source: the Qilu Evening News reporter Wang Xiaoying Tang garden
Yu Ji Eugen is on the ride on the way to rest. (the photo is provided by Juan)
Yu Hui shows a picture of his journey to a Chinese friend. Reporter Wang Xiaoying of this newspaper,
9 months, cycling more than 10 thousand kilometers, 63 year old Yu root alone from Frankfurt in Germany to Ji'nan, on the way through Austria, Slovenia, Greece, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and other 15 countries. After retirement, he did not want to live in retirement. He saw the changes in China on the road, and also the Chinese people's enthusiasm.
starting original intention: after retiring, want to do a meaningful thing
63 year old Jurgen Flum, only one man rode from Germany to Ji'nan. Along the way, he traveled through 15 countries and traveled 10035 kilometers, equivalent to 1/4 of the circumference of the earth's equator. "It's not the way I want to live." After retiring, Eugen always wanted to do something meaningful. It happened that Denzel, his friend for many years, lived in Ji'nan. From 2007, Eugen came to China one or two times a year. When he was in Ji'nan last year, he sprouted the idea of coming to Ji'nan from Germany next time.
although Eugen always thought riding a bicycle was a pleasure, it was the first time for him to ride this long distance. "In Germany, I would ride around the city, and I had been riding in Spain and France as a young man, and even joined his wife for the marathon." But long distance riding requires courage and determination for Eugen.
for this journey, he has been preparing for half a year, collecting all kinds of information, and making a riding route according to other people's experience. In February 28, 2014, Juan started. "I brought 90 kilograms of luggage, tents, cooking utensils, and cold proof clothes," he said. All of this has been condensed into his retirement "big plan". Eugen seems to have put his dream on his bicycle.
experience: sprain was burned, money was stolen
"there was no big danger on my way. This trip was not a" big adventure "that people imagined, but a normal bicycle journey. Juan said with a smile. However, in the 9 months' journey, Eugen has encountered many minor problems. "Though I was not ill, I suffered toothache and diarrhea for two times. Especially when I was in Uzbekistan, the sun was shining and I was burned. " He pointed at his left arm.
"but I never thought of giving up." On one occasion, Eugen sprained his feet and could not ride a bike. He stayed in the hotel for a few days, and the visa was very difficult. "After so many countries on the road, some countries are not in good condition and I have encountered some dangers. In Kyrgyzstan, when I was riding, I accidentally fell into a big pit. The bike parts were bad. I had to send a friend from Germany to send the accessories, and then I could go on. "
talked about the difficulties that impressed him on the way. He mentioned that he had not thought that his money was stolen at one time, and he rode far away. "Their home is really poor, too." Juan explained. "Another time, a man was threatening me with a stone and threatening my watch, which was quite impressive."
Juan was impressed by the journey into China: "after entering China, the roads were new and flat, and my riding speed was accelerated. When I was in China, my car chain was broken two times, all of which were picked up by a Chinese friend with a hammer. Chinese people are very enthusiastic. This is not what other countries do.
harvest along the way: good food to see the scenery, a lot of friends
"riding, I know the customs and culture of all over the country, have more cultural experience for these countries, can eliminate the original prejudice to this place." Juan said. His good friend, Mr. Denzel, said, "I feel that to some extent, this trip has also changed Eugen. Riding the experience of 15 countries along the way, he learned about the different regions of the humanities, and he became more tolerant.
not only that, Eugen is a genuine "eat goods". "Look at my stomach." In the course of the interview, he laughed at his slightly bulging stomach. "I am very proud that I can neither eat nor drink, so I tasted all kinds of Chinese flavors on the road. It was hard to ride on the way. I lost 10 kilograms, but I came back to China for a month, and I was so fat that I came back fat again.
along the way, China's changes left a deep impression on Eugen. "Now China is full of tall buildings, and the speed of construction is fast." Eugen also met many friends from China on his way to cycling. "Now Chinese people are getting richer and richer, and they prefer to travel. Especially young people, they are smart, imaginative and have their own ideas. I met several young people who liked riding. Although they all rode in China, they were thousands of kilometers away. Like Germany, China's cycling team is growing stronger.
friend in the eyes of Eugen: he is a strong minded person
"I know him, once he wants to do something, he will do it." Mr. Denzel, an old friend of Juan, told reporters. "At the beginning of last year, he told us," I'm going to retire. After retirement, I have a plan to ride from Germany to China. I didn't dissuade him at that time. On the contrary, I was very supportive. Because I know that if he wants to do something, he will work hard to achieve it.
Denzel has also worried about Juan's physical condition: "in any case, riding or being careful, because the traffic may be more crowded and the bike is in a weak position, I'm afraid he may be in danger. But obviously he succeeded, and I am very proud of him.
another Chinese friend of Juan's Chinese friend, Mr. Wu, also has the same view: "he is a particularly opinionated person who will not change his views easily, what he persists, others can't change." When Juan first mentioned his bike plan, Mr. Wu thought he was joking. "I didn't take it seriously. After all, he was so old, so I didn't expect him to do it, even though I blessed him." So this year, Mr. Wu was surprised when he learned that Eugen was on his way. "It's really great to be able to complete such a ride in the first year of flowering."