The gourds, the bad and the ugly, set sail for Oregon at the state’s annual pumpkin race in Tualatin.
The rowing race, which has been held since 2004, sees participants dress up as characters such as Elvis, Hot Dog, Guy Fieri and the UPS delivery man and jump into the water on their own pumpkins.
Participants spend the morning carving pumpkins to prepare them for the water. The more intestines are removed, the lighter the pumpkin becomes and the faster it can move, giving the captain a competitive advantage.
The pumpkins are grown locally, often by the same farmers who participate in the race. When asked what it takes to grow a giant pumpkin, one competitor shared his simple secret to success. “Good seeds, good soil, luck, hard work.”
