Missouri man and a 1,200-pound gourd set new world record for longest journey by pumpkin boat

Flying Asian carp, river barge traffic, and dangerous eddies all awaited Steve Kueny as he floated his massive fruit, called "Huckle Berry," from Kansas City, Kansas, to Napoleon, Missouri. But after 11 hours, Kueny completed his journey — squashing the world record.
The sun peeked out over the Kansas City skyline Monday morning just as Steve Kueny set off at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers inside a 1,293-pound pumpkin.

"Our plan is to float this pumpkin down the Missouri River," Kueny said. "We're trying to break the Guinness World Record for longest distance float in a pumpkin."

Wearing a wet suit to protect him from the chilly water and morning air, Kueny launched from Lewis and Clark Park at Kaw Point bound for Napoleon, Missouri. He estimated the journey would take around eight hours, putting him 38 miles downstream before sundown.