Hell to Paradise PTSD awareness ride ready to roll in July

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (WJMN) — A cross-state motorcycle ride that has been in the works for nearly a year has just a few more weeks to go before engines roar.

The American Legion Riders Hell to Paradise PTSD Awareness ride hits the road at the end of July.

It has been a passion project for Scott Igo, the director of the American Legion Riders at Post 3 in Sault Ste. Marie.

“It was an idea that I guess I had for a while. I suffer from PTSD myself and a lot of veterans that I know suffer from PTSD,” Igo said. “When you get out of the military, you’re missing that camaraderie that people have your back all the time. And I just kept wondering, how I can help? I’m only one person, but how can I help? And the Hell to Paradise. Hell to Paradise kept coming through my head. And if you suffer from PTSD, you kind of understand that you live in a personal hell every day, and we’re always trying to get to our own paradise.”

Four organizations that help veterans have been identified as benefactors from the registration fees and donations: Bikes and Battle Buddies, Zero Duck 30, Mission Six and Wilwin Lodge. Igo explains each:

“Bikes and Battle Buddies a motorcycle organization down by the Detroit area. It’s veterans, non-veterans are all together, but they reach out to the veterans who ride motorcycles and say, ‘Hey, you know, let’s get together. Let’s go get a cup of coffee. If you need somebody to talk to, call us, you know, 3, 4, or 5 in the morning, It doesn’t matter. These people are available to meet you.”

“Zero Duck 30 takes veterans hunting. If you can’t afford your license, they’ll buy your license as long as you’re legal to hunt. They’ll buy your shells. They have their own decoys, their own boats. And this is stuff that they spend their personal money on to get these guys out, because sometimes it’s just that camaraderie out there that gets somebody to open up and talk about their issues.”

“Mission Six Service Dogs trains these dogs for people with PTSD. Average training of a service animal is around $20,000 an animal. The only way that they do anything is out of their pockets or by places like us that are willing to raise money, donate money to them so they can give these dogs away. They do not charge the veteran one dime. The only thing that veteran has to do is go spend some time. They’re working with the dogs. They let the dog choose the master, not the master choose the dog and then they then they combine the two to work together a little bit more. And then at the end of the training and then they present that veteran with the dog at no cost.”

“Wilwin Lodge is a place where veterans and their families can go for five days, no cost to them. The only thing you gotta do is bring your food and drinks. It’s a big resort type place. They have playgrounds, a lake, hiking trails, cabins to stay in. And it’s a place for people just to go and decompress away from the hassles of home, or work or living in a city. We’re fortunate. We live in the U.P., We can disappear into the woods in a hurry. People in the city can’t. So, what we’re doing for Wilwin Lodge instead of a monetary donation, we’re taking like gift cards for them so they can go to, like, Meijer, Walmart or wherever and buy supplies to keep their inventory up.”

While giving back is a plus, it’s not the sole purpose for the ride.

“The way that I look at it, it’s not the money, it’s not the bodies, it’s not the bikes. The more people involved are going to possibly make that one-on-one connection with somebody,” Igo said. “That could be their battle buddy. That could be that person that they clicked on many levels and they’re willing to call them at 1, 2 or 3 in the morning. That person that could save somebody else’s life in the future. And that’s where I’m kind of looking at the whole thing.”

The ride is July 26 to 28. There are two routes. The namesake route from Hell, Michigan, to Paradise in the Upper Peninsula is a little more than 342 miles. The second route will bring riders across the UP, starting in Ironwood, stopping in Gladstone Friday night, then heading to Newberry, where the two groups will merge and continue on to Paradise. After completing the journey, a community celebration is planned in Sault Ste. Marie at the American Legion.

There are already plans to return the ride for a second year in 2025. Igo says they are looking to connect with a U.P.-based veteran organization for next year.

There are more than 400 registered participants with riders from across the Midwest and as far away as Florida. If the number of registered participants reaches 500, Igo said he will hold up his end of a bet and part ways with his signature hairdo.

“Everybody gives me a hard time about my mohawk. It’s just kind of a signature, you know, And I had made the bet that if I get 500 paid participants, that’s not 500 bikes, that’s paid registered participants. You don’t have to have a motorcycle to ride to do this. If you have a jeep, a car, a truck, if it’s street legal, you’re welcome. You know, bring it along. You have to register and everything just like a motorcycle,” he said. “So I made the bet with the guy who was in charge of the American Legion Riders for the state. I said, if we get 500 when we get to Sault Ste. Marie, I’ll let you shave my head. And I never thought that we’d get close. And now I’m kind of going, I’m going to be bald. It’s all fun. I mean, my hair will grow back, but it’s just kind of I’m excited. If we hit that 500 mark, I’m going to be really, really excited.”

Igo also credits the help of individuals and businesses for their generosity in taking on some of the work to make the ride possible:

“ Christensen Law (which has offices in Southeastern and West Michigan) contacted me probably two or three months after we started this and they said, we want in. They have taken over the whole legal aspect of it. There are a lot of legal things that have to be done. Your waivers have to be filled out. They are making sure do we do this right and protect ourselves and protect our riders,” Igo said.

“We have a T-shirt company that they work from their house and they’ve taken over all our merchandise. So I don’t have to worry about that. And that’s a place called Southern Girl Sass , from the south side of Traverse City,” he continued.

“ Mama Bear’s Photography and Adventures (in Paradise). She is doing Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday free of charge for us. She’s going to be following the entire ride,” Igo said. “She’s going to be taking pictures, interviewing people, and then at the end she’s going to compile a book. She’s going to sell the books and then so much of the profits from that will come right back to the ride. So she is doing it for free and donating money at the same time. And it’s it to me that was amazing.”

You can register to ride, donate, and learn more about PTSD here .

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