"I think work is something you do for a lifetime, but youth is fleeting. I want to make the most of my youth and accomplish what I’ve always wanted to do." They are three soon-to-be graduates who plan to cycle the Yunnan-Tibet Highway during this graduation season.
At this crossroads in life, they plan to use this cycling journey to commemorate
Wu Jianan, Hu Li, and Ding Zhiyuan are all senior students from the Computer Science Department at Anhui University. In just a few months, the three will step out of the university gates.
Unlike previous years, during their final semester, the trio felt their time was especially fulfilling—not only did they finish their theses under tight deadlines and secure jobs, but they also made time for several trips.
In the last two months of their university lives, the three are planning another adventure—cycling the Yunnan-Tibet Highway, which many other students find a bit crazy. "Even so, when we mentioned it on the school forum, many classmates supported us."
Wu Jianan is the planner of this cycling trip. Asked why he came up with the idea, he told reporters, "After graduation, work awaits, and once you’re working, you might not have the same reckless freedom of youth. I think work is something you do for a lifetime, but youth is fleeting. I want to make the most of my youth and accomplish what I’ve always wanted to do."
With a tight schedule, they aim to complete the cycling trip in nearly a month
In this cycling plan, the three will take a bus directly from Hefei to Kunming, Yunnan, and then start biking from Kunming along the over 2,200-kilometer Yunnan-Tibet Highway all the way to Lhasa.
For these three, there may be many uncertainties along the Yunnan-Tibet Highway. Wu Jianan told reporters that aside from the roughly 200-kilometer stretch from Kunming to Dali—which is relatively flat—the remaining more than 2,000 kilometers consist of continuous mountainous roads.
The trio plans to complete this 2,000-kilometer cycling journey in 21 days, meaning they will need to bike over 100 kilometers each day.
Wu Jianan said that although they feel the one-month timeframe is tight, they are determined to finish. "Because by late June, it will be the rainy season there, which could bring more dangers. Also, late June is when our thesis defenses are scheduled."