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Today the thin blue line is going in circles. And circles. And circles. A Los Angeles Police Department detective is on board the Ferris Wheel at Pacific Park at the Santa Monica Pier, and he's going to stay on (hopefully) long enough to break the Guinness Wold Record for the longest ride.Det. Gus Martinez, with the LAPD since 1994, needs to stay on the Pacific Wheel overlooking the ocean until 8:30 Friday morning--that's 25 consecutive hours--to beat the current record of 24 hours and 30 minutes, according to a release issued by Pacific Park. He got rolling at 7:30 this morning.
Martinez's attempt at a record-breaking ride is being done as a Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) fundraiser. Supporters have pledged donations, and are also guessing how many total rotations the wheel will make with Martinez riding until he comes off.
The detective isn't riding alone--he is expected to be periodically be joined by his son, Jason, who is a SOSC athlete, as well as by other family members, friends and law enforcement officers. After 8 p.m. tonight, the public can pay $5 to ride the wheel with Martinez, and that money will go to SOSC.
Martinez, who serves as a SOSC coach, says he sees this endeavor as a special kind of challenge, but, like his detective work, demands his endurance.
When Martinez finally hops off the Pacific Wheel, he and his son will run up the Santa Monica Pier, down Colorado Blvd., onto Main Street to the Santa Monica Police Department to light the official Southern California Law Enforcement Torch held by a Santa Monica Law Enforcement Officer and SOSC athlete.
