[N8 v2.0]

Our local bike club has heard about a Poker Run that some clubs like to conduct but we don't have anyone who knows how to run it and I thought maybe someone on the Monkey knows...

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Barbaton]

Via Google:

Definition: A Poker Run is an organized motorcycle event where riders travel over a prescribed course and at designated stopping points, select a card. At the end of the run, the person with the best poker hand wins a prize. Poker Runs usually require a fee to enter with a part of the proceeds going to charity. Some runs are done from bar to bar but in the interest of safety, I don't recommend these. The best runs have a dinner at the end point and only serve soft drinks. Please do not drink and ride your motorcycle. The rules for Poker Runs vary depending on the event.

 

[Heidi]

I've ridden in many of them.

Just set up 5 little stations (can be one or two people). Each rider stops at each station along the course and takes a card. Person with the best hand at the end wins. Pretty f'ing simple.

 

[N8 v2.0]

We're doing this as a MTB night ride...

 

[Heidi]

We're doing this as a MTB night ride...

Ummm, so add lights to my description.

 

[N8 v2.0]

I've ridden in many of them.

Just set up 5 little stations (can be one or two people). Each rider stops at each station along the course and takes a card. Person with the best hand at the end wins. Pretty f'ing simple.

Sounds cool... do you think it would be ok to seal the cards in envelopes so the station doesn't have to be manned (assuming riders are honest)??

 

[Heidi]

Sounds cool... do you think it would be ok to seal the cards in envelopes so the station doesn't have to be manned (assuming riders are honest)??

If you have to, that would work. Obviously there a lots of ways to cheat at this thing. I mean, you could trade cards amongst people to get good hands, you could bring a couple sets of your own cards....only dillholes would do stuff like that though.

 

[N8 v2.0]

If you have to, that would work. Obviously there a lots of ways to cheat at this thing. I mean, you could trade cards amongst people to get good hands, you could bring a couple sets of your own cards....only dillholes would do stuff like that though.

True... but the stakes will be low and it's mainly something we want to do for fun.

Nice use of the word "dillhole" though... 25 bonus points!

 

[manziman]

that actually sounds pretty fun.

 

[Cash-Money]

there was one in the seattle area, where all the local bike shops had a deck of cards. there were a few guys that hit almost every shop

 

[Heidi]

True... but the stakes will be low and it's mainly something we want to do for fun.

Yes, I always had a great time.

 

[LordOpie]

Go Fish.

I don't see why you can't set it up any way you want. I say set up 8-10 stations. The first 1/3 of the people that make it back to the start/finish line can swap out 2 cards. This way, the slower, less endurance riders can go hit five stations and head straight back to the start, whereas the stronger riders can hit all stations, assuming they got suck cards to begin with.

 

[MSpike]

CAMBA in WI has been running one of these for a few years now. It's very well-organized and loads of fun to boot. They have trail guides that ride at the front of each group and deal out cards at various different points along the ride. That simplifies things as they don't need to set up stations along the route. There are a few different categories for different distances and abilities which makes it easier as it breaks the group down into smaller, more manageable groups. They have a lunch at the end and offer prizes for best and worst hands. Here's a link to their website. There's not a whole lot of info there but you might find the ride level description at the bottom of the page to be helpful. That might give you some idea of how to go about it if you're planning to organize a ride for a really large group and you have riders of various levels. That way the whole group isn't held up at the dealer spot waiting for stragglers.

http://www.cambatrails.org/poker.html

 

[slowSSer]

wanna sign up for one? in/near socal? here's your event! lots of fun. and in one of the best single speeding parks locally!

http://www.sharemtb.com/html/events/2005/pokerRide.asp

 

[JRB]

Sounds cool... do you think it would be ok to seal the cards in envelopes so the station doesn't have to be manned (assuming riders are honest)??

Uhm - can't find a few volunteers??? When I helped at one, I would wait until folks went by on the trail below me, and I pulled my shorts down like I was peeing. It was my way of being entertained. I like to flash people.

 

[RhinofromWA]

My motorcycle club puts on 2 poker runs a year and we have been doing it for decades.

It is basically an organized trail ride. We have big buckets with clear pill jars inside them. Each jar has one card (face out so you can read it easily). Usually we put a course out so poeple can do at least 2 laps. We have 2 check points and one card at sign up to start it off. At sign up we have a huge plywood board with a deck of cards glued to the front. Then we have riders throw darts from a distance to get them started.

If something should happen and someone cannot finish the 2 laps we generally let them "draw out" at the sign up. The point is for everyone out there to ride and have a good time....the hands are all by luck and at trophies we start at the best hand and work our way down giving out trophies and throwing out swag.

If it is for a small club event for fun you can set up ghost checks but don't go for best poker hand. For my club play days we will run a "Magic Number" event where the each card has a value and is totalled. At the end the organizer draws 5 cards and finds out the "magic number" and then the closest to number wins. For best hand run it really needs to be manned. Or else the front runner gets 5 aces. We have Poker run cards to mark what card you pull along your ride and the card is what is used at trophies. It has the 4 suits across the top and Ace thru two headed down the side.

If you have any questions let me know.

Here is the photo gallery from our Poker Run we put on in April out in the desert in Eastern WA Here is a checkpoint worker with the bucket and a rider.... http://trav.smugmug.com/gallery/470407/6

Here is another club member/bucket/rider pic..... http://trav.smugmug.com/gallery/470407/10/19077205 oh we use single hole punches to mark the cards also....