So this is the RYO Epic...

Some adventures begin with a destination. This one began with a decision - the decision to change my life.

Not long ago, completing something like the RYO Epic would have seemed impossible to me. My health was headed in the wrong direction, and I knew that if I didn’t make a real change, the life I wanted could continue slipping farther away.

So I started.

There was no single moment when everything suddenly became easy. It took consistency, choices, setbacks and the willingness to keep going when progress felt slow. Eventually, those choices added up to something I once struggled to imagine: I lost 100 pounds...and still going. 

That transformation changed far more than the number on a scale. It gave me greater confidence, renewed purpose and a belief that we are capable of much more than we sometimes allow ourselves to believe.

The RYO Epic 2027 is the next chapter of that story.

What Is the RYO Epic 2027?

The RYO Epic 2027 “Mountains to Miles” is a demanding outdoor challenge that will take me from climbing the legendary Manitou Incline in Colorado to cycling across Iowa as part of RAGBRAI.

The Manitou Incline climbs thousands of steps straight up the side of a mountain, testing leg strength, endurance and mental determination. RAGBRAI presents a completely different challenge: riding mile after mile across Iowa over several consecutive days, dealing with hills, fatigue, weather and the cumulative strain that comes from asking your body to get back on the bike each morning.

One challenge climbs toward the sky. The other stretches across an entire state.

Together, they represent the journey from mountains to miles and the belief that the person you are today does not have to be the person you remain tomorrow.

Why Is It So Difficult?

The difficulty is not limited to the days of the actual events.

Preparing for the RYO Epic will require months of hiking, cycling, strength training, recovery and making responsible choices when it would be easier to take the day off. I will need to prepare my body for two very different physical challenges while continuing to manage work, family, Red Yeti Outdoors and everyday life.

There will be early mornings, long training rides, steep climbs and days when motivation is nowhere to be found. There will probably be moments when I question whether I can really do it.

But that is also the point.

This challenge is not supposed to be comfortable. It is supposed to show what can happen when we stop waiting to feel ready and begin taking the next step anyway.

Every difficult hike and every exhausting mile will represent something greater than a finish line. They will represent the life I fought to reclaim and the promise that I am not going backward.

Why Are We Doing It?

The RYO Epic is deeply personal, but it is not only about me.

Red Yeti Outdoors was built around adventure, community and helping people discover what they are capable of. Through this journey, I want to encourage anyone who feels trapped by their health, circumstances or past choices.

I know what it feels like to look at a challenge and wonder whether you belong there. I know how overwhelming the first step can feel when the destination appears impossibly far away.

I also know that lives do not change in one giant leap. They change through small decisions repeated over time.

If sharing my training, struggles and eventual attempt inspires even one person to take a walk, schedule a health checkup, get back on a bicycle or begin fighting for a better version of their life, this journey will already have meant something.

The RYO Epic will also help shine a light on Kellie’s Yeti’s, the service-focused heart of our community.

Kellie’s Yeti’s exists to lend a hand to elderly neighbors, individuals battling cancer and families facing seasons when life becomes too heavy to carry alone. Whether that means helping with yardwork, completing a small home project, removing snow, delivering a care package or simply showing someone that they have not been forgotten, the mission is simple:

Lending a hand. Making a difference.

My health journey taught me the power of support. Strength does not always mean carrying everything alone. Sometimes strength means accepting a hand when one is offered—and sometimes it means becoming that helping hand for someone else.

That belief connects every step of the Manitou Incline, every mile across Iowa and every act of service performed through Kellie’s Yeti’s.

Why We Are Looking for Sponsorship Partners

An undertaking of this size requires more than determination.

Travel, event registrations, bicycles, outdoor equipment, safety gear, transportation, lodging, nutrition, training and content production all carry significant costs. We are seeking sponsorship partners who can help make the RYO Epic possible and allow its message to reach far beyond the trail or roadway.

We are not simply looking for logos to place on a Jeep, camper or shirt. We are looking for organizations that want to become part of the story.

The right partners will believe in perseverance, healthier lives, outdoor adventure, community service and the idea that no one should have to face their hardest battle alone. Their support will be recognized throughout the RYO Epic journey through our vehicle and camper branding, training content, social media, YouTube videos, community appearances and coverage of the events themselves.

Just as importantly, sponsorship will help us bring greater awareness to Kellie’s Yeti’s and the neighbors and families it was created to serve.

There are opportunities for businesses of different sizes to participate, from title and presenting sponsorships to equipment, transportation, lodging, nutrition and community partnerships. Contributions do not always need to be financial. Products, services, expertise and logistical support can all make a meaningful difference.

We want every partner to feel genuinely connected to this journey. not simply advertised beside it.

This Is More Than a Challenge

The RYO Epic 2027 is not about pretending the last several years were easy. It is about honoring how difficult they were.

It is about the person I used to be, the person I fought to become and the person I am still working to be.

Losing 100 pounds was not the end of my journey. It showed me that change is possible. Now I want to use that transformation to attempt something that once felt beyond my reach—and to turn that attempt into something that can help other people.

The mountain will be steep.

The miles will be long.

There will be moments when I am tired, uncomfortable and unsure of myself. But I have already learned one of the most important lessons this journey could ever teach me:

You do not have to see the entire path to take the next step.

To everyone who follows the training, offers encouragement, shares our story or chooses to partner with us - thank you. You are becoming part of something much bigger than a climb or a bicycle ride.

This is a story of transformation, determination, service and hope.

This is Mountains to Miles.

This is the RYO Epic 2027.

Interested in becoming an RYO Epic 2027 sponsorship partner? Contact Red Yeti Outdoors to learn how your organization can join the journey and help us carry this message, and the mission of Kellie’s Yeti’s even farther.