The 4th annual Spoker Ride To Paynesville is a bicycling event designed to promote the bike trails that connect the cities of Paynesville, New London, Spicer, our area Lakes, and the businesses of these communities. For those familiar with the concept of a Poker Run, this is similar, except on bicycles! Come and enjoy one of Minnesota's most unique bike events!
Rules: Riders should print a punch card before they start, these will be e-mailed prior to the ride. Riders must visit at least 5 participating merchants , and get at least 5 punches on their card to qualify for the challenge at the end, a round of Spoker Darts!
Spoker Darts: Each rider with a completed punch card will have a chance to show off their dart skills in a round of Spoker Darts. You will be awarded 1 dart per punch on your card. So 5 stops equals 5 darts, 10 stops equals 10 darts, and so on. Our original Spoker Dart boards consist of 1 full deck of playing cards, arranged on a cork dart board. The goal is to throw your darts accurately and build the best Poker hand. The winning hands will receive a prize, and we have some excellent prizes that have been donated by area businesses.
The Course: Most of the riding will be done on designated bike trails, such as the Glacial Lakes State Trail that connects all 3 towns. Since you'll be pre-registered online, you can start your ride wherever and whenever you want, but all participants must finish in Paynesville at Queen Bee's Bar and Grill by 5:00 pm on Saturday. You decide your route, so you decide how far you want to ride. It may be a 2 mile stroll around Paynesville, or a challenging 50 mile trek across the countryside! Riders aren't required to be present at the end of the day in order to win a prize, so ride whenever it works for you. We will start accepting completed punch cards at 11:00 am on Saturday. A map of the course and participating merchants will be e-mailed to you prior to the ride.
2019 Changes: A change for this year is that we'll allow participants to ride either Friday evening or Saturday. We'll only accept the punch cards from 11am-5pm on Saturday, but this gives you a better chance against whatever mother nature decides to send our way. As you plan your routes you should also know that we won't be offering a free meal at the end of the ride, which means more of your funds go to benefit the Crow River Trail Guards, and it also means you'll have the opportunity to power up with a meal at some of the great stops along the way!
Lodging Options: Some convenient lodging options located on or near the trail.
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Hampton Inn - Across the road from the trail in Spicer
Participating Merchants: Participating merchants will be listed on your punch card and map. Remember, it's in your best interest to stop at as many as you can! We have over 20 participating merchants welcoming you through their doors, consisting of Restaurants, Cafe's, Coffee Shops, Ice Cream shops and a Brewery!
Funds Raised: Event fees for adults are $25 through April 30th, $30 through July 26th and $35 on the day of the event. Net proceeds from the event benefit the
Crow River Trail Guards Inc., a non-profit organization based in Paynesville that encourages youth to participate in outdoor activities. The Trail Guards organization has been helping kids discover the magic of the outdoors for more than 20 years!
T-Shirts: T-shirts guaranteed on event day if registered by July 15th! After July 15th, you will be able to pick it up following the event. T-Shirts are included with registration for Adult Riders and are available for purchase for Youth Riders.