My new hero...

phy2sll2

BBC News wrote:

26 July 2012 Last updated at 10:59
Man cycles across the world from China for London 2012
By Josephine McDermott
BBC News, London
When London's mayor accepted the Olympic flag in 2008 a Chinese farmer who was looking on inside the stadium says he was inspired to travel to the next host city for the Games by the only way he could afford - rickshaw.
In two years Chen Guanming travelled about 60,000km through 16 countries, overcoming floods, war zones, mountain passes and temperatures of -30C.
His aim, he said, was to "spread the Olympic spirit".
He arrived in London on 6 July.
John Beeston from Norwood Green in west London discovered him at the top of Lower Regent Street looking "completely lost and downhearted".
"At first I assumed it was a tourist rickshaw. Then I looked back and thought 'No, this is something different'."
Mr Chen has pictures on his three-wheeled rickshaw of him posing in front of international landmarks and a banner saying he is on a journey of 140,000km (86,992 miles) - which includes China.
Mr Beeston, who runs an insurance brokers and travels to China on business, was able to chat to Mr Chen who is unable to speak English.
"I spoke with my limited Mandarin, asking if he was Chinese and he burst into life."
He took him to Soho's Chinatown where Mr Chen told his story and has since been showered with admiration and offers of accommodation.
He has even been bought a Jamaican tracksuit top.
"They couldn't find a Chinese one," Mr Chen said.
'London is beautiful'
His story sounds so fantastical that few would give it house room, but the 57-year-old from Jiangsu province in eastern China, has the passport, press cuttings and book full of messages from around the world, to testify to his feat.
"It's like telling people that a Martian has landed in the garden," said Mr Beeston.
"But, what he's done isn't dissimilar to what Marco Polo did and the Italians named an airport after him."
In the first countries - Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam - he had to wring his clothes out seven or eight times a day because of the sweat. It was about 38C.
In Thailand, he was caught up in deadly floods.
On trying to leave South East Asia he was refused a visa in Burma.
Unperturbed, he backtracked and cycled to Tibet where he wended his way on his gearless bike up 7,000m high mountains.
Having crossed Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran he ended up in Turkey where it was -30C and he says he spent four days snowed in.
He says he supported himself couriering items along the way for people and through people's donations.
So was the journey worth it?
"London is especially beautiful," he says.
"People are very friendly. They always show warmth towards me.
"When I go back to China I want to tell them how civilised the English are."
Opening ceremony ambition
He wants to carry on spreading his message of peace and environmental protection, he says.
"I'm a big fan of Olympic Games," he says with typical understatement.
"I wanted to come here because I wanted the whole world to support the Olympics and be part of it."
Ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games he led a personal crusade against littering, encouraging people to respect their environment.
To achieve this, he cycled to Beijing from his village, Erchen, in 2001 when China's bid was successful.
He says he went through 1,764 cities, covering more than 90,000km.
For three months he collected litter around Beijing and the Olympic Park.
He litter picked everything from cigarette butts to plastic bottles and was rewarded for his voluntary work by the authorities with a seat at the closing ceremony.
Now, he wants to be in the opening ceremony to round off his Olympic journey.
Asking Mr Chen if he thinks it will be "difficult" to take part in the ceremony on Friday seems crass given the scale of his achievement in coming this far.
And with his indomitable spirit, who's to say he won't achieve it?
Whatever happens, he has his heart set on making it to Brazil next for Rio 2016.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18980693

I wish we had him as our mascot, not the stupid alien things!

bigmat

I bet he won't get past security into the Olympic compound. Deport him!

AlSee

If I had a ticket for the opening ceremony I'd give it to him because his story's just put a bigger smile on my face than the ceremony probably would.

SimonAH

And I was just thinking about cycling my rickshaw to the park with my daughter and umming and aaring 'cos it's very hot! That's it...... I'm off!

ktaylor

The mind boggles.."cycled to Tibet where he wended his way on his gearless bike up 7,000m high mountains."

veronese68

SimonAH wrote:

And I was just thinking about cycling my rickshaw to the park with my daughter and umming and aaring 'cos it's very hot! That's it...... I'm off!

I now expect you to rickshaw to the summer drinkies, picking up GTV, Wilma, Redvee and anyone else en route.

Headhuunter

BigMat wrote:

I bet he won't get past security into the Olympic compound. Deport him!

That's a good point, how on earth did he get into the UK without a visa etc? Seriously though, not that I wish him any difficulties getting in after having cycled so far but is this another UK Border c0ck up?

SimonAH

Went to the park :-D and the blighter wanted to drive!

http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh44 ... 14ab4a.mp4

Jay dubbleU

He's got a visa - they showed his passport on the TV - apparently he cycled through Vietnam and Cambodia but they wouldn't let him into Burma so he 'detoured' via Tibet, Afganistan and Iran, Turkey and Italy.

Nice bike Simon - training the youth already - bit big for a paper round though

Gussio

SimonAH wrote:

Went to the park :-D and the blighter wanted to drive!

http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh44 ... 14ab4a.mp4

You need to get some paying customers in the back....