▁who ▁had ▁been ▁on ▁the ▁road ▁for ▁ 2 7 ▁years . ▁The ▁German ▁r ider , ▁Walter ▁St ol le , ▁lost ▁his ▁home ▁and ▁living ▁in ▁the ▁Sud eten land ▁in ▁the ▁after math ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁settled ▁in ▁Britain ▁and ▁set ▁off ▁from ▁Es sex ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁January ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁to ▁cycle ▁round ▁the ▁world . ▁He ▁rode ▁through ▁ 1 5 9 ▁countries ▁in ▁ 1 8 ▁years , ▁denied ▁only ▁those ▁with ▁se aled ▁borders . ▁He ▁paid ▁his ▁way ▁by ▁giving ▁slide ▁shows ▁in ▁seven ▁languages . ▁He ▁gave ▁ 2 , 5 0 0 ▁at ▁US $ 1 0 0 ▁each . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁he ▁rode ▁through ▁Niger ia , ▁D ah ome y , ▁Upper ▁Vol ta , ▁Gh ana , ▁Le one , ▁I v ory ▁Coast , ▁Liber ia ▁and ▁Guinea . ▁He ▁was ▁ro bb ed ▁ 2 3 1 ▁times , ▁wore ▁out ▁six ▁b icy cles ▁and ▁had ▁five ▁more ▁st olen . ▁▁ ▁Hein z ▁St ücke ▁left ▁his ▁job ▁as ▁a ▁die - maker ▁in ▁North ▁Rh ine - West phal ia ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 2 2 ▁— ▁three ▁years ▁after ▁St ol le ▁and ▁is ▁still ▁r iding . ▁ ▁By ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁he ▁had ▁cy c led ▁more ▁than ▁ ▁and ▁visited ▁ 1 9 2 ▁countries . ▁He ▁pays ▁his ▁way ▁by