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The 'Yankee Siege' and some Punkin' Chunkin'

Terry and I left at about 5am (grabbing Rob along the way in Brewer) to meet up with everyone in southern New Hampshire. What an incredible fall day! Almost 80 degrees out! After meeting up in Brookline NH, we took a nice Color Tour thru the twisties to Greenfield, NH, where the Yankee Siege is.
It's 56' tall and 20 tons. The counterwieght alone is 14,000 LBS! The Yankee Siege trebuchet holds various World Records in Punkin Chunkin, currently it flings a 10LB pumpkin about 1800 feet. The sound alone is worth the trip, seeing things go splat is pretty cool too.

While riding to see friends is always great, it's seeing friends have fun that makes life good. Part of the fun was the joke Paul and Chris played on Chris's wife, Laura. She is a huge Yankee's fan, and, well, Paul isn't. He had a pumpkin painted Blue & White pinstripes, and talked the owner into letting Laura release the trigger for a throw..err..chunk.
I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed all 668 miles of the road trip to toss a few pumkins.....

A short clip (10meg) of the trebuchet in action (turn your sound on) is here Yankee Siege as 'conducted' by Laura
(clip opens in another browser window / keep the comments about cell phone video quality to yourself)
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Trying to gas up in the dark
 
Ok, I admit it, it was cold.....
 
....but the sunrise on the road was worth it.
 
Rob and Terry
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Steve and Rob
 
300 miles later we arrive at the restaurant
 
To greet old friends...
 
and new ones
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Paul slapping some overdue sense into Terry
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Paul has a 'pose' button attached to each camera shutter
 
Terry telling anyone who will listen how cold it was down here
 
 
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Arriving at the field, that is 'The Castle', one of the targets
 
 
 
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That;'s the Yankee Siege in the background
 
 
 
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Smile Paul!
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Starting to arm the counterweight
 
still arming
 
Little does Laura know she is about to become a 'Connecticut Yankee in King Paul's Court'
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Ok, almost armed
 
Umm, maybe we outghta put on a safety chain...
 
 
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The Three Stooges?
 
Laura getting instructions
 
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It's a trebuchet, not a catapult!
 
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Don't forget to let go of the rope
 
Pull!
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Check out the video of the pull in action


 



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