Stray Dog Travels Over 1000 Miles with Cyclists - as part of the news series by GeoBeats.

Dogs are known for their loyalty and pack mentality, seeking affection and companionship from others.

So it should come as no surprise that a lonely stray dog in China chased a group of bicyclists after they threw it a scrap of food as they rode down the highway.

Only this dog, named Xiao Sa, followed the team for over one thousand miles, scaling 12 mountains over 24 days on their way from Sichuan province in China, to the capital city of Lhasa, Tibet. The dog would not get lost even if it was separated from the team.

"At first we didn't consider keeping it and thought he just wanted to follow us for a while. But it showed a very strong willpower and followed us all the way here," said one of the cyclists, who plans to adopt the dog.

The cyclists decided to create a blog highlighting the dog as their inspiration, and it has gained tens of thousands of followers in several weeks, turning Xiao Sha into an Internet celebrity.