I don’t want to belabor too much the discussion about the challenging year we just had, but on that unspoken backdrop, I want to extend my gratitude to each of you who supported my rides for charity during 2020. Over its twelve months, you not only contributed over $5,425 to a variety of charities, but you also inspired a year’s worth of hope.

After returning to live in Sacramento at the end of 2019, I was looking forward to resuming this cycling for charitable causes. However, the pandemic’s effects caused a lot of my planned charity rides to fall by the wayside. My first main charity ride for which I spent pre-pandemic 2020 fundraising, America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride around Lake Tahoe in June, was postponed and then later joined the ever lengthening “cancelled” list of events. The diminishing list of events left me wondering if I’d be able to ride for charity at all this year. And, with everything going on, would people even be in a position to support these causes?

(We’re hopeful that America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride will be able to resume this year and I’ll be carrying your support with me to this year’s event — if it happens.)

In April, with the pandemic now changing how we lived, I learned that the year’s challenges made people even more generous. It was then when I did the four-hour virtual ride in support of Climate Ride and the Environmental Defense Fund, planned on a whim and accordingly for which I had very low expectations. However, I was elated with the support from friends who tuned into my livestream to make fun of me and leave a donation. It was a sign that many of you still felt hopeful, and even more so, wanted to do something to help improve our world. I was so motivated by this that I did another virtual ride for Bike For Humanity shortly thereafter to help raise funds and awareness for organizations providing support during the pandemic.

By October, after learning about children’s struggles with food insecurity across our country that were made even more challenging by the pandemic, I was motivated to do a bigger self-managed ride for No Kid Hungry. With my mom and sister supporting me, I crossed off my bucket list riding over 100 miles from Sacramento to San Francisco, and you all again stepped up to support this effort.

Finally, as the year was winding down, I took another leap of faith by riding for Movember Foundation’s annual campaign to support men’s health. I only gave a week’s notice about this effort that I did the day after Thanksgiving, and yet within that week you still came through with donations for this charity too.

So, on the question of whether you all would continue to support these rides for charity in these times, the answer was a resounding yes. And, that answer has been such a positive light in a largely dark year that excites me about what we can accomplish in the year ahead.

Thank you for supporting this seva — this selfless service — and I wish you prosperity and good health for this upcoming year.

ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮ ਚੜ੍ਹਦੀ ਕਲਾ ॥ ਤੇਰੇ ਭਾਣੇ ਸਰਬੱਤ ਦਾ ਭਲਾ ॥
“Nanak, in Naam (the Divine Presence) do we remain in positive spirits.
May Your blessings reach all.”