Highest and longest bike-ride - Nick Wallenda
sets world records
NEWARK, NJ, USA -- Nik Wallenda walked along 235ft
of wire suspended between two cranes when he was an incredible
128ft above street level-setting the world record for the Highest
and longest bike-ride. Photo: Nik Wallenda, a circus high-wire
daredevil and the seventh generation of the Flying Wallendas
circus family, finishes up as he pedals a bicycle on a wire
12 stories above the street in Newark, N.J
/AP Photo/Mike Derer (enlarge
photo)
The event took place near the Prudential Center
arena in Newark, N.J., where Wallenda is performing with the
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus. Wallenda is a seventh-generation
member of a circus family that's gained fame as both "The
Flying Wallendas" and "The Great Wallendas."
Wallenda's only grounding during his ride
was the 45-pound balancing pole he carried that served as
an extension of his arms.
He did it in front of his family, his wife and three children.
Newark Mayor Cory Booker stood in front of
a crowd of more than 400 onlookers who gaped at Wallenda's
performance.
The wire was no thicker than a cigar. He wore
shoes, or slippers, specially made by his mother. His father
was on the ground below holding tension on the wire. He also
was speaking to his son through an earpiece Nik was wearing.
The 29-year-old daredevil said he ran into
several unscripted challenges, which included the rear rim
on his tireless bicycle slipping toward the end of the ride
as the wire angled upward to the arena's roof. A set of brackets
securing stabilizer wires to the main cable were too thick
and also caused problems for him.
"They were like speed bumps," said Wallenda,
who hopes to set another record by traversing the Grand Canyon
on a high wire next year.