He Made His Last Jump Today

November 30, 2007
Robert Craig Knievel - age 69, known as Evel Knievel died today. Okay... so that slipped by you with little fanfare or commentary in your life. But to me - a legend died. One long-time friend of his said, "You knew it was coming, but Superman just doesn't die, right?" Why is Evel Knievel's death worth marking? I guess it goes back to his jumps on Wild World of Sports. I was around 12 years old. The fashion was to have a 57 inch bike, ballon tires, a seat off a ten-speed bike (very small) and you could buy bent motorcycle handlebars from the Yamaha shop for $5. Of course the serious 'biker' would strip the chain guard (those are for sissys), fenders (you looked cool with a streak of mud/water or anything else you ran through going up the back of your shirt), and of course, the kick-stand. I was able to jump 8-10 feet off a homemade ramp down my street. Evel Knievel taught me that when you ate pavement after a fall... you get up and walk off. You may cry when you get inside the house - but in front of your friends/fans, you hang tough.

I dreamed of owning a Harley - and that dream became a reality for a time in my life. Evel Knievel; showman, dare-devil, stuntman, movie star, sports figure...... Superman. He made his last jump today. In a time when the cartoon character, Captain America has been lampooned - when we need a hero to show what is good about life in America - Evel Knievel will be missed. It makes me want to go get a bike and ride around the neighborhood.