The Regatta

I was so excited that we were able to go to the Giant Pumpkin Regatta this weekend!  It hasn't worked out the last year or two, and this year we didn't even get there in time for the racing, due to a family event, but we went anyway, hoping to still see some action.

We all got a kick out of the fact that there were people sitting in hollowed out enormous pumpkins, rowing them around.  So cool!  We just walked around for a little while, checking out the pumpkin boats and taking in the excitement around us.

Of course we had to take a picture with this baby, which probably weighed about 1500 pounds.

Then when we walked over to the area where a forklift was pulling the pumpkin boats out of the water, a kind gentleman asked us if the kids would like to get in.  Yes!  Even though Cat was grossed out by the wet guts in the hollowed out part and Eliza was holding on to Cat for dear life and Jack refused to get on the pumpkin until he saw his sisters safely seated, they thought it was pretty cool.

Then the kind gentleman gave the pumpkin a spin.

Once he helped the kids get back to the sidewalk, the gentleman asked if I wanted to get in and I was pretty surprised, but I figured, when else will I get to sit in an 800-lb. pumpkin?  So I did.

And once I was in, he asked if I wanted to row around and I was pretty surprised, but I figured, when else will I get to row around in an 800-lb. pumpkin?  So I did.

It was impossible to steer, maybe because I was sitting on the outside and was nervous that I would tip the thing.  I bet I'd be an awesome pumpkin-boat rower if I was prepared to sit in a pile of pumpkin guts and could row better.  Notice how in the video (below) how Ben tells the guy to tip me over.  Love you too, babe.

I chatted with the gentleman's wife for a few minutes and it turns out they had raced a giant pumpkin, which they grew, for the first time and she was so geeked out about it that it made me want to grow my own and compete in a Giant Pumpkin Regatta.  I even started reading about how to do it on the Utah Giant Pumpkin Growers website and it sounds like a lot of work.  But I still kind of want to do it. Weird?  Well, you're not surprised, are you?

To see a news story about the regatta, (with footage of people actually rowing the pumpkin boats) click HERE.  I would love one of those trophies on my mantel.

The news story didn't talk about the fact that the winner (the guy with the fancy trophy) actually broke a World Record by rowing a giant pumpkin 100 meters in less than 2 minutes.