Hiker walks from Sichuan to Tibet with pet dog

Chen Rui starts his hike with  pet dog Mixiu from Sichuan province to Lhasa, Tibet autonomous region, on Sept  26. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Chen, a 29-year-old man born in Zunyi of Southwest China's Guizhou  province, started the journey with his pet dog named Mixiu from Kangding,  Sichuan province, on Sept 26. After hiking along National Highway 318 for 71  days, he and his dog still have over 400 kilometers to go to reach their final  destination in Lhasa, capital of Tibet.

Chen used to operate an internet company to provide proxy services  for an online food delivery platform. In the beginning of this year, his  business slipped into a loss. Chen decided to spend more time with Mixiu and  have a rest.

"I have been to Lhasa twice," Chen said. "This time I chose to hike  with Mixiu. This journey will be the most unforgettable memory in my  life."

During the journey, Chen determined the pace according to the  weather, road conditions, physical conditions and other factors. Their average  walking speed is about 25 kilometers a day.

They've crossed grasslands, ran after herds and gazed at the starry  skies during the journey. Chen captured the scenery along the route using Mixiu  as a model and put it on the short video app Douyin, where he received attention  and encouragement from netizens.

Chen bought shoes, clothes and nutrition products  for Mixiu to ensure fitness during the long journey. After 71 days of hiking,  his weight dropped from 81.5 kilograms to 71.5 kilograms, while Mixiu maintained  a weight of 25  kilograms.