It was a beautiful, Sunday, September 7, 2025, with over 280 bikers entering the Fall Poker Run, an event held twice a year on the Rampart Range in the Pike National Forest. The weather was delightful, about 77 degrees for a high, sunny with partly skies and gentle winds whispering through the pine and Aspen trees.
The day began with the Mission Coordinator getting a flat tire at 5am in Sedalia, which was quickly resolved and on to the Command Post to begin the day’s activities. After the briefing held to confirm the schedule and review proper procedure/protocols, all ARES volunteers raced off to their checkpoints. Checkpoints were established from Flat Rocks Parking Lot on the north to well past Devil’s Head Lookout on the south. The total length of the course routes were about 50 miles long
ARES R1D5 volunteers were positioned at each checkpoint along the route to provide seamless communications between event staff, Douglas County Search & Rescue (DC SAR) and participants. Our objective is always to be the eyes and ears of the event staff to quickly report any issues that arise during the event, such as medical incidents, bike mechanical issues, and even helping coordinate the reunion of riders that get separated along the course. The collective expertise of the ARES R1D5 team truly was on display and exemplified the spirit of giving back to the community while enhancing amateur radio skills necessary for effective emergency communications.
The day ended successfully with all challenges overcome and the riders packing up and heading home in the late afternoon. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to participate again at this year’s Poker Run and look forward to 2026. Once again, riders will ride to try their luck at a better poker hand. We wish them well.
The Spring and Fall Poker Run is a planned event run by the RRMMC (Rampart Range Motorcycle Management Committee). RRMMC is an all-volunteer, nonprofit corporation founded in 1972 to work with the Forest Service to promote and preserve dirt bike trail riding opportunities in the Rampart Range of the Pike National Forest near Sedalia, Colorado. In each event, RRMMC sponsors a non-competitive Poker Run for riders of all ages. Prizes are awarded on the basis of the poker hand drawn at the final checkpoint. Monies raised are used to help maintain the trails for use by all users in future years.
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service of Douglas and Elbert Counties (ARESDEC) is one of 28 ARES districts in the state of Colorado. For more than 30 years, ARESDEC has been serving our community in times of emergency and disaster by providing volunteer communications services to public safety agencies and support organizations (i.e., American Red Cross and Salvation Army). We are a service organization comprised of amateur radio operators who donate our time, equipment, and expertise. We train our members to use best communications practices to effectively assist our served agencies.
We are ARES Region 1, District 5 (ARES R1D5) and serve Douglas and Elbert Counties. We welcome all who are licensed amateur radio operators or those wishing to become licensed amateur radio operators to come and check us out. Please browse our website and check out the calendar for upcoming events.
If you have questions or want to learn more, please contact us at Training@aresdec.org.
