Cycling Tour Activity
“While we’re still young, let’s travel all across this beautiful land of our country.” In Nanchong, there is a group of seniors whose average age is around 60, but they have very young hearts. For the past five years, they have been traveling around on three-wheeled motorcycles, with many of them covering over 10,000 kilometers in a single year.
Yesterday at 10 a.m., reporters met members of the cycling tour association in the Shiyounan Road community of Nanchong. “All our members are seniors over 60, but don’t underestimate us!” said Ma Chaoqing, captain of the Nanchong Senior Sports Association’s Cycling Tour Association. The Three-Wheeled Motorcycle Cycling Tour Association was established in 2007, starting with just 10 members, and has now grown to over 70, with ages ranging from 60 to 80. Many seniors from nearby communities have joined them.
“We cook and sleep right on the vehicle. This little stove cost 140 yuan, the pressure cooker 50 yuan, the frying pan 10 yuan…” Captain Ma Chaoqing introduced their travel gear to the reporters. “These cooking tools are easy to carry. Wherever we go, we stop to rest near a water source. We keep the quilts on the vehicle, and at night we can just fold down the back seat and sleep there.”
“For any vehicle going on a long trip, it must be properly inspected and maintained before departure. Severely worn tires should be replaced,” said Zhang Tongshun, who is knowledgeable about vehicle repairs within the cycling association. Each trip is accompanied by one or two members skilled in mechanics. “In case the vehicle breaks down in a place with no villages or shops nearby, it can be fixed immediately and we can continue our journey,” explained Wang Daping, secretary-general of the cycling association. The cycling association is a self-organized group that has established relevant rules and regulations.
“Once an accident happens during the trip, the cycling tour may be interrupted, and even if it continues, the mood will be greatly affected, so we place great emphasis on safety during the rides,” Wang Daping told reporters. “We follow traffic rules and travel as a team,” he said. The cycling tour association has been established for five years and has never had a traffic accident.