2002 BNS Poker Run

02/22/02

What a great way to fight the off-season blues. On February 2^nd a group of 116 paid registrants (and who knows how many unpaid non-registrants) got together at The Peoples Choice in Rangeley Maine for the 3^rd annual Busch North Scene snowmobile ride.

Our weekend actually started on Friday evening as we were invited to help The Peoples Choice and other sponsors celebrate Tracy Gordon’s season with their annual party. I don’t know if we’re invited to this because of our status as Busch North Media or if it’s just because they like to laugh at the way we eat. Either way it is always a great time and we sure appreciate it. I suppose I need to apologize to all of those people that my wife (who must be distantly related to Minnesota Fats) talked into playing pool with her. I didn’t know she had those moves either.

Saturday morning started by getting up early and unloading the snowmobiles, something that should have certainly been done Friday evening. By the time I got done uncovering, untying, starting, and digging out two snowmobiles in below zero windy weather I didn’t care if I ever looked at a snowmobile again much less rode one today. After an hour or so of rest and pep talk from the others, I decided I could probably go on and dragged myself off to breakfast with the group. Next came registration, which went very smoothly for the most part. At about ten o’clock, groups started to leave for the ride. There were five checkpoints and you could go in any direction you wanted as long as all five points were visited. Some folks elected to make a long ride out of it and spend the whole day while others went on the most direct route possible with intentions of returning to the bar ASAP. I, of course, belonged to that group.

As we have had very little snow this year and the groomers haven’t been able to do an awful lot with what we have had, the trails were only fair to poor. Lots of bare spots and very rough in places. We had ridden about three of the 50 or 60 miles before my wife decided that it was her turn on the newer, better, more suspension travel, sled. I couldn’t blame her, by the time we reached the first checkpoint at Oquossoc Marine every muscle in my body ached and I was ready to do something drastic. Fortunately, when I walked in and threw my credit card on the counter, they didn’t have a sled in stock that would suit me. I was stuck riding the old sled for the rest of the day but I saved about seven thousand dollars. The rest of the ride was slow and rough but somewhat uneventful. We didn’t see any major crashes, off-course excursions or breakdowns and everyone appeared to be healthy when we arrived at the last checkpoint at the Peoples Choice.

The evening’s entertainment was excellent. After awarding the various prizes for the poker run we awarded Brad Leighton with the Fans Favorite award and Mike Olsen with not only the most improved driver award but also the driver of the year award. Both recipients were very gracious and Mike was real excited to receive the one-of-a-kind "I Love Busch Beer" cap, I’m sure we’ll see him with it at all the races this season. After the awards had all been distributed a whole pile of money was raised for the various charities through raffles and auctions. Although we all spent and gave, recognition must go to Roxanne Moore and Joe Bessey who really kept the bidding wars going and were very generous. What followed were three of the funniest comedians I had ever seen. Complete with some good old Downeast humor and plenty of racing jokes, they were enjoyed by all.

After the comedians, I picked up my tired, aging, sorry butt, my wife, my suitcase, and my previously loaded snowmobile trailer and headed for my own comfortable bed and a good night’s sleep. I’m sure the festivities continued well into the night but it would take someone younger and less tired to relate the rest of that story.

Many thanks have to go to all the drivers, crews, fans, sponsors and supporters that made it such a great weekend. A special thanks goes to the Peoples Choice and to the BNS Women’s Auxiliary for joining with Busch North Scene to put the whole thing together. Plans are already being made for an even bigger and better ride in 2003, including my own plan to have a new, easy-load covered trailer and a new cushy-ride sled. I may even buy a house in Rangeley to save the drive home.

As always, send Questions, Comments, Hate Mail, and Indecent Proposals to, Fish c/o Busch North Scene or e-mail them to fishy@cybertours.com