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Fifty-one is the number of years that Heinz Stücke spent on a bicycle away from home. Fittingly, Episode 51 provides the finale to the Heinz Stücke saga, where more keywords are pulled from the Christmas cookie tin. Heinz recounts how he stumbled his way into an audience with Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, accidentally fired a gun in a crowded Zambian bar, charmed his way into a Saudi Arabian visa by procuring a fake airplane ticket, then smuggled his bike into the country on a confused donkey. Through it all, Heinz kept painstaking statistics, writing 18,000 pages of diaries and practically tracking every cup of coffee he consumed since 1962. Tune in to hear this whirlwind tour of obsession, survival, and the art of getting out of trouble with sheer audacity. From having his bicycle stolen and recovered six times to being woken up in a ditch by a friendly dog, “The Man Who Wanted to See It All" has compiled an unrivaled dictionary of bicycle adventure from A to Z – minus the word “regret.” For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

What do you do if you absolutely, positively do not want to work as a toolmaker with a wife and 2.4 kids in post-World War II Germany? If you’re Heinz Stücke, you simply get on your bike and don’t come home for fifty-one years. In this landmark episode of The Accidental Bicycle Tourist, your host Gabriel Aldaz treks through a snowy German winter to find the man who cycled 648,000 kilometers across 196 countries—only to discover that the residents of his hometown aren’t entirely sure if he’s still alive. Entering Heinz’s home is like stepping into a travel-themed archive, packed with enough maps, photos, and artifacts to make visitors believe that they have entered the Museum of Heinz Stücke. To inspire the legendary traveler, Gabriel has brought along a surprise: a Christmas cookie tin filled with 500 scraps of paper. What follows is a whirlwind tour through the memory of a legend. Heinz recounts sneaking into the 1970 World Cup as a professional photographer and flying over Montserrat a year after a volcanic eruption buried its capital, Plymouth. From hiking to the world’s tallest waterfalls to witnessing the "crunchy" charm of fried tarantulas in Cambodia, Heinz proves that a life well-pedaled is never boring. Tune in to part 1 of a hilarious, awe-inspiring 2-part journey through five decades of life on two wheels. For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

In the Season 3 premiere, you’ll meet Antonella Giacomini, an Italian mountaineer and adventurer who has been called the Queen of the Ice because she loves to traverse glaciers in remote corners of the world. A woman accustomed to skiing while pulling a sled across ice fields, Antonella recounts how she accidentally got into bike touring while trying to reach a glacier in Patagonia with her expedition gear. She has come to love the concept of bicycle touring, visiting countries like Italy, Costa Rica, and Canada on two wheels. Regardless of her mode of transportation, Antonella has learned valuable lessons, such as how to survive a four-day snowstorm that wrecks your tent. Or how to enter Argentina illegally three times but always manage to get out. From shattering the cruel myth that biking from northern to southern Italy is "all downhill" to performing sacred rituals to scale unclimbed peaks in Mozambique. Antonella’s wild stories offer proof that to experience life fully, you should travel, travel, travel. For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

It’s time to celebrate another memorable season of the podcast! During the 2025 Holiday Special, Sandra and Gabriel reveal the top three episodes of the past season (as chosen by the listeners) and check in with each guest to hear the latest from their busy lives. Topics discussed include the 2025 Silk Road Mountain Race, a movie called Planetwalker, the graffiti on the roads of the Tour de France, and how to stay relevant after retirement from professional cycling. Sandra and Gabriel also get updates from several other guests from the past season who are still out on the roads of South America, Africa, and have even found their way to a couple of distant islands. Listen in as well to get a preview of guests and topics that will be featured in Season 3. (Yes, there will be a Season 3!)   The films that were discussed in this episode are Planetwalker and Feeding the Rat. We also talked about Tuft Camps and FKT Challenges. For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

On this episode, you’ve got a front-row seat to one of the wildest rides of the year. Follow the story of Ana Carmen Navajas as she evolves from an innocent 14-year-old who brought along a water pistol and a pile of CDs on her first group overnighter to a hardened road warrior. A critical moment in Ana’s adult life came when, while living in England, she rehomed a naughty, energetic dog named Dexter. Together, Ana and Dexter took on increasingly challenging bicycle tours, accumulating new friends and extraordinary adventures at every turn. You’ll hear how a wheel falling off Dexter’s trailer in England’s Lake District led Ana to meet a British couple who later wrote a song about the incident. Then, a year ago, Ana and Dexter sold everything to chase her dream of riding for a year from Europe along the Silk Road to Xi’an. In Muslim-majority countries, Ana faced immense scrutiny as a woman traveling with a dog. Nowhere was this more apparent than in Afghanistan, where the pair survived a Taliban raid and Dexter had a gun pointed directly at him. Outpedaling every obstacle in their path, Ana and Dexter have proven the power of optimism and perseverance in the quest to fulfill a dream. You can follow Ana on Instagram. You can listen to Stuart and Sarah Brierley’s song on Youtube. For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

