Riding a Bike Around the U.P. Teaches Us the Secrets to Life’s Success

“I can do anything!” Have you yelled that at the top of your lungs?

Catherine joined our 2024 tour, completely physically ready, but she had doubts. She did the work upfront. And you could tell, she’s that kind of person. She won’t skimp on what’s in her control. She won’t let her team down. I’ve seen many ride TDY, I know what people are capable of, and I had no doubts about Catherine.

The only way to yell “I can do anything!” with conviction, is to do something that proves it. On Stage 5 we ride our bikes around the Keweenaw Peninsula. It’s 120 miles of breathtaking Lake Superior views and smack in the middle of it, ranked as one of Michigan’s toughest road bike hill climbs, awaits the east entrance into Brockway Mountain. It’s an intimidating challenge on fresh legs. But we are far from fresh. 600 miles in for the week, and already 60 miles of riding that morning – TDY bikers hit the hill. Four miles in you can smell the bacon and hear the cheers, you are almost at the top. And that’s where I saw Catherine; no longer that person wondering if she could. She knows she can. Arms stretched high into the air she yells – “I can do anything!”

I hope you get to feel that many times in life.

I founded a 1,200-mile bike ride in 2018 that circles the perimeter of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula called Tour Da Yoop, Eh. The U.P. is known for plaid, and we award the “Plaid Jersey” to those that accomplish the entire 10-Stage challenge. We now have over 100 Champions in the Hall of Plaid.

This “Secret to Success” revealed by the bikers is simple, and eloquently illustrated over just a short period of months. It’s the perfect platform to prove it works. The people and results are too inspiring to ignore. I implement these secrets in my life outside of biking, and I hope you do too. Here are the six secrets.

Step 1 – Commit.

Achievements exist when you have something to shoot for. For something to be more than a dream, to become reality, you also need to commit. The simplest and first step is to register. These bikers sign up for a ride, a year in advance, mark their calendar, and commit to that event. Most have never done something of this magnitude. The 1,200-mile ride around the U.P. is the same distance as Detroit to Disney World. It’s one thing to say that I’d like to be able to ride my bike a long way. It’s another thing to say, I going to ride my bike 1,200 miles over 10 days, and this is exactly when and where I’m doing that.

Step 2 – Set Targets.

You committed to the what, now establish the how. I personally need to ride between 900 and 1,200 miles pre-TDY for a successful and fun event. This year, 2024, I rode 1,067. Having done this ride so many times, I have a good base and can get away with a lower training load. Some people that are newer to distance biking might need more miles. And some people bike a ton – showing up with thousands of miles already logged. Each scenario is different, depending on their lifestyle and what their end goal is. Once I know the total miles to shoot for, I establish my monthly or weekly targets to ensure that I stay on track.

TDY bikers take a measured approach to targets. The committed goal isn’t that far away – 10 months or less. They understand the gravity of their commitment and realize that if they don’t target enough effort up front, no amount of wishful thinking will pedal success.

Step 3 – Time in the saddle.

The first two items are easy and can be completed in a day. This next one is where the work begins, and it’s a deal maker or breaker. Bikers call it “time in the saddle”. Simply put, ride your bike to match your targets.

Step 4 – Teamwork.

As much as biking may seem like a solo effort – it’s not. Bikers have an incredible community that shares and supports like no other. It’s an amazing testament to humanity. Rachel earned her Plaid Jersey in 2022. During the Plaid Party, in front of an emotional and teary-eyed room, she said she showed up to TDY with the idea that she was going to prove to herself what was possible. But that she quickly realized we don’t achieve massive milestones because of just our own effort. It’s because of the teamwork of those around us, what they give, and what we give back to them, incredible things are possible.

Step 5 – Plan for the contingencies.

It takes more than just riding your bike to accomplish 1,200 miles of TDY. Things can go wrong, and they often do. Endurance biking obstacles include nutrition, hydration, and equipment. Bikers experiment with nutrition and hydration during training to understand what’s required for TDY. We put our bikes and bodies through tremendous adversity during the ride. We might get lucky, but we must plan for failures. A clean and maintained bike is the first, cheapest, and easiest step to take at the end of each ride. A clean bike is faster and lasts longer. Washing away the dirt reveals potential failures fixable before being catastrophic.

Step 6 – Enjoy the ride with others.

Hey - you did the upfront work. Now enjoy the heck out of it and go crush the 1,200 miles! Along the challenge, you’ll realize there is still more to the story. Over the past three years TDY has raised over $300,000 helping almost 100 families with children battling cancer. They need the help, and we can give it. Wearing our TDY jerseys with a gold band for childhood cancer, these children and families see us riding into town as their warriors to support them. This direct and genuine cause gives that extra emotional fuel to power bikers over the hill and through the wind. We are inspired by them, and they are inspired by us. It lends to a culture throughout all involved with TDY that showcases the finest displays of humanity.

Now get out there and prove – You can do anything!

James Studinger