’s combat-wounded veterans through an organization he founded, Remember the Wounded. The cause doesn’t stop there, however, as King sees this as an opportunity to personally thank those who have given time and part of their lives to serve their country.

Remember the Wounded was conceived in September of 2009, when, as King recalls, “I lost my job and instead of being upset about this change in my life, I decided to look into how I could help others.” He served in the Marines from 1986 to 1990, getting out shortly before the first Gulf War broke out. Seeing how our military personnel are so easily forgotten in today’s current political and economic climate, his aim is to help those who have physically and mentally lost so much, and who still need our support long after they return from war.

“We [Remember the Wounded] want to help our combat wounded veterans through giving to organizations that have a hands-on approach with our most critically injured ... from all branches of the military. We want to make sure that families get the help they need from financial assistance, food ... and the basics that are needed when the families are away from home,” he explains.

King belongs to the Order of the Elks, an organization that dedicates a lot of its resources to assist those who have served; in fact, many of its members are also veterans. He plans on using this connection to garner support and attention before arriving at each capital. Raising one million dollars is the ultimate fundraising goal and much of it will go to Operation Military Embrace, a Texas-based charity that supports veterans and their families at San Antonio Military Medical Facility by providing services to wounded veterans from across the nation.

King training on his Fuji with an attached trailer.

He expects to gain momentum by getting ample media coverage as he gets further east, mostly by going to VFW halls, Elks lodges, and being featured on local radio and television stations in addition to newspaper and magazine exposure. Visiting wounded veterans at multiple gatherings in each state will hopefully create more interest in the cause and bring in more money. That said, King emphatically states, “I want to be transparent with the money I raise. It is all going to the veterans and their families.”

King originally intended to start the ride in June of 2010, but realized that he needed more time to get ready for such a large endeavor; he also wanted to make sure it was done right. The extra year helped him plan, gather more sponsors and, of course, dedicate more time to riding his bike in preparation.

During the journey he aims on being completely self-contained. He is planning to camp and prepare his own meals most of the time and realizes that he will be riding many of the miles by himself. To accomplish this he will be pulling a trailer and sporting front and rear panniers as well as a handlebar bag to carry everything he will need.

When asked why he chose to ride a bike instead of getting around by automobile or flying in planes, he replied, “I believe when people can see the effort that is being put in by bicycling, it will earn their respect. Also, by driving a van or car I would use up funds that can help many veterans. I do not see the fuel prices coming down any time soon.”

This year he plans on visiting the capitals of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and 25 other states before reaching Washington, DC. After his stopover at the nation’s capital he will head home to Portland in late October. King intends on resuming his mission in May of 2012, beginning where he left off in DC then riding to all of the remaining statehouses not visited in 2011. He aims on making it back to Salem — a total distance of roughly 20,000 miles — late next year.

Finding sponsors to aid him on his mission was no easy task. He quickly realized that companies are solicited on a daily basis and through this he developed “thick skin” to handle rejections. However, the businesses that are supporting him, such as Fuji, Castelli and Portland’s Outer Rim bike shop, are very supportive and firmly believe in his cause.

King invites citizens to ride with him on any leg of the journey. He especially wants Northwestern residents to gather with him on launch day and readily encourages anyone, especially children, to participate, as an important component of his quest is to teach children the value and respect our veterans deserve.

To celebrate and kick off his mission, meet King along with veterans and other riders at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 7, at the state capitol building in Salem. The group will ride 55 miles to Portland, then to Olympia the following two days. He insists the group will travel at a leisurely pace — as military infantrymen say, “No one gets left behind.”

You can keep up with his progress, find schedules and route maps, and check out the blog, which he plans on updating frequently, by visiting www.rememberthewoundedride.com. To contact King’s team of supporters email rememberthewoundedride@yahoo.com