Xie Liangcai, a 68-year-old resident of Xuanmiao Temple Community in Suzhou, is full of vigor despite his age and a key member of the "Giant Cycling Tour Team Pingjiang Branch." Every Saturday, he rides with the branch members to nearby areas in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. A couple of days ago, Xie told his neighbors that he had just returned from Vietnam on his trusty road bike. The purpose of this trip to Vietnam was to fulfill a personal goal: to cycle across the length and breadth of his country. Last year, Xie and his teammates rode from Suzhou to Dandong, and this year they took the southern route from Suzhou to Vietnam.
Posting on Weibo at every stop
Xie said that when he was young, he was most afraid of cycling. During the time of rural relocations, he and his wife were separated—he in Suzhou and she in Kunshan—while their second son had just been born. Xie had to frequently ride back and forth between the two places. He said he got quite tired of cycling. But now, he rides at a slower pace and treats it as a form of exercise.
This time, three team members set off with Xie; he was the oldest, and the youngest was 64. Together, they cycled a total of 2,671 kilometers. On most days, they rode over 150 kilometers, but on days with strong winds, rain, or poor road conditions, they managed around 50 kilometers. Upon arriving at each destination, his first priority was to call his wife to let her know he was safe. Xie also got with the times and started using Weibo. "When I get to a place, I take some photos and post them on Weibo. There are actually quite a lot of people following my Weibo account now!" Xie said cheerfully.
Spending 5,000 yuan to visit 30 towns
On this trip to Vietnam, they passed through over 30 towns, including Hangzhou, Taizhou, Wenzhou, Xiamen, Guangzhou, and Hainan. The ride was tough but enjoyable. The hardest part was in Fujian during the rainy season with many mountain roads. What left the deepest impression on him was Mount Taimu—the climbs were exhausting, and sometimes he had to get off and push his bike. But enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way made it all worthwhile. When going downhill, the steep slopes and high speeds left them freezing cold.
Throughout the trip, Xie and the other riders were very frugal. The most expensive hotel they stayed in cost only 40 yuan per night, and the cheapest was just 20 yuan. He said his standards were not high—as long as there was room for him and his bike, and he could take a hot shower, that was enough. They had to set off again at five or six in the morning. Xie’s entire cycling trip lasted 45 days, with 26 days spent on the road, and the total expenditure was about 5,000 yuan.
Planning an expedition to Russia next year
Xie’s years of cycling experience have brought him greater happiness and inner peace. This cross-country journey from north to south took him two years to complete. "Next year, I plan to go to Russia to watch the Sochi Winter Olympics. At our age, we should really enjoy life," said Xie Liangcai. His participation in cycling activities has the support of his family. His wife said, "It’s not only good exercise, lifts the mood, but also broadens the horizons—why not do it?"