Rode over 120,000 km in 8 years – an eco-warrior on a solo bike journey

 

    Recently at noon, 42-year-old “eco-warrior” Kang Fengyun stood at the bustling intersection of Chunxi Road distributing environmental protection leaflets, still wearing his iconic gear that has barely changed in eight years of riding — red and white cycling clothes, a safety helmet, a mountain bike adorned with eco-friendly and low-carbon publicity flags, two thick “travel passports” over 20 cm thick, plus a bag of dry rations stored with a friend, which made up all his belongings for riding over 120,000 km.

Chengdu is Kang Fengyun’s 1003rd stop. It’s his seventh time promoting environmental awareness here. His biggest impression is, “There are more cars in Chengdu, but the public’s environmental awareness has also improved.” Speaking of future plans, this optimistic and talkative man from the northwest joked that he might keep riding for the rest of his life.

Tall, dark-skinned, with a face full of hardship, 42-year-old Kang Fengyun wore a red cycling jersey, a red-and-white helmet, and a “volunteer ID” badge. He was standing on the crowded Chunxi Road pedestrian overpass handing out environmental leaflets. Beside him was a shabby mountain bike, his only means of transport across China. Yellow tape was wrapped around the handlebars. “This is my sixth bicycle. Previous ones were either stolen or fell off cliffs. Most were given to me by kind-hearted people.”

The front and back of Kang Fengyun’s mountain bike were adorned with colorful flags, one of which, a white flag, was almost entirely covered with writing and particularly eye-catching. Kang explained that the flag bore signatures and eco slogans from fellow cyclists at a club in Mianyang. Over the eight years of his ride, he would contact local cycling clubs in every city he visited, gaining a lot of support.

On the rear rack of the mountain bike were two square black bags, each holding a notebook over 20 cm thick. “These are the spiritual treasures I’ve earned over the years — my ‘travel passports’!” Kang said proudly before flipping open the slightly worn notebooks. They were filled with newspaper clippings about the “eco-warrior” from various media outlets, as well as messages from environmental departments and cycling clubs in many cities. “There are over 4,000 stamps in here,” Kang said, drawing encouragement from them.

Everywhere he went, Kang would first visit the local environmental department to get their stamp of approval and support, then head to the busiest squares and streets to distribute flyers and promote environmentalism. In early August, Kang arrived in Chengdu, getting stamps from environmental departments across multiple districts. On August 8, he received a stamp and 500 yuan in “support funds” from the Chenghua District Environmental Protection Bureau.

In 2006, Kang Fengyun first rode to Chengdu. This year marks his seventh visit. Within ten days, he cycled through all districts and counties of Chengdu, promoting his environmental philosophy at busy intersections — “Green consumption, starting with me!”

Kang said his expenses in Chengdu were high — 80 yuan a night for a hostel meant he had to sleep in internet cafes every day, costing 30 yuan a night. Coupled with food, he spent nearly 60 yuan a day, often eating just breakfast and lunch together, and only having dinner when he was really hungry.

Kang revealed that unlike some cycling companions who worked along the way, he focused solely on environmental promotion during his eight years of riding, surviving on meager “sponsorship fees” from environmental departments and cycling clubs, usually ranging from 30 to 500 yuan. He often went without meals. “At my toughest, I drank tap water for a whole week. You probably won’t believe that.”

Kang’s idea of cycling across China to promote environmentalism stemmed from a serious illness. In July 2005, while working in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, Kang was diagnosed with malignant gastric tumors at the hospital. The likely cause of his illness was long-term consumption of polluted water. “It was already in the late stage, and I suffered a lot.” It was this painful experience that made him despise environmental pollution, and Kang wanted to change the world through his own actions.

In 2007, after cycling to Shenzhen, Kang went for a check-up at a hospital and found that his stomach cancer had miraculously disappeared. He had overcome the disease through cycling, which further strengthened his belief in promoting environmentalism by bike to benefit more people. In 2009, a follow-up examination at a hospital in Taiyuan yielded the same result.

After achieving his goal of cycling 100,000 km in 2010, Kang originally planned to stop riding and return to his hometown of Lanzhou to take care of his father. But his father passed away that year, and his mother had died when he was six. Left alone, Kang decided to continue his ride. Plans: Not Afraid of Freezing, Hunger, or Beating — He Might Ride for Life

After eight years and 126,000 km, with footprints in 25 Chinese provinces, Kang’s cycling mission has gained increasing recognition and support. His experiences have been as dramatic as the plot of Journey to the West. For Kang, freezing and going hungry are daily occurrences, and even taking a shower has become a luxury. Occasionally, with the help of some departments and organizations, he gets to stay in a hostel and take a hot shower.

He has slept in graveyards, been pricked by tree branches by mountain roads, and in 2009, while promoting environmentalism in Qingdao, he was even beaten up. While sightseeing by the sea in Qingdao, Kang noticed that some barbecue stalls were dumping food waste directly into the ocean. Angry, he stepped forward to stop them. The vendors thought he was meddling and beat him up.

At first, many people questioned whether Kang’s actions were a stunt, and he faced opposition and even indifference from some citizens regarding environmentalism. “Now more and more people support me,” Kang said happily. “Just now an uncle came up to shake my hand, take a photo with me, and encourage me. He said what I’m doing is right!”

Asked about the changes in Chengdu, Kang remarked, “Chengdu has developed so fast, changed so much. The city is growing rapidly, there are more vehicles, but the public’s environmental awareness has also increased!”

Kang said that if he had continued making noodles as before, he could have earned a monthly salary of 5,000 yuan. “But now I just want to promote environmentalism.” The cheerful and talkative man from the northwest once considered finding a girl to marry during his travels. Now, when asked, he laughs and says, “I have no salary, no house, no car. Which woman would want to marry me?” As for the future, this optimistic northwestern man jokes, “Maybe I’ll ride for life.”