Back in June, we brought your attention to the adventures of Ivan Xu, a Chinese youth who planned to bike alone around Europe for 100 days for Ultimate Frisbee and charity.

He ended up cycling across 14 countries and visiting 11 high-level Ultimate Frisbee clubs* from June 18 to September 25, beginning in Brest, Belarus and ending in Berlin.

His adventures have been profiled by media around the world, including CCTV-4, Estrepublicain.fr, Pärnu Postimees, Belarusian CTV, Russia-Belarus TPO TV and OHT TV, so what follows is hardly an exclusive. But here’s an update anyway.

Welcome back! How are you feeling?

In short, I feel honored and humbled. I feel lucky that I had the opportunity to do this kind of trip. I am also very grateful to have received so much support from friends and strangers.

What was the most challenging part of the trip?

The film. It was not easy to make this film because I lost most of the footage due to damage to my external hard drive. It got stepped on by one of my drunken hosts, and it was the worst possible damage a hard drive could sustain, and it was impossible to recover the data inside despite my trying for three weeks with all the resources I had. Anyway, I will do the best with what I have left on my computer.

In terms of my last goal, I was featured on more than 10 Belarusian media outlets, and in every interview I spoke about the Mentor project for orphans in Belarus (Knitting Friendships). I was told that the Knitting Friendship staff were inspired and worked hard together as a team. This November, Knitting Friendship gained enough votes and won the People’s Sympathy Prize from “Social Weekend” Social fund in Belarus.

My influence on the Youth Ultimate Project is difficult to measure. I have ideas to gather discs to help kids who need them, though I’m still brainstorming.

When you set out on your adventure, you had a few key objectives from this trip. Did you achieve them?

In some ways I didn’t achieve all my goals, but in many ways I achieved more. After the first half of my trip, I began to realize this trip was not simply about biking as much as I could, but also about getting to know the countries I passed through, interacting with locals and learning local cultures. So I started to spend more time to talk to the interesting people I met along the way, to really engage with them and learn from them.

I also stretched myself way beyond my comfort zone and gained confidence to be a better and more interesting person. I discovered the world is so diverse and beautiful, there are so many wonderful people around, and realized I don’t need so much to be happy and content. This new understanding has been priceless.

One of your goals was to inspire a generation of Chinese youth to enjoy the outdoors and love sports. Do you think you succeeded?

Yes, absolutely.

When I posted my film trailer onto the Internet, within a week there were about 12,000 views and 600 shares, this without the help of any exposure to mass media. Most people who have shared the video commented that it was very inspiring and they wish to do something similar, not to waste their youth.

From December onwards, I will start to give presentations in various organizations to share my experience and promote Ultimate Frisbee, including at the most influential speaking event, Life Stage (人生大不同), in Shanghai.

In the previous post for Beijing Cream you mentioned a conflict that many young Chinese face: whether “to live a life we want, or to live a life that makes our parents happy.” What words of advice do you have now, after this trip?

If you decide to go your own way instead of what your parents wish for you, make sure to work very hard for what you love, prepare a lot if you go for an adventure, stay safe, love your family and always keep them in your heart.

Even though you may experience conflict today because you choose your own lifestyle, if you are really good at what you do, excel at it, you will do well in life and be happy in life, and your parents will eventually be happy for you despite you deciding to take your own path, which they may not really understand.

Next up will be “I Bike China.” What do you have in store for us?

Two things I want to do for “I Bike China”:

First, I will give free Ultimate Frisbee clinics and speeches in organizations/schools/universities I cycle by, share what I have learned about exploring the world and spread my love of Ultimate. I have received a tremendous amount of support from various Ultimate Frisbee communities for my Europe trip, so I would love to help this great sport grow in China in any way I can. I would make sure to talk about how great Ultimate Frisbee is in every interview I will do in my China tour.

Second, I plan to make a documentary film of China Ultimate development and interview Ultimate Frisbee leaders and players in places I cycle by, and share the passion of Ultimate in China with the rest of the world.

