WASHINGTON — On Saturday, 56-year-old Rich Flanagan called up his daughter and told her it was game time. Flanagan was going to make his first attempt to earn the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous bicycle wheelie. The standing record was 26 miles.
He drove to Lindale Middle School in Linthicum, Md. focused on the goals at hand: complete a 100-mile wheelie and break the world record.
After four hours and 10 minutes on a continuous wheelie, Rich was exhausted, but he accomplished part of his goal. He beat the record, but didn't make it to the 100 mile mark. A gust of wind knocked him off balance at the 50.5 mile mark.
Two hundred and four laps around the track left the two-time Guinness World Record holder bone-tired, with a sore butt. He broke the world record, but not his personal goal.
"I'm as happy as I can be," the unofficial world record holder for the longest continuous bicycle wheelie told us.
Flanagan also holds records for the farthest distance bicycle wheelie in one hour (16.07 miles) and the fastest bicycle wheelie over 100 meters (10.86 seconds).
Now Flanagan has to submit all of the footage and documentation of the attempt to Guinness in order to get the official title. He'll keep us updated on when that comes through.
Until then, he's the champ in our book.
RELATED: Area Code: Kokamoe
