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It is not easy to interview travelers because they are always on the road. When we contacted these three interviewees, one was riding in Tibet and the other was driving in no man's land. Therefore, it often takes a long time for a short message to receive a reply, just like shouting at a mountain, and it takes a long time to send back an echo. Each of the three interviewees can tell many stories about travel, but in fact we only need to know one thing: why do people need to travel?

Ride on my beloved motorcycle

When surrounded by a strong sense of loneliness, fear is everywhere, but when you break through this fear, it is like climbing a step in the process of spiritual practice, and the scenery you see is no longer the same.

Since graduating from college, 19 motorcycles have entered Wang Minhao's life one after another. He rode 28,000 kilometers last year, and may go further this year. Because he likes riding motorcycles too much, now he has bid farewell to the automobile media industry and become a "full-time" motorcycle rider. Half of every month, Wang Minhao and his motorcycle are driving on the road, and the other half is spent thinking about where to go.

If you want to ask about the attraction of this kind of travel, the engine under the leg gives out real vibration, the wind blows directly on the skin from all directions, and the trees on the ground and the clouds in the sky fall behind-these are the reasons why Wang Minhao loves motorcycles. Danger is inevitable. The most serious one was a late night a few years ago, when a large truck with no lights on violated the rules and collided with the motorcycle he was driving. The accident caused his right wrist to hit two steel plates, five steel nails were stuck in his knee and two teeth were lost. Of course, the motorcycle is completely scrapped. However, even so, during his three months of recovery, Wang sneaked downstairs in plaster and rode several times.

But after that, the sense of speed and excitement is no longer the main purpose of cycling. Knowing the world and increasing experience by riding is the meaning of travel. "I didn't feel anything special when I was a child, until my father took me out to travel in junior high school. When I saw the place described in the book, I suddenly realized that it was like that. " Wang Minhao said that from studying in thousands of books to taking the road of Wan Li, it helped him to see the world and himself better. Tibet is a frequent place. I walked the same route several times, so I know very well that I remember every gas station and restaurant along the way. But every ride will have different feelings, and every feeling is the superposition of previous feelings.

The loneliest experience was riding through Gansu province and entering the hinterland of Qinghai last year, and crossing a large no-man's land on the way. At that time, the Honda Africa double-cylinder he was riding had not run far after replacing the vacuum wheelset, and the total weight of motorcycle and luggage was about 600 kg. Because I forgot to deflate the tires in advance to get enough grip, this Honda got stuck in the sand at an altitude of 3,500 meters, and a friend of mine was seriously rebellious, and there was no cell phone signal in the place. Wang Minhao had to slowly lift the car out of the sand by himself. When surrounded by a strong sense of loneliness, fear is everywhere, but when you break through this fear, it is like climbing a step in the process of spiritual practice, and the scenery you see is no longer the same. "Fear will always exist. What you need to know is where your limit is. This is a red line. " Wang Minhao said, "Growing up may be learning to enjoy life above the red line in awe."

After each ride, Wang returned to his home in Beijing, just like the "spring" was released, sorting out photos and editing videos to prepare for his next departure. Tired of staying in Beijing, there is always a reason to go out. This sense of rhythm is just right. At first, my mother was quite uneasy. With the encouragement of Wang Minhao, she even got a motorcycle driver's license, and the family can share the fun of riding together. Wang Minhao told us that his family now has four motorcycles: Honda CRF 1000 African twin-cylinder, Yamaha Tracer900GT, Honda CB 1 100EX and Yamaha N-MAX 155. These four motorcycles are now scarred, and every scar is a "military medal" on his journey. Wang is unwilling to let them be scrapped. Even if these motorcycles retire gloriously in the future, there will always be a place for them at home.

Q: What does travel mean to you?

A: Know the world. I also read a lot of books when I was a child, and I didn't feel anything special. My father took me out for a trip in junior high school. Seeing the place described in the book, I feel very different.

Q: What do you bring with you every time you pack, besides the necessary luggage?

A: I'll take my air cushion. I gave them a special earphone cover, which was very decompression when pinched. I will listen to music when riding, from rock music to classical music to Tik Tok Divine Comedy.

Q: Please recommend a route that is most suitable for cycling to our readers.

A: Qinggan Small Ring Road. From Xining to Haixi, through the hinterland of Qinghai to Mangya, from Mangya to Ghost Eye, then through Dangjinshan, passing through Aksai Town, entering Dunhuang in Hexi Corridor of Gansu Province, setting off the snow scene of Qilian Mountain, passing through Dunhuang, Jiuquan, Zhangye and Wuwei, the four capitals of the Western Han Dynasty.

