After cycling for nine days to reach Xi'an, 12-year-old Longlong was especially excited.
The Jinan boy, who just finished elementary school this summer, had planned to cycle to Tibet during the break.
Yesterday, he and his father, Mr. Chu, arrived in Xi'an from Jinan after a nine-day journey covering 1,001 km.
He learned how to patch tires after multiple flats along the way
When reporters met Longlong yesterday, he was tanned and slim, showing little signs of fatigue on his face. He even joked with them: “Auntie, do I look so dark that you can only see my teeth at night?” “It was actually quite tough, but I kept telling myself that perseverance is victory,” said Longlong. It was his own idea to go on the ride, so he felt he couldn’t give up halfway.
Longlong said he and his dad faced many difficulties along the way. On the second day of cycling, just outside Jinan, they encountered a full day of heavy rain. They cycled wearing rain capes and were completely soaked. In Gongyi, Henan, they ran into road repairs on the national highway and had to take a mountain route. “The slope was extremely steep — nearly 10 km long — and we had to push our bikes for almost three hours.”
During the nine-day ride, Longlong and his dad had five flat tires. Longlong said he had learned how to patch tires from his father.
“Just a few kilometers out of Sanmenxia, Longlong fell off his bike and injured his knees and elbows,” said Mr. Chu. He wanted Longlong to rest, but the boy refused, saying, “A little injury won’t keep me off the battlefield.” Sometimes when water ran low, Longlong would hold back from drinking and insist his father have some. “He’s such a thoughtful kid — all that love hasn’t been wasted,” said Mr. Chu.
“I’ve realized that the challenges I used to face really weren’t that hard”
Longlong loves martial arts and exploring new places. He doesn’t play computer games, and when he does go online, it’s mostly to research things. He never stays home during winter or summer vacations. In previous breaks, his parents would make time to travel with him. This summer, as soon as school ended, he told them he wanted to cycle to Tibet. “I was completely shocked,” said his mother, Ms. Guan. Although Longlong has always been independent-minded, this request still came as a surprise. After much discussion, a compromise was reached: his father, Mr. Chu, would accompany him on a bike trip to Xi'an to visit their grandmother.
“When we reached the Xi'an border, I shouted ‘We did it!’ and almost lost my voice from yelling,” said Longlong.
Ms. Guan also flew from Jinan to Xi'an, where the family reunited. Looking at her sun-tanned son, she didn’t show any overprotective concern. Instead, she patted his shoulder and said, “After this trip, I can really see how much you’ve grown and matured. Keep it up, young man!”
Reflecting on the experience, Longlong summed it up in one sentence: “I’ve realized that the challenges I used to face really weren’t that hard.”