Reporters learned on March 24 that on the 31st, Yu Guihai, a 63-year-old from Jiangcheng, will take a train to Ningbo, then head northward, cycling back to Jiangcheng along the Hangzhou-Ningbo Canal and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. Along the way, he will also hang banners to promote Jiangcheng, hoping to support the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal’s bid for World Cultural Heritage status while attracting more tourists to visit Jiangcheng.
“Since 2007, I have cycled to other places every year and promoted Jiangcheng. This year, I’ve planned a canal cycling trip, hoping to support the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal’s World Heritage application through my actions, while also promoting Jiangcheng to attract more tourists,” said Yu Guihai. Now 63, he became fascinated with cycling before retirement and often joined friends for rides in his spare time. After retiring, he planned to travel even farther. During the 2013 Ya’an earthquake, he and his wife flew to Chengdu, then cycled to Ya’an to do what they could to help those affected. Later, the couple cycled together to Lhasa, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way.
Yu Guihai said that this time, he plans to depart from our city on March 31, take a train to Ningbo, and then cycle from Ningbo via the Hangzhou-Ningbo Canal to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, eventually cycling back to our city. “I plan to observe the local customs and landscapes along the canals, broaden my horizons, and also make banners to tie onto my bike to promote our Jiangcheng. I hope my efforts will attract more people to visit Jiangcheng,” said Yu. He plans to spend a month on the journey, covering 3,200 kilometers.
“For this cycling trip, I’ve done a lot of preparation. Cycling from south to north, not only is the weather getting more suitable, but the wind direction is also favorable for cycling. I hope more and more people will join the cycling movement to exercise and strengthen their health,” said Yu. His family fully supports his cycling for fitness, and his wife has participated in almost every trip except this one due to prior commitments. “My children all support me too. When I used to cycle, they often called or texted to ask about my journey and remind me to take care of myself,” said Yu.
“Now that the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is applying for World Cultural Heritage status, I want to support its bid through my actions, and hope it will achieve the status as soon as possible,” said Yu. On the other hand, he hopes to promote Jiangcheng to tourists from other places through cycling, thereby attracting more people to visit and fall in love with Jiangcheng.