Profile
Gu Binbin
From Lianshui, Huai’an, currently lives in Beijing
Resume
Graduated from Beijing Sport University, national-level athlete, formerly worked at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, started a company, engaged in planning, now fully dedicated to travel and outdoor photography...
This man has an incredibly rich resume, yet he’s only... 33, yes, 33.
He has driven through all 33 provinces and municipalities in China, and has also traveled on foot to many countries, writing millions of words in travel journals and taking over ten thousand photos. However, the most “glorious” part of Gu Binbin’s personal journey at age 33 was undoubtedly from October 5 to November 18 last year, when he cycled from New York to Los Angeles, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, covering 4,600 km over 43 days and nights, traversing 15 U.S. states. With just a bicycle, he fulfilled his dream of crossing America from east to west. Yesterday, Gu Binbin was interviewed by a reporter from Yangtse Evening News. He revealed that riding solo from the North Pole to the South Pole is already on his new agenda.
Before this
He had already traveled all over China
And visited multiple countries
Due to his long-term involvement in sports and outdoor activities, the not-so-tall Gu Binbin is very strong, and appears cheerful and talkative. His travel dream began in 2007.
In 2007, while working at a state-owned enterprise, Gu Binbin participated in a scientific expedition project that took him around China’s borders. Starting from Beijing, he systematically explored the country’s border regions. The goal was to integrate some of China’s unique border tourism resources and develop new travel products.
It was that experience that sparked Gu Binbin’s idea to travel the world. Fueled by enthusiasm and a bold spirit, over the years he traveled across China, then went on to visit Russia, North Korea, Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka...
43 Days Crossing America
To fully commit to the plan for his trip across the U.S., in 2011 Gu Binbin quit his job at a tourism planning and design institute. He repeatedly researched materials, drew maps by hand, and refined every detail of the plan. Based on the seasonal characteristics of different regions in the U.S., as well as attractions and road conditions, Gu Binbin carefully planned his cycling route from the East Coast to the West Coast. Since it was autumn all the way, a set of fall clothing was sufficient for the entire journey, greatly reducing the weight he had to carry. On October 5, 2012, the plan to cross America was put into action.
The sun comes up, he climbs the hill, over one hill after another
On Texas Highway 62, the lonely him encountered a lonely wolf, and they faced off for 5 minutes
The road conditions in the U.S. gave Gu Binbin a hard time during the ride—there were mountains and hills everywhere. Often, he would pedal with all his might against the north wind to climb a hill, only to see yet another series of slopes ahead.
After entering the Appalachian Mountains, Gu Binbin almost broke down. There were almost non-stop, extremely long uphill sections, each averaging over 8 km, with downhill sections of less than 1 km. Endless climbing, unsheltered gales, and several moments of hallucination where he nearly fell. Inspired by the climbs, Gu Binbin composed a song, which he would sing a few lines of every morning before setting off: “The sun comes up, I ride my bike, riding my bike up the hill, when I reach the top I take a look, one big hill after another...”
For Gu Binbin, the most terrifying thing on the journey wasn’t physical exhaustion, but mental loneliness. America is vast and sparsely populated, and the desolate desert roadsides, dotted with a few nearly dead plants, made it feel even more barren.
On Texas Highway 62, Gu Binbin experienced a terrifying moment. That day, around noon, after cycling 80 km through a wilderness with almost no scenery and barely any vehicles passing by, he suddenly saw an animal standing ahead. “I thought it was a dog, but it didn’t seem like one. It was slightly bigger than a dog, with its tail tucked between its legs and pointy little ears. Of course, I was stunned—wasn’t that a wolf?” Goosebumps rose on Gu Binbin’s skin as he immediately hit the brakes, stopping about ten meters away from the wolf. For a full five minutes, a lone wolf and a lonely traveler faced each other, with only the howling wind in their ears. Five minutes later, the wolf turned and walked into the depths of the prairie. Watching it disappear in the distance, Gu Binbin jumped on his bike and sped off for 100 km without daring to stop.
Sleeping in a tent, drinking cold water, eating $1 discounted food
“If you have trouble, find God.” Besides camping, he spent many nights in churches
43 days and nights of roughing it. Gu Binbin joked that for the first ten days, he basically didn’t have a single hot meal, surviving daily on bread, hot dogs, and bananas. “That’s what meals were mostly like along the way. I bought the cheapest discounted food at supermarkets—bread was usually $1 for a large pack, ketchup $1 a bottle, hot dogs $1 a bag, and occasionally some bananas or apples at 95 cents a pound. The water I drank was cold water from bathroom faucets. Every penny had to be saved.”
The most surprising food for him was milk—a gallon of pure milk cost less than $3, even cheaper than bottled water.
Eating was manageable, but finding a place to sleep every day was a challenge. “Poor sleep affects stamina, and I have to write a diary every day and plan the next day’s route,” Gu Binbin said. In the earlier part of the trip, he mainly slept in a tent or relied on people’s hospitality. He told reporters that, similar to China, the eastern part of the U.S. is more developed, while the west is more desolate. So on the stretches through New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, besides camping in the wild, he mostly stayed overnight in churches. “Americans love to say ‘if you have trouble, find God,’ and it really works. The pastors at the churches I passed all offered me a place to stay. A pastor in West Virginia, upon hearing that I was from China and cycling across the U.S., even paid out of his own pocket to book me a room at a nearby hotel.”
Besides camping outdoors and staying in churches, he also slept in train stations, roadside cabins for sale, the backyards of American homes, and even cemeteries. When he reached the more desolate western regions, he also stayed in budget hotels.
Blessings from passersby and a turkey from a homeless man brought touching moments
Along the way, he realized that stepping out into the world wasn’t as hard as he had imagined.
Being alone in a foreign country where he knew no one, no matter how brave he felt inside, there were still moments when he couldn’t help but feel a sense of loneliness and distraction. But as long as he kept an open heart, he could truly feel the warmth of others. Throughout his journey, he received help from countless kind-hearted people—Chinese, Americans, elders, children, and even street homeless who generously gave him the turkey meal they had received on Thanksgiving.
While on the road, drivers in oncoming cars often waved at him; passengers in passing vehicles frequently gave him a thumbs-up. In many cities or towns, people by the roadside would wave and smile at him... And the last thing each person would say was always, “God bless you!” Every time this happened, he felt instantly filled with strength.
Regarding this journey that many see as “remarkable,” Gu Binbin simply smiles lightly. “I’ve just done what many people want to do but don’t dare to. You only live once, and I want this life to leave me with many beautiful memories. I can’t leave this Earth, so I want to measure it with my own feet. Some call it an ideal, others call it a fantasy, but I’m taking it step by step. I believe I can achieve this goal. Many say it takes courage, but as long as you take the first step, you’ve already succeeded. Whether you reach the end or not—that’s not important. In fact, I want to tell everyone that overseas cycling isn’t such a big deal. I believe more people, once they understand, will realize that stepping out into the world isn’t as hard as they thought.”