New in Boden: “I want to live here for the rest of my life”

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Madelen Applegren grew up in Dalarna and later chose to move to Boden. This is her own story about a place where the sun often smiles. 

At 15 

I’m lying in bed in the mountain cabin in Sälen. My entire body aches, but it’s a good kind of ache. This is where I am my happiest. I have spent the entire day on a snowmobile. Or behind it, hanging on by my hands with my jacket full of snow, on a steerable sledge, a plastic saucer, or a snowmobile sledge with no suspension, on a bumpy trail. Tomorrow we will go slalom skiing. This is what I love the most! Here and now is when I decide. When I grow up, I’m going to move north, somewhere where I can feel like this every day, all winter. 

At 19 

What are the odds of making friends with another girl who also rides motocross, who will also be my aviation technology classmate in Luleå. We’re packed and ready to move, but where do we put our motocross bikes? When we talk to the man from the Luleå Motorsports Association to see if he knows anyone who rents out garages, he simply says: ”… but you can have them at the track, we have a container, that works fine!” 

The move to Luleå went well, and I have just moved in with my roommate. We laugh a little at all the differences and strange words they have here. It is unbelievably hot, we are both impressed by how lovely the summer is, even though we are so far north. 

At 24  

Dad is teeing up. He hits it well with his driver, a long and straight shot. It’s T-shirt weather, but because of the mosquitoes it’s nice to wear a long-sleeved top. It’s nearly one in the morning and we’re getting close to the end of the round. Every summer we play mid night golf in Sävast, where I now live. This is truly one of the highlights of the summer! 

At 25 

It’s autumn. He’s cycling ahead of me on Gruvberget’s red trail. On the motocross course he has no chance, but here in the forest, cycling, I’m always the looser. But even though I have to put my foot on the ground all the time, this is so much fun. Almost like driving a motocross, but quiet. He has shown me all the tracks. He is the best. In all ways, my soul mate. Smart, attractive and funny. The life we share is wonderful. 

At 26  

I’m seated on my snowmobile, stuck, mustering the strength to dig it out. Again. The sun glistens on the snowy firs in this winter wonderland, it’s so beautiful. We are far out in the forest, where you would never otherwise go. A red Summit 850 parks neatly in the powdery snow next to me. ”Perhaps it was time for a coffee anyway…” 

At 27 

The trees have turned green and the bird cherry is blossoming. We go for a walk around the house we just bought. “Look, we have rhubarb! And gooseberries, and raspberries! The house is from ‘78, built in the style of an old Norrbotten farmhouse. I haven’t felt this much at home since I left Falun when I was 16. 

At 29  

The alarm goes off. It has been snowing all night. I know my colleagues will complain and I’ll have to scramble to get out myself but secretly I love it. It’s over a metre now. ”Go snow racer!” Yes, but of  course she will be allowed to ride the snow racer to preschool. She always wants to, and it’s only 100 metres. She is so happy when she goes inside, she barely has time to say goodbye. 

At 32 

”Come in now, you must sleep, it’s night time!” Two little towheads are bouncing around on the trampoline. It is almost 11 o’clock at night, but the sun is still shining and the air is warm. Even if the darkness in winter is dreary, the summer nights outweigh it a thousand times. The children laugh and keep jumping. ”Well, you can jump for a little longer, it’s summer after all …” 

I look out over Lake Svartbyträsket and think about the journey here. All the fantastic places we visited, all the fun we had. All the hard work with studies, my motocross career, the search for the perfect house and the fact that we now have two small, sweet, wonderful children. My heart is teeming with joy.  

I want to live here for the rest of my life. # 

Text: Madelen Apelgren

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