Hello everyone!
I hope we are all enjoying the tale end of summer and watching the trees change colours. Fall is probably one of my favourite times of the year, I no longer melt in my upstairs, afternoon sun-facing bedroom, and I am not yet buried under 4 layers of coats to deal with the cold of winter sport. This fall however feels a little bit different, this could be because I am outside in the elements more instead of in a vehicle going from Point A - B, or maybe it's because our planet is changing due to the effects of us all living on it. Maybe the storms and rapid weather changes are the Earth’s way of begging us to pay attention to it? Does make me sit and think about what impact I am having not only on my communities but also on the environment. I have to say I don’t think I have a massive carbon footprint, and I try my best to be mindful, but just like I could probably be more involved in my communities, I could also probably be more involved in saving our planet.
Current me has been very focused on the future these days, what my purpose is, what my goals are, what will make me feel whole, how will I leave a legacy, how will I achieve financial freedom, and how many kids will I have? This has also led me to think about what I will be able to leave for my kids and grandkids, what world will they know, what will it look like, and what will no longer exist. I worry about the planet and how we will leave it for those to come… I know people have mixed opinions on what we can do to help protect our earth, or some may think it's just the cycle of life. I however believe that at the very least we can be mindful of small things we do that contribute to things we KNOW are destructive. For instance unnecessary driving or fuel consumption, pollution and littering how much waste we are producing…
With this being said I have had an amazing opportunity to bring electric transportation into my life, and maybe not in the way you think. No, I didn’t get an electric automobile but I did get an IGO Electric Bike, and man is it ever a game changer. I have been living my best life outside, enjoying and learning about areas of the city I didn’t even know existed, and I can do it without sacrificing my legs for practice and training. It has become part of my routine it's a great warm-up and recovery tool as well as a mode of transportation that I feel good about using. While the weather is still nice I have been limiting my driving, which helps me contribute to minimizing my negative effects on this planet, and… well gas is expensive and I simply cannot afford to be driving everywhere these days.
The beauty of an electric bike is anyone can use it and the assist allows us to all get from point A - B in a timely fashion while getting the intensity of the workout that fits our needs best. I am loving riding my bike and using it for so many different reasons, I ride 30km to visit my sister, I bike to the grocery store to pick up things I need for meals, I bike to training as it is mostly downhill there which means I am still fresh for my push session, and I ride it for pleasure to get out of the house when I am feeling a little stir crazy.
I have to say I have always enjoyed the outdoors, and once in a while I would walk to the store (which is a 10km round trip, a little time-consuming for every day convince) but now it’s a reasonable bike to pick up a few things. I’m also happy when I am out riding, I’m enjoying the feeling of the warm sun and cool breeze on my face, by the time I get to where I am going I’m honestly probably 60% happier than I would be had I driven there… granted sometimes my legs are more jello, but that just reminds me that I am keeping my body healthy and that also makes me smile.
I guess what I am trying to say is if you are looking for a way to change your habits, to add more adventure into your daily routine, to help cut back on your negative effects on our planet, or just be more active and enjoy a new way to transport yourself, then I would strongly recommend you look into an IGO E-bike. If you are worried about budget or price you can find them used as well, they sell certified pre-owned E-bikes.
Quick questions to end us off: How many times a week do you fill up your gas tank and what does it cost? If you could save money on gas by being active and enjoying the outdoors to create a healthier body and mindset, would that be a habit worth the exchange? I’m not saying sell the car and add a wagon to tow the kids behind you, but if you have a dentist appointment 20 minutes away and nothing else on why not enjoy that time riding by yourself immersed in the environment around you? My rule these last couple of months has been if I have the time, I have the weather, I don’t need to factor in other people, or it’s not going to add stress then I will ride my bike to get there.
So far so good!!