Man Paddles 38 Miles Down River in Hollowed-Out Pumpkin
Duane Hansen set a new world record after paddling 38 miles down the Missouri River in a hollowed-out pumpkin he grew himself.
The 60-year-old set sail inside the 846-pound pumpkin around 7:30AM Aug. 27, completing his 38-mile journey 11 hours later.
"I went 38 miles down the river without standing up in that pumpkin, and my knees still hurt," Hansen said in a video shared by Reuters.
"I probably won’t try this again," he continued, adding, "If somebody breaks this record, I will bow down to them because they are tough."
Watch footage of Hansen's record-breaking stunt below:
Hansen, who named the orange vessel “Berta,” told the Omaha World-Herald that he faced a few collisions on his journey, including scraping a sandbar and encountering a big rock.
His trek also included heavy rain and chilly temperatures. However, mother nature couldn't damper his spirit.
"I thought, ‘I’ll just paddle harder and warm up.’ I wasn’t thinking about quitting," Hansen told the news outlet.
“I went another four to five miles, and it rained again. Berta is only about eight inches above the water line. I’ve never paid so much attention for so long in my entire life. It was tough,” he continued.
To be recognized by Guinness World Records, Hansen asked city officials to bear witness to his journey.
According to the Washington Post, city officials are currently validating the results. Once finalized, Hansen will surpass the current record for “longest journey by pumpkin boat,” previously held by Rick Swenson.
In 2016, Swenson of North Dakota traveled 25.5 miles via “pumpkin boat.”