The Man Who Wanted To See It All. - 50 years around the world by bike.

[chriswoody]

For those of you with a netflix subscription I've discovered that there's a documentarty on there called "The Man who wanted to see it all." "Heinz Stücke left Germany in 1962 and traveled the world by bike for more than 50 years. “The Man Who Wanted to See it All” is a documentary by Albert Albecete that documents Heinz’s journey".

I'd not come across the name before, but he sounds a fascinating man.

There's some more information here:

https://bikepacking.com/plog/the-man-who-wanted-to-see-it-all-film/

The Trailer for the film is here:

I haven't seen it myself yet, but it looks really interesting and I'm going find some time to sit and watch it later this week.

 

[PaulSB]

Thanks @chriswoody I'll watch this tonight.

 

[steveindenmark]

He did a lot of it on a Brompton.

 

[markemark]

He did a lot of it on a Brompton.

Ah, that explains why it took him 50 years.

 

[PaulSB]

I gave it 35 minutes and then found something else to watch. A man who has lead a very unusual life, surely with fascinating stories to tell and there is none of it in the first 35 minutes.

This seems to be about how he retires and catalogues his journals, diaries and photographs.

Poor.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I gave it 35 minutes and then found something else to watch. A man who has lead a very unusual life, surely with fascinating stories to tell and there is none of it in the first 35 minutes.

This seems to be about how he retires and catalogues his journals, diaries and photographs.

Poor.

Oooooh! tough crowd!

I watched half last night, the other half is for tonight.

I've been aware of Heinz for many years and have even met people who met him. He's a character that I have deliberately avoided learning too much about for much the same reason that I avoid drugs - I'd be afraid of being influenced too much.

What he has done is incredibly unusual and he has never been shy about living off that and broadcasting his adventures.

This Documentary appears to be about the non-cycling side of his life, specifically, what he missed while away on the road and what happens now. Of the former there's a wooden map that had me close to tears, of the latter the contrast between his home and those of his friends.
For me, and I appreciate that I may be a little odd, this subject matter is far more interesting than a video travelogue.

By the by, speaking as someone who travelled a teeny, tiny fraction of the time of Heinz and who managed to lose two phones, all my notes, a whole load of photos I take my hat off in admiration of his dedication to a written journal and photographs (and slides) developed from film! The sheer logistics of it all is a bit intimidating.

Edited to correct my mispelling of his name

 

[PaulSB]

Exactly!

"What he has done is incredibly unusual and he has never been shy about living off that and broadcasting his adventures."

He must have a wonderful story to tell. I didn't expect a travelogue but some insight into what he has achieved and experienced.

It's the work of the documentary maker to engage the audience. For me this failed. A great shame as I settled down with a glass of red anticipating an excellent 90 minutes.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Exactly!

"What he has done is incredibly unusual and he has never been shy about living off that and broadcasting his adventures."

He must have a wonderful story to tell. I didn't expect a travelogue but some insight into what he has achieved and experienced.

It's the work of the documentary maker to engage the audience. For me this failed. A great shame as I settled down with a glass of red anticipating an excellent 90 minutes.

First of all, thank you for not pointing out that I had misspelled his name!

I may be wrong, but there has been an increase in articles about Heinz (yaay! I got it right!) recently and I wouldn't be surprised to see more output from the man himself in the not too distant future.

If it tickles your fancy there's a relatively recent podcast but at almost three hours you might need a bigger bottle!
https://www.cyclingabout.com/heinz-stucke-50-year-bike-tour-podcast/

I'm off now to enjoy the second half, like yourself, with a nice vino tinto.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Well, the second half isn't that different, although there are a lot of interesting photos.
My takeaway from it is that it's not a Bike Touring Documentary. Bike Touring is incidental to the story. I can't see too many people being in a rush to hop on a bike and go off for an adventure based on only watching this.
It's a glimpse into the psyche of a man with more than enough scope for us to interpret as we like and not enough information provided to know if we're right.

Incidentally, putting Bike Tour into the Netflix search bar throws up a few interesting options.

 

[PaulSB]

Well, the second half isn't that different, although there are a lot of interesting photos.
My takeaway from it is that it's not a Bike Touring Documentary. Bike Touring is incidental to the story. I can't see too many people being in a rush to hop on a bike and go off for an adventure based on only watching this.
It's a glimpse into the psyche of a man with more than enough scope for us to interpret as we like and not enough information provided to know if we're right.

Incidentally, putting Bike Tour into the Netflix search bar throws up a few interesting options.

An interesting observation and I see where you're coming from with this. I like to tour, it is my favourite cycling, but what I do, perhaps 3-8 nights B&B, hostels etc. is utterly different from the real long haul riders.

I enjoy reading well written journals, ride reports, books and so on. I get a vicarious pleasure from this and can often imagine it's me who is on the ride. I get this pleasure reading your notes though I've never any real idea of the route, in my head I'm there! I feel this is what I expected from Heinz's documentary, to imagine what it must be like, to mentally ride along with him and of course it wasn't this type of documentary. Hence my disappointment.

From time to time I hanker after 6 months away on my bike. Sadly age and circumstance will never allow that.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

First of all thanks for the kind words.

