The first annual CPW Poker Rally was a great success. This was the first
time out club has done a poker rally and we will do one again next year.
In a poker rally, you drive a predetermined route, drawing playing cards
at stops at stops along the way. The player with the best hand at the end
wins the grand prize. The other prizes are awarded in order of best to worst
hands. With the help of Carlos Novo and a trip around the area the Sunday
before I designed a simple route and a place to eat.
We started from Woodley park around 10:30 a.m. Actually there was a Mustang
show going on that day, but there was still room in the parking lot for
our Mopars. Our group of cars got a few odd looks from the Ford guys. They
must of thought we read the show flyers wrong or something. After picking
our cards from Elise (we needed two decks) we headed out onto Woodley and
lined up the cars.
Wow, we had 17 cars! It was an awesome sight to look in front of you and behind you and see all those Mopars. Carlos led the group in his Purple 70 Cuda. The route was to go out the Ventura freeway to Malibu Canyon Road, head for the beach, and then down PCH to Topanga where we would have lunch. The idea was to take advantage of the cool beach and canyon weather.
The cars that came out were Tom and John Brennan and two friends in his newly finished 72 Dart, David Theresse and Robert Cohen in David’s in progress 69 Charger, Jim Wolfe in a Honda CRX, Julius Steuer in the shop 67 Belvedere Wagon, Mark and Donna Miller in their 67 Barracuda, Steve Wall in a 70 Mustang, Carlos and Hope Novo with a 70 Barracuda, Elise and Mike McMahan in the 69 Super Bee, Pat, Cindy, Jonathan and Brandon Lyman with a 62 Dart, Al Baptise in a 70 AAR Cuda, Carl Beyer in his 69 Charger, Chris Edwards and family in a 68 Road Runner, Paul Houlihan in his 69 Charger, Ken and Ginny Kuntuzos in a Ram trunk, Ron Stepka in his 68 GTX, Matt and Kim Morrison, and Diane Sheets in her 69 Sport Satellite. There were 17 cars and 29 people total.
Picture: A prize winner and clubmembers with 67 Barracuda
We stopped to get pick cards at two places on Malibu Canyon and then planned to stop at a park on PCH. Well, there happen to be an annual horse show going on, so quick thinking we went to a shopping center just up the way. As coincidence goes, clubmembers Matt and Kim Morrision were visiting that horse show in their 69 Road Runner and spotted our chain of Mopars. They caught up and joined us. The announcements of the event were a little late and Matt’s mail service is hit or miss.
We ended at the Reel Inn Restaurant on PCH just near Topanga. The relaxed setting was perfect for our crew. The beach air was great as we all sat down for lunch. The cars were all guarded by a parking lot attendant that had reserved special space for us in advance. Parking along PCH can be a chore, but we just drove in without a hassle.
We got situated in the relaxed setting and ordered are lunch after our long journey. Many club members brought their families and spouses. This is great to see at an event. And it shows we need more family oriented events.
Then the words we had all waited for "show your poker hands !"
It was very close between Diane and I. After a little crash course in poker
hands and a phone call, it was proven Diane had the winning poker hand.
She won a $250 gift certificate from Tube Technology Incorporated. And yes,
I had to make a freeway pit stop to wire up a muffler a few days ago. Oh
well, better luck next time. Everyone got great prizes. We had car detail
kits, T-shirts, museum tickets, steering wheel covers and everyone got fender
covers and mini quick wax bottles.
Thank you to our Poker Rally Sponsors:
Tube Technology Incorporated TTI
