Poker Run 2008

Saturday marks the start of the 2008 Iditarod, it is also the day for Snomads 2008 "fun run". This will be my six-teenth running of the "poker/fun run". When I started the idea was to beat down 70 miles of hard bummpy trail, stopping along the way at five different cabins (checkpoints) to draw a card at each. Who ever had the best poker hand at the end of the ride got first prize. I don't remember forsure, but I think, if it was a tie the contestants would fight in a cage until a victor was established. Well a few years back some loser decided that because it was poker, it was gambling and now its illeagal. So now we go to the same five checkpoints (on a groomed trail) and get a raffle ticket. At the end of the run, all the tickets are put in a hat and the winners are drawn. This method is probley more fair, but I miss seeing the ties. First prize last year was $1500, not a bad shot for a day ridding. This is a wonderful time of year in Alaska, get out and get a tan. Or throw a snowball