A Colorado Man Spent a Week Pushing a Peanut Up a Peak in the Rocky Mountains With His Nose

A Colorado man took more time than usual to climb Pikes Peak this month, and for good reason. He completed the 12-mile trek in seven days while pushing a peanut with his nose. To make matters more unusual, he isn't the first person to accomplish this feat.

As KRCC reports, 53-year-old Bob Salem of Colorado Springs, Colorado, completed his journey up the Rocky Mountains summit on July 15. To carry his special cargo hands-free, he strapped a makeshift peanut-pushing device to his nose consisting of a spoon taped to a sleep apnea device. He did most of the hike at night to escape the heat and attention from onlookers.

Though he worked with one nut at a time, he used up nearly two dozen on his trip. Some fell into crevices on the trail. Peanuts were also one of the snacks that powered his hike, in addition to Pop-Tarts, crackers, and bananas.

Using his nose to transport a peanut to the top of a mountain is an impressive achievement, but Salem didn't invent the sport. Texas craftsman Bill Williams became the first of the Pikes Peak peanut pushers when he accepted a $50 bet in 1929. He inspired rock musician Ulysses Baxter to complete the trek in eight days in 1963.

Salem may not be the first person to take a legume up Pikes Peak in such a manner, but he is the fastest. His one-week trip beat the previous record, set by Baxter, by one day. Salem is also the first hiker to carry the strange local tradition into the 21st century.