Idaho schools will get $943,000 from a Texas stuntman, in return, the stuntman has purchased the right to jump the Snake River Canyon.
The bid made by "Big" Ed Beckley in a public auction last week is due to the state of Idaho Friday afternoon. He'll wire the money to the state.
Beckley is a 63-year-old who's been jumping motorcycles since the mid 1970s. At 285 lbs. he bills himself as the world's largest motorcycle jumper.
After bidding started at $10,000, Beckley secured the rights to use state owned land as a landing spot for an attempted jump over the Snake River Canyon next September in Twin Falls County. Beckley wants to recreate a similar jump Evel Knievelattempted in 1974.
Beckley says he'll now spend a lot of time in Idaho getting ready.
"We're gonna spend so much time there anyway, that we're already in touch with realtors in the area looking for a place to live up there," says Beckley.
Beckley says he thought he might have to spend $500,000 to secure the rights to the state land. He thinks selling TV rights will be the main way to recoup his investment.
Beckley will attempt the 1,600-foot-jump on a rocket-powered motorcycle that will reach, he says, more than 300 mph at the apex of the jump. You can see a simulation of the stunt here.
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