The City of Rio Vista sits smack on the Delta about 40 miles southwest of Sacramento. It's home to a well-known bass fishing tourney, a source of pride for the 9,000 locals. And the city's downtown has a cool retro vibe reminiscent of the 1960s.
Rio Vista also holds a secret that the locals know, but most others don't. The city is home to the one-time fastest man in the world, Craig Breedlove.
I recently caught up with the legend, and I had to ask him the obvious question: "Why are you in Rio Vista, California?"
"Well, mainly because of the traffic in Los Angeles," Breedlove, who has been living here since 1989. "I came here to get away from the mob and fell in love with the town."
In the 1960s, Craig Breedlove became not just the fastest, but also one of the most well-known people in the world. He designed and piloted a land rocket known as the "Spirit of America," and became the first man to go 600 miles per hour on dry land.
"Have you ever been scared," I asked, because... Well, it's not exactly a safe way to make a living.
“I've always been scared doing that," Breedlove said. "I just really wanted to do something special not to just be here my whole life and not make an impact."
Breedlove said he was inspired to achieve by watching President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address. You know the one. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."
Craig left his job as a firefighter in Southern California and went all-in on driving extremely fast.
Once he broke the land speed record, the instant fame was overwhelming. He was on TV game shows and magazine covers. He was an American hero.
In 1963, the Beach Boys even wrote a song about his rocket car, which rose to the top of the charts. It was named “Spirit of America."
"Well, obviously I was very flattered," Breedlove said of the popular song. "I was amazed that — completely on their own — they decided to do a song about me. I'm probably more famous for the song they wrote than for the land speed record"
A recent book “Ultimate Speed” about Breedlove's life written by Samuel Hawley has recently hit the market, which could be made into a movie.
Now 81 years old, he's eager for his next challenge — to build another land rocket that will go 1,000 miles per hour. The British are about to do it, and Craig wants the record back in American hands.
He has sketches and designs and a team ready to go. All he needs is the financing, and the next “Spirit of America” can get built in Craig's Rio Vista warehouse in Rio Vista.
"I realize that my driving days are over and maybe that's a good thing," Breedlove said.
The "fastest man in the world" has racing fire in his eyes that still burns. A true American hero living nearby us all, in Rio Vista, California.
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