Cycling route map.
Bicycle, tent, sleeping bag... These will accompany him throughout the entire summer vacation.
At 22, he plans to bike to Nepal this summer.
Planning to cycle over 9,000 kilometers with a companion
“This holiday, I’ll just spend it with this,” Gao Shizheng said, pointing to the bicycle beside him as he spoke to a reporter. Xiao Gao is a junior English major at Shenyang Sport University who loves outdoor cycling and will spend his summer biking all the way to Nepal.
To plan their time reasonably, Xiao Gao and another companion spent a full month mapping out their itinerary and route. “The total distance will be over 9,000 kilometers. We can cycle up to 150 kilometers a day at most—if we go farther, we’re more likely to get injured. That adds up to nearly three months,” Xiao Gao said with a smile. “Luckily, I’ll be a senior next semester, so there aren’t many classes, and it’s easier to ask the teachers for leave.”
Plan to get a postmark in every place we visit
Cycling for two or three months—what should we bring? Xiao Gao said that to reduce weight, he has cut down on items again and again, but the whole luggage still weighs 40 to 50 pounds, including a camera and DV. “We want to record the people and stories we see along the way—something worth remembering for a lifetime. We also want to make a short film. Oh, and I have a little notebook—I’ll get a postmark at every post office we visit. From previous rides, I’ve already collected nearly 30 postmarks. This time, I’m aiming for 50!” Xiao Gao said proudly.
Xiao Gao told reporters: “My biking partner and I are going on a budget trip. We brought a tent and sleeping bag, and if we can ‘live’ on the ground, we will. If not, we’ll stay in small guesthouses. Our budget is about 50 yuan per person per day, and we expect to spend around 5,000 yuan in total.”
To build up his stamina, as president of the school cycling club, Gao Shizheng goes on short rides with classmates to places like Qipanshan every week. And over the past month, he has been running 3,000 meters every day and cycling 15 laps around campus in the evening. To prepare for the high altitude in Tibet, he also asked a classmate from the human science department for advice on aerobic and anaerobic breathing techniques.
■ Various Opinions
Parents couldn’t dissuade him
Gao Shizheng: “At first, my parents were against it, but they couldn’t dissuade me, so they agreed. Their main concern was that I wouldn’t handle the high altitude in Tibet well.”
Classmates cheer him on
Junior Li Na: “Senior, you’re simply amazing and cool. Actually, a lot of us have dreams like this or that, but not many actually go for them!”
Roommate Xiao Lian: “I really admire him, but there’s a lot to do during the summer vacation. He’s just looking for trouble.”
Teacher’s reminder
Counselor Fu Jiangbo: “Shizheng has passion, dreams, and the courage to act on them. I support him.” But Teacher Fu also reminded: “A long-distance cycling trip like this requires scientific planning. Not everyone can just decide to do it on a whim, so I don’t recommend others blindly following suit.”