Starting on July 26, I will be participating in the 10-day, 1,208-mile Tour Da Yoop bicycle ride around the entire perimeter of Michigan’s spectacular Upper Peninsula to raise funds for families with children battling cancer. With both heavy hearts and never-ending hope, these families and their child heroes face so many seemingly insurmountable financial, physical, emotional and logistical challenges. To learn more about how your generosity will provide tremendous benefits in more ways than you can even imagine, click ‘The Cause’ tab on this page.
On a more personal note, I turn 70 years old on the eve of the first day of the bike ride. A day doesn’t go by without counting my blessings for my health and the many other good fortunes in my life. With this in mind, it is my sincerest birthday wish that you join me in an outpouring of love and financial support for these beautiful children and their special families so that they too can have their life-blessings greatly multiplied.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your consideration.
Tour Da Yoop, Eh™ 2024
Meet the pinnacle of road biking. Tour Da Yoop, Eh is more than a 1,200 mile circuit through some of the most beautiful terrain in the United States. Tour Da Yoop, Eh offers some of the finest road biking in the world. Our little peninsula is covered with expansive roads, free of dangerous traffic, and littered with sparkling waterfalls, unique landmarks, and awe-inspiring lake views. Join us in riding and raising money for U.P. families battling childhood cancer. Come see what it truly means to tour da yoop, eh? We start and end in Manistique, taking a clockwise tour around the Upper Peninsula. Each day is around 120 miles. At 8 A.M. each day, we meet in the parking lot of our host hotel before embarking on the next section. Riders form groups based on their desired speed and follow our route through vast quiet roads until eventually arriving at the next host location. Our Support and Gear Team transports your luggage from location to location. We also provide tools, first aid, food, and water. We also have water stops every 30-40 miles or so depending on the day. SAG vehicles follow the last rider group and other vehicles keep tabs on riders throughout. You can sign up for all 10 days with The Full Experience package, enjoy half of the bike tour with the Western Loop package, dip your toes into Tour Da Yoop, Eh with the Eastern Loop package, or build your own package with individual sections. Your adventure is up to you. Whether you do it all in one go or take it a few sections at a time, the completion of all sections earns you the the right to wear Plaid. The Plaid Jersey marks the finale of an incredible accomplishment.
Our mission is to help children and families from the Upper Peninsula that are battling childhood cancer with funds for travel, medical and household bills. Families from the U.P. are challenged with multiple costs since kids need to travel downstate or to Wisconsin for treatments. Medical treatment can go on for many years, sometimes leaving kids with physical, emotional, and sensory deficits.
Our program assembles initiatives to help these families meet financial needs for travel, medical, and household bills.
We provide these families with other resources for getting care.
We share information and connect families to other nonprofits that may help, either in-person or remotely, such as:
Camp Quality, a nationwide camp designed for children with cancer and their families. The Upper Peninsula Lions are now partnering with them and Bay Cliff Health Camp and have started Camp Quality Upper Peninsula for kids with cancer and their families. Our goal is to support CQUP camps several times a year at Bay Cliff Health Camp in Big Bay, Michigan.
Kids Kicking Cancer, an organization that teaches children with cancer the tools to manage pain and maintain strength through martial arts and meditation. Kids Kicking Cancer also teaches kids to be victors and not victims. Virtual classes are now available to children in the Upper Peninsula.
Maggie’s Wigs 4 Kids of Michigan. Children receive hair and skin restoration after hair loss at no cost to the families. This organization supports all children living in Michigan and Maggie's has helped several children from the Upper Peninsula.