VFW Poker Run - Start in Hannibal, Missouri

VFW Poker Run - Start in Hannibal, Missouri

My favorite part of  visiting Hannibal was participating in a VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Poker Run. Brad and I will seek out local VFWs to stop and visit during our rides.  Hannibal has a VFW with a small bar and good participation from members. We learned that this particular bar tender was very talented at managing electricity.  Why? I am glad you asked.  Brad and I were sitting at the bar one afternoon drinking our tea.  Now keep in mind some of these establishments have a good selection of what I call snack foods. Foods like small bags of potato chips, frozen personal pizzas and maybe one of those hot dog warmer machines. So as we sat at the bar, another patron orders a personal pizza. We watch as something unusual happens.  The bartender yells at someone in the room behind the bar.  Perhaps to turn off something. Then she unplugs the refrigerator and plugs in the microwave.  As the microwave cooks the pizza Brad asks why she had to unplug refrigerator to use the microwave. We were informed that because of the remodeling, if the refrigerator was plugged in while using the microwave then the electric breaker will trip causing the lights to go off. Now watching the bartender plug and unplug the refrigerator and the microwave was entertainment! We had to order another round and stay awhile! 

The poker run started at the Hannibal VFW and ended at the same location.  The requirements were to draw a poker card from each VFW along the way.  The Hannibal VFW had quite a few items being raffled for fundraising.  Ticket sales and the items were prominently on display despite the renovation underway. Brad and I drew our first poker card and received the instructions for the game.  Pretty much we had to visit a few specific locations in the surrounding area.  Then return to the Hannibal VFW by the deadline to draw the fifth and last card.  I remember visiting another VFW where there were offering lunch as another fund raiser. We drew our second cards, admired the historic photos and memorabilia on display and rode onto our next stop.  We noticed a school bus full of adults pulling into these locations as we were heading out.  We learned that the VFW offered a school bus to transport poker run players.  Luckily the bus was always showing up as we were leaving so we didn’t have to wait in line to draw our poker cards. It was a neat way ride and see the area with a purpose.  Although after my second and third cards I knew that I didn’t have a chance to win the poker game.

Brad and I enjoyed meeting and speaking with the veterans along the route. We rode over Mark Twain Lake which was a neat sight. I remember riding thru some small railroad towns. I always enjoy seeing older towns in the midwest with the railroad tracks, tall buildings and conveyers to support train loads.  We spoke with a lot of good people.  Somehow folks started calling us Utah and Virginia after the license tags on our motorcycles.  We sure came a long distance for their poker run.  I didn’t like the guy we nicknamed “Machine Gun Kelly.” This guy was supposedly a veteran who sat at the bar loudly proclaiming how many people he killed during the war.  Luckily he left before we had to shut him up.  

There we were, sitting at a bar, one stop away from the final card for our charity poker run game. It would take us 10-15 minutes to ride to the Hannibal VFW to finish the poker run.  We were about to leave when a crowd of people show up.  A guy we remember as “Mario Andretti” was first to the bar.  Mario sat beside Brad and ordered two double shots of something. Brad introduces himself and makes small talk about the double shots.  Mario declared that the crowd that invaded the small bar was on the bus from the poker run.  Mario downed his two drinks rather quickly and ordered another one.  Somehow during Brad’s small talk, I heard Mario challenge us to a race.  As it turns out, Mario was on the poker run too.  He was headed to draw his final card just as we were.  Brad and I think there are two routes directly to the finish. So we inquire as to what type of motorcycle Mario was riding and which route he’d take to beat us in a race.  To our surprise Mario declared he was driving the big yellow school bus and he’d still beat us racing back!  Whoa! We need to slow this down and make sure everyone makes it to the finish safely.  For the record there was no race and everyone did arrive at the final location safely.  We witnessed no laws broken; this is just a story from my fuzzy memory.

At the final stop for the poker run we draw our last card.  Nothing good for my poker hand. The organizer takes our record showing the cards we drew at the other locations.  Brad and I squeeze in at the crowded bar to wait for the announcement of the winner and any official remarks.  Brad warns folks not to order any pizza because the refrigerator would need to be unplugged and the drinks will get warm. Everyone was laughing, telling stories and enjoying themselves. The host begins the awards ceremony.  The winners of the raffles are announced. Then the winner with the best poker hand was announced.  I had tuned out while the announcer spoke about poker.  I tuned out mainly because I had a bad poker hand.  Then I start to hear a voice stating, “Virginia, Virginia, is your name Bill?”  I answered affirmatively and asked why.  The announcer declared that I had won the worst poker hand category!  I won just under $300! Wahoo!  I followed suit with the real poker winner and donated my winnings to the VFW.  It was a good day!