88242LS

SHHhhh, it only snows in Buffalo

Cash Bar

Brief description and opinion of every run I have attended. List is in order of dates for the year.

February FPC Miami Boat show run- Usually 70-80 boats over three days. Miami to Islamorada is about as scenic as you can get and it's February boating. :-) The departure hotel and marinas are new this year but the destination is still the World Famous Tiki bar. Not very much on site except modest rooms and place to drink heavily. Saturday raft up is a highlight. 20ish years in and FPC has it straight.

April- Tampa FPC run- Great venue with luxury hotel across the street from the marina. Walking distance to any number of great food and drink places. Lunch run Friday and PR Saturday criss cross Tampa bay and makes for some nice open water running. Usually Limited entry based on marina size.

April- Desert Storm- One of the most scenic things you can see is the desert meeting the lake. Pretty picturesque. The channel under the London bridge is as cool as anything you've heard. The street party is HUGE. The poker run is short and sweet and not the same since they(wisely) took away the flag start. Add a few days in Vegas to make it a vacation.

Two Havasu Videos

https://youtu.be/fWgWgDvrfFc

https://youtu.be/GCZxL9oj2cs

May- Tickfaw 200- Bring your drinking shoes and an extra liver. Them Cajuns know how to party. One-stop fun if you can get an onsite RV. The motels are a hike and nothing over 2.5 stars. Lots and lots of boating if you cover all 200+ miles and two days. Every stop is happy top see you. Most places set their docking vertically so it can be nerve racking if you like your stuff. Truly in the middle of nowhere.

June- Jacksonville- One of the purest runs you can do and it's all for Camp Amigo for burned children. Has always been a great time whether it's been 100+ boats, or 30. The Friday lunch raftup is on a sandbar down river and they invite everyone in town and feed them all. Free wings at the marina get together on Friday night. The run is on a WIIIIIDE river and allows everyone space to run as they see fit. 70ish miles each way and the locals are out in force every stop. Usually a nice after run party at one of the local's homes. Very laid back and friendly.

Two Jacksonville Videos

https://youtu.be/IUq1celWRz8

https://youtu.be/Y35iyKfFKpM

June- Texas Outlaw Challenge- Hot as heck. Nice location where Clear Lake meets Galveston Bay. Lots of parties all over each night. Good selection of hotels. Two are walking distance to the festivities at Kemah boardwalk. Friday am has the actual Shootout on Galveston Bay. The Friday party stop at Kenny Armstrong's home is the stuff of legend. No one can explain it better than just the experience standing there in amazement. Friday night street party. Saturday run has lots of options for stops. The lunch stop at Harborwalk is very cool and has two pools to keep everyone together. Water looks like iced tea in the lake and bay so not as scenic as some others. Large turnout of boats.

Texas Video=

https://youtu.be/7bUV3l9si7M

July- Lake Lanier- My absolute favorite. The whole thing is based on raising money for multiple local charities. Over $1.2mm donated in the 7 years of the event. HUGE(over 300) turnout of all kinds of boats. Everything from Pure Platinum to 60' Sea Rays and pontoons. Two separate courses for faster or slower boats. Low entry fees. One-stop for everything if you stay onsite. 4 star resort with a main lodge, Villa rooms and two bedroom lake houses. Other modestly priced hotels only 2-3 miles away from gates. Lots of reserved dockage on 1st come basis. Can reserve once you receive your welcome email when you register. Resort and run are VERY family friendly with waterpark, Horseback riding, ziplines, etc to keep everyone happy. Friday lunch run is to a nice island in the lake with a beach and cookout. Large turnout for this makes it a blast. Friday night captain party and street show are very well done and there is an auction of some quality items. Saturday run is setup to criss cross the widest parts of the lake. 3 possible lunch stops. Everything happens back at the docks and beach including a nice fireworks show.

Lanier Video

https://youtu.be/6ufOVpdqlII

August- Pickwick- Not sure if they will have this run but it was/is for Carey Downs and Jeremie Floyd families. Very scenic lake and a country concert on a floating barge. Bigger lake than you realize and the whole town supports the event.

