What a year 2019 has been! It felt like a bad one, BUT when I reflected with a more positive mindset, I realized that it was actually a year filled with many wonderful life moments!

The pinnacle of fun was hosting my friend Hona, aka my sister from another mister, on her first-ever trip to the US. [Quick background story: Hona is from Poland, now living in England, and we first met in 2014 during the Winter Olympics when we were randomly placed together as roommates. She was there working as an Olympic News Service reporter for ski jumping and I was an Olympic News Service reporter for hockey. We hit it off instantly, which is super unusual, especially under those conditions!]

Hona’s trip in September was 10 years in the making! On a limited budget and with only so many days, we hit up the major east coast cities of DC – PHILLY – NYC. Hona created a documentary about our whirlwind adventures and presented it to me via IM the other day as a post-Christmas present. She worked very hard on editing the weeks of video footage that she shot during her visit and it’s KICK A**!!!! I will cherish it for the rest of my life.

Check out Hona’s video on YouTube…

USA 2019 – Kimberly and Hona Conquer the East Coast

Some other highlights of 2019 were…

• launching my company Rock n Flow Yoga and starting my own LLC (a scary, yet rewarding learning experience)
• becoming the only yoga permitee by the National Park Service to host private sessions at the Lincoln Memorial and being picked up by Airbnb as an Experience: Yoga Flow With President Lincoln
• leading a yoga power flow class at the Kennedy Center to a sold-out crowd of more than 100
• running in my absolute fav race Seawheeze, in my favorite city, Vancouver, BC
• participating in Ragnar Sunset DC, meeting my teammates from all over the US for the first time on the day of the race, and forming an instant bond
• meeting and talking one-on-one with Katie Couric, one of my broadcast journalism idols, at her Smithsonian award honor NOTE: It was Katie who inspired me to sign up for the Empire State Ride.
• rocking out with my buds at awesome concerts like the X Ambassadors
• meeting DJ Felix Cartel and sharing my gratitude for his music
• making new friends with smart and fun women like Laura Hitchman
• meeting and interviewing fascinating people for my blog Gal on the Go, the most special being my Uncle Joe who I idolize
• leading yoga at the Music Is Art Festival in my hometown of Buffalo, NY, BUT even better, the support of my loyal friend Julie Wisner and new friend Samantha Wulff who attended the event and were my rocks
• teaching puppy yoga classes to help raise funds for Doggy Noses and Yoga Poses
• starting a mentorship under Alison, owner of Homegrown Yoga

A Glimpse Into 2020

My race and adventure plans for 2020 are still a work in progress, except for the Empire State Ride to End Cancer. That fundraising event has a permanent block of seven days reserved on my calendar; July 26 through August 1.

The Empire State Ride entails me cycling with other cancer eradicating enthusiasts for 500+ miles (no, that’s not a typo) across the state of NY. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that starts in New York City and ends at one of the natural wonders of the world, Niagara Falls. Each rider must raise a minimum of $3,500 for the Roswell Park Foundation. However, I hope to exceed that goal!

In the past decade, way too many of my friends/family members have been battling or lost their battle to cancer… brain (2), breast (1), colon (1), lung (1), pancreatic (2), and skin (3). Even though I’m super intimidated to ride almost 100 miles a day for seven days, it’s nothing compared to the battles they are and have faced. One thing that greatly appeals to me about this ride is that the money raised goes toward cancer research in all areas, not just one.

I look forward to you following me this summer as I document my journey online. Most importantly, I hope that you please make a donation in support of my fundraising efforts to help Roswell Park with its cutting-edge cancer research (you can select “donate to rider” then enter my name Kimberly Evering)… http://give.roswellpark.org/site/TR/SpecialEvents/General?px=1413083&pg=personal&fr_id=1550

Wishing all of you a HAPPY NEW YEAR as we enter another exciting decade of Roaring Twenties!!