To pick up on this, though, especially the bolded word....

From time to time I hanker after 6 months away on my bike. Sadly age and circumstance will never allow that.

I mean absolutely no disrespect and the last thing I want to do is to stick my oar into your personal circumstances but "never" is such a definite, strong word. I happen to think that the words we use can be very important.

Sadly age and circumstance will never allow that suggests it's not worth even thinking about, perhaps even cruel to entertain the notion.
Sadly age and circumstances make it very difficult suggests that it's at least worthwhile looking to problem solve
Sadly age and circumstances are the challenge suggests, to me at least, a more optimistic outlook.

Never also has the effect of shutting down the consideration of alternatives.
6 months may be too long. But what about 6 weeks?
You've already commented

but what I do, perhaps 3-8 nights B&B, hostels etc. is utterly different from the real long haul riders.

So, if 6 weeks is too long, what about 6 days in "real long term haul rider" mode as opposed to your usual style?

Sure, it's not what you wanted, but it's better than nothing? It also exposes you to more experience, gives time away to think, dwell, problem solve and is also a taste of reality - be careful what you wish for comes to mind.

I have always found inspiration to be the most important thing to get me off my ass. Looking for people who spoke to me. An "if they can do it, then so can I" attitude. Such is the power of the internet these days that we can find people who speak to us easily enough and sometimes actually talk to them.

I don't know how old you are but I know that there are accounts of people doing what you want to do at very advanced ages. And sometimes with extreme disabilities.

Circumstances are personal to us all and are for each of us to manage. Sometimes, options are available if we actually keep our eyes open and brains engaged rather than think "never".

I really hope that I haven't caused offence but I used to be a "never" person and can't help replying when I see it.

 

[PaulSB]

@HobbesOnTour you're welcome to the words, you're writing is very good and puts pictures in my head allowing me to mentally ride along. Excellent.

Yes, you're correct never is a strong word and if there were a change in circumstances I do have a plan, lets call it my daydream. I'm 68, very fit and a decent club rider, married, three adult sons one of whom is Downs Syndrome and enjoys Supported Living in the Community. In January 2019 I suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage, a burst aneurysm in the brain, after 10.5 hours surgery the prognosis was "first we see if he wakes up!" I am 100% recovered.

Following "Paul's incident", as it's known amongst friends and family, Mrs P put the block on solo touring. She's never said anything but I know and it would be utterly unreasonable of me to open the conversation though I am of the view anything can happen anywhere.......close to home is better though! The change in circumstance would be if Mrs P should pre-decease me. If that were that to happen my plan is to cycle the entire UK coastline; living in Lancashire I would ride to Preston and turn right or left - dependent on prevailing winds!

This leaves one hurdle, my son wouldn't understand why his mother is missing and his father disappeared for months. My plan is leave, ride for 8-10 days, find somewhere to store the bike and kit for a weekend, train home, rinse and repeat. I think it's a good one. As you suggested we, that's me and cycling buddies, do have several plans for this year but it's surprisingly difficult to get 3-4 retired, married men available to get away at the same time. 17/18 days in France this May was mooted but I don't see that happening and I can't go solo. I've offered these ideas and hope we will pick up some of them this summer as mini adventures. I should add we love gravel riding. Trans Pennine Trail over 3-4 days, Leeds >Liverpool canal 2/3 days, the Lancashire Cycleway (250 mile circuit of the county), a 250 mile gravel route we've devised around Lancashire >Manchester >Yorkshire and finally I want to return to the Hebrides.

I once rode Glasgow >Arran >Mull of Kintyre >Oban >Barra >Vatersay >Stornoway >Ullapool >Inverness and would love to repeat it.

So I haven't thrown away the dreams and, yes, never is too strong so I keep on thinking, planning for if and when the chance arises.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

@PaulSB
I took a long walk yesterday after reading your post with a whole lot rattling around in my head.
I cringed a bit at how blasé my post may have appeared but it seems that you're determined not to embarrass me. Thank you for that.

And thank you for taking the time to paint a picture. It was very generous of you.

So I haven't thrown away the dreams and, yes, never is too strong so I keep on thinking, planning for if and when the chance arises.

I'm very pleased to read that.

Mini Adventures may not be full-sized adventures, but they're better than nothing, and besides, a lot of "adventure" is between the ears.
My best wishes to you, and yours.

On a side note, you may be interested in checking out Timmy Mallet's cycling adventures. He's written a decent book about his Camino from his front door to Spain, and back. Semi autobiographical, but with a strong focus on his recently deceased brother who was born with Down's Syndrome. He has subsequently gone around the coastline of the UK & NI. Photos and paintings inspired by that trip are all over Social Media.

 

[PaulSB]

@HobbesOnTour there's nothing cringeworthy about your post(s), please don't think that. You invited an answer to an unspoken question, "I don't know your circumstances," and I was very happy to answer. It's my approach, I'll openly discuss anything, anywhere, that's how folk get to understand each other.

I didn't know about Timmy Mallet. I will search that out later.

 

[mjr]

I think Timmy Mallet recently spoke at the virtual touring festival. I suspect it'll be on their YouTube eventually but here's last year's talk:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqmWBpj-oDM