{"id":7878,"date":"2011-04-26T17:44:02","date_gmt":"2011-04-26T22:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.howderfamily.com\/blog\/?p=7878"},"modified":"2022-04-07T16:03:54","modified_gmt":"2022-04-07T21:03:54","slug":"fly-over-void","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.howderfamily.com\/blog\/fly-over-void\/","title":{"rendered":"One Flew Over the Void"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

International borders serve as fodder for a frequently recurring topic on Twelve Mile Circle. I\u2019ve written about borders in tunnels<\/a>, borders across islands<\/a>, and borders creating odd exclaves<\/a>. I’ve even discussed a border that I crossed of somewhat dubious legality<\/a>. However none of those approach the epic heights of one particularly noteworthy border crossing that took place in 2005. I can\u2019t believe I didn\u2019t know about it at the time. I just learned of it while researching another completely different topic that I’ll reveal soon enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Smith Sr. is the patriarch of a notable family of human cannonballs. That\u2019s right, I said human cannonballs. They shoot themselves from cannons at circuses, county fairs and various other public spectacles. He\u2019s traveled the world as he\u2019s practiced his unusual art. At one time he even held the world record for the longest human cannonball flight. Then his son David Smith Jr<\/a>. improved upon the distance. At least they kept it in the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Stunt<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The life of a professional human cannonballer might seem a bit odd. Nonetheless, that doesn\u2019t make him a living embodiment of geo-oddities all by itself. No, David Smith Sr. crossed that threshold when he shot himself over the international boundary from Mexico to the United States (map<\/a>). Fortunately for us he documented it all on YouTube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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