This year’s Jacksonville River Rally Poker Run was a huge success. Powerboat Nation trailered the Cigarette Top Gun up to Jacksonville and ran as a registered entry in this year’s event along with just over 65 other boats. Fridays sand bar raft up and Bar-B-Q was a great start to a wonderful weekend. The Pyburn family were the best hosts along with their great group of volunteers who work hard to raise money for Camp Amigo.
While there were threats for rain for the Saturday Run the weather held and it was a perfect day on the St Johns River. Starting without a hitch all the boats paraded past the downtown Jacksonville Waterfront and cruised to the cards stops. Action at the Outback Crab Shack was full on with great food, live band and a spectator fleet that pushed the attendance well over a hundred boats.
The next hard stop was at Bill Pyburns Jr’s home where he graciously opened his fabulous home to the poker runners. A added bonus was John Woodruff who flew the event in his Bell Long Ranger IV. John landed at Bill’s house and gave a bunch of party goers rides in this extreme helicopter.
The run finished off at the River City Brewery for the card turn in and awards dinner. The City of Jacksonville pulled all the stops and put on a spectacular Fireworks Show just because the boaters were in town. This kind of community support makes such a difference for these events. Free dockage, free ramp fees, courtesy shuttles. All of these small gracious items really make a difference and showed off the hospitality and appreciation the community had for us to be in Jacksonville. We will have to work on the Florida Fish and Wildlife guys a little who handed out speeding tickets for a few of our friends who were caught doing about 30-35 in a 25 MPH Zone.
At the end of the night a private VIP section of Mavericks rock and roll ho down was enjoyed all courtesy of the Pyburn’s.
You can bet next year’s event will be bigger as plans are already underway to set up an expanded Poker Run Village at Metropolitan Park and you can be sure Powerboat Nation will be there with a boat or two or more.