He and his Santana

As a front-wheel drive with long-distance tasks, you must squeeze out all the possible grip.

Santana, as the most prolific car model in the history of China automobile industry, has an unshakable position in the eyes of car lovers. A few years ago, Jabin watched this old car become more and more "magical", so he also bought an "N-handed" Santana station wagon on 20 17, which was specially used for traveling.

This white Santana is one of the 3.5 million Santana cars produced by Shanghai Volkswagen, belonging to the late Beijing police version, and it still looks like this. Jabin is going to drive this "most famous car in China" and see different scenery around the world.

When he first got the car, Jabin didn't intend to make too many changes, but several cross-country experiments revealed problems, so he replaced the tires with exquisite all-terrain tires. Appearance changes include replacing rims and tires, and installing luggage racks; In the interior part, Santana's original steering wheel and seat were replaced earlier, which made the "ancient" taste of the whole car more intense.

"The preparation process is very long, because there is nothing wrong. I just keep testing its reliability, find out where problems may easily occur and solve them. " Jabin said, "As a front-wheel drive with long-distance tasks, you have to squeeze out all the possible grip. Fortunately, Santana has achieved enough passability to surprise me by relying on the light weight, narrow car, long suspension stroke and ground clearance that are much higher than modern cars. "

Time came to 2065438+September 2009, and this Santana finally ushered in an opportunity to show its strength. After several weeks of route investigation and scrutiny, Jia Bin finally decided to start from Beijing, run for three days and arrive in Wuwei City, Gansu Province. From Wuwei to the south, enter the unpaved highway, cross Lenglongling, enter Menyuan County of Qinghai Province in the hinterland of Qilian Mountain, then cross Qilian County to Yang Long Township of Qinghai Province along the east-west mountain range, then cross Tolai Mountain to Jiayuguan City of Gansu Province, and the final destination is Dunhuang.

Jabin concluded that the danger of this road should not be too high, at least there will be no open circuit caused by landslides. However, it is uncertain whether Santana's passability can be used as an unpaved climbing road at high altitude, so he has also made sufficient backup plans for emergencies. When I first entered the mountainous area, the driving experience was particularly pleasant. Jabin reduced the tire pressure to 65,438+0.3 bar. For this two-wheel drive with curb weight of 1 100kg, it is not difficult to climb at a speed of 40 km/h, but the difficulty coefficient of the following muddy sections is very high. "There is not much choice in this place, that is, don't be stingy with your throttle and gasoline, and don't collect oil halfway, otherwise you will have to go back to the bottom of the slope and start a new stove, especially for two-wheel drive vehicles." Jabin put the car into first gear, stepped on the accelerator and rushed into the mud, and at the same time controlled the steering wheel to make the car run along the road that didn't look too deep. With the roar of 1.8 liter naturally aspirated EFI engine and the sound of mud hitting the car, he and his Santana finally drove out of the mud and saved the day.

So far, this Santana has lived up to Jabin. He said that cars are sometimes like pets. They accompany you to many places and gradually become an important member of the family after experiencing many things together. "I don't know if it has a temper, but I find that it always uses a spring to repay the grace of dripping water."

Q: Please tell me about the most dangerous driving experience. Are you prepared for death?

A: I have tried four people riding bicycles through no man's land. It's still dangerous to think about it now. Once the car breaks down, people can't get out. I was too young to have a satellite phone, so I could go if I wanted to. It is both a dangerous memory and an unforgettable memory.

Q: Have you ever imagined that one day you could travel in space?

A: I haven't thought about it. Of course I want to go if I can. But I think this requirement for physical quality should be very high and unrealistic.

Q: In a word, why do you think people need to travel?

A: People can travel, but it is not necessary, just like "you can engage in art, but it is not necessary". It's good to study in thousands of books at home, so I just want to go out and see more.

"hard mode" traveler

Tibet is a place that Chen Tong misses every year. Due to the hardships of the plateau and various road conditions, it is a challenge to people and cars themselves. More importantly, there will be a sacred and pure feeling in the place closest to the sky.

Every time before going out, Chen Tong would say "I'm leaving" to his family, which is an indispensable ceremony. Once this door is closed, he will enter the role of "Chief Tony 24". "Chief Tony 24" is like an identity code, and strangers who meet for the first time always try to decipher it. The key to the password is his previous occupation: the chief instructor of Land Rover Cross Country. He is not only the 24th certified head coach in the world, but also the first person from China, even an Asian.

