Culture: 70s Icon and Canyon Foe Evel Knievel Jumps The Big One at 69

Spangled cape wearing motorcycle stuntman extraordinaire Evel Knievel died today after suffering from a variety of ailments including pulmonary fibrosis. In his prime Knievel jumped buses, sharks, and Pepsi delivery trucks as well as a whole bunch of cars. He often broke bones. His most famous stunt was the unsuccessful jump of Snake River Canyon on a rocket propelled motorcycle. Yes kids, the 70s were a different time.

Here's Knievel wiping out at Caeser's Palace in Las Vegas:


Here's his ill-fated Snake River Canyon jump:


And here he jumps a bunch of vans in Portland circa 1973: