Yesterday, Liu Xinmin completed his expedition and returned to Changsha.
Over 138 days, he rode solo for 15,000 kilometers along China’s vast coastline—from the country’s northernmost point to its easternmost, then south all the way to Hainan Island. Incredibly, the person who accomplished this feat wasn’t a young adventurer but a 62-year-old man from Changsha. Yesterday, Liu Xinmin, the “solo rider” from Changsha who was exclusively reported on by this newspaper, completed his third expedition and safely returned to Changsha. During his over four-month journey, Old Liu pedaled his beloved bike north to the northernmost Mohe Arctic Village, east to the easternmost Fuyuan County, south to Hainan Island, and toured Hong Kong and Macau, covering more than 10 provinces. “How do I look like a sexagenarian?” said Old Liu yesterday, dressed in a sporty cycling outfit and speaking playfully, adding that the long ride has made him feel younger.
Riding More Than Ten Hours Daily
On June 27 of this year, 62-year-old Liu Xinmin boarded a train from Changsha to Changchun, Jilin, with the mountain bike that had accompanied him on the Long March retracing trip and his Qinghai-Tibet Plateau cycling adventure, kicking off his third long-distance bike ride. Old Liu’s route was as follows: starting from Changchun, he cycled north along the border to Mohe County’s Arctic Village, then headed to China’s easternmost Fuyuan, rode south to Dandong before following the coastline, circled Hainan Island, and continued through Hong Kong and Macau. He then traveled along the China-Vietnam border before finally crossing through Guangxi and Hunan back to Changsha. The entire route spanned more than 10 provinces across China, totaling approximately 15,000 kilometers.
“I get up around five or six every morning and often ride until evening,” said Old Liu. To save money, he stayed in small inns at night and ate cheap boxed meals, keeping his daily expenses under 100 yuan. “Tough conditions don’t matter much, but I’m afraid of health issues, which could ruin the whole riding plan,” said Old Liu. His riding companion Lao Jiang, who also ventured into the northeast with him, had to drop out midway due to sciatica, and Old Liu himself was delayed for four days in Mohe because of acute prostatitis, almost giving up the ride. “Luckily, I met a rider from Nanjing who taught me to put two sets of magnets in my pocket—it actually worked, and the pain was gone the next day.”
It’s Not About Riding Fast, But Timing Well
After Visiting the Heavenly Lake, He Watched the Tidal Bore
After Visiting the Heavenly Lake, He Watched the Tidal Bore
In addition to exploring China’s northernmost and easternmost points, visiting Jingpo Lake and Changbai Mountain were also highlights of Old Liu’s northeastern journey. On August 5 of this year, Liu Xinmin arrived at Jingpo Lake. “Unexpectedly, the period when I arrived was right during the high-water season—the waterfall was at its most spectacular all year,” he said. Three days later, Old Liu rode to Changbai Mountain. “The Heavenly Lake is usually shrouded in clouds and mist for most of the year. Strangely enough, the day after I arrived, the clouds cleared, and I was told the view was probably the best of the entire year!”
Lady Luck seemed to favor Liu Xinmin. On September 22 of this year (the 18th day of the eighth lunar month), Old Liu rode to Haining, Zhejiang. “I arrived at 12:20 p.m., and for some reason, the seawall was packed with people—the tide was truly spectacular,” said Old Liu. It wasn’t until he watched TV that evening that he realized he had encountered the annual Qiantang River tidal bore. “It was exactly three days after the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Locals told me that’s when the tide is the strongest—and I happened to be there.”
Three Expeditions, 30,000 Photos
WeChat Blog Documents the Ride
WeChat Blog Documents the Ride
On April 18 of last year, Liu Xinmin began his second bike ride. During the four-month journey, he rode with companions up the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, crossed the northwestern Gobi Desert, and used a camera to document his travels. “The first two rides yielded a total of over 20,000 photos. Because I took so many pictures and the rides were bumpy, the camera’s circuit malfunctioned,” said Old Liu. This time, he switched to a new camera and has taken over 30,000 photos so far. Whenever possible, he posts the images on QQ Zone and his blog.
Internet access was limited on the road, so Old Liu recorded his journey by keeping a diary while riding. After returning home, he organized his experiences into blog posts. Writing in the humorous voice of his bike as narrator, Old Liu shared the “master’s” adventures in his blog posts: “The high-altitude Qinghai-Tibet route gave the ‘master’ altitude sickness, making it nearly impossible to sleep for three full nights. The storm and blizzard after crossing the Tanggula Mountains almost made the ‘master’ shout for help… The ‘master’ played ‘Can’t Afford to Get Hurt’ the whole way—I understood it.” Before this trip, Old Liu switched to a smartphone and learned how to use WeChat, allowing him to share real-time updates about the exciting things he encountered along the way. “Riding is a huge test for both body and mind, but everything I saw and experienced made it all worthwhile,” said Old Liu. His next goal is to reach China’s westernmost point.