58-Year-Old Cyclist Embarks on a Two-Year Global Charity Ride

From Willich to the World: For Anrath's Holger Guse (57), That's Literally the Plan

This Friday, Guse will mount his bicycle in Neersen and embark on a long journey toward Indonesia—the start of a two-year global adventure. This isn't his first time setting off to explore the world. From 2013 to 2017, he traversed the globe "mostly on foot, though I used other ways to get around too," he tells Extra-Tipp in an interview.

At 57, Guse has done what many only dream of: quitting his job to see the world. For 25 years, he worked as a clerk for a health insurance company. "Then I read a book by Stephen Pern—that's what inspired my first trip," he recalls. Pern, a British adventurer, long-distance hiker, and author, wrote Continental Divide, which Guse calls the spark for his journey. That was in 2009. Nearly four years later, the Anrath native left his job behind, packed a tent, backpack, and hiking boots, and set off on his first grand world tour. His adventure lasted nearly five years.

"I set three main goals: I wanted to see the Serengeti in Africa, the Taj Mahal in northern India, and Annapurna in Nepal—one of the world's ten highest peaks," says Guse, who documents his experiences online under the name "This is Uncle Bob." He achieved all of them—and so much more. On foot, by bus, hitchhiking, or by boat, he spent five years circling the globe. In the U.S., he hiked the Appalachian Trail—"I just didn't have anything better to do at the time," he jokes. In 2017, he returned to Neersen.

When the pandemic made long-distance travel impossible, he hiked tens of thousands of kilometers across Europe. "But now it's time for another world tour," he says. Preparations are complete, and on Friday, he sets off.

His route begins by bicycle toward the Allgäu, then through Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey. "That'll take me about two months," he estimates. After that, he'll face a decision: "If the conflict in Iran is still ongoing, I'll have to detour around the Caspian Sea—through Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and so on."

From there, he plans to continue via China toward Indonesia. "Myanmar is off-limits because of the civil war," he notes.

Guse remains optimistic, closely following the blogs of cyclists currently circling the globe. He expects his ride to Indonesia to take about nine months, with the full world tour spanning roughly two years. His journey also serves a charitable purpose—last week, he announced his initiative.

"I'll carry a small piggy bank and drop in one cent for every kilometer I travel each evening. I'd love for everyone following me on social media—Instagram and Facebook under 'This is Uncle Bob'—to do the same," he explains.

"I'll set up a donation account. Anyone who's added a cent to their own piggy bank can donate the total at the end of my trip. They can also send me a photo of their piggy bank. The most creative one will win a private reading from my book," he adds.

The funds will go to the EduVision Foundation in Hetauda, Nepal. "It's an initiative focused on education, social responsibility, and community projects, especially for former child laborers," he says. Even on his last trip, he raised donations for charitable causes.

In his book, Just Take a Left Turn, Guse captures his most memorable experiences from his world tour and his European trek. "Now I'm looking forward to my next adventure and can't wait to see what's in store," says the globetrotter.