Press Releases
Poker Run 2004 - Beginning Friday,
Sept. 17, just days after Hurricane Ivan passed well west of the
Florida Keys, as many as 10,000 motorcycles and riders are expected
to cross the Overseas Highway's 42 bridges between Miami and Key
West during the 32nd annual Key West Poker Run.
Phil Peterson of Harley-Davidson of Miami and the
Key West Sunrise Rotary Club of the Conch Republic organized the
charity event, which splits the proceeds between the Diabetes Research
Institute and Sunrise Rotary's local charities and scholarships.
Ivan's recent passage in the Gulf of Mexico didn't
deter either organizers or riders from going forward with their
plans.
"The Poker Run is alive and well. It's on and it's
100 percent," said Sunrise Rotary president Greg Sullivan. "If you
can't come down on a motorcycle, come down in your car and enjoy
Key West. It's probably the one place in Florida that hasn't been
touched."
Biker registration for the event began Sept. 1 at
both of Peterson's Harley-Davidson Miami locations (17631 S. Dixie
Hwy. and 19400 NW 2nd Ave.) and is to run through noon Saturday,
Sept. 18. Upon registering and making a $10 donation, each participating
biker receives a poker sheet. Additional "poker hands" may be purchased
for $10 each, with no limit on the number of hands a person can
play. For more information on registration call Petersons Harley
direct at 305-651-4811 or800-545-2561
Drivers of cars and trucks can purchase poker hands
and participate in the run from Miami to Key West as well. In addition,
those who can't drive the entire course can purchase and play their
poker hands in Key West.
Starting at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 17, participants
are to head down the Overseas Highway (U.S. 1) to Key West, stopping
at five designated points in the Keys to draw cards. Sunrise Rotary
members are to be on hand to welcome bikers at the final stop, the
Hampton Inn at 2801 N. Roosevelt Blvd. in Key West.
Any entrant who draws a poker hand of three of a
kind or higher on the way down the Keys is eligible to roll six
special dice Saturday night at Rick's/Durty Harry's, 208 Duval St.
If the dice spell H-A-R-L-E-Y, the lucky rider wins a new Harley
motorcycle or $20,000 cash.
Key West's Duval Street is to be closed to car traffic
from Front to Fleming streets from noon to midnight Saturday, with
the area taking on an open-air carnival flavor.
Celebrations for riders are to begin with a Friday
evening welcome party and "hog roast" starting at 5 p.m. at the
Schooner Wharf Bar, 202 William St. in Key West.
For more information about the Key West Poker Run, call Ted Thurnau
at 305-292-1177 or Matt Cochran at (305) 395-1198.
For lodging information in Key West, contact the
Key West Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-LAST-KEY or book
rooms here
You have to register to ride and purchase your cards
in person no later than noon September 18th at:
Peterson Harley Davidson South 17631 South Dixie
Highway, Miami, FL 877-642-6443
Tickets and cards for non-riders available at the
final / fifth stop in Key West all day Friday and Saturday
Sept. 15, 2004 - 32ND ANNUAL KEY WEST POKER
RUN SET FOR SEPT. 17-19 KEY WEST, Florida Keys — Beginning
Friday, Sept. 17, just days after Hurricane Ivan passed well west
of the Florida Keys, as many as 10,000 motorcycles and riders are
expected to cross the Overseas Highway’s 42 bridges between Miami
and Key West during the 32nd annual Key West Poker Run.
Phil Peterson of Harley-Davidson of Miami and the Key West Sunrise
Rotary Club of the Conch Republic organized the charity event, which
splits the proceeds between the Diabetes Research Institute and
Sunrise Rotary’s local charities and scholarships.
Ivan’s recent passage in the Gulf of Mexico didn’t deter either
organizers or riders from going forward with their plans.
“The Poker Run is alive and well. It’s on and it’s 100 percent,”
said Sunrise Rotary President Greg Sullivan. “If you can’t come
down on a motorcycle, come down in your car and enjoy Key West.
It’s probably the one place in Florida that hasn’t been touched.”
Biker registration for the event began Sept. 1 at both of Peterson’s
Harley-Davidson Miami locations (17631 S. Dixie Hwy. and 19400 NW
2nd Ave.) and is to run through noon Saturday, Sept. 18. Upon registering
and making a $10 donation, each participating biker receives a poker
sheet. Additional “poker hands” may be purchased for $10 each, with
no limit on the number of hands a person can play.
Drivers of cars and trucks can purchase poker hands and participate
in the run from Miami to Key West as well. In addition, those who
can’t drive the entire course can purchase and play their poker
hands in Key West.
Starting at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 17, participants are to head down
the Overseas Highway (U.S. Highway 1) to Key West, stopping at five
designated points in the Keys to draw cards. Stops are the Caribbean
Club in Key Largo, mile marker (MM) 104 bayside; Holiday Isle in
Islamorada, MM 84 oceanside; Marathon’s Island Tiki Bar, MM 54.5
gulfside; Boondock’s in Ramrod Key, MM 27.5 gulfside; and the Hampton
Inn at 2801 N. Roosevelt Blvd. in Key West.
The first four locations are to welcome bikers from 9 a.m. to 9
p.m. Friday and Saturday, with the final stop manned by Sunrise
Rotary members until 6 p.m. Saturday. Any entrant who draws a poker
hand of three of a kind or higher on the way down the Keys is eligible
to roll six special dice Saturday night at Rick’s/Durty Harry’s,
208 Duval St. If the dice spell H-A-R-L-E-Y, the lucky rider wins
a new Harley motorcycle or $20,000 cash.
Key West’s Duval Street is to be closed to car traffic from Front
to Fleming streets from noon to midnight Saturday, with the area
taking on an open-air carnival flavor.
Celebrations for riders are to begin with a Friday evening welcome
party and “hog roast” starting at 5 p.m. at the Schooner Wharf Bar,
202 William St. in Key West’s Historic Seaport.
Saturday, Sept. 18, Rick’s/Durty Harry’s and “Hot Action Magazine”
are to host an annual bike show. Registration is scheduled from
11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with all makes, models and styles of bike eligible
to participate. Judges are to evaluate the bikes in a variety of
categories.
Across Duval Street on Greene, Sloppy Joe’s is to present an outdoor
“Biker Bash Beer Garden” from noon to 11 p.m. Events are to include
a timed contest featuring bikers on tricycles and the Foxy Boxing
Competition.
Also Saturday afternoon, at 5 p.m., the Schooner Wharf is to host
the Paradise Tattoo Contest with awards in multiple categories,
followed by a 7 p.m. “heated” fashion show. Events are to be accompanied
by a pig roast with all the trimmings, as well as live rock and
blues music.
For more information about the Key West Poker Run, call Ted Thurnau
at 305-292-1177 or visit www.keyspokerrun.com.
For lodging information in Key West, contact the Key West Chamber
of Commerce at 1-800-LAST-KEY, or visit the Keys Web site at www.fla-keys.com.
FOR MEDIA INFORMATION ONLY:
Stuart Newman Associates
2140 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 203
Miami FL 33133
Contact: Andy Newman/Carol Shaughnessy
1-800-ASK-KEYS or (305) 461-3300
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