A TOTAL of 37 people in Shenzhen have decided to cycle home for their Spring Festival reunions, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported yesterday.

    They will ride in groups consisting of five to six bicyclists each. Some of them have already embarked on their journey, the report said.

    They are heading to Henan via Hunan, Hubei via Jiangxi, and Zhejiang and Shanghai via Fujian. The longest trip will cover 1,700 km and take about 15 days.

    This will be the second time Gan Jiajiang, from Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, cycles home. An employee of an insurance company in Futian, Gan traveled 1,300 km on his bike during a seven-day trip in January 2015, also to get home for the Spring Festival family reunion.

    He is planning to start his journey for this Spring Festival on Friday.

    The Spring Cycling China group, which Gan participates in, attracted 10 participants last year. The number rose to 37 this year. The group has designed reception points in several provinces. Bikers can take a break and have their bikes repaired at the reception points.

    A long-haul cycling trip is not easy. Gan experienced cold and rainy weather on his last trip in 2015. He had thought of giving up after experiencing bad weather and swollen feet on the first day.  (Lin Min)