BELLE FOURCHE—For 18 years, Habeck Trucking has been bringing the community together during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally for a fun day filled with a Poker Run along with good times with family and friends, all for a good cause.
This year the annual Habeck Hooligans Poker Run took place on Sunday, August 9, with all proceeds raised from the event going to Purple Pride. “So we just decided to get a hold of the Purple Pride gals—this is our fourth year with them—they do a lot of youth activities and stuff like that so everything stays local,” explained Mike Habeck, owner of Habeck Trucking.
For a registration fee of $35, participants get a lot for their money. “To make it more simple, when you register, you pay and you get a meal and a T-shirt and your poker hand for $35,” shared Habeck. “Then you draw three cards when you register, and then of course they write that down. And then instead of drawing cards on our stops, we just wait and draw the other two when we get back.”
The Poker Run takes the riders on a 175-mile journey with stops at Captain Ron’s in Hulett, WY, Dewey’s Place in Moorcroft, WY, Cowboy Bar in Upton, WY and Dime Horseshoe Bar in Sundance, WY before returning to Habeck Trucking for a final gathering.
The ride is set up to be an independent ride, heading out on the trek whenever the riders are ready. “We don’t have kickstands up like some do, because it’s kind of hard with other traffic going on—we’ve got people that were here right at five to nine this morning—we just let them go,” said Habeck. “Because if you get 100 people trying to go at one time, at the stops it makes it a little more difficult for them [the bars]. It’s easier to filter them through rather than 100 people showing up at one time.”
The tour is set up to explore Wyoming. “We go west. It kind of gives everybody a chance to get out in the open—you’re not packed in with all the rally stuff going on,” said Habeck.
After a fun day of exploring the open spaces to the west, everyone meets back at Habeck Trucking at 5 p.m. Winners must be present to claim their winnings. The best poker hand receives $500, with second getting $250 and third winning $125. There is also a $125 prize designated to the worst hand of the day.
After a long day of travel, food and drinks are ready for the bikers when they get back. “We got about 60 pounds of pork cooking—last year we had 45 pounds but it was gone when we got done! So we made a little more this year,” said Habeck.
Habeck credits the sponsors for making the Poker Run fundraiser successful and benefiting the youth. “So it kind of fluctuates, I mean, if we get a good year and we get over 100 people this year it should be somewhere between three and four grand that we will raise—net, that can go [to Purple Pride],” explained Habeck.
Sponsors this year included Wareing Carl’s Trailer Sales; Belle Fourche Veterinary Clinic; City of Belle Fourche; Morris Law Firm; Smokes N Sips; Lueder’s Food Center; Lynn’s Dakotamart; Redwater Meats; St. Onge Bar; Crossroads Trailer Sales & Service; Belle Chiropractic; In The Black Bookkeeping & Payroll Services; ProRate 48; Grossenburg Implement; All Net Connect; Alpine Impressions/Fast Break; 212 Tanning; Tri-State Chiropractic; CBH CO-OP; Acrisure Insurance; Mid-State Utility Trailers; Neumiller Truck & Auto Body; Peterbilt of Sioux Falls; Pete’s Clothing & Hodge Bootery; Quality Quick Print and AmericInn.
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