Wang Pingan feared he'd never see his trusty mountain bike again after it was stolen just days before he completed an epic journey around China.
Lost friend —
Wang Pingan feared he'd never see his trusty mountain bike again after it was stolen just days before he completed an epic journey around China.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
Against the odds, police manage to track down the bike, which they said had been taken from an area infested with cycle thieves before being sold on several times.
'Old lover' returns —
Against the odds, police manage to track down the bike, which they said had been taken from an area infested with cycle thieves before being sold on several times.
Courtesy Wang Pingan/Weibo.com
Wang (right) stretched a paltry budget of just more than $100 with help from friends along the route.
Help from his friends —
Wang (right) stretched a paltry budget of just more than $100 with help from friends along the route.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
Wang and his bike in Fujian Province, just before heading into Guangdong, where the bike was taken. Wang has spent 460 days covering more than 29,000 kilometers.
Trusty steed —
Wang and his bike in Fujian Province, just before heading into Guangdong, where the bike was taken. Wang has spent 460 days covering more than 29,000 kilometers.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
Guizhou (pictured) is in southwestern China, near the beginning of Wang's journey.
Long beautiful road —
Guizhou (pictured) is in southwestern China, near the beginning of Wang's journey.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
All of the equipment attached to Wang's bike (here in Anhui province in the eastern side of China) was taken along with the machine. Police said there was no damage.
Anhui Province —
All of the equipment attached to Wang's bike (here in Anhui province in the eastern side of China) was taken along with the machine. Police said there was no damage.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
The bike accompanied Wang to the edges of China, from northwestern Xinjiang (pictured) to the northernmost Heilongjiang.
Edge of China —
The bike accompanied Wang to the edges of China, from northwestern Xinjiang (pictured) to the northernmost Heilongjiang.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
Wang and his bike survived the often unforgiving landscape of Qinghai in northwestern China.
Qinghai —
Wang and his bike survived the often unforgiving landscape of Qinghai in northwestern China.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
Wang readies to repair a puncture in Ningxia, an autonomous region in the northwestern side of China.
Ningxia flats —
Wang readies to repair a puncture in Ningxia, an autonomous region in the northwestern side of China.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
Passing through central Shaanxi Province, Wang visited the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an.
Shaanxi —
Passing through central Shaanxi Province, Wang visited the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
The empty roads and wide open skies of Inner Mongolia proved more hospitable to Wang than the mean streets of Shenzhen.
Inner Mongolia —
The empty roads and wide open skies of Inner Mongolia proved more hospitable to Wang than the mean streets of Shenzhen.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
All along the way, Wang relied on inexpensive but hearty street foods, such as this flat bread in Anhui Province.
Cheap eats —
All along the way, Wang relied on inexpensive but hearty street foods, such as this flat bread in Anhui Province.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
And these dumplings in Inner Mongolia.
Road grub —
And these dumplings in Inner Mongolia.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
Wang muscled through the mountainous highway leading into the western territory of Tibet.
Tibet highway —
Wang muscled through the mountainous highway leading into the western territory of Tibet.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
Wang encountered Tibetans performing a traditional long-distance prostration pilgrimage. Now that his bike has been stolen, Wang had vowed to finish his own journey on foot had the bike not been recovered.
Tibet pilgrims —
Wang encountered Tibetans performing a traditional long-distance prostration pilgrimage. Now that his bike has been stolen, Wang had vowed to finish his own journey on foot had the bike not been recovered.
courtesy Wang Ping-an
Xiamen in southeastern China, near where Wang started his journey. He is due to finish in Hainan, another destination famous for its beaches.
Xiamen beach —
Xiamen in southeastern China, near where Wang started his journey. He is due to finish in Hainan, another destination famous for its beaches.
courtesy Wang Ping-an