Snowmobile Poker

I’ve always loved the concept of snowmobile poker. But I also remember an event when I was growing up in Minnesota when a “poker run participant” ran into a mail truck at 70MPH. He died in the accident.

During the 1996-97 snowmobiling season there was a Minnesota death toll of 32 and 703 nonfatal accidents. The average victim was 30 years old and male.

A contributing factor to the use of alcohol by snowmobilers is a game that has become known as the "snowmobile poker"." In the game, a map of the participating bars is given to each participant and the game begins. Players then proceed to the first bar indicated on the map, sometimes in a group or often alone, to receive their first card. Five bars... five cards received, or seven depending on the game.

At each bar, a staff member records the cards drawn by each individual on a form that is carried from one point to the next for additional entries. All entries on the form get a mark from each bar to keep the game fair. At the last stop on the map, cash or prizes are awarded for the highest, second highest, third highest and lowest hand of the group. Alcohol is usually consumed at each stop.

Snowmobile Poker carries my vote for the next Olympics.