A Chinese man travelling the world by bicycle has run into a roadblock in Laval. His bike and valuables were stolen while he stopped to get some groceries at the Walmart Super Centre in Sainte-Dorothée.
At 32, Beijing native Yu Yang has seen more of the world than most can dream to see in a lifetime. His passport is thick as a novel with stamps and visas from dozens of countries.
“In China, I’m a graphic designer. Most of the time, I work 1-2 years to save money and then I have a long trip,” Yang told Global News.
He travels by bike, all by himself. He’s cycled tens of thousands of kilometers through Asia and Africa, but his latest self-imposed mission is to bike from Argentina all the way to Alaska.
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“On May 3 I passed the Walmart, I wanted to buy some food so I parked my bicycle under a camera,” he explained to Global News. “I thought it would be safe there, a lot of people pass there. But after 1 or 2 hours, when I left Walmart I saw my bicycle disappeared.”
Luckily he took his passport with him in the store. A Chinese family in the West Island has taken him into their home for a few days, and he’s had friends send him money. His bike was full of supplies, but what hurts more than when he got malaria in Africa is that his diary was on the bike.
“I lost my diary, it’s so hard for me,” Yang said. “I record every day when I travel on the road. Before, I wrote a book of my trip from China to South Africa. The diary is my next book, so it’s very important for me.”
It’s not the first time thieves have delayed his journey. His bike has been stolen in Peru, Colombia, Mexico City and now Laval.
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“I heard many good things about this city,” he said of Montreal. “But everywhere that has light, has shadows.”
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He hopes by sharing his story in the media, the thief will give back his things.
“The guy must need the money, he can take the cash away but I hope he leaves the rest for me,” Yang said.
Yu Yang says when he arrived in Canada, people wouldn’t even acknowledge him when he waved. But since he lost his bike, people have been coming out in droves to offer help.
“They are cold outside, but they are hot in their heart,” he told Global News.
Laval Police confirm they did meet with Yu Yang, they’ve obtained security footage from the Walmart and are now investigating.
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