Ever dream of telling your boss, "I'll be back in six months... or a year," and pedaling off into the sunrise? Mike Vermeulen didn't just do this once; he made a habit out of it. Join us for a wild ride as Mike explains his genius strategy: work for five years, then take a personal leave of absence – or quit if necessary – to cycle across a continent. From flying over the handlebars of a brake-less 10-speed on his first overnighter heading for the tip of Cape Cod to accomplishing the incredible feat of cycling across six continents, Mike has seen it all. He’s mostly gone solo but has also found riding partners on “companions wanted” forums and joined three classic Tour d’Afrique (now TDA Global) supported rides, including the last section of the inaugural Silk Route adventure. Tune in to discover how this compiler engineer hacked the code to optimize his work and bicycling careers, accidentally creating a masterclass in work/ride balance!   For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

Imagine setting out on a bicycle tour for world peace, only to be chased by machine-gun-toting militias in Syria, get dangerously ill from rancid kidney beans in the Sahara, and be forced by border guards to take a huge detour to Jerusalem, only to get tear gassed upon arrival. That was Alan Stillman’s reality. In the late ‘80s, Alan embarked on a wild 15,000-mile journey that was less about quiet reflection and more about surviving incredible mishaps and adapting to foreign cultures. Hear how Alan’s chaotic life-or-death experiences sparked an idea for a universal picture language that would later help doctors, travelers, and even the US military. This isn't your average bike trip; it's an adventure that proves that sometimes the bumpiest road leads to the most unexpected destination. For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

What kind of travel club demands that you visit a number of countries at least equal to your age? Welcome to the world of De Berejstes Klub (DBK), Denmark's "Travelers' Club.” Meet Claus Andersen, "the Biking Viking," a man on a decades-long quest to keep his coveted DBK membership card! Journey with him back to Russia during the 2018 World Cup, where a tense encounter with four masked men took a surprising turn towards friendship. Discover why, out of all the places he has cycled, Syria and Uganda stand out as unexpected top-five cycling paradises. We also delve into the kindness of strangers in unexpected places, including the tale of how a professional stunt cyclist in India led Claus to a man who ingeniously repaired his destroyed bike crank. However, a life of constant travel is not without its perils, as Claus shares a heart-stopping account of a run-in with a motorcycle in the chaotic traffic of Surabaya, Indonesia. Claus Andersen is a true citizen of the world, with a wealth of stories that will evoke laughter and inspire new destinations for your own next adventure on two wheels. You can learn more about the Biking Viking's adventures on his website, Travelling Claus.  Vote for your favorite episodes and provide any kind of additional feedback on The Accidental Bicycle Tourist podcast 2025 survey! For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

“Just Do It” is Henry Gold’s motto for life. (In his mind, at least, he beat all famous athletic footwear companies to this slogan). Henry’s story is a wild ride, starting with a childhood fascination with Africa sparked by a legendary barefoot marathoner. Henry moved from Czechoslovakia (via Israel) to Canada, where he studied engineering in college, which set him up perfectly to… co-found a non-profit organization working in Africa called Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief. During his time in Africa, Henry dreamt of starting a 12,000-kilometer bike race from Cairo to Cape Town as a marketing stunt for a bicycle that didn’t exist. In 2003, his outrageous idea for this trans-continental race became the first Tour d'Afrique, a journey that established a company that Henry, now 73 years old, still leads today and set the precedent for epic cross-continental supported tours. And just when you thought it couldn’t get crazier, Henry casually recounts being trampled by an elephant in India and living to tell the tale.  Tune in for a story so full of twists, turns, dead ends, and triumphs that it makes your wildest adventures look like a trip to the mall to pick up a pair of running shoes. Vote for your favorite episodes and provide any kind of additional feedback on The Accidental Bicycle Tourist podcast 2025 survey! For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

Ever thought your daily commute was tough? Try cycling around the world on a high wheeler in the 1880s! Our guide to these incredible-but-true stories of journeys sparked by sheer chance is Canadian author David Houghton, who has traveled to over eighty countries around the world, cycling most of them, and participated in the Tour du Canada, Tour d’Afrique, and the Race Across America. David introduces us to Thomas Stevens, the Englishman who only intended to cross America on his high wheeler but accidentally kept going around the world. Then there’s Annie Cohen Kopchovsky, whose own global trek was launched not by a grand plan, but by accidentally overhearing a bet by two businessmen that a woman could not bicycle around the world… and deciding she would prove them wrong.  And you won’t want to miss the tale of Thomas Orde-Lees, whose choice to bring his bicycle to Antarctica contributed to the unfortunate distinction of being voted “first to be eaten” by his starving crewmates! David’s hilarious and harrowing tales of these cycling daredevils, visionaries, and adventurers prove that a simple bike ride can accidentally become an epic, unplanned adventure. You can purchase 33 Cyclists: Daredevils, Visionaries and Adventurers by David Houghton at your local bookstore or on Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Amazon DE.  Vote for your favorite episodes and provide any kind of additional feedback on The Accidental Bicycle Tourist podcast 2025 survey! For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

