Frustrated with the gridlock? Sitting, stewing in the bumper to bumper traffic on i95? We've all been there, we've all at some point wished we could either drive around the traffic in the break down lane or more to the point just drive over the endless line of SUV's, perhaps in a tank!
While either option would get you locked up here in Connecticut, the later is actually possible if you're willing to travel to tiny Kasota, Minnesota, about 50 miles southwest of Minneapolis. There you'll find Drive-a-Tank, owned and operated by construction and heavy equipment contractor Tony Borglum. It's a concept that Borglum first spotted in England and just knew it would catch on here, "adventure tourism in general is growing, people are looking for things they never imagined they'd have the opportunity to do."
On a hot day, here's an unexpected way to keep cool!
The opportunity is to drive any of 11 Cold War era tanks in and around his 20 acre limestone quarry. Pricing starts at $399 for the basic package, allowing you to be the commander of this Abbott convoy style tank and climbs to $549 for a two-tank combo (one being periscope guided). These massive armored animals travel at 30 miles per hour but are best controlled at around half of that. As tanks were never built for comfort, quarters are extremely tight, the controls altogether unfamiliar; you both break and steer with your hands and there happens to be a massive cannon sticking out which this student driver unfortunately used to de-bark but not destroy a large tree! Any damage you'll do is limited to such (avoidable) fender bender variety, as firing a weapon from a moving vehicle is illegal in Minnesota and the cannons have been disabled in compliance with federal law and for damn good reason!
The rush is so rewarding nonetheless, it has people flocking to this mining town from as far away as Moscow and Saudi Arabia, consisting of different groups from corporate outings to bachelor and even bachelorette parties, says Borglum "chicks dig tanks too!" What you won't find here is American war relics, the US military does not resell its retired vehicles, so all at Drive-a-Tank are from the U.K., including a British Chieftain Mark 11 featured in the 2002 Matthew McConaughey dragon invasion movie "Reign of Fire."
Larry and $549 are your keys to crushing cars.
If your thirst for thrills is not yet quenched, well then fork over an additional $550 ($750 for double car crush) to take your adrenaline rush to new heights, that of a monster truck and crush a car. So in a Chieftan Mark 10 tank nicknamed Larry I proceeded to flatten a once-fully-functioning 1997 Lincoln Continental, to me it felt like a speed bump with a bonus explosion of glass! "It was awesome. I mean, controlling that machine, it's incredible," said Jacob Ostling, 19, of New Canaan who recently payed a visit. Still, if that appetite for destruction is not satisfied, there's but one pricey option remaining, for $3500 you and Larry can drive through and all over a mobile home, leaving every square foot in a pile of rubble.
If in fact you don't yet know what's like to sit behind the wheel in New York City commuter traffic fear not, you don't even need a drivers license to operate these tanks, "just as long as you can reach the pedals" you're good to go says Borglum, yes Sir!
Ready for the thrill? Visit Drive-a-Tank.
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Dave Briggs
Anchor Weekend FOX & Friends, 6-10 ET FOX News Channel
Married to wife, Brandi, father of three; Emerson, William and Logan
Avid sports fan, fitness enthusiast, Westport resident going on 4 years
Twitter: @davebriggstv