[attach]1042903[/attach]
Cycling deepens their bond
When we met this couple in the northernmost village of China — Beiji Village in Mohe County, Heilongjiang Province — no one could guess their real age: the husband wore a sky-blue cycling jersey, his skin tanned dark, his eyes determined, his arms strong; the wife wore a light purple cycling jersey, her eyes bright, her smile lively; even their silhouettes exuded a sense of synchrony.
Speaking of their cycling experiences, his wife Huang Yunyi proudly said, "We've cycled 20,000 kilometers. We've been as far east as Fuzhou, as far south as Sanya, as far north as Mohe — Beiji Village, and as far west as Qinghai Lake. Next, we plan to cycle to Taiwan for an island-wide trip."
It was the husband, Liang Zhendong, who first came up with the idea of traveling by bike. In 2008, to fulfill his Olympic dream, he set off from Jiangmen, Guangzhou, and cycled over 2,800 kilometers to Beijing. This feat briefly made him a local "celebrity." Others drew courage and perseverance from his actions, but his wife was more worried about his journey: "He doesn’t take care of himself at all. To keep up the pace, he often ate biscuits and didn’t rest well at night. Later, when he called me from Beijing, he asked me to pick him up and take him back."
That trip made his wife decide to join the long-distance cycling group. "At first, it was just to take care of him, but later, I gradually started enjoying the fun of cycling with him." The cycling routes were long and arduous, and if not for the joint efforts and mutual support of the couple, they would have nearly "collapsed on the road" many times:
The couple’s first long-distance cycling trip was from Duyun, Guizhou, to Jiangmen, Guangdong. At first, the wife couldn’t keep up with her husband’s pace, and the difference in eating habits also made her feel unwell. The husband slowed down and encouraged her while cycling: "Don’t stop, just get through the first three days." Sure enough, after the first three days, the wife gradually adapted to the intensity and even started cycling faster, eventually overtaking her husband. Last year, when cycling around Qinghai Lake, the husband suffered from mild altitude sickness, and with many uphill sections and unpredictable weather, the journey was very tough. "My wife took great care of me. Every time we reached a stop and found a hotel, she urged me to rest, while she washed my clothes and busied herself preparing for the next day’s journey..." After returning, Liang Zhendong wrote a touching line while sorting through photos: "If it weren’t for Lucky Star (Huang Yunyi’s online name), I might not have completed the journey."
Cycling discovers scenery
"The bicycle is the least aggressive mode of transportation. It is agile and can travel even on roads that are not wide or smooth. It is low-carbon and green, emitting no exhaust or pollutants to burden the environment. It allows people to better capture the rhythm of nature while moving their bodies, to feel the breeze blowing against them, to sense the power of life, and to help those lost too long in the concrete jungle find their way home, to rediscover the direction of nature." A cyclist once described the meaning of cycling this way.
When asked why Liang Zhendong chose cycling as his travel method, he gave a similar answer: "Many people prefer to travel by plane or train because it’s fast and convenient, but I think cycling is great. It keeps you fit and lets you slowly enjoy the scenery. It’s a very unique way to travel."
Liang Zhendong still remembers his first cycling trip to Macau: he rode a "vintage bike" he used for grocery shopping, covering just over 90 kilometers from Jiangmen to Macau. On this short journey, the crisp sound of the bicycle bell echoing through the old alleys made him feel as if he had returned to his childhood, riding to school with his friends. On the wide roads, their cycling team weaved through modern vehicles, becoming a sight for many passersby. Finally, upon reaching their destination, he and his teammates camped by the sea, listening to the waves crashing on the shore and watching the stars twinkle in the night sky. With his physical strength drained, he found a long-lost mental peace.
His wife Huang Yunyi added, "Last year we cycled to Qinghai Lake. Many people might just circle the lake in a car and be done with it, or at most get out to take photos at scenic spots. But we spent four days cycling around the lake." From sunrise to sunset, from morning to dusk, they saw Qinghai Lake’s different colors at various times of the day: before the sun rose, the lake reflected the azure blue of the sky; at dawn, it shimmered with the warm orange of the sunlight; in the sunset glow, it sparkled with an otherworldly golden hue... "Seeing so many beautiful sights made every bit of hardship and exhaustion worthwhile."
Cycling makes new friends
Cycling opened their horizons and broadened their social circles. During their travels, Liang Zhendong and his wife made many friends. In the contact list he showed us, there were nearly 900 mountain-climbing enthusiasts and over 700 friends who loved winter swimming and cycling, hailing from all over the country and working in various fields, with ages ranging from 20 to 70. Liang Zhendong meticulously numbered each name — a habit he’s kept for years. "Every time I attend outdoor group activities and meet new hiking friends, I proactively get to know them, ask for their phone numbers and QQ, and organize and number them all when I get back."
Not only that, he also created a QQ group called the "Red Gang Cycling Squad." "In the group, we regularly organize activities, discuss cycling-related topics, and when anyone faces difficulties, other riders are always eager to offer advice. It’s a platform for communication." Currently, the "Red Gang Cycling Squad" has 211 members.
The QQ group has brought cyclists from all corners of the country closer together and added new possibilities to their lives: through this platform, netizens have organized numerous cycling trips. Liang Zhendong said, "I’ve organized the annual cycling trips to Macau, with as many as 70 or 80 participants each time. In 2007, I also organized a cycling trip to Hong Kong. Riders from different places agreed to meet in Shenzhen, camped out together that night, and chatted under the stars with their own tents. People who didn’t know each other connected through a shared passion." Recently, the group has been "live-reporting" the journeys of riders on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. Friends from all over the country have gotten to know each other through the QQ group, bonded by their common interest, and set off on new adventures together.
Before embarking on his cycling adventures, Liang Zhendong was a radiologist. Leading a routine life of working regular hours and shuttling between the hospital and home, he likely never imagined that a casual cycling event after retirement would bring such profound changes to his life. This brings to mind a lyric: "Life is not a process, but a beautiful journey. Life has no dusk yet. The next stop — your second life — is waiting for you to claim it."