August- Destin- Huge boating week in Destin. Lots of boats every where you look. Easily the best raft up parties of the year. Everyday you can go out to Crab island, or the beach, and line up with hundreds of others. Always very warm. Every level of hotel you can think of from Luxury condos to Motel 6. Docking can be tough but there are multiple marinas spread around the ICW area. Something to do every night Wed-Sat.

August- LOTO- There is a poker run on Friday but Shootout week is so much more. The main events start Wednesday with an amazing street party spanning the dam area. Huge turnout and party. Thursday the boating gets busy and the vibe picks up. The PBC party is a must see and happens Friday evening. Friday has the Poker Run and a separate fun run. There is a huge MWBP charity party at Dog Days beginning in the afternoon. Hundreds of boats on the lake and some amazing hardware. LOTO has dozens (hundreds?) of bar and restaurants on the water. Always somewhere new to go and you will likely see lots of others doing the same. Saturday and Sunday the Shootout happens and the raft up is jaw-dropping. The fastest boats n the world run all day each day. People coming and going throughout the day. At 4 the lake will be rough unlike anything most of us have seen. Be prepared or be famous. :-O. Lots and lots and lots of hotels and condos for rent. Most with slips. This is a must-do event at least once.

November- FPC Key West PR- I try to tell people this isn't just a poker run. It's a vacation you go to by boat. Departing Miami Wed, Thursday or Friday this is a bucket list run. 160+ miles of the most amazing scenery you can imagine. Crystal clear water and sunshine. A pre run party in Miami every night. Multiple stops along the way. A fuel truck at the mid-stop with high test fuel. Key West is ALWAYS a good time and the SBI races are held that week. Lots of socializing between the racers and poker run teams. PR village is well done and the city rolls out the welcome mat. Lots of lodging on the island but it gets expensive to be close the street party, marinas and Duval street. Good food and endless bars. About half of the poker runners trailer home, the rst run it back to Miami. Saturday previously had a great raft up but the laws have changed and the hunt is ongoing for a new spot. still a fabulous event and the FPC has is down after 20++ years.

I have attended Skaterfest as well and would be glad to opine on that if needed.

Skaterfest Video

https://youtu.be/cG6_bl8MG1k

I have heard great things about the old Hickory run in August and it sounds like it's a blast along the line of Jacksonville or a smaller Lanier.

Hope this helps.

Bullhead

1-Miami Boat Show Run.....Great Venue....tremendous hardware
2-Jax...Great water to run as hard as you want to....well organized
3 Loto shootout....more of an event than a poker run....the amount of high performance stuff is mind boggling...night time is like Vegas on the water
4-KeyWest....Cash pretty much summed it up
5-Norfolk Va....usually sells out in a few weeks but if you can get a spot well worth it..varying water conditions...goes by the worlds largest Navy Base....very well organized

Other runs that I have done that were great
1000 Islands
New York City Poker Run
Chattanooga

Cash Bar

John B was selling me hard on Norfolk but it's tough that close to Lanier. Maybe someday we can do both.

BBB725

Different set of rules for the Cuba run, must have been a member last year and this year, must have attended a FPC last year and registration may be closed already, not sure on the last

looseconnection

I support your old hickory choice. Chad and company do it right.

ToMorrow44

Being from the west coast, Desert Storm is something to see. Its the place to see and be seen if you own a boat on the west coast. The street party is awesome and the poker run has people rafted up the whole way down the lake, literally thousands of boats out there.

Now that I'm on the east coast, I'm looking at doing Lanier for sure and Jacksonville maybe if everything falls into place.

Cash Bar

Coral Springs is about 10 miles from me. Welcome to the 'hood.

ToMorrow44

Thanks! I'd love to check out your boat sometime, let me know next time you go out.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Oh that will be a while. Last picture had a parrot sitting on top of his motor hanging from a chain.

We build the ATs right there in Pompano Beach. After 4:30PM is best. Miller Lite is the password.