Nik Wallenda's Niagara Falls Tightrope Stunt - as part of the news series by GeoBeats. Somehow the words, 'Niagara Falls' and 'tightrope' don't seem to mix well together. One daring soul, Nik Wallenda doesn't share that mentality as he is going to walk a tightrope over the raging Falls. The tightrope specialist holds 6 Guinness World Records, including one for the longest bicycle ride on a suspended wire without a safety net.Although, stunts like this have been officially banned by the Niagara Parks Commission since 1896, Walenda was granted sole permission to attempt the walk. However, it will be no easy feat considering he will have to walk a stretch of more than 1,500 feet on a wire rope that will be hanging 170 feet above the thundering Horseshoe Falls! The stunt, which ABC will be televising live is estimated to cost more than 1 million dollars. In June 1859, Jean Francois, famously known as 'The Great Blondin', did his own tightrope stunt over the gorge of the Niagara River, managing to somersault, ride a pedal bike and push a wheelbarrow. One year later, William Hunt attempted to steal the spotlight from 'Blondin', walking the tight rope with a washing machine on his back, even completing a load of laundry by using a pail and string to get water from below!
