67-Year-Old Man Plans Solo Ride to Mount Everest
67-Year-Old Man Plans Solo Ride to Mount Everest
"Old Wang, are you really going to cycle to Mount Everest? Can your body handle it? Don’t push yourself too hard!" Over the past few days, the news that 67-year-old Wang Ruizhi from Baoding plans to cycle to Tibet alone has spread quickly, with relatives and friends practically bombarding his home with phone calls. Facing people's concerns, Wang remains unwavering, consistently exercising daily and gathering route information for the trip to Everest. On June 18, reporters visited the elderly man to witness his determination and perseverance on the journey to Tibet.
Confidence: 15,000 km Cycled in Two Years
Standing at 1.65 meters tall, with dark skin, thick white hair and eyebrows, and a booming voice—these features paint the picture of a healthy and spirited elderly man. His name is Wang Ruizhi, a retired employee from Shidai Commercial Building. Like many seniors, after retirement he picked up his grandchildren from school, cooked for his wife, and practiced Tai Chi in the morning, living a leisurely life. However, in 2010, he bought himself a mountain bike, and his life changed from that moment on.
"I bought the bike on May 2, 2010, and just four days later I went with some cycling friends straight to Can'gutuo Mountain in Yixian County, 60 km away. There were over 30 of us, and I stayed in the lead group the whole ride. Once we got there, we started climbing. Back then, I impressed all those young riders." Recalling his first cycling experience, Wang’s face lights up with excitement.
It was from that day on that the 65-year-old developed a passion for cycling. He cycled almost weekly through Mancheng, Yixian, Laiyuan, and Fuping. In his own words, he’s been to every mountainous area around Baoding. Over the course of two years, the mileage recorded on his cyclometer kept breaking records, reaching 15,000 km. "When I was younger, I was a salesman and traveled all over the place. Now that I'm older, I still can’t sit still—Tai Chi and running just don’t do it for me. Cycling feels great, it’s good exercise and environmentally friendly." Smiling as he patted his beloved bike, Wang said.
Courage: Heading Solo to Mount Everest
When it comes to the plan to cycle to Mount Everest alone, Wang had actually been thinking about it for a long time. "In the second half of 2010, I went to Lotus Mountain with a cycling friend from Hebei University. He talked about his experiences in Lhasa, and I immediately decided that I wanted to go see it for myself by bike. But it was just something I thought about—I didn’t tell anyone." The elderly man laughed.
In September 2011, Wang and over 30 others cycled to Yuhuangtuo Mountain in Mancheng County. The 1,000-meter-high mountain saw only 10 people reach the summit, and Wang was the fourth to get there—and the oldest among them. "I’ve got great endurance. I may not be fast, but I can keep cycling non-stop. When I was younger, I once walked all the way from Wuhan Hotel to Chairman Mao’s Rural Work Study Society." Wang said proudly.
Another important reason is time. Although Wang is retired, he’s far from idle—he picks up and drops off his grandson and granddaughter every day, and then cooks for the whole family when he gets back. The only time he can go out for a drive is on weekends. "I’ve decided to set off at the end of June, mainly because both kids are older now and it’s their summer vacation. If I were still picking them up regularly, I wouldn’t have the time."
Training: Cycling 100 km Daily
To adapt to the physical demands of transitioning from plains to high altitude, Wang began systematic training, testing his limits again and again through running and cycling.
The distance from Baoding to Everest Base Camp is approximately 4,716 km. According to Wang’s plan, the journey from Baoding to Lhasa will take about 40 days, and another 5 days to reach Everest Base Camp from Lhasa, averaging around 140 km per day. Wang said earnestly, "I must train my climbing ability." On June 7, he cycled from Baoding to Longtan Lake in Shunping—a one-way trip of 72 km, round trip 144 km, taking 12 hours; on June 8, he rode from Baoding to Lianggang in Yixian—a one-way trip of 80 km, round trip 160 km, taking 12 hours; on June 9, he cycled from Baoding to Quyang County—a one-way trip of 100 km, round trip 200 km, taking 13 hours.
Besides stamina, the journey to Mount Everest also requires extensive geographical and medical knowledge. For this reason, the 67-year-old man who doesn’t even know how to use a smartphone learned to go online and study pinyin. As for altitude sickness, the elderly man is quite confident. "Once I enter the Tibetan region, I’ll eat the same food as the locals. I’ve also bought 30 boxes of glucose and some apples—the doctor said eating an apple can help with mild altitude sickness. Also, many people fly or take the train directly to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and aren’t used to it right away. I’ll be gradually cycling up from the plains, so I’ll have time to adjust. There’s no need to be overly afraid."
Concern: Wife’s Opposition Proves Fruitless
Wang’s 66-year-old wife, Zhou Aizhu, is his biggest opponent.
"Sure, he’s pretty good at cycling, but his health isn’t great. He has to use dentures to eat, his hearing is poor, and he’s even fallen and hurt his arm. So many people in the family worry about him, and he won’t have anyone to accompany him. What if something happens?" Zhou said, tears welling up in her eyes as she scolded her husband. "I might fail, but I won’t regret it if I’ve tried," Wang replied calmly.