Returning to China in 2002, he chose Land Rover. In 2005, he passed the assessment of Global Land Rover Chief Instructor in the UK and obtained the teaching qualification of Land Rover Asia Chief Instructor (Land Rover ranked 24th in the world and 1st in Asia). In 2008, he obtained the qualification of Class A winch teacher. Up to now, Chen Tong has been driving for more than ten years, and can be said to be an out-and-out "professional traveler".

For people who like driving, this is undoubtedly a dream job, because travel is the work itself. At work, Chen Tong has experienced the most challenging travel route, and the weather, car conditions and people will have uncontrollable factors. In private, he is also a masochist's outdoor lover. During the period of 18, I bought Freelander Discovery Generation II, Generation IV and Guardian 90 successively, 1 10, and the most dangerous sections in the north and south of Tiannanhai left their footprints. Traveling in "hard mode" means that the dangerous and hard part is far greater than the pleasure. Dangers like "passing by falling rocks" add a layer of meaning to Chen Tong's journey of exploring life.

In Chen Tong's view, fewer and fewer places are challenging and interesting. In the past, entering Tibet was a challenge for both cars and people. But now, as long as we are fully prepared, the probability of vehicle problems is greatly reduced, and even the master of the repair shop feels that business is not as good as before. If you still want to find a place with some challenges but controllable risks, western Sichuan will be a good place, because it is full of mystery, simplicity and challenges, and the beautiful colors of nature make people divorced from reality. After facing the difficult road, they can return to life and get to know themselves again. "The more bitter the environment, the easier it is to expose the weakness of human nature." Chen Tong believes that sometimes distrust between teams will do more harm than the harsh environment itself.

Also didn't live up to Chen Tong, is always with those "long guns and short guns". I went to Ali with Land Rover riders for the first time in 2006. On the way to Gangrinboqi, I accidentally caught a magical light on the horizon. That kind of almost sacred light is always fixed in Chen Tong's lens, and at the same time, it also fixed the feeling of being infinitely close to happiness at that time. Even if you take it out after many years, there will still be ripples in your heart. "I am the kind of person who will be moved to tears when taking a good photo." After driving on the road for so many years, he has seen the most magnificent scenery and the most extreme weather, and he will still be moved by the stars overhead and falling snowflakes.

Tibet is a place that Chen Tong misses every year. Due to the hardships of the plateau and various road conditions, it is a challenge to people and cars themselves. More importantly, there will be a sacred and pure feeling in the place closest to the sky. In 20 18, he led a team of deep cross-country enthusiasts to March on the Dabei line. The biggest blow to him during this journey was that he met an old motorcade from Europe at an altitude of more than 4000 meters. The cars in the team were all produced in the 1950s, and the average age of drivers was over 60. They set out from Germany and traveled all the way through six countries to China. This is the cross-country spirit recognized by Chen Tong, that is, to enjoy the pure happiness brought by "on the road". He hopes that he can always be passionate about traveling and sail for eternity.

Q: Please recommend a self-driving route for our readers.

A: There are many challenges. Tibet, Xinjiang, desert, ice and snow all have different feelings with the seasons. If you can only choose one route, you can visit western Sichuan, but if you take the main road, it is estimated that there will be no challenge. If it's not that difficult, go to Tibet or Xinjiang. The Yunnan-Tibet line in Tibet is actually the most enjoyable. You can find good hotels along the way, and the driving requirements are not high, not to mention the scenery.

Q: What else will you bring when you pack?

A: Cameras, not tiny, are big, such as Nikon D5, D6, long guns and short gun racks, because in this era, when you are still dragging a heavy camera bag to play photography, it proves that you are an old man, and there will be emotional experiences behind every photo.

Q: The most dangerous situation encountered during the trip.

A: There are too many, but it is precisely because of professional knowledge and pre-judgment of danger that the risk can be minimized every time. To put it simply, the most feared thing in high altitude areas of Tibet is catching a cold. Natural disasters such as falling rocks, mudslides and landslides are prone to occur in rainy season. In addition, the biggest fear of challenging the no-man's land is that people and cars have problems, and people have a cold and fever, which will threaten their lives. The car broke down, the tire blew out, the team lost contact and there was no signal. In that critical situation, once they meet selfish teammates and unprofessional captains, they will expose many human weaknesses.