“Youth is the time to do crazy things. Some things, if not done now, may never happen.” On New Year’s Day, Wang Jun, a sophomore majoring in civil engineering at Hubei University of Technology, set off from campus on his bicycle, covering 348 kilometers through physical and mental challenges, and returned to his home in Xiangyang in three days, completing his “crazy journey.”
On the 10th, a reporter reached out to Wang Jun. His words were filled with poetry: “One must walk unfamiliar roads and see unfamiliar sights; either read or travel—the mind and body must be on the move.” He also admitted that fear of the difficulty of getting train tickets during the Spring Festival travel rush played a part in his decision to cycle home.
Wang Jun said, “The poetic feelings I expected during the trip weren’t really there. My body was sweaty, and I got cold as soon as I stopped. My legs were sore, and I felt very lonely at night. During the last 100 kilometers, I could have taken a bus home, but resisting that temptation was painful…”
In October 2011, Wang Jun and his classmates participated in cycling activities around East Lake and the “Yellow Crane Tower–Yueyang Tower” route, which greatly increased his interest in bike travel. Last month, he came up with the idea of cycling home. He used his phone to look up route information and searched online for fellow travelers. Several fellow villagers who had planned to join him backed out before departure due to the cold weather.
On New Year’s morning, Wang Jun set off as planned. He recalled, “During the day, walking freely, looking freely, thinking freely—that feeling was truly enjoyable. But at night, when trucks and cars whizzed past me one after another, and occasionally a motorcycle, electric bike, or farm vehicle appeared, it gave me great comfort, as if they were kindred spirits, easing my loneliness a little. By the second night, I found myself getting soft. My legs were sore, I felt lonely at night, and I started wanting to hitch a ride. So I stopped and looked back. Seeing over 200 kilometers on the odometer, I mustered my spirit again, put on my face mask and gloves, and kept going.”
Along the way, many passersby stared at Wang Jun. He felt as if he were being mocked. However, when he bought bread at a roadside shop, the old lady there poured him a cup of hot water and repeatedly told him, “There are many cars at night, so be careful.”
After returning home, his parents didn’t even believe that their son had cycled all the way from Wuhan to their home alone.
Along the way, Wang Jun learned that there is a milestone every 100 kilometers on national highways and a marker post every 100 meters. He felt he had gained a lot.
