Cycling around an island is one of the outdoor activities beloved by Taiwan’s youth today, and it has become the top choice for university students’ graduation trips. Chen Shouzhong, a Taiwanese outdoor adventurer who has overturned the notion that “only the young can afford to cycle,” led a group of “Eternal Riders” over sixty to successfully complete a cycling tour of Europe, using this journey to tell skeptics: “Not only can we afford it, but we aim to be ‘Joyful Cycling Knights.’”
Chen Shouzhong was among the first in Taiwan to complete a solo cycling trip around the world. In his view, cycling allows travelers to get up close with local culture and experience foreign charm—an indescribably wonderful journey. Just four years ago, he took his then 6-year-old daughter on a 2100-kilometer “Silk Road Family Cycling Adventure” over two and a half months.
“Leading more riders on a global cycling journey” has always been Chen Shouzhong’s dream. In 2011, he launched a new cycling plan called “Global Cycling Grand Tour by Time Segments,” aiming to cycle around the world in four years. “We recruit 30 riders each year, schedule the trips during summer vacations, and complete the itinerary in three stages,” Chen explained. Most people today have busy work schedules, making it nearly impossible to spend one or two years cycling around the world. But with a segmented approach, the costs are lower, the timing works, and more people can join in.
This “light adventure”-style plan quickly gained enthusiastic responses. However, unexpectedly, most applicants were seniors over 60 years old. Team members Mr. and Mrs. Liu Qinglin became the first in the group to cycle across the European continent this summer, affectionately dubbed the “Legendary Cycling Couple.” “In the past, traveling by vehicle only allowed us to skim the surface, but cycling through different countries let us not only admire beautiful scenery but also understand the local customs,” the elderly couple said joyfully. Sometimes they could even “race along the road”—a happiness beyond words.
“Cycling around the world isn’t about enduring hardship, but enjoying the ride as joyful knights,” said Chen Shouzhong. In his view, the “Global Cycling Grand Tour by Time Segments” is more about enjoying the scenery while cycling and collecting countless surprises along the way. Now, Chen Shouzhong and his “Eternal Riders” have completed three-quarters of their global cycling journey. They are now preparing for next year’s cycling tour across the American continents.
“After completing the global cycling tour, I hope to bring this cycling model to mainland China and share the joy of cycling with riders there,” Chen said with great anticipation.