Fifty years after Evel Knievel’s attempt, the rocket he used to Jump the Snake is back in Twin Falls
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Lorien Nettleton, KIVI
TWIN FALLS (KIVI) — It’s been 50 years since Evel Knievel brought international attention to Twin Falls, and all these years later, it’s still one of the biggest things to ever happen here. To commemorate the attempt to Jump the Snake River Canyon, Knievel’s family and friends hosted a motorcycle parade Sunday along with an opportunity to see his Sky Cycle X-2 rocket in person.
“It was complete insanity. It was! but of course, in Evil Knievel style, he made it happen,” Bill Rundle was working for Evel Knievel in 1974 when he made international headlines.
The jump site is still standing, where 50 years ago it served as a giant ramp to launch one of the most famous things to ever happen in Twin Falls.
“This was nothing but people,” Rundle said, standing at the base of the jump site. “It was so jam-packed with people. Biker clubs, they rolled the semis over (and) stole all the beer. There was a row of outhouses out in this field, and they tipped them all over and lit them on fire and guys were jumping them on motorcycles until one almost got killed.”
Evel Knievel’s 1974 attempt to jump over the Snake River Canyon is the stuff of legend.
To this day, people can walk up the jump site and imagine trying to hurtle across the gap to the other side.
Rundle started working for Evel at the age of 14 and told Idaho News 6 about the build-up to the jump attempt.
He recalled watching a TV special in Evel’s Montana living room just two days before the jump.
“We watched the ABC special, saying ‘Here’s what can happen if the rocket doesn’t get enough speed,'” Rundle said. “They had a bull’s-eye on the side of the canyon. Everything that could possibly could go wrong,” Rundle said.
“And I’ll never forget how quiet it was in that room. None of us said a word,” Rundle said. “And when it was over, Evel just looked at us and said ‘well, there you go.'”
Evel’s oldest son, Kelly Knievel, said his dad was like the godfather of stunt performers, opening the door to the X-games and extreme thrill-seekers who came after.
“He was his own, original, charismatic. Everything he did was new, and it was built upon something he had already done,” Kelly told Idaho News 6 in a Zoom interview. “And the next thing that he was going to do was going to be bigger and better, and that’s just the way he thought.”
The public will have a rare chance to see Evel’s rocket, the Sky Cycle X-2 Sunday.
This rare appearance could be the last time the Sky Cycle comes through Twin Falls, it’s been making a cross-country trip as it heads to its final destination, the Evel Knievel Museum in Las Vegas.
“We’ve been organizing this project for a little over a year, bringing the rocket back to the canyon (for the) 50th anniversary,” John Bagley told Idaho News 6.
Bagley’s Motor Mania crew has been filming a documentary about Knievel’s life, and for them, the Snake River Canyon is a hallowed site.
“He was our real-life superhero when we were kids,” Bagley said. “So we’ve been on tour all across America doing bringing the vehicles around promoting is always getting great interviews with great celebrities great people who actually part of this jump 50 years ago, and it’s just it’s been epic.”
A motorcycle parade commemorating the jump kicked off at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Valley Wide Country Store on Hwy 93 north of I-84, and traveled south over the Perrine Bridge to downtown Twin Falls.
Sunday afternoon, the Knievel family and special guests will be at Koto Brewing following the parade, where the Sky Cycle X-2 will be on display, and special Evel Knievel beer will be available for purchase.
Organizers planned to pack the Perrine Bridge with motorcycles during Sunday’s parade.
Sunday afternoon, visitors to downtown Twin Falls can enjoy live music all day at Koto Brewing, see the sky cycle, get autographs and collect hero cards.
