Riding a horse from Beijing to London — few would dare attempt such a crazy idea, but three years ago, three “madmen” with the same dream were ready to join forces to complete this seemingly impossible task. They set off from Beijing on April 18, 2009, riding horses to the 2012 Summer Olympics host city, London, planning to complete the “Beijing–London Horseback Friendship Crossing” in three years.
Now, these brave souls are about to fulfill their dream, with London just within reach.
The team consists of three people — Megan, a 63-year-old British grandmother and former chairwoman of the British Long Distance Endurance Riding Association; Li Jing, an “horse maniac” from Wuhan; and Peng Wenchao, another Chinese “horse enthusiast” (a Beijing taxi driver). They plan to ride horses to the British capital, London, hoping to arrive before the opening of the 2012 London Olympics.
Although their feat is admirable, the team’s sponsorship situation is not ideal at present, and the members are mostly funding the journey themselves. But that hasn’t dampened the group’s enthusiasm.
Megan said that in the UK, people are also amazed by their action, considering it a crazy move. “I’m not crazy, I just love horseback traveling around the world. More people around me envy me because they don’t have the time to do something this fun.”
From Beijing to London, Megan and her team will ride over 8,000 kilometers. They have agreed to ride no more than 30 kilometers per day and to travel for eight months each year.
Hard work pays off. After three years of riding, Megan and her companions have now entered the UK. They set off from New Haven on July 14 and arrived in the London Borough of Bexley the other day, just in time for the first day of the Olympic torch relay in London.
Now, they are riding toward Greenwich, which will be the endpoint of this three-year-long equestrian odyssey.
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