Yifei Xu, a 33-year-old man from Shanghai, China, is on a mission to cycle across the globe, aiming to prove that the world is full of kindness. Already two months into his journey across the United States, Xu rode through Norfolk via Highway 81, having spent the previous night near Madison. On Tuesday afternoon, Tammy Moeller noticed Xu drying his clothes on her fence and decided to call the police.
“At first, I thought she was trying to get me in trouble,” Xu said in Mandarin, using a translation app, though he also spoke some English. “But then I realized she was calling the police to get me help, and that moved me to tears.”
Moeller, who later brought Xu food and offered him a place to sleep, initially mistook him for a homeless man. After learning about his journey, her perspective changed.
“I felt honored to meet him,” she said. “It was such an eye-opening experience. He’s from China, but he’s just like any other person.”
Xu began his quest three months ago in Shanghai, where he runs two businesses. His encounter with Moeller reminded him of why he started this journey and keeps him motivated every day.
“When we live in the city, we often think the world is cold, but in reality, it’s very warm, and people are kind,” he reflected.
Xu’s mission is not only about showcasing the goodness in humanity but also about testing the limits of his mind, body, and spirit. He even refuses to use modern conveniences like sunscreen, believing that technology hinders personal growth.
“The less technology I use, the better I can witness and develop the strength of the human spirit,” he explained.
Remarkably, Xu has spent no money on this journey, except for flights and ferries over water. He refuses to take rides over land and relies entirely on the generosity of strangers for food, water, and shelter. While he often camps, there have been times when he’s needed more help, such as when he fell ill in Champaign, Illinois. There, a Chinese student from the University of Illinois took him in, gave him a shirt, and even set up an interview for him with a local news station, WCIA. It was the second media interview Xu had given on his trip.
This isn’t Xu’s first adventure. At 21, after moving to Shanghai, he cycled across Russia in the middle of winter, finishing his ride in Paris. Now, he plans to complete what he started years ago. After biking across Great Britain, he arrived in New Jersey two months ago. From Norfolk, he plans to head to Interstate 90, eventually reaching Yellowstone National Park and then San Francisco. Afterward, he’ll fly to Australia to bike across the Outback, then head to Japan and South Korea, before finally returning home to Shanghai in about six months.
Discussing the challenges ahead seemed to bring Xu’s journey into sharp focus, especially after enduring the intense heat over the past few days. Despite this, Xu graciously shared water with the reporter.
“When I think about how far I have to go and how difficult it is in this heat, I feel a bit down,” Xu admitted. “But the kindness of people and the emotional support I get from them every day is what keeps me going.”
Even though he’s faced tough weather on his ride through the Great Plains, Xu said the warmth and hospitality he’s received has been incredible.
“The people here are so genuine and kind,” he said. “I’ve been well-fed every day. I think I’ve even gained a few pounds.”
Moeller mentioned that Xu had only been surviving on snacks for four days before she met him. She made sure to feed him a hearty meal of eggs, bacon, and red hot dogs, what she called “the good old Nebraska kind.” Xu also shared photos of his family with her, and Moeller let him use her shower and gave him a bed for the night, something Xu deeply appreciated. It was only the third time on his journey that he had a proper bed to sleep in.
“I wish I could have done more for him,” Moeller said.
Xu, who studied philosophy in his youth, holds a strong belief that evil doesn’t truly exist in people. He argues that selfishness, influenced by external factors, can drive harmful actions, but that compassion is an innate human quality. His travels, he believes, have demonstrated this truth, and he hopes to spread this message through future media interviews and a book he plans to write.
“I’ve lived in America without money for 63 days, and it’s been overwhelming,” Xu said. “If the world were bad, or if human nature was evil, I would have starved to death, or worse. But here I am, still alive.”
Xu concluded with a simple observation: “How can we not be moved by the goodness of human nature? I’m not trying to prove anything—this is just a fact.”
