Liao Jingwen cycled for 16 days, passing through 5 provinces, covering a distance of over 1,200 km. (Image source: Western China Net)
On July 13, Liao Jingwen finally returned to her home in Yichun and reunited with her parents. (Image source: Western China Net)
Western China Net News (Reporter Ouyang, Intern Li Meiqian) At 22 years old, a girl cycled alone for 16 days, traversing 5 provinces and over 1,200 km. She set off from Xi’an on June 28 and arrived back in Yichun on July 13. Liao Jingwen, a recent graduate of Xi’an International Studies University, chose this way to mark the end of her university life. It was only after she got home that she found out her father, upon learning his daughter planned to cycle home, had driven all night toward Xi’an. In order not to interfere with her cycling plan, he periodically called her to track her location while maintaining a certain distance behind, ready to protect her in case of danger. Along the way, her father secretly accompanied her for 10 days, which deeply moved her.
She regretted it after the first hill, but still persevered
At 22, Liao Jingwen is a student from the class of 2009 at Xi’an International Studies University. As a recent graduate, unlike her peers who traveled in groups, she chose an unusual way to conclude her university life. She used the tracks of her bicycle wheels to document her growth and bid farewell to her college years.
Before this cycling trip, her longest bike ride had only been 15 km—it was her first long-distance ride. The planning to actual departure took just two or three days, and even her gear was hastily prepared online just two days prior. The bicycle she started with was borrowed from a male classmate, but because it was a men’s bike with a larger frame, her early journey wasn’t smooth.
The hardest parts of long-distance cycling, compared to flat-ground biking, are climbing and descending. Even moderately steep slopes can be exhausting during prolonged cycling. “I told myself I regretted it 17 times while climbing the first hill, but then reminded myself to persevere twice each time… After a continuous five-kilometer climb, a road sign read ‘3.6 km descent ahead, drive with caution,’ and I burst into tears,” she wrote on Renren.com—this was the first major challenge she faced on the ride. She said she didn’t know why, but that first hill left her breathless, and at one point she even lost consciousness. When she woke up, someone nearby said she had been trembling. She later drank Huoxiang Zhengqi water but turned out to be allergic to alcohol, breaking out in redness and heat. For a moment, she regretted the ride, wondering why she had done it, yet a strong belief kept her going. It was June 29, the second day of her journey—everything had just begun.
Liao Jingwen told reporters that when she reached the Qinling Mountains, she faced a 20-plus-km uphill stretch, including 8 km of steep slope and 17 km of gentle slope, all against the wind. For someone with no previous cycling experience, it was a true test of her limits. But the worst part was riding a men’s bike—18 inches, much taller than what most women would normally use, making it especially strenuous. By the end of the day, she had applied 13 patches of medicated plaster all over her body, aching terribly.
Liao Jingwen still clearly remembers crying while cycling into the wind on the way up the Qinling Mountains. Yet, despite everything, she pushed forward. She said she’s the kind of person who, once an idea pops into her head, feels compelled to try it—and once she starts, she has to finish it. No matter what happens, she’s determined to do it well. It was this perseverance that carried her through the more than 1,200 km.
Cycling was tough, but good people were always around
Throughout the long journey, the solo female cyclist Liao Jingwen encountered many unforgettable moments. Beyond the hardships, there was more gratitude and inspiration. Along the way, many kind-hearted people lent her a helping hand.
Interestingly, a netizen she met on WeChat secretly followed and quietly protected her for a stretch. This netizen was someone she knew from when she stayed in Liuyang. Upon learning about her cycling trip, the netizen drove around Liuyang looking for her several times before waiting for her on the mandatory route to National Highway 319. The kind-hearted netizen followed Liao Jingwen for 24 km and even secretly took photos. He did this simply because National Highway 106 was under repair and he was worried about her safety.
Along the way, Liao Jingwen met many kind people, which made her both happy and deeply moved. In her Renren.com photo album, there are many photos of her with those helpful strangers, along with text expressing her gratitude to each of them. A small shop owner helped her make brown sugar water; when she passed an orchard, fruit farmers warmly invited her for a meal and she helped sell pears and peaches for an auntie; on the roadside, she was stopped by a melon farmer—thinking she wanted to buy a watermelon, the farmer insisted, “No charge!”
In Yicheng, while picking lotus leaves for fun, she ran into a man also cycling. He introduced her to their cycling group and she met many kind uncles and aunties. When she was about to leave, they gave her a carton of Wong Lo Kat and helped secure it on her bike. Later, one of the uncles sent a man to accompany her all the way to the Yicheng border before saying goodbye. In Xiangyang, the bike shop staff not only fixed her bike but also taught her repair skills and treated her to a meal… All these little moments stayed with Liao Jingwen, warming her heart and filling her with deep gratitude. She said the care everyone showed her became the motivation that kept her going safely to Yichun.
Her favorite photo is the smiling faces of people she met along the way
“I’ve realized my favorite photos aren’t of the scenery or the mountaintops I reached. They’re the smiles of people I met along the way; the dog I fed with chicken wings from breakfast; the little piece of ham sausage I placed by an ant hill and watched as many ants came to carry it away…” When asked about her feelings throughout the trip, Liao Jingwen said, “Both natural landscapes and humanistic scenes are sights you can enjoy and grow from along the way, but many cyclists miss the scenery that belongs to them.”
Riding from Xi’an to Jiangxi, 16 days and 1,200 km—was tough and long for a 22-year-old girl cycling for the first time. But the stories and people she encountered along the way have become invaluable treasures in her life. She said she might cycle again in the future, though not necessarily on routes like Sichuan-Tibet. Perhaps, someday in an ordinary small city, you’ll see a girl like her, cycling along the road—alone or with others.
Actually, she has one small regret: “I didn’t get friends from different places to teach me how to say ‘Xi’an International Studies University’ in their local dialects.” Since it was her graduation cycling trip to bid farewell to her alma mater, the name will gradually fade—but even so, she believes her love for her school won’t diminish with distance.