By Phoenix and Metric

The youngest member of the American Legion Riders family on the ridge scored a big hit with their first annual 4th of July poker run. The American Legion Riders Chapter 74 out of Sebring hosted one of the longest single poker runs I have been on in some time. The ride covered some of the most beautiful back roads and the best biker businesses in three counties.

The ride got an early start with coffee and donuts at Dunkin Donuts in Sebring. We traveled out the back roads to Fred’s bar on Arbuckle Creek. From Fred’s we took the scenic route up to Dynasty Cycles in Avon Park. Leaving Avon Park we traveled to everyone’s favorite spot in Hardee County stopping at Charlottes Web. After Charlottes we traveled the winding roads down to the Open Roads Bar and Grill in De Soto County. Leaving Open Roads we high tailed it back into Highlands County with a quick stop at TJ’s Leathers and ended the ride with a sprint to Tikki Hut at Cowpoke’s Watering Hole.

For some of the riders, especially the new guy on his little sporty, the last leg of the ride was a little rough on the tail bone, but I took my own personal butt massager along with me so when things got rough I’d have Phoenix to soften the blows. The highlight of the event was the raffle of a beautiful “Just in Case”12 gauge Mossberg shotgun thanks to our friends from Boom Boom’s Gun and Ammo. For their first event Chapter 74 did an excellent job. I can’t wait to see what they do next.