Corvettes de Olympia’S 32nd Annual Poker Rally
By Meghan Evans
It’s April 1, 2012, and on this cool overcast Sunday morning my Dad, Don Evans and I (his daughter Meghan) are filled with excitement as we set out to attend our first Corvette event of the season: Corvettes de Olympia’s 32nd Annual Poker Rally! With a rev of the engine and smiles on our faces, we’re off!
We arrive at the established meeting spot, Gould Chiropractic Center in Olympia, Washington. There, we proceed to registration where warm and welcoming CdeO faces greet us…and confiscate our driver’s licenses! Yes, licenses were whisked away, placed into an envelope and sealed shut! The kind gentleman registering us explained that at the end of the rally the envelope must still be sealed; an open envelope will be interpreted as an overly ambitious, back-road speeder got pulled over by police and asked for identification! With the warning fresh in our minds, we part with the $15 entrance fee which includes tickets for both a raffle and door prizes. Seeing the beautiful raffle baskets that ranged in value from $35.00 to over $300.00 enticingly arranged on a counter, we were swayed into increasing our odds and buying more tickets! At the very least we were hoping our odds of winning something would be better than the recent Mega Millions drawing!
Heading over to the safety inspection station, the Corvette’s lights, turn signals and, yes, windshield wipers all were tested! With everything in working order, we drove to the starting point of the rally where we received route directions, rally guidelines and drew our first two cards.
After a brief stint on I-5 to get out of civilization, Dad and I found ourselves passing fields of sheep, horses, cattle and even alpacas! Homes ranging from elaborate structures to dilapidated shacks lined either side of the road. We passed small farms, big ranches, flooded farm land and even wooden bears waving “hello” to those passing by. Ah…the country back roads of….well, at this point we were not exactly certain what town or county we were in!
Along the rally route, there were two checkpoints located at gas stations. At each point, participants drew more cards before opting to either continue along the rally route or stop in at the service station for refreshments, fuel, or answer the call of Mother Nature!
Leaving the second and final check point, we continued along the rally route, now altered thanks to the recent rains, before ending up at the destination point: The Lucky Eagle Casino in Rochester, Washington. We parked the car and headed inside for the raffle drawings and results of the poker hands.
At the last minute, we decided to buy an additional card; a wise decision as this left us holding a Full House (Ace’s over Queens) which was worthy of second a place finish and a $50.00 bill! Since Dad had encouraged me to go get the winnings, I was also more than willing to hold onto the envelope containing the money…for safe keeping, of course! J
As for the raffle and door prizes, Dad won a t-shirt and I received a Domino’s gift card. Money raised from this event funds CdeO’s primary charity: scholarships to the local community college’s automotive department!
Twenty-nine participants and seventeen Corvettes participated in the 32nd Annual CdeO rally. The day brought a few light showers and sprinkles but loads of fresh air, beautiful scenery and, most importantly, great fellowship, laughter, and camaraderie among Corvette enthusiasts!
Returning to Kelso, we gave the Corvette a bath, covered her up and put her to bed. Now, she rests, ready and waiting for the next adventure to…who knows where! Who cares when driving a Vette!?!
Thank you Corvettes de Olympia for a great, fun-filled day! Everyone did a fantastic job hosting the rally and making us feel so welcome!
