Is Cumberland poker run done?
09-10-2019, 09:29 PM
#1
Is Cumberland poker run done?
Seemed way slower than usual, left Saturday morning.
Am I missing something or is it on the downward?
Am I missing something or is it on the downward?
09-11-2019, 04:21 AM
#2
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I wouldn't say it is on the downward at all with the turnout they had. I will say they had more runabouts entered this yr than usual just to get a spot for the party but there was also some very nice hardware.
09-11-2019, 05:19 AM
#3
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Although safer, I think the new format is a sleeper. The "party" is definitely still on in Harmon with a huge amount of people going. I heard reports of boat ramps at the other end of the lake being filled.
They need someone to reinvent the event. If the corps will not approve organized start format, maybe they could do a closed course shootout, etc...
i have a house there and didn't even go last year as just a party doesn't interest me. They need to make changes while they still have something to change.
They need someone to reinvent the event. If the corps will not approve organized start format, maybe they could do a closed course shootout, etc...
i have a house there and didn't even go last year as just a party doesn't interest me. They need to make changes while they still have something to change.
09-11-2019, 06:27 AM
#4
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I have been wondering this for the past couple years. While the party at Harmon seems to be getting bigger and bigger every year the poker run itself doesn’t seem to be as exciting as it used to be. I have been going to this event for about 15 years as Cumberland is our home lake. Over the years I understand how the format had to change with the death of Kevin in 08 and brad and Jeff in13 and the amount of people crowding the lake to watch myself included yet I tried to keep a safe distance. I don’t know about other events if they have a party of that magnitude or are most of the raft ups parties etc just contained to mostly poker run boats? Myself I am there to see the big fast poker run boats I don’t really care to see 800 run abouts in Harmon with a bunch of drunk idiots on them. Not saying I don’t go to Harmon or like the party because I do it’s just got crazier and crazier over the past years from the people to the cops. I think that poker run has turned into the party at Harmon I have talked to several non boaters who say I am going to the poker run and all they are there for is the party. Maybe I am getting old who knows. Just my .02
09-11-2019, 07:02 AM
#5
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I would classify it more as a “gathering’ than a PR. Truthfully, I don't know why people even register given its current format.
SkiDoc - I don't believe there is any restriction by the corps as Thunder Run is a staged start.
SkiDoc - I don't believe there is any restriction by the corps as Thunder Run is a staged start.
09-11-2019, 07:39 AM
#6
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It has certainly lost it's luster, in my opinion. We do alot of rafting up on our home lake every weekend, and really enjoy running to all of the stops on Cumberland. We cruised through Harmon, but didn't raft up. Too much of a $hit show for me.
Thunder Run in June is a great time and poker run - Justin and Dan work hard to produce for the people who enter.
At the end of the day, we enjoy running the boat and seeing people that we don't get to chat with (other than poker runs).
Thunder Run in June is a great time and poker run - Justin and Dan work hard to produce for the people who enter.
At the end of the day, we enjoy running the boat and seeing people that we don't get to chat with (other than poker runs).
09-11-2019, 09:46 AM
#8
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Cops obviously trying to put a fork in it for sure!! 
Nice publicity for the event
40 arrested during Cumberland Poker Run.
https://www.lex18.com/news/at-least-...ake-cumberland
Nice publicity for the event
40 arrested during Cumberland Poker Run.
https://www.lex18.com/news/at-least-...ake-cumberland
09-11-2019, 11:17 AM
#9
Registered
Cops obviously trying to put a fork in it for sure!!
Nice publicity for the event
40 arrested during Cumberland Poker Run.
https://www.lex18.com/news/at-least-...ake-cumberland
Nice publicity for the event
40 arrested during Cumberland Poker Run.
https://www.lex18.com/news/at-least-...ake-cumberland
09-11-2019, 12:16 PM
#10
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Back in the glory days of the fall Cumberland Poker run boats would line up all along the course to see the boats run all the way from Burnside to even Grider HIll after the lunch stop. However, when the lake went down in 2007 to work on the dam, Harmon Creek exploded as party central. Every year after 2007 fewer and fewer boats lined the course to watch the Poker runners and more and more boats piled into Harmon more concerned about having a good party spot than watching the poker run. . Now it is all about the party.
As others have said, the poker run format was changed after the last tragedy by the owners of State Dock themselves, Not the COE. The owners of SD were looking to cash out of their investment and they didn't want to risk losing it all to a lawsuit resulting from another poker run tragedy - understandably. Frankly, it always burned my ass how big this poker run got under SD's capable management, but how little consideration Bill and his crew gave to the safety of both the participants and spectators in the light of accidents at poker runs that preceded the first Cumberland fatality, and even after Kevin passed, and in light of the fact that Cumberland is a twisting, turning open lake with potentially 13 year olds on jet skies around every bend. Racing to the first card stop at 150 MPH+ should have been STOPPED, period, not meekly suggested only at the drivers meeting. I would have taken a much more hands on approach in personally talking to the owners of said cats that constantly treated this Poker run start as a bragging rights race to the first card stop that resulted in 3 people losing their lives, and left all the rest of us with a neutered poker run.
Having said that, I do feel a format change is very badly needed to keep the Cumberland run viable - and it could be done. Not to the old Green flag format, but to one where the run is organized with a designated course, but no flagged start. That could be accomplished by keeping the colored sticker format of boats leaving in groups, but very loosely formatted in that the classes are given a time to start and they are on their own to do it, much like the fun run to Lee's Ford on Friday before the poker run. . It could be done that way with a very hard speed limit of say 80 MPH until the boats have passed the Harmon Creek chit show. If done in that way spectators would be given a chance to see the poker run fleet run on a designated course, and poker runners would get to run with each other up and down the lake and it would actually feel like a poker run. My 2 cents fwiw.
As others have said, the poker run format was changed after the last tragedy by the owners of State Dock themselves, Not the COE. The owners of SD were looking to cash out of their investment and they didn't want to risk losing it all to a lawsuit resulting from another poker run tragedy - understandably. Frankly, it always burned my ass how big this poker run got under SD's capable management, but how little consideration Bill and his crew gave to the safety of both the participants and spectators in the light of accidents at poker runs that preceded the first Cumberland fatality, and even after Kevin passed, and in light of the fact that Cumberland is a twisting, turning open lake with potentially 13 year olds on jet skies around every bend. Racing to the first card stop at 150 MPH+ should have been STOPPED, period, not meekly suggested only at the drivers meeting. I would have taken a much more hands on approach in personally talking to the owners of said cats that constantly treated this Poker run start as a bragging rights race to the first card stop that resulted in 3 people losing their lives, and left all the rest of us with a neutered poker run.
Having said that, I do feel a format change is very badly needed to keep the Cumberland run viable - and it could be done. Not to the old Green flag format, but to one where the run is organized with a designated course, but no flagged start. That could be accomplished by keeping the colored sticker format of boats leaving in groups, but very loosely formatted in that the classes are given a time to start and they are on their own to do it, much like the fun run to Lee's Ford on Friday before the poker run. . It could be done that way with a very hard speed limit of say 80 MPH until the boats have passed the Harmon Creek chit show. If done in that way spectators would be given a chance to see the poker run fleet run on a designated course, and poker runners would get to run with each other up and down the lake and it would actually feel like a poker run. My 2 cents fwiw.
Last edited by Marginmn; 09-11-2019 at 12:24 PM.
