Members of the Sundre Fire Department, with support from volunteers, have recently been and continue to get approximately 60 kilometres of trail ready for the 24th annual Sundre Fire Rescue Society's ATV Poker Run.
“It's a lot of manual — but fun — work and preparation,” said fire Chief Marty Butts during an interview with the Round Up last week.
“We go out and take tours on the weekends prior to the rally and ride parts of it and do repairs and maintenance.”
That includes fixing bridges, putting in rip rap on soft parts of the muskegs to reduce the risk of damage caused — by giving quads and dirt bikes something firm to ride on — as well as making sure signs are properly in place to guide riders through the rally's five checkpoints, he said.
The many hours of work that go into preparing the event provide the opportunity for members of the fire department as well as their families to further cement strong bonds that have been established over the years, he said.
“We're pretty close at the hall. This event helps bring us a little closer.”
Aside from the fire department's desire to use the land responsibly, Butts said Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development also has certain regulations in place that require steps be taken to conserve land for such an event.
“They want to make sure out west is being protected and not being destroyed, that's why we build bridges over waterways and rip rap to protect soft wetlands. We're doing our part but it's a big job.”
As many as 300 participants of all ages are expected to come out for the event, which takes place Sunday, July 31 west of Sundre by about 18 kilometres along Highway 58. Signs will show the way. Registration runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. While the event will go on come rain or sunshine, the overall turnout of participants largely depends on the weather, he said.
“You'll see kids to adults all riding and doing their thing having fun. A lot of families come out,” he said, adding there are self-contained camping spots available to people on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Some folks do a camping weekend out of it.”
Those who do are encouraged to at the very least leave the land in the condition they found it in, but some strive to leave it in even better shape by picking up litter left behind by others, he said.
Although participants should have some experience — the trail might not be suitable for novice riders — the event is not a race, he said.
“It's a challenging trail for beginners.”
Those who are interested can purchase one or more poker hands for the rally in the hopes of placing in the top three, but there is also another poker hand available for those who are interested in trying to win a 50cc kid's dirt bike, he said.
“You just got to make it around the run and get your cards, and the best poker hand wins.”
The poker hand for the dirt bike was introduced a couple of years ago, but the fire chief plans to make it a permanent feature.
“Every year now, somebody will leave that day with a kid's bike if they win the poker hand.”
Offering such prizes not only encourages ticket sales but it also allows the fire department to give something back at the same time that it is raising funds. Volunteers look over all the hands that were recorded during the event and usually follow up by phone to contact winners within about a week. There are also plenty of door prizes up for grabs, he added.
Every year, the annual event receives no shortage of support from the community as well as local businesses, and Butts expressed his gratitude to everyone who continues to help make the rally so successful after more than two decades.
“I'd kind of like to keep it going.”
The rally has in the past been known to raise more than $10,000, which helps to cover the costs of obtaining specialized gear for rescues such as outback and swift water operations. The fire department's budget has a limited amount of wiggle room, so fundraisers like the rally help to make it possible to acquire gear that would otherwise be out of reach, he said.
“We have a lot of extra things we do in the backcountry that we have to gear up for and train for.”
For more information about the event, contact the fire hall at 403-638-4044 or Butts at 403-636-0585.