What's the best way to cycle 20,000 miles from the top of Alaska to the tip of Argentina? Probably not on a tandem bicycle pulling a trailer - by yourself - hoping that complete strangers will hop on the back seat. Still, that's exactly what British filmmaker Dominic Gill did between 2006 and 2008. Hatched as a grand, "hairy-chested" expedition to prove his adventurer credentials, the journey quickly turned into an emotional roller coaster and a profound exploration of human connection. Hear how Dominic’s experiences led to an acclaimed documentary film, a new career, spinoff films, and even a chance encounter with his future wife, Nadia. By the time he reached Ushuaia, Dominic had hosted 270 different "stokers" on his tandem, who taught him that the most meaningful adventures aren't about conquering the wild, but about the people with whom you share the road. Dominic’s story will hopefully inspire you to find your own unconventional journey. Dominic and Nadia's production company is called Encompass Films.  Amazon Prime offers Take a Seat: Sharing a Ride Across America and Take a Seat: Egypt for purchase. For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

Ever wondered what it's like to be part of a massive, two-day cycling event that has raised over a billion dollars for cancer research? In this episode, we hear from Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) veterans Lew Kornberg and Sameer Kazi. Lew is a seasoned 14-time rider, while Sameer has in recent years transformed from a cycling sceptic into a dedicated participant. Listen in for a heartfelt conversation about what makes the PMC so special. Discover the powerful sense of community, the emotional moments during the opening ceremony, and the incredible motivation that comes from pedaling alongside thousands of other riders, including cancer survivors who call themselves "Living Proof." Lew and Sameer's stories reveal how this event is more than just a bike ride; it's a life-affirming experience that builds lasting friendships and provides a profound sense of purpose. Get ready to be inspired to commit and figure the rest out later. For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

Get ready for an inspiring adventure as Ellie Mitchell-Heggs shares her incredible plan to pedal 10,000 kilometers across Africa. As of this episode, Ellie is in Tanzania, one-third of the way to Cape Town. She discusses the motivation behind her ambitious project – which she calls Cycle Africa – to connect with 100 non-governmental organizations and social enterprises to gain a firsthand understanding of local, community-led development. Ellie also tells about her family background and how it shaped her perspective on Africa, her previous bikepacking adventures in Europe, her extensive preparations for this journey, and the realities of being a solo female traveler in Africa. She recounts the highs and lows of her expedition, from the physical challenges of treacherous dirt roads and swarming insects to the heartwarming connections made with local organizations. This is more than just a bike trip; it's an incredible story of connection and purpose. The Cycle Africa Instagram is @projectcycleafrica and its website is cycleafrica.org.  For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

From dropping out of high school to go mountain climbing to becoming a world-class professional cyclist, Svein Tuft's journey is anything but ordinary. In this episode, hear how a simple need for cheap transportation to climbing spots led Svein to weld his own bike trailer, tour the backcountry of British Columbia with his dog, and accidentally build the foundation for a stunning athletic career. Svein shares incredible stories from his early days of rugged, off-grid touring to competing in the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia. He offers a refreshingly candid perspective on the pro cycling world and how he ultimately left European racing behind and returned to his adventure-seeking roots. If you are eager to hear about a man who takes unconventional paths (less paved), this episode is for you. Svein's new book, We Will Never Be Here Again: Adventures in cycling from the wilderness to the Tour de France, is available on Amazon and other selected retailers.  For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist

What happens when a Spanish software developer who loves open-source technology and an Austrian biomedical scientist who didn’t always love bicycling decide to travel on second-hand grocery-getters from Europe to Central Asia? You get the wild, unpredictable, and heartwarming adventure of Hacker Bikepacker. In this episode, we catch up with Javi and Rebecca four months into their year-long expedition. They share incredible stories, from being questioned by armed soldiers in the middle of the night in the Kurdistan region of Iraq to enjoying the overwhelming hospitality of Iran, where they were so inundated with invitations they had to start turning them down. They also recount the challenges and breathtaking beauty of the Pamir Highway and share how they have found solutions to mechanical problems in the most unexpected places. The Hacker Bikepacker story proves that you don’t need the best equipment and fanciest bicycles to find joy on the open roads.  Follow Hacker Bikepacker's adventures on Instagram and YouTube. For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram: https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist