Man breaks world record for floating down a river in a pumpkin: 'Gourdspeed'

Man breaks world record for floating down a river in a pumpkin: 'Gourdspeed'

A man in the United States has broken a world record that's just a tad unusual.

On Saturday morning in Nebraska, 60-year-old Duane Hansen set out at around 7:30 a.m. to paddle the Missouri River from Bellevue to Nebraska City, along the midwestern state's eastern border with Iowa.

But Hansen wasn't completing the voyage using a typical vessel.

Instead, the Syracuse, Nebraska-native travelled the 38-mile (61-kilometre) journey using a hollowed out pumpkin weighing 846 pounds (384 kilograms). It's a trip that was estimated to take roughly 6 hours.

"Mr. Hansen is a long time Nebraska resident who enjoys growing large pumpkins, gourds and other vegetables as a hobby," Phil Davidson, community relations coordinator for the City of Bellevue, wrote in a Facebook post on the city's page. "He came up with this idea when visiting Ohio and seeing another person attempt to set this record which is currently right around 30 miles. Seems like a unique, if not slightly crazy, way to celebrate his 60th birthday, which was [Friday].

"He had his wife, family and friends on hand to assist with and help document the attempt. A few of them were following alongside him in a boat, should any mishaps occur."

Around 5 p.m., the post was updated with the news that Hansen officially broke the world record earlier that afternoon.

Hansen completed the 38-mile (61-kilometre) journey from Bellevue to Nebraska City late Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Phil Davidson via City of Bellevue, Nebraska on Facebook)

Hansen completed the 38-mile (61-kilometre) journey from Bellevue to Nebraska City late Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Phil Davidson via City of Bellevue, Nebraska on Facebook)

"We have a new world record holder!! Duane surpassed the 25.5 mile (41 kilometre) record at 2:52 p.m., and he is currently continuing on to the marina in Nebraska City, which is approximately 12 more miles (19 kilometres)," the update read. "Congratulations, Duane, and keep going strong!!"

Another update was shared around 9 p.m., indicating Hansen safely completed his journey a few hours after breaking the world record.

"The Hansen family just posted on this thread that Duane Hansen made it to Nebraska City just after 6:30 p.m.! Congratulations, Duane for smashing the world record," said the final update. "We are proud that you started this record-breaking 38-mile (61-kilometre) journey in Bellevue, and it's been fun to follow along."

In a reply to someone on Facebook, Davidson replied through the City of Bellevue, Nebraska's page saying Hansen arrived in Nebraska City 11 hours after he started his journey, adding that he texted Sunday morning saying he "was happy he made it" but was "physically exhausted" from the trip.

Duane Hansen (second from left in back row) broke a world record by travelling on this nearly 850-pound pumpkin along the Missouri River between Bellevue and Nebraska City. (Photo by Phil Davidson via City of Bellevue, Nebraska on Facebook)

Duane Hansen (second from left in back row) broke a world record by travelling on this nearly 850-pound pumpkin along the Missouri River between Bellevue and Nebraska City. (Photo by Phil Davidson via City of Bellevue, Nebraska on Facebook)

The post was shared across social media, where it racked up more than 100,000 likes and 8,000 retweets on Twitter, along with thousands of comments from people across the world cheering Hansen on, with others congratulating his achievement.

"Congratulations, Duane! Cheering you on from the U.K.," one person wrote on the Facebook post.

"This is hilarious and inspiring. I hope someone is filming this! This is fantastic!" another person added.

"Congratulations on your 60th, Duane! You took your ride in style. Surely hope your legs can stand once again! You got ‘er done!" someone commented.

"Cheering Duane on from Vancouver, Canada! Woot, woot!!! Go, pumpkin, go!" replied someone else.

MMW

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

That Uplifting Tweet You Just Shared? A Russian Troll Sent It

Image
Here’s what Russia’s 2020 disinformation operations look like, according to two experts on social media and propaganda. By   DARREN LINVILL   &   PATRICK WARREN Internet trolls don’t troll. Not the professionals at least. Professional trolls don’t go on social media to antagonize liberals or belittle conservatives. They are not narrow minded, drunk or angry. They don’t lack basic English language skills. They certainly aren’t  “somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds,”  as the president once put it. Your stereotypical trolls do exist on social media, but the amateurs aren’t a threat to Western democracy. Professional trolls, on the other hand, are the tip of the spear in the new digital, ideological battleground. To combat the threat they pose, we must first understand them — and take them seriously. MORE: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/russia-troll-2020-election-interference-twitter-916482/ P...
Read more

The Nightmare Scenario That Keeps Election Lawyers Up At Night -- And Could Hand Trump A Second Term

Image
The Nightmare Scenario That Keeps Election Lawyers Up At Night -- And Could Hand Trump A Second Term   (Photo: Photos: Getty Images) Americans will almost certainly go to bed on Nov. 3 without knowing who won the presidential election. Since millions of people will vote by mail, constraints on time and resources will slow ballot counting into potentially a weeks-long process. Voting patterns suggest it’s likely that President  Donald Trump  could end Election Day in the lead in certain key states, only to be overtaken by Democratic opponent  Joe Biden  when more votes are tallied.  This could create a nightmare scenario during the three months stretching from Election Day to the Jan. 20 inauguration: a battle on the state and congressional level over who is the legitimate winner. This could include Congress reconvening on Jan. 6, presided over by Vice President  Mike Pence , with no consensus over its potential role in choosing the next president. This...
Read more

When Life Hands You Lemons

Image
 It's like this folks: sometimes your mind goes blank. Happens more than usual with me of course. Take this forum for instance. I wanted to post something today and couldn't think of a topic. At least not a non-sexual one and we know sexual ones lately have been frowned upon.  Then along comes one of our regulars and complains about something. Well, they might not say it was a complaint, just an observation, but it was a complaint. A minor one. It has something to do about being able to make something out of nothing. Sort of like me this morning, how to make a thread out of an empty head? But they (notice I am using the correct pronoun, not saying he or she), by what they said got me thinking. What I thought was: Not sure if that is the actual saying, if I remember correctly, I remember the saying going something like this: Umm, no, I don't think the saying I am thinking of goes that way either, maybe ONE of you good folks can remind me how the saying goes. Either way, when...
Read more