Chinese farmer spent 14 years travelling the world by tricycle

Chen Guanming, who cycled through 24 countries from Asia to Europe and to America in 14 years to promote the Olympic spirit, arrives in Washington DC in 2015. [A still video image from web]

"Washington DC is a young and small city. Capitol Hill and the White House surrounded by greens attract me. Its people are friendly and the air quality is good," said Chen Guanming, a Chinese farmer standing beside his tricycle with Capitol Hill as the background on a sunny October day in Washington DC, the last stop of his American tour.

Chen, 60, a native from Xuzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, travelled 24 countries, from Asia to Europe and to America, on a tricycle he's been refitting for the past 14 years. So far, he's covered more than 160,000 kilometers, for promoting the Olympic spirit, environmental awareness, and world peace.

"I have traveled the American continent from Canada to the US and will reach Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in 2016," Chen said.

In 2001, the year Beijing won the bid to host the 2008 Olympic games, Chen set off on his long trek, which he never expected to last this long.

Chen promotes the Olympic spirit among a group of university students in Taiyuan, North China's Shanxi province, on Aug 14, 2007. [Photo/CFP]

"I wanted to promote the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and share the Olympic spirit. The idea occurred to me that I should visit a thousand cities and counties around China including Hong Kong and Macao regions on a tricycle," Chen said, adding that his means of transportation is environmental friendly and good for physical and mental health.

Chen lived up to his word. During the period of 2001 to 2008, he traveled more than 64,000 kilometers through all provincial regions of China except Taiwan.