The couple cycled 3,000 kilometers over the course of a month to reach Tibet.
To commemorate their campus romance, a couple from Bohai University cycled 3,000 kilometers in one month from Chengdu to Tibet.
Now, the two are planning to compile their travel stories and reflections into a book as a memento of their youthful love.
Campus sweethearts use a long-distance cycling trip to witness their love
Chen Hao, now a senior, was formerly the president of the university’s cycling association. Every summer, he would go on long-distance cycling trips with teachers and classmates. During his freshman summer, he cycled from Jinzhou to Taiyuan, covering 1,084 kilometers; in his sophomore summer, he cycled from Yan’an to Qinghai and around Qinghai Lake, covering 2,000 kilometers. In his junior summer, Chen Hao had originally planned to cycle the Sichuan-Tibet route with a teacher and a high school classmate, but thinking about how long he’d be apart from his girlfriend An Shurui, who was also a junior, he decided to go with her instead. “It was also a way to test whether we were a good match for each other on the road.”
“I’m the typical good girl who had never traveled before because my family said it wasn’t safe,” An Shurui recalled. She managed to persuade her family and promised to call them every day to let them know she was safe. To keep up with the cycling group, An Shurui began receiving “special training” from Chen Hao.
They were involved in a traffic accident on the second day of cycling
On July 15, the four-person team set off from Chengdu, passing through Ya’an and Kangding on their way into Tibet, and headed straight for Everest Base Camp after arriving in Lhasa. Over the course of the month-long ride, they crossed nine peaks above 4,000 meters and five peaks above 5,000 meters, cycling an average of 80–100 kilometers per day.
The most frightening moment for the couple came on just the second day of the trip when the girl was involved in a traffic accident. An Shurui recalled that they had just climbed a steep uphill section full of switchbacks and were extremely tired. Upon reaching the mountaintop, she was exhilarated during the descent, but failed to dodge an oncoming farm vehicle while turning. A steel pipe pierced a hole in her leg, causing profuse bleeding. Fortunately, a hospital check-up revealed no bone fractures.
For the next 10 days, An Shurui hitched rides along the roadside each day and then met up with her teammates who had cycled to the destination.
“I was the first to arrive and responsible for finding food and lodging, but if I didn’t find good options, we’d always end up arguing,” An Shurui said. Due to lack of travel experience, the places they found weren’t cost-effective, which led to arguments. After entering Tibet, not wanting the trip to be in vain, An Shurui continued cycling despite her injury. Both were exhausted from the journey, and Chen Hao became easily irritated because he had too much to take care of, leading to more arguments between them.
However, all the bumps along the way taught the two to take care of, understand, and compromise with each other.
After the cycling trip, a teacher who cycled with Chen Hao took the lead in compiling the experiences and reflections from the three summer cycling trips into a book for publication.
“This book records our experiences,” said Chen Hao. This cycling trip strengthened their resolve to be together.