75-year-old Jin Zhengnian is confident in his physical strength.
China News Service, Nanjing, October 11 (Tian Wen) — Cycling across Taiwan, connecting both sides of the strait. On the 11th, 24 silver-haired seniors from Nanjing traveled to Taiwan to fulfill their long-cherished dream of biking around the island, celebrating the Chongyang Festival in their favorite way. She Jianzhong, the team leader, said that while enjoying Taiwan’s beautiful scenery, they would also showcase Nanjing’s scenic beauty to the local people and promote the Youth Olympic Games to be held in Nanjing next year.
The 24 seniors are members of the Nanjing Elderly Sports Association Bicycle Touring Team, with an average age of 65. The elders have always had a special connection to Taiwan, dreaming of cycling around the island. This Chongyang Festival, they decided to collectively pursue their dream of a round-the-island cycling trip. She Jianzhong explained that, considering the physical condition of the elderly, they would first take a train from Nanjing to Fuzhou, where their bicycles would be shipped, and then start cycling from Fuzhou. They would take a ferry from Pingtan Port to Taichung to complete the 15-day island cycling tour.
Among the 24 seniors, the oldest is 75 years old. There are 8 female “riders” over 60 and 3 couples who cycle together. Surprisingly, there was also a 64-year-old man, Peng Yikai, at the departure site using a cane. He said that in his youth, he suffered a crush fracture of the lumbar spine in an accident, leaving sequelae in his lower body and causing some difficulty in walking. But Peng confidently said, “My knee joints are fine, and it won’t affect my cycling trip at all.”
Like Peng, 75-year-old Jin Zhengnian also expressed confidence in his physical strength. Although he is the oldest in the group, he is determined not to hold back his teammates. “I’ve been with the team for six years, and I go on long cycling trips every year. My physical condition is good. Over the years, I’ve visited many parts of our country and seen its development. Taiwan is also part of China’s beautiful landscapes, and I’ve always wanted to see it. Strengthening the bond with the Taiwanese people, this Chongyang Festival, my dream is finally coming true.”
According to She Jianzhong, another important goal of this Taiwan cycling trip is to promote the Youth Olympic Games to be held in Nanjing next year. He said that this global event being hosted in Nanjing is thanks to the prosperity of the country and the development of Nanjing, and he is very proud of it. “Along the way, we will show the Taiwanese people the beautiful scenery of Nanjing and promote the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, drawing more attention to Nanjing.”