Whenever there is a national holiday, or long weekends on the horizon, we do our best to organize a multi-day cycling trip to areas in and around Xi’an. The trips usually last for three to four days and often take us deep into the Qinling mountains to see all the wonders that the beautiful landscapes have to offer.

As many ultra-endurance races got postponed this year and travelling is still very complicated, expensive, and includes many risks, me and some friends decided to set up our own challenge here in China. We came up with the idea to cycle along the Great Wall from west to east and called it Great Wall Ride (GWR).

I took the train with my bike and met my friends from Beijing in Jiuquan, who flew there. Whenever possible I prefer to take the train over a flight, because I rather carry/handle my bike myself rather than trusting airlines with it. Once we had met up, we were ready to begin the trip.

Your first question may be a big WHY?
First, winters in Shaanxi aren’t usually that bad, besides a few weeks of colder, smoggy weather. Nothing that could stop you from doing some exercises and staying or getting in shape. Cycling is also a very good way to improve your fitness and health. It’s fun to explore the surroundings around the city, especially when you go with a group of friends. The feeling of accomplishment is bigger in these days too.