What's punkin chunkin?
"Punkin chunkin...is the action of hurling a pumpkin in a competition by mechanical means over distances greater than those of other competitors.
"In order of increasing effectiveness, the devices include compound slingshots, catapults, trebuchets, and pneumatic air cannons. A pneumatic air cannon named 'Big 10 Inch' holds the current world record by firing a pumpkin 4,623.43 feet (1,409.224 meters) during the 2009 Pumpkin Chuckin' competition in Utah. In September 2010, the 'Big 10 Inch' team returned to Utah and fired a pumpkin 5,545.43 feet (1,690.247 meters) - this shot is still pending certification by Guinness World Records." ~Wikipedia Link
We were watching television and eating our Costco rotisserie chicken along with huge chunks of roasted garlic bread when this very strange program came on the Science channel. The Science Channel you say? Not the Farm Channel?? RIGHT. Chunkin punkins is SERIOUS business, folks! Not just anyone can figure out how to launch a twenty-pound punkin in the air and spend a few thousand bucks to accomplish the job.
Punkin Chunkin ended up being such an entertaining evening I found a few video links, images and websites in case you wanted to waste an hour or two watching punkins fly through the air to certain death. No punkin is known, in the whole history of this extraordinary punkin killin competition, to ever have survived.
At the end of the punkin chunkin battle for the 'win', the Pennsylvania farm field is littered with casualties. Like Gettysburg.
"The Yankee Siege"
56,000 pounds of mind-blowing power
The weight box on the Yankee Siege weighs as much as two hummers
Of all the chunkers though, the Yankee Siege, a Trebuchet, is my favorite! What's a Trebuchet you ask? Maybe you didn't ask or maybe you already know or maybe you don't want to know and maybe you wish I'd never asked. (I had no idea what a trebuchet was actually. Now I'm glad I asked myself the question.) The Trebuchet was developed 2000 years ago by the Greeks and perfected by the Romans. It was a formidable weapon of war flinging nasty things at invading enemies. Like 200-pound boulders, dead cows, sick chickens and leftover tuna casserole. Or X-husbands with their beards on fire. Well, most likely not. X-husbands I mean. But a girl can dream can't she?
Trebuchet at Caerphilly Castle
Trebuchets at Chateaux Castlenaud
Trebuchet at Chateaux des Baux, France
Other Websites you might find interesting:
X-husbandsOnFire.com
No comments:
Post a Comment
Let's Talk! It gets lonely in here!