If I pass by your city, if you or someone could accommodate me, my bike and Frisbee, it would be a great help. If people really like me a lot, they can also buy me a cup of tea.

Follow Ivan Xu’s adventures on his website. Alicia is the founder of Prep! Beijing. Follow her @alicialui1.

* Brest Phoenix (Belarus), Minsk Сяброуства (Belarus), Salaspils WT(Latvia), Tallinn SOTG (Estonia), Stockholm Syndromes (Sweden), Lund AKKA (Sweden), Hamburg Fischbees (Germany), Eindhoven Vertigo (Netherlands), Voujeaucourt Free-vol (France), Zurich Headless (Switzerland), Dresden Drehst’n Deckel (Germany).

In a recent discussion held as part of the inaugural Lean In Beijing Mentorship Event, a college student in my circle noted, “In China, it’s so difficult to stand out sometimes. We all pursue the same goals, we all do the same things, we all study hard and we all have similar experiences and ideas. In order for us to stand out and be unique, I really think we have to be unafraid to be different.”

It’s true, especially in a country of 1.4 billion people. But it’s not common to see young Chinese doing what’s necessary to stand out: pushing themselves to their limits and going beyond their comfort zone. Which is why Ivan Xu’s project, the Ultimate Ride, is interesting: because it is different.

Ivan plans to bike alone across Europe in 100 days to visit 10 elite Ultimate Frisbee teams, then take another 100 days to bike across China to visit 14 cities and teach Ultimate players on nearly two dozen teams. He started an Indiegogo page, linked above, to help fund his trip. An excerpt:

Confucius once said, “While one’s parents are alive, one should not travel to distant places.” Growing up in a small town in China, I, like many friends around me, was brought up with fewer opportunities and approval to explore beyond. Unlike what is customary for many students and those in their 20s in the West, the Chinese education system and society is more conservative and does not actively encourage adventure, travel and participation in sports and outdoor activities. I hope my tour will inspire a new generation of jet-setting Chinese youth and help everyone appreciate the outdoors.

The journey is so ambitious and different that Ivan has already garnered media interest, even convincing a publishing house to let him write a book about it. If you know anything about China and its youth, there’s nothing more important than encouraging love for adventure, sports, and the outdoors, as well as the ability to take risks and tackle challenges.

We asked Ivan a few questions about his project.

Assuming you’ve told friends and family about this trip, what’s been their reactions? I wonder specifically if there’s a difference between how friends and family have reacted?

My friends are mostly my age. Most of them say things like, “You are so brave,” ”Be safe,” “Chase your dream,” “You’re doing the things we want to do, but dare not to do,” “Money problems can be solved, but you have the courage, perseverance and determination that most of us lack.” The most flattering comment has been, “If Ivan was born in the US, he will probably run for US president.” My sister and cousins have had similar reactions to my friends and they are quite supportive.

My parents, on the other hand, have lived in my small hometown in Hubei province their whole lives, and don’t really have an idea of what the outside world is like. They don’t really interfere with what I want to do; they have always trusted my decisions. However, I can feel the pressure they feel, as the people around them are just like other Chinese parents, comparing me with others my age who are married, have babies and are earning larger salaries. Every time I go home with a tanned face and arms after Ultimate Frisbee tournaments or long-distance bike rides, I hear comments like, “A college graduate like Ivan still works as a construction worker? Even our son who didn’t finish high school has a more decent job.” I don’t really care about what others say, but I feel bad knowing how my parents feel and react. Most from my parent’s generation don’t understand why the tour is important to me, nor do they approve of it. I am lucky in that I have never received much pressure from my parents to stop doing the things I like.

I think many people in my generation face such conflicts: to live a life we want, or to live a life that makes our parents happy. I have to make this tough choice as well. But I have chosen to live my own life and write my own story. I do feel guilty for not supporting them this year, but since I have made the decision to do this tour, I will do it with my full effort and passion.

What was your inspiration for the Ultimate Ride?

There are two main reasons I want to do this.

