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Heinz wows the crowd with his tales of the long and potholed road ... Walter Lapchynski, pretty in pink at left, designed Heinz' Pocket Llama.
DONATE TO HEINZ VIA PAYPAL, Paypal ID: heinzstucke
Also ... email offers of accommodation and support directly to Heinz: heinzstucke at hotmail dot com
CLICK HERE FOR HEINZ STUCKE UPDATES
June 25, 2004:
In search of adventure and with the desire to see something of the world, I started my tour around the globe in August 1960, from my home town of Hövelhof - Germany. I was 20. 17,000 km and 20 countries later I was back home but not for long. From November, 1962, up to the present day I have been cycling and travelling non stop. If this century is called the century of progress, the century of the atom and of space exploration, one has also to say that it is the century of tourism. Because of the modern forms of transportation, countries get closer to one another every day and millions of people travel.
To travel is to learn something about one another, to meet people, to respect them and better still to make friends so that in the future we may live together in peace ... (from Heinz Stucke's photo essay brochure).
AROUND 50 folks turned up to the reception at Bike Friday for Guinness World Record Holder Heinz Stucke, as he took delivery of his Bike Friday Pocket Llama.
More photos and details coming soon, but for now, we'd like to thank Sue Wolling, BTA local president, for attending, the Eugene Weekly for a fabulous photo placement, Mark Baker of the Register Guard for a nice Saturday story, and Michael and Jennifer Rasmussen, Bike Friday Club of Portland Co-leaders, for hosting Heinz in Portland.
Sales consultant Walter Lapchynski spent an intense two days getting Heinz' bike tweaked just so he likes it, including modifying the Bike Friday folding rear rack so that Heinz can carry his rucksack on it.
"I'm not a trailer person," says Heinz. Since he's spent 42 years getting around the world with a 50 lb steel bike who are we to argue?
Several of the crowd took turns teetering around the parking lot on Heinz' fully loaded Llama. Today, the parking lot, tomorrow, Botswana ...
Then, all those with a bicycle got to ride a lap or three of honor with the World's Most Traveled Man, soon to be the World's Most Traveled Man By Bicycle when he crosses off the 48 extra destinations Guinness has dreamed up, no doubt to ensure they keep selling those coffee-table books of records.
A lap of honor with the World's Most Traveled Man. The BF luminaries are all here: Walter Lapchynski, Hanna Scholz, Alan and Hanz Scholz. Several big wheelers joined us but they either couldn't keep up or hung back in respect, quite unnecessarily so, as Bike Friday is all-inclusive!
"Will you come and work for us at Bike Friday?" asked an employee as Heinz wowed the crowd with stories like being shot in the foot by freedom fighters in Zambia and bicycling through a civil war in Angola, not to mention heaping praise on the beauty of Japanese women because "at least I can see eye to eye with them."
"I'd rather drop dead with my Bike Friday than work at Bike Friday!"
We think he was referring to his philsophy about work: Just Don't Do It.
The last we knew, Heinz spent a night at Crater Lake with Ted Wade and Chris Casler from Bike Friday, before jumping on his bike and pedaling off mid-sentence. After 42 years, protracted goodbyes must have grown old ...
BF Co-founder Alan Scholz has waited all his life for this moment: to have the World's #1 Traveler astride his creation. He might as well make sure it works!
Welcome Heinz, to the Bike Friday Community - watch this space for more tidbits, and post a message on his message forum!
Well soon have stocks of his famous coor brochure which provides the moolah for his meanderings - a bargain at $5 apiece. Watch this space!
Read about Heinz' Bike Friday below.
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 MORE FACTS ABOUT HEINZ: * On the road since 1962 * 64 years young * 415,000 km cycled * 192 countries seen and appreciated * 42 years on the road * 80 to 120km/day * Rides the same 25 kg, 3-speed bike * 40 to 50 kg luggage * 15 passports filled * Never returned to home country Germany * 1995 - 1999 Guinness Book of Records:"Most Travelled Man in History" Let's welcome Heinz to Eugene! |
The little circles show the places Heinz will be island-and-boonies-hopping with his Bike Friday.
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How did Bike Friday come to know Heinz, or vice-versa?
Well, if you've been reading the Bike Friday home page religiously you might have read about Richard Gregg, the World Traveler of 12.5 years who pedaled past Bike Friday early in 2003. How Richard was cajoled into a detour to Bike Friday is another riveting story.
Richard, now heading south for Tierra del Fuego, is a good friend of Heinz, and told him to seriously consider a Bike Friday for his next Guinness Word Record feat.
Heinz' photos from his travels are awesome. In my opinion his bike's-eye view of our spinning orb of sand, sea, astro turf and Golden Arches rivals a carousel of stills from the movie Koyannasquatsi.
Meanwhile, feel free to offer support to this international treasure of world travel by buying his brochures or postcards whenever you are lucky enough to meet him.
You can contact him via his friends in Canada on heinzstucke@hotmail.com
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HEINZ' BIKE FRIDAY: POCKET LLAMA 7-SPEED
 BF Sales consultant Walter Lapchynski designed Heinz' Bike Friday for his next Guinness World Record attempt. Here's the Reader's Digest Condensed Version of what and why: Pocket Llama -- Beefy frame with increased bottom bracket and tire clearance for those rough, muddy roads Chris King headset -- Sealed cartridge bearing to resist the elements, infinite reliability (stick it on and forget it) BF MTB bars -- Simple.. allows for lots of luggage to be packed around, also Heinz usually rests on his luggage rather than picking different bar positions Shimano Deore brake levers -- Inexpensive but strong Shimano M430 brakes -- Inexpensive but strong, including cartridge shoes Shimano Nexus rear hub -- Heinz is more about travelling than anything else.. likes to keep it simple.. doesn't mind walking when he has to.. this is an upgrade from the 3sp he's been using.. had a 21 or 24 built for him and never used them all.. low gears are all that matter Shimano FC-2200 crank -- Inexpensive but strong BF sealed cartridge bottom bracket -- Inexpensive but sealed, tapered fit is known the world around Velocity Taipan rim -- Super beefy and builds nice wheels Shimano XT front hub -- Labryinth seal works very well to resist the elements, allows for 36o build Schwalbe Marathon Plus tire -- Supposedly flat proof, neither high nor low pressure (70psi) which is perfect for touring with big loads, wide platform and a tread pattern similar to a Conti Top Touring.. Heinz asked for them by name Kalloy seatpost -- Inexpensive but strong Fenders -- Wet feet and butts don't make for good touring Vetta RT88 computer -- Cheap but keeps track of the distances BF front rack -- Super strong cromoly GD Folding rack -- Super strong cromoly Bike Firday exclusive design - foldable for easy packing Travel Bag -- Believe it or not, this is how Heinz is going to carry his bike with him +++ |
OTHER LINKS
Order Heinz' classic brochure from Bike Friday his adventures on his 52 lb 3-sped steel bike.
Emailable link to this article: http://www.bikefriday.com/heinzstucke
For more information, follow this link http://bikechina.com/heinzstucke1z.html.