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The China Nobody Sees
Rural Sichuan by Bike: Chengdu to the Heart of Sichuan
Most people experience China through its cities. The bullet trains, the skylines, the sheer scale of it all. And those cities are extraordinary.
But cycle out of them, and everything changes.
On this leg of our world cycling expedition, my dad and I rode south from Chengdu into the rural heart of...
The journey follows a father and son as they ride from Chengdu into the rural heart of Sichuan, where villages and farms replace city skylines. The road brings unexpected pauses, showing a China that moves at a gentler pace and offers quiet moments, far from the megacities’ scale. The narrative emphasizes everyday scenes, small towns, and the evolving landscape along the way. The travel vibe remains intimate and observational, focusing on discovery through cycling and shared experience.
The film is photographed with a Sony ZV-E1 and two fast zoom lenses, capturing both wide countryside panoramas and up-close interactions along rural lanes. The tone is warm, reflective, and curious, inviting viewers to reconsider what “China” can look like when the journey leaves the bright lights behind.
Editor’s note: The China many travelers chase is all skylines and bullet trains. In this episode, Josh Kohler and his dad swap the megacities for a slower pace, riding south from Chengdu into the rural heart of Sichuan. What begins as a familiar sweep of roads and country scenery gradually reveals a different China, one of quiet villages, small farms, and rhythms shaped by fields and hills rather than subway lines. The farther they ride, the more the familiar urban horizon fades, replaced by landscapes where time seems to stretch and the road holds a few unexpected surprises. It’s a journey that softly dislodges assumptions, inviting us to see a country through the patient watch of a bicycle and the shared silence between parent and child along the way. The camera captures intimate moments—dusty lanes, sunlit courtyards, and roads that feel endless yet intimate—underscoring how travel can unmake certainty and remake curiosity. Shot on the Sony ZV-E1 with a versatile duo of lenses, the这
The journey follows a father and son as they ride from Chengdu into the rural heart of Sichuan, where villages and farms replace city skylines. The road brings unexpected pauses, showing a China that moves at a gentler pace and offers quiet moments, far from the megacities’ scale. The narrative emphasizes everyday scenes, small towns, and the evolving landscape along the way. The travel vibe remains intimate and observational, focusing on discovery through cycling and shared experience.
The film is photographed with a Sony ZV-E1 and two fast zoom lenses, capturing both wide countryside panoramas and up-close interactions along rural lanes. The tone is warm, reflective, and curious, inviting viewers to reconsider what “China” can look like when the journey leaves the bright lights behind.
Josh Kohler and his father trade the speed of the city for slow, pedal-powered travel, discovering a China that many travelers miss. They start in Changdu, bike along river valleys and bamboo groves, and wrestle with heat and sudden tropical rain as they head south. The trip includes a stop to savor local life in villages, the awe of massive structures like the Changdu Global Center, and a shift in pace as they cross from urban to rural Sichuan and into a more Southeast Asian climate. Mascots, new tires, and a sense of companionship color the ride, while technology like Surf Shark VPN keeps them connected amid inconsistent networks. They sample good local food for little money, marvel at giant statues in Lashan, and reflect on how much of China remains unseen by Western eyes. The father-daughter-like bond with Rory the red panda mascot appears as a light touch in the narrative, underscoring the family feel of the expedition. Josh remarks on the energy of the countryside, the quiet, the boats along the river, and the sense that they are discovering a country that existed beyond the familiar skylines. The day ends with a rooftop view over a scenic gorge in a small town, a reminder that the journey is as much about people and places as it is about distance and speed.
Josh Kohler and his father are on a cycling journey through Sichuan, leaving the big-city blitz of Chengdu behind to explore a quieter, rural China between Changdu and Lashan. The film contrasts the two worlds: the sprawling megacities with their skyward glass and traffic lights, and the intimate, slow-paced lanes where bamboo, rivers, and small farms shape daily life. They ride for weeks, swapping planes and bullet trains for bicycles, which allows them to actually see the places they pass through, from fading storefronts to hands-on work in villages. After a rest period in Changdu, they gear up for the next leg toward Southeast Asia, acknowledging humidity, unpredictable weather, and cultural as well as logistical challenges along the way. The landscape shifts from dense urban canyons to sleepy rural roads hugging rivers, with dramatic cliffs, forests, and waterfalls guiding their route. Notable moments include riding along the riverine bike paths past the Changdu Global Center, tum
Josh Kohler and his father trade fast trains for bikes, chasing a slower, more intimate China from Changdu toward Lashan and beyond. The journey reveals rural,人
Slow Travel Through Rural Sichuan: cycling from Chengdu toward Lashan
08:20 Follow back roads away from traffic to experience authentic rural life and silences between towns along the river
12:58 Use a vpn in regions with restricted connectivity to stay online and access banking and social media
17:13 Try cheap, local meals for quick energy during long rides; noodle bowls around 0.7-1.0 USD can be surprisingly satisfying
08:20 Follow back roads away from traffic to experience authentic rural life and silences between towns along the river
12:58 Use a vpn in regions with restricted connectivity to stay online and access banking and social media
17:13 Try cheap, local meals for quick energy during long rides; noodle bowls around 0.7-1.0 USD can be surprisingly satisfying
04:21 leaving city behind
09:17 lean stone buddha
11:50 vpn intro
14:21 river scenery intensifies
21:32 rooftop gorge view
04:21 leaving city behind
09:17 lean stone buddha
11:50 vpn intro
14:21 river scenery intensifies
21:32 rooftop gorge view
rural chinabike touringchina travelurban to ruralsichuan provincesouthwest chinaWhat challenges do you face cycling through Sichuan?
Weather, humidity, connectivity, and navigation in a new region can be tough, but slow travel reveals landscapes and people you’d miss otherwise.
