American man rides a recumbent bike across 16 countries covering 33,000 kilometers

 

　　Now settled in Chengdu, he has become a "guide" for foreign cyclists in China

　　With a dream of traveling the world, riding a special recumbent bike, a young American hit the road in the 1980s. After cycling for 3 years and traversing 16 countries and regions, he made his way from Xinjiang to Chengdu. In this city, which he considers "the best," he found a reason to never leave—love. Out of passion, and for life, he now takes international friends on rides through the western mountains. This issue of the Cycling Circle brings you the fantastical adventure story of American Peter Cao (peter・cao).

　　"Cycling is cheap, convenient, and I can always feel the sun, rain, sweat, and wind on my face. It makes me feel one with nature, without any barriers."

　　―――Peter Cao

　　On Tuesday evening at 7 p.m., a group of foreigners were playing rugby on the field of Sichuan University, and American Peter Cao was among them. But a reporter from the Cycling Circle immediately recognized him: dressed in cycling gear, wearing a pair of unique five-toed shoes, with the words "Cycling China" boldly written on the back of his shirt.

　　At 56, Peter looks no more than 30-something and appears very energetic. When Peter mentioned that he had cycled from the East Coast to the West Coast of the U.S. back in the 1980s, the reporter became curious about his age. "I'm already 56," he said. Speaking of cycling, Peter said he has kept up the hobby for 30 years. In 1990, Peter began his 33,000-kilometer global journey, passing through Pakistan, India, Thailand, Nepal... He cycled through 16 countries and regions, including China: "That was also my first time in China, my first time in Chengdu." From then on, Peter fell in love with Chengdu. "Chengdu back then was very different from now, but I found it very interesting because of the beautiful scenery, great food, and beautiful women."

　　Why mention beautiful women? Because it was then that Peter met his beloved wife. "How did you meet? Introduced by friends." The two got married in 1991, lived in the U.S. for a few years after marriage, and then returned to settle in Chengdu again.

　　Choosing to settle in Chengdu meant Peter had to find a way to make a living. "At first, I taught English. Chengdu back then wasn’t like it is now with so many foreigners." Besides teaching, Peter also worked as a voice actor. "Radio, advertisements, textbooks—you name it, if it needed English voice-over, I recorded it." Of course, aside from the usual jobs foreigners do, Peter also started another business: taking foreigners on cycling tours around China.

　　Leading cycling tours helped hundreds of foreigners

　　Peter said that initially, when he organized cycling tours for foreigners coming to China, they would pay him a small fee afterward. "Of course I took the money, haha, but it was very little." Since the 1990s, Peter’s "personal hostel" has successfully taken hundreds of foreigners on cycling tours across China. The longest trip was taking three American friends from Chengdu to Danba, Kangding, Xichang, Lugu Lake, Lijiang, Dali, and then returning to Chengdu by train. "That trip took a whole month." Peter told reporters that he spends 2–3 months each year taking foreigners cycling, mostly Americans, with some Europeans as well. "My wife is very supportive of me, and that’s what makes me very happy."

　　To lead cycling tours, you must know the routes very well, and this is precisely Peter’s "specialty." "I love mountains. There are so many mountains in southwestern China, most of which I’ve cycled through. I also like to wander around unfamiliar places when I have free time." Peter said that every tour route he leads is designed by himself, but even the most carefully planned trips can run into difficulties like getting lost. "That’s simple, just knock on any farmhouse door." Peter said farmers are often shocked to see a foreigner knocking on their door. "They’re very friendly. My Chinese isn’t great, but we can communicate with gestures."

　　All these years of cycling, Peter Cao has been a lucky one blessed by God. "I’ve never encountered any danger." But there are times when he is especially cautious. "Trucks and buses in China drive really fast."

　　When the Cycling Circle reporter mentioned Ambrose, who rode the Western Sichuan mini-loop during Qingming Festival, "Larry, he’s a good friend of mine too." Peter said: "My first case of altitude sickness in China was also on Balang Mountain. The U.S. doesn’t have places that high, but Mount Siguniang is so beautiful it’s worth it."

　　Most bikes are ridden while sitting. Have you ever seen a bike you ride while lying down? Peter has one of those bikes.

　　Peter’s recumbent bike has seen a lot of wear and tear. "It’s 26 years old." Peter said he bought it in the 1980s from a Romanian engineer for $700. "Why so expensive? Because it was handcrafted by that Romanian. Nowadays, you wouldn’t get it for less than $2,000." Although it’s entirely handmade, the bike is very reliable. "Apart from consumables like tires, I’ve barely replaced any parts."

　　"You guys should try it first." Under Peter’s guidance, a Cycling Circle reporter "rode" the recumbent bike. Due to the non-upright position, balance became a big issue, and the reporter couldn’t start riding normally. "It’s mainly a matter of not being used to it. You need to use more force when starting off." Peter explained that usually, when cycling, your legs can push off using gravity, but when lying down, it all depends on leg strength. Once the reporter managed to start, they found that apart from steering limitations due to the structure, lying down allowed the body to be in a more natural and relaxed state, with hands naturally hanging to grip the handlebars—it felt very enjoyable. "My bike also has an internal three-speed rear derailleur, perfect for urban cycling." Peter added.

　　Restrictions on adjusting body posture raise questions about the safety of recumbent bikes. "Actually, it’s quite safe once you’re used to it. The riding posture means you shouldn’t ride on rough roads. Oh, and the most unsafe thing is weaving between two large vehicles." Peter said that because recumbent bikes lower your height, car side mirrors may have blind spots—especially for truck drivers, recumbent bikes are almost invisible to them. "Also, this bike gets way too much attention, which can affect others’ safety."