First of all, I really love Ultimate Frisbee and cycling; combining these two sports for 200 days in Europe and China is a dream that’s almost too good to be true. I don’t want to feel regretful in the future, I don’t want to think, “What if I could have done that biking-Ultimate tour?” I want to have the opportunity to tell my children and grandchildren that I accomplished something amazing when I was younger.

But if I only do this tour for myself, it will not be meaningful; there would be no soul or essence. I want to be able to benefit society and help others while chasing my dream. That’s why I decided to also help publicize two charities:

I care about the Mentor project for orphan kids in Belarus because I lived [in Belarus] for two and a half years, and I am grateful for what I have learned there. I want to leave behind something nice, a feeling that I have contributed and given back to their society.

I have played Ultimate Frisbee for seven years, and I have learned so much from the sport. It has changed my lifestyle and how I sometimes approach life. It would be my honor to do something to give back to the Ultimate community by furthering the sport everywhere, and I can help do that through a charity called Youth Ultimate Project (YUP), and by raising more awareness of this sport in my homeland of China.

What would be an ideal outcome from the Ultimate Ride? 

I would like to see more people in China recognize Ultimate Frisbee as a sport and play it, and more teams to be founded. I hope more people can support the charities I represent. The kids I met at the Belarusian orphanage are cute and smart. YUP is doing a good job helping kids in Cambodia learn Ultimate Frisbee; it deserves more attention, the kind that Ultimate Peace has gotten (an NGO that promotes peace in the Middle East through Ultimate Frisbee).

Ivan Xu (far right), sitting with the Ultimate Frisbee team he created in Wuhan, CUG, after it won its first-ever tournament, China Open 2014

You mention in the Indiegogo that you hope to inspire a generation of jet-setting Chinese youth to appreciate the outdoors. Why is that important to you?

Some of the best moments in my life have been cycling through birch forests and icy lakes, swimming in an ice hole in a freezing Minsk January, building an igloo that I slept in for a night, and traveling alone to different cities in Belarus without understanding much Russian. I really believe an interesting life begins when you are out of your comfort zone, and I think others can benefit if they are just willing to try and challenge themselves.

As China is quickly urbanizing and modernizing, more Chinese youth are getting used to daily comforts, but participate in fewer adventurous and outdoor activities. But if we’re not able to appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature, we will never be complete.

We are lucky today to be Chinese. There are fewer visa restrictions for travel, and China’s economy is strong so more people have money to travel. What I plan to do now would have been impossible for my parent’s generation to even think about.

What advice would you give China’s younger generation?

I actually wrote this on my Couchsurfing page: If you risk nothing, you will achieve nothing. Our world is so vast and amazing, yet I have seen very little of it. We should use our time fully and wisely to go out explore or explore inwardly, to engage our minds – not doing this is a crime. You have to understand and recognize that we will never be as young, strong, and trustful of our body as at this very moment. Learn, share, and grow as much as you can.

Support Ivan Xu’s the Ultimate Ride via his Indiegogo campaign, which ends June 25. You can contact him at ibikeworld@gmail.com.

Alicia is founder and executive director of the academic prep center Prep Beijing. 

Sometimes, when life throws you an obstacle, simply call on a dozen people to move said obstacle out of the way. In Tianjin on Sunday morning, a van parked in front of a building blocked a coach bus from leaving the enclosed lot via the only road out. That bus happened to be carrying more than two dozen Beijing Ultimate Frisbee players who were in town for a tournament. They had an idea.

We like this video because of how happy everyone is, especially the man laughing hysterically behind the camera (that would be Ken Dry). Look at all those form-perfect high-fives. You know what, people? Life’s okay sometimes.

UPDATE, 3:56 pm: Disclosure: I play on this team, called Big Brother. We won this tournament, probably thanks to karma.

Also… for the disc geeks out there:

This guy.

It’s Friday! There’s an Ultimate Frisbee tournament in Beijing this weekend; head over to Sanlitun on Saturday night to join the party. Links time.

