Local bikers take a long gamble

Submitted Photo Area residents assembled in Uniontown City Park last year for a poker run event that took place during the annual Old Settler's Day Picnic. Traditionally, the poker run ends at the park, where area residents can participate in other activities associated with the three-day celebration.

Area motorcycle enthusiasts may want to ante up soon for a poker run event taking place this weekend in different portions of Bourbon County.

The 4th annual poker run, which is slated to begin at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at Five Corners Mini-Mart, 1122 S. Clark St., is part of several activities planned for the 103rd Annual Old Settler's Picnic, a three-day event that begins Saturday in Uniontown.

The poker run is designed to help raise money to pay for a variety of improvement projects at Uniontown City Park, organizers said.

"It's a fundraiser for park improvements," event co-organizer Randy Holt said. "That's where the proceeds are going."

During the poker run, motorcycle riders will follow an established route and make five pre-determined stops along the way. At each stop, participants will draw one card from a deck of playing cards to complete a five-card poker hand. The participant with the best hand will be declared the winner, and will receive a cash prize, Holt said.

"They'll just draw one out of the deck blind, then follow the directions to the next stop and repeat the whole thing," Holt said. "They're just given a map and instructions and away you go."

Along the 75-mile route, riders will make stops at the Fort Scott National Historic Site and other locations in Mapleton and Bronson before finally ending up at the Uniontown City Park, where participants will draw their final card, Holt said.

The cost to enter the poker run is $20 per hand, a price that also includes a commemorative T-shirt for participants. A cookout for participants, as well as prize drawings and giveaways, will take place in the Uniontown City Park after the conclusion of the run, Holt said.

Holt said that about 30 casual bikers and other motorcycle enthusiasts have already registered to participate in the poker run, and that several different motorcycle models will be represented during the event.

"We've had a lot of calls and we've typically had a really good turnout," he said. "A lot of people come in and pick up registration forms but they just haven't returned them yet."

The poker run has been a popular and successful addition to the Old Settler's Picnic the last few years, Holt said.

"I'd say on average over the last three years we get about 50 bikes, so it's been pretty good," he said. "It's been quite successful for us and it's going to a good cause. People like to get out and ride. It's a lot of fun."

All proceeds from the poker run will go directly into the Uniontown City Park Improvement Fund to benefit the Uniontown Park Renovation Project, a project started by a local committee last year to help pay for various improvements and renovation projects at the park, such as new shelter houses, new playground equipment, and new sidewalks.

The Old Settler's Picnic, which concludes on Monday, is a celebration of Uniontown's history, as well as the original settlement of the town which occurred during the mid-1800s. The celebration features three full days of activities, including a golf tournament, a parade, a ranch rodeo, a community picnic, and other games and activities.

For more information about the poker run, call Holt at (620) 224-0890, or co-organizer Matt Noll at 223-5279.