The world is his bike lane

[A.D.]

He’s climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and mingled with gorillas in the African jungle. Now 62-year old, Swiss-born Harry Mueller is preparing for the adventure of his life — a 10-year bicycle ride around the world.

The trip is the genesis of Mueller’s love of traveling, which began some decades ago when he became disabled from a work-related injury.

“My disability pension was so small, it couldn’t pay for half of a flat in Switzerland. I realized, instead, I could live on my bike and travel,” Mueller said.

When he departs for Alaska as the beginning of his world-wide trek in early March, it will be from Valencia, where Mueller has come to find friendship and support while awaiting the completion of his custom, three-wheeled Sidewinder Cycle, which is being built in Fillmore.

“I really like Santa Clarita, the people are so helpful and nice. There’s something special about this area. They all try to live in a good way,” Mueller said.

Nancy Roatcap, owner of Nancy’s Ranch in Valencia, met Mueller when he was pushing along a red plastic shopping cart, containing all of his worldly possessions (clothing, a tent, water, non-perishable food, a sleeping bag, a small laptop, a GPS, and a digital camera), in early December.

Mueller had arrived in Los Angeles in October, working his way to the Santa Clarita Valley, where he found camping sites to be cheap and prolific.

He stood by the ranch’s gate and the duo conversed briefly. Roatcap forgot about Mueller until a few weeks later, when she ran into him at Whole Foods Market in Valencia.

“He was just very forthright, I trusted him immediately. Sometimes that’s my downfall, but Harry’s a really sweet man. Everyone he meets, he touches, as well,” Roatcap said.

Mueller is hoping to continue touching lives as he cycles the highways and byways of America. A survivor of two heart attacks, a stroke, and a spine injury that almost left him permanently debilitated, Mueller said he’s answering to a higher calling.

“When I was dying, I spoke with God and he sent me back so I could speak with people about my life. If someone is suffering in any way — emotionally, financially, physically — I tell them God will help them,” Mueller said.

Mueller is a life-long Christian who attends church every Sunday, wherever on the planet he may be. So far on his journey, he’s been helped by the kindness of others, whether it’s a hot coffee here or a sandwich there. Since Roatcap has made friends and family aware of Mueller’s mission through an e-mail campaign, more donations have poured in — from $100 bills to hot showers to a semi-permanent place to pitch his tent and park his shopping cart, which is decorated with a sign offering his best wishes for the world to have a happy 2010.

“I haven’t had to spend one cent of my pension since I’ve been here,” he said.

He spends his days on Roatcap’s ranch, updating his blog from a small trailer and helping out wherever he can. Roatcap recently dusted off a two-wheel bicycle that had been dormant in a shed on the property so Mueller can cruise around town and provided him with a temporary cell phone.

“I think when you have God in your heart, not just on your lips, God will bring you to nice people, like Nancy,” Mueller said. “There are some bad people in the world, but I think 99.9 percent of them are good.”

Mueller is a twice-divorced reiki master who has no children. The first marriage took place in Switzerland and lasted 11 years.

Mueller was a corporate manager for an encyclopedia company at the time, earning a solid upper-class income and enjoying perks like flights on a company jet.

“I realized one day that this was not my life, so I gave it up. Fourteen days later, I filed for divorce and was on the road again,” Mueller said. “I was free. In a very different way, I was happy.”

He made his way through Africa and Asia, making friends and taking photos, which he would present at slide shows. Since Mueller has no permanent residence or place to store mementos, he has to travel light. When the slide collection began to grow unwieldy at 10,000, he ended up giving them away.

Ultimately, his path led to Thailand, where he met and married his second wife. That marriage was punctuated by Mueller’s frequent illnesses and also ended in divorce, after five years. While he goes on occasional dates and can fall prey to bouts of loneliness, the single life suits Mueller fine.

“Every human likes companionship, so when I am missing that, I speak with God and I am not alone,” Mueller.

When he began planning this trip, Mueller contacted Sidewinder Cycle in Fillmore to see if they would be willing to sponsor him with one of the recumbent cycles, which is outfitted with a comfortable mesh seat and folds for easy transport and storage.

Store owner Jim Nunes agreed and is currently upgrading Mueller’s cycle with solar panels to create electricity for his laptop, GPS, and digital camera as he pedals. Mueller can’t wait to try out his new ride.

“It’s really time for me to go. I feel like my body is full of ants,” Mueller said.

After Alaska, Mueller will cross into Canada, then the east coast of the United States down to Florida. In 2011, he will enter Central America via Mexico, and South America after that — it will be his first time visiting those regions of the Americas.

That is the extent of his plans. There are no daily mileage goals or even particular destinations.

“I’ll take some highways, but mostly the slower roads. I want to hear the birds sing, smell the smells, see the little flowers, talk with the people. You can’t do that very good on a highway,” Mueller said. “I’ll stop wherever it seems best, whether it’s after one mile or 10. Only my visas will dictate how long I stay in any particular place.”

Mueller’s prepared to meet non-human friends along the way, indoctrinated by previous experiences of close proximity to lions, tigers, and yes, bears, as well as the baying of coyotes he hears in the Santa Clarita Valley night. His faith helps assuage his fear.

“You really have to believe in God, but that doesn’t mean you can be careless. I won’t stay by a river during salmon season,” Mueller said.

Roatcap, for one, is impressed with Mueller’s attitude.

“He just throws himself out into the world and the world holds him up. Not everyone can do that,” she said.

source The Signal

Below is a pic of the new exclusive fairing that Sidewinder Cycle is building for the Sponsored Adventure rider Harry Mueller. The pic shows the basic frame layout with bottom welded aluminum panel that will protect and serve as storage.