{"id":22072,"date":"2017-11-02T08:32:05","date_gmt":"2017-11-02T15:32:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=22072"},"modified":"2022-04-13T11:29:23","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T18:29:23","slug":"member-portrait-dustin-cycle-advocate-scott","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/member-portrait-dustin-cycle-advocate-scott","title":{"rendered":"Dustin Scott: Inspiring Cycling in the City"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dustin is an 18-year-old bike advocate in Washington, D.C. He leads a monthly social ride called the Colors of Cycling, every first Friday. He most recently won the Washington Area Bicyclist Association<\/a> Community Organizer Award. He works to get people from all walks of life outside and using the trail systems.<\/p>\n

Why is getting outside important?<\/h4>\n

Being outdoors gives people time to clear their minds. With the current climate, outside sees no political lines or affiliations. It doesn\u2019t matter who you support, everyone is the same when they\u2019re enjoying the trails in the great outdoors.<\/p>\n

Outside is my favorite place to be\u2014hence why I love REI.<\/p>\n

What does outside mean in an urban environment like D.C.?<\/h4>\n

I\u2019m one of those weird people who loves the city so much that I love ambient street noise, the sound of the bus outside the window of my apartment. I love urban cycling, the rush of wind the cars make as they drive by.<\/p>\n

In D.C. we have so many outdoor monuments, parks and memorials. Whether looking at the monuments or the museums at the National Mall, you have to be outside to enjoy them. D.C. is one of those towns where whether you like being outdoors or not, it is going to force you outside.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m one of the National Park Service proponents. You already paid for the trails, parks, museums, so come and use them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

How did you get involved in the cycling community?<\/h4>\n

I\u2019ve always ridden bicycles, but a couple years ago my friend moved here from New York and started social rides. He noticed that a lot of the bike groups and cyclists were cliquey, so he started events to bring them together. The social aspect and activism drew me in.<\/p>\n

Now, I can\u2019t go five blocks without waving to someone biking the opposite way. Over the past two to three years, my core group of friends and acquaintances has morphed into people who ride bikes and who are in advocacy groups. It\u2019s pretty neat. I don\u2019t want to say it takes over your life, but it\u2019s tight-knit. If you see someone having mechanical issues, you genuinely want to stop and help them. The overall camaraderie is my favorite part of the biking scene.<\/p>\n

\"Dustin<\/p>\n

What makes you a bike advocate and why is advocacy important?<\/h4>\n

Biking in D.C. has been around for a long time, but the percentage of people that are starting to bike is growing by the week, especially with the subway system not being as reliable, congestion on the roads and the rising population. Advocacy is important because it\u2019s showing people how to ride and how to feel comfortable riding in town. Advocacy has done a lot to promote biking in the city and show the environmental affect\u2014cutting down on smog and pollution.<\/p>\n

Who inspired you to get outside?<\/h4>\n

My father. My dad has a lot to do with my love of sports as a kid. That\u2019s where it all started, in terms of getting outside. I\u2019m one of those kids that went outside from sun up to sun down. Riding bikes, street hockey\u2014my dad and I have a certain bond when it comes to athletic stuff.<\/p>\n

In whom are you fostering a love for the outdoors?<\/h4>\n

I promote events that make everyone feel comfortable. A lot of the large groups riding around have aggressive jerseys with expensive carbon frames. People think it\u2019s a cliquey, elitist thing. We want to eradicate that. It\u2019s not about having the flashiest bike or being part of a competitive team. We want everyone to feel comfortable\u2014from 9-5 business folks, women, transgender people, men\u2014whether it\u2019s your first time, or you want a large group to help you improve. That\u2019s the person I try to inspire.<\/p>\n

\"Dustin<\/p>\n

What is your favorite piece of gear and what\u2019s the story behind it?<\/h4>\n

I don\u2019t leave home without my speaker<\/a>. I\u2019d forget my shoes before I forget that thing. Having tunes or podcasts is relaxing and helps pass the time during your ride. And it pulls double duty because cars can hear you coming.<\/p>\n

What does being an REI Co-op member mean to you?<\/h4>\n

I love REI. There is a pride aspect in the fact that they opened a flagship store here, right in the center of the city. It\u2019s such a historical building; it\u2019s cool to see what they\u2019ve done with it.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a store that I love to support. I like to support a company that supports you, and they\u2019ve shown they want to invest in a crown jewel right here in D.C.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dustin is an 18-year-old bike advocate in Washington, D.C. He leads a monthly social ride called the Colors of Cycling, every first Friday. He most recently won the Washington Area Bicyclist Association Community Organizer Award. He works to get people from all walks of life outside and using the trail systems. Why is getting outside […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":24863,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1127,552],"internal-tag":[1680],"class_list":["post-22072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cycle","tag-cycling","tag-rei-members","internal-tag-pre-redirect-cycling"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/member-portrait-dustin-cycle-advocate-scott","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Dustin Scott: Inspiring Cycling in the City","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/member-portrait-dustin-cycle-advocate-scott","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/member-portrait-dustin-cycle-advocate-scott"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/11\/Skrobecki_11292016_0283.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/11\/Skrobecki_11292016_0283.jpg?fit=3383%2C2251"},"articleSection":"Cycle","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Aer Parris-Hoshour"}],"creator":["Aer Parris-Hoshour"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["cycling","rei members"],"dateCreated":"2017-11-02T15:32:05Z","datePublished":"2017-11-02T15:32:05Z","dateModified":"2022-04-13T18:29:23Z"},"rendered":"