Self-care can be anything you want. A glass of tea, long lunch or simply an afternoon at your favorite park. It’s not what you do, but how you classify the time spent doing it. On a rare sunny day in North Dakota, one of our riders brought this idea to life with her Vika+.

Working in slippers and commuting to the living room has been a pleasant shift for many office workers. Now that we’ve gotten comfortable, there’s no rush in going back. That is, for people who are not teaching a class full of students. Giving up her classroom in place of a screen and zoom meetings was a rocky transition for Jackie. “I felt like I never saw the sun and all the days were blending together.” We’ve all been forced to adjust to the aftermath of Covid-19 and sometimes that means thinking outside the box. “I used to ride all the time until my joints started acting up. I’d been curious about ebikes for a long time and when I saw the Blix Vika+, it just called to me. I got one for my husband and I that very day.” Now she spends every lunch in the sun and compares the feeling to the, “same freedom I felt when I used to ride around Phoenix when I was 8. For an hour a day, I feel like a kid again.” Self-care days were not new to Jackie, but when Covid hit, she started labeling them for what they were. “It had been a long week and I knew I needed some time to unwind and recharge. I thought, if I need a self-care day, I am going to label it as such.” After signing off at 1pm, she set off to enjoy her much needed free time. “It was beautiful! About 55 degrees in late November which never happens.” She’d made no plan or agenda. “I turned left instead of right and pretty soon there I was, riding out to Lake Ashtabula. The views were breathtaking. You see such a different world from a bike than a car. I turned into Maryvale and rode past the fish hatchery, hoping for a moose sighting to close out the day.” Round trip, the ride through Maryvale was about 25 miles and Jackie turned into her driveway feeling happy and recharged.

After only a few months, Jackie has racked up nearly 1000 miles on her Vika+. “There is rarely a day that I don’t go out at least once. The only thing that holds me back is the weather.” Now that she’s riding again, Jackie has experienced a lot of changes. “My Blix has brought me new life. It gets my heart going and I know that I am breathing better. Right now, it is my favorite form of mental escape.” As a teacher and writer, Jackie has always appreciated the power and inspiration of fresh air. She never would have stopped riding if her body hadn’t requested it. “I don’t have to choose between pain and fun anymore. I never have to worry if I am going too far or if I’ll be sore later. I thought those years were over, but they’re not. They are beginning all over again.” Jackie has always worn many hats. In addition to her role as a mom and teacher, she’d been pursuing a PHD until she took a step back to focus on her family. The decision was hard, but at the time, it was the right thing to do. “Now that I am riding again, the words are rushing in. I’m writing poetry, short stories and I’ve even decided to continue my PHD. Seeing what my body can do at 62 has motivated me to live my life fully.” The road is paved with new beginnings for Jackie and there is no telling what’s around the corner. “I am planning to get on skis again this winter and I haven’t done that in years.”

In a world that can turn on a dime, it’s important to put yourself first. Whether it’s a self-care day like Jackie, or a trip to the river with a friend, do what makes you feel alive. Live your best life with an ebike.