River Ride Uses Cattle Stock Tanks As Boats

RED CLOUD, Neb. (AP) -- A cattle water tank may not seem the ideal riverboat at first sight, but to 450 people who participated in Saturday's Republican River Tank Float, it was perfect.

The round, sheet-metal stock tanks normally used to hold water for thirsty cattle instead held people -- as well as lawn chairs, coolers and patio umbrellas -- as they floated down the 4 1/2 mile stretch of river Saturday.

The annual event got its start in 1986, when the Red Cloud Jaycees needed a fund-raiser. Since canoe races were already popular upstream at Franklin, the group settled on stock tanks as a kitschy alternative.

It took.

The tank race is now considered one of the town's main fund-raisers, drawing locals, college students -- even some serious rafters -- from across Nebraska and Kansas.

-- Anonymous, July 16, 2001

Answers

What a "wet and wild" ride!!!

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001