Into the belly of the beast. “In a modern office building on the outskirts of the Chinese city of Tianjin, rows of censors stare at computer screens. Their mission: delete any post on Sina Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, deemed offensive or politically unacceptable. // …Reuters interviewed four former censors at Sina Weibo, who all quit at various times this year. All declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the work they once did. Current censors declined to speak to Reuters.” (Reuters)

Investor Wang Gongquan detained. “More than 20 policemen confronted the 52-year old venture capitalist at his home in Beijing and took him away, said Teng Biao, a fellow activist  and a lecturer at the University of Politics and Law in Beijing. The policemen told Wang that he was being summoned for questioning on suspicion of ‘gathering a crowd to disturb order in public places,’ Teng said. // The charge cited in the summons order is identical to the one that led to the arrest of Xu Zhiyong, the founder of the New Citizen Movement, who has been in police custody since mid-July. Wang was one of the initiators of a signature-gathering campaign calling for Xu’s release.” (SCMP)

Anti-rumor campaign now making people stutter. “Mr. Pan, who boasts more than 16 million followers on Sina Corp.’s popular Twitter-like Weibo microblogging service, is typically a smooth-talker, whether in person or on camera. Facing a CCTV reporter’s question about the social responsibilities of influential Weibo users–known as ‘Big V’s’ because a letter ‘v’ marks their accounts as verified—Mr. Pan developed a sudden stutter. // ‘I-I-I I feel that “Big Vs” — people with a lot of f-f-f-fans — should have even higher requirements of themselves, should have more d-d-discipline. You can’t be so c-c-casual,’ Mr. Pan told his interviewer, punctuating each repeated syllable with a thrust of his hand as if to push the words out of his mouth.” (WSJ)

Don’t blame China for iPhone 5c. “Now, to be fair, it’s certainly true to say that the iPhone 5C has not impressed in China. Even at a lower price point, I’m not sure how well it would do, because China’s internet users seem to dislike it. But given the price it has been set at — $735 — it makes no sense that this phone was ever targeted at the Chinese market to begin with. At that price, Chinese users might as well cough up an extra $100 for the 5S — or possibly buy a gray market 5S for less than what the 5C costs.” (Tech in Asia)

Woman drives BMW through wall. “It was around 2 PM on September 10th in the Golden Bull district of the city of Chengdu, Sichuan province. According to eyewitnesses, a woman driver was making a turn out of an auto parts store on 81st street(as seen in the picture as the Jinfu Auto Parts Center) when she purportedly swerved to avoid an electric scooter. At that moment the driver accidentally lost control of the BMW and drove through a surrounding brick wall that belongs to the Eight One School of Chengdu. The collision caused a 4 to 5 meter rift into the wall from which bricks can be seen strewn all over the ground. No one was injured in the collision.” (Sinopathic)

Interesting. “Chinese archaeologists have discovered the tomb of a 7th century female politician who was one of the most powerful women in the country’s ancient history, local media said on Thursday. // Shangguan Wan’er — who lived from 664 to 710 in the Tang dynasty — was a trusted aide to China’s first female emperor Wu Zetian, and married to Wu’s son, while having relationships with both the empress’s lover and her nephew.” (AFP)

Embarrassing? “Two companies from China and France have been ejected from an international arms fair in London for promoting illegal items. // Defence Security and Equipment International (DSEI), which claims to be the world’s leading defence and security fair, said Tianjin Myway International Trading Co and MagForce International had been found ‘with literature in breach of British law.’” (ABC)

Rabies, eh. “Taiwanese health authorities have called for owners to inoculate their pets after a rabies infected dog was euthanised, the first such case since 1959.” (Shanghaiist)

Flag football in Beijing. “Every Sunday from September until November 3rd, NFL Home Field is taking over the stadium at Beihang University in Haidian District. University flag football teams from around Beijing compete on the field while other athletic activities happen around the track. Attendees can participate in speed and parachute drills or have their pictures taken wearing NFL pads and uniforms.” (The BJ Reviewer)

Congratulations! Tea Leaf Nation acquired by Foreign POlicy / Washington Post Group http://t.co/v1mM3c6Hbx

