Photo of Liu Xin taken when he left school.
Sophomore from Tongnan cycles from Wuhan to his hometown
At 7:10 p.m. on January 23, Liu Xin, a 21-year-old from Taian Town, Tongnan County, finally returned to his family’s embrace after cycling over 1,200 km from Wuhan.
Why did he choose to cycle home? Did he face any challenges along the way? Yesterday, a reporter from Chongqing Evening News contacted Liu Xin, who was resting at home. The sophomore, who had never cycled alone before, said he found the 9-day ride incredibly exhilarating when recalling the experience.
The Agreement
A casual chat leads to a gentleman's pact
Two months of preparation
Liu Xin, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering at Wuhan Polytechnic University, told Chongqing Evening News that during the National Day holiday last year, he and his roommate Song Yao chatted about their plans to return home for Spring Festival. Song Yao is from Yibin, Sichuan, and the two had traveled home together for the holidays before. This time, Liu Xin said to Song Yao, “It’d be more fun if we could cycle home.” Thus, the two made a gentleman’s agreement to cycle home together after the winter break.
“Although it was a spur-of-the-moment idea, once we made this gentleman’s pact, we were determined to follow through,” Liu Xin and Song Yao told Chongqing Evening News. After making the decision, they began preparing for two months.
First came physical training. Liu Xin and Song Yao gradually increased their workout intensity every day, running 10 laps totaling 4,000 meters regardless of wind or rain before returning to their dormitory. At the same time, they spent an hour each day browsing cycling forums to plan their route from Wuhan to Chongqing.
“My family gives me 1,000 yuan a month for living expenses, and I usually manage to save over 100 yuan. That’s the money I used to buy my gear,” Liu Xin said. To avoid adding financial burden, he searched online monthly for items such as an insulated water bottle, flashlight, bicycle rack, goggles, first aid kit, and face mask, spending around 1,000 yuan in total.
As the winter break drew nearer, Liu Xin still hadn’t found a suitable bicycle. “Later, I asked a classmate to help me buy a second-hand bike that was 80% new for 700 yuan. Its original price was 1,400 yuan,” Liu Xin said. “I didn’t think it was necessary to buy a new one because I wasn’t planning to cycle back to Wuhan, so I wouldn’t use this bike much afterward. Also, a used bike is easier to handle than a new one and better suited for long-distance rides.”
On the 14th, news spread among their classmates that Liu Xin and Song Yao would be cycling home, but their parents remained unaware. “Taking the train takes 16 hours and costs just over 100 yuan. If I told my parents I’d spend around 2,000 yuan and take about nine days to cycle home, they’d definitely say no,” Song Yao and Liu Xin said. “We figured it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.”
Unexpected Events
A rough start: a pulled muscle in the right leg
Snowy mountain roads test their limits
Full of confidence, Liu Xin and Song Yao set off from the school gate at 8 a.m. on the 15th, but before even leaving Wuhan, Liu Xin yelped in pain as he pulled a muscle in his right leg.
“I was too excited and made the most basic mistake—cycling without warming up,” Liu Xin told Chongqing Evening News. “It hurt so much. I was too embarrassed to tell my companion to rest a while longer, so I just endured it.”
Liu Xin said he endured the pain for the first two days of the trip. “My right leg was strained, so I had to rely mostly on my left leg.” He added, “It was painful, but I felt it was worth it. Once we reached the Jianghan Plain, the open and beautiful scenery along the way helped me forget the pain.”
According to their original plan, Liu Xin and Song Yao would cycle for 10 hours each day and stay in the cheapest hotel available upon arrival. “Thanks to good preparation, we usually arrived within two hours of our estimated time,” Liu Xin said. Their daily accommodation cost 70 yuan, meals 40 yuan, and they carried an extra 700 yuan each for emergencies.
On the 19th, while climbing Qiyue Mountain in Lichuan, Hubei—where the average altitude exceeds 1,500 meters—Liu Xin and Song Yao faced real hardship. Song Yao told Chongqing Evening News that they set off at 9 a.m. and rode non-stop until 4 p.m. to get over the mountain. “The mountain was covered in thick icicles, and the road was very slippery. Looking back, it was indeed dangerous, and we only managed to get over it by encouraging each other.”
“When I reached the mountaintop and was about to descend, my feet were frozen. Then I heard Song Yao joking