A cyclist who travelled 335,500 miles across the world on the same bike only for it to be stolen in the UK is celebrating after it was found.

German-born Heinz Stucke bought his bike with distinctive custom-made double handlebars in 1962 to embark on his endless voyage across the globe.

It was stolen on Monday as he slept in his tent in Portsmouth just hours after getting off a ferry.

It was discovered abandoned on Tuesday in a local park.

Mr Stucke, 66, had been given a replacement from Hampshire Police's lost property after officers heard of his plight.

more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/4755973.stm

Hello!

This link yields a radio report about Heinz Stücke:
http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/r...h&scope=all

But it is only available for people from the UK

Could someone just tell me what is about?

Thank you so much!
Petra

this link is dead :-(

Hello, thank you.
Then try to search again for "Heinz Stucke" from this link. The audio link you get is not reachable from Germany. But maybe it is identical with the link on http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/4755973.stm ?

Best wishes,
Petra

"it has been stolen few different times but I must say the help of the media and police stations .... "
"but I woke up this morning and the bike wasn't there ... I can only re-joy now that the news within 48 hours .. was it .. eee .. the bike was found you know ... I realy didn't expect to be found you know ... the bike is not the flashy one, is not the expensive one, the Brook saddle could be taken because is a one of good saddles ....."

and then he is talking about pitching a tent etc.
he is not talking really clear :-(

try this link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/news_web/audio/9012da6800417b8/nb/09012da680041a1e_16x9_nb.asx

Hello,
in the beginning there's a bit of stuttering, but most of his talk sounds quite clear to me.

What he does say is:
It has been stolen at different other times .... I can only rejoice now that ... within 48 hours ... that the bike had been found.

I really expected it to be found because the bike is not a flashy one, it's not an expensive one ....

Some people have started writing an entry in wikipedia: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinz_St%C3%BCcke (written in German).

Thanks and best wishes,
Petra

The Guardian very interesting, Stücke makes some remarks about his private life.

and this is a comment about a bike theft and questions of moral. http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000039&refer=columnist_lynn&sid=aJ6iisie5FMM

Petra

"That dream is for everybody all the time, but unfortunately it can't be easily realised. You really have to cut all your relations, family, and be free. You have some saved-up money for a year or two, and then you have to find new money. Eventually, people wind up again where they started from. Or they get a good job somewhere else. And then the woman comes, you know. And then they buy a house and then, maybe, children come."

oops .. I didn't think is funny .... I though is brave !!

Hi Robb,

so this was an intercultural misunderstanding, my misinterpretation of your icons, sorry/przepraszam .

Here are two other links: Heinz Stücke on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinz_St%C3%BCcke

In German, still upgradeable
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinz_St%C3%BCcke

Enjoy!
Petra

Hi,

what I wonder about is: how does Heinz finance himself? You need money to go to all these places? How does he pay his travel expenses?
Sure you can live cheaply, but the price of a boat ticket is not negotiable!

Bernd

Hello Bernd,

Heinz Stuecke is a tool and die maker by profession, so maybe this makes it relatively easy for him to get casual labor?

This is what I just have found:

Stuecke in Wales

Nicest quote:

As Heinz was heading to Swansea he could be traveling in Irland now.

Petra