— Jeremy Goldkorn 金玉米 (@goldkorn) September 12, 2013

U.S. stealing from China after all: US spy operation that manipulates social media – http://t.co/5RO2lb5TYC

— Josh Chin (@joshchin) September 13, 2013

A look at China's air pollution battle plan by vehicle emissions expert @vancewagner: http://t.co/itf6ulNAOl

— Edward Wong (@comradewong) September 13, 2013

Do the Jitterbug: Modernista to Reopen Sep 18 with Swing Party http://t.co/MOV9jQwZRz

— thebeijinger (@thebeijinger) September 12, 2013

The debate on China's internet: The worst type of moon cake fillings, i think they found the worst: Leek and egg. pic.twitter.com/pwYd9xqFWT

— XQ (@MissXQ) September 13, 2013

The last time Beijing hosted an Ultimate Frisbee tournament interlude, via:

Finally…

Sun Yang sorta dominated the Chinese National Games. (The Li-Ning Tower)

“Chengyu visualized.” (NeochaEDGE)

China scam letter for “embattled” Bo Xilai. (China Law Blog)

Yikes: 30 tons of hydrochloric acid spilled. (Shanghai Daily)

Cicada really, actually has the best cocktails I’ve ever tried. (That’s Beijing)

Finally, finally…

Who photoshopped a third hand into this picture? via chinaSMACK:

One more, of waxen Li Na, via Sina:

Just when you thought the media coverage would stop, Blue Ocean Network steps up.

This six-minute news feature on Ultimate Frisbee, centered around last month’s Beijing-hosted China Nationals tournament, is one of the better segments on the sport I’ve seen anywhere (kudos to Howard Pan, who listened closely to tournament director Alicia). For an additional 38 seconds of bonus footage, click here. (This longer video is embedded after the jump on Tudou, for those in China.)

Ultimate Frisbee in the US, despite having a professional league, would kill for the type of publicity China Ultimate has been getting recently. (Recap: CCTV, Hennessy, Sports Illustrated China, Beijing Today.) So why wouldn’t a creative company called Niurenku, for which BJC contributor Zozo works, produce a five-minute video about China Ultimate and China Nationals? They would, of course. Because haven’t you heard? All the cool kids are doing it. Tudou video for those in China after the jump.

We spent 10 hours filming in a chilly underground parking garage off East Fourth Ring Road last month to produce the 30-second clip you see above (and after the jump, on Youku for those in China). We tossed around a regulation Discraft disc rigged with lights along the inside of the rim and in the middle. At one point, we played a mini game, a three on two within the confines of parking garage columns, and it was a damn miracle that none of us collided with the extras going back and forth on the skateboard and mountain bike. Goddamn skateboarders and mountain bicyclists, always ruining a game of Ultimate Frisbee. It’s like Central Park pickup all over again.

Related: Ultimate Frisbee on CCTV.

For those of you who play Ultimate Frisbee (disclosure: I do), you’ll be interested to know that Chinese state media’s sports channel, CCTV-5, came by and did a piece on the Beijing tournament over the weekend that was organized by BJC contributor Alicia. More than 400 players and 24 teams were part of the sixth annual China Nationals, won by Speed, a team of college students from Tianjin Sports University.

For the rest of you — here are two cats playing on a cat tree.

This weekend marks the sixth annual China Nationals tournament, organized by Alicia (disclosure: I’m her assistant), and the fifth year it’s been in Beijing. While Ultimate Frisbee may be of negative interest to most of you, realize that Sports Illustrated China, Blue Ocean Network, film companies from Beijing and Tianjin, CCTV-5, and Beijing Today will all be there, interested. In other words, this tournament is getting more media coverage than every Ultimate tournament from 1968 to circa 2009 in the U.S. combined. (This isn’t exactly true, but it might as well be.) Competition runs from 8 am to 6:10 pm on Saturday (54 games), and from 8 am to 5 pm on Sunday. The schedule is downloadable in PDF form here.

Also, the above dude, Zahlen Titcomb of the company Five Ultimate, is one of the five coolest people in Beijing. So yeah, there’s that, too. Youku video for those in China after the jump.