Richmond Ramblers poker run draws riders for 100-mile Bay Area ride

Engines roared and playing cards shuffled Saturday as dozens of motorcyclists joined the Richmond Ramblers Motorcycle Club for its annual poker run, a 100-mile ride through some of the Bay Area’s most scenic and winding roads before ending with a backyard barbecue.

At each stop, riders picked a playing card to build their poker hand. Prizes were awarded for the highest and lowest hands. “It’s about the ride, the camaraderie, and maybe a little bit of luck,” longtime member Dariel McColl said.

The ride began at the Ramblers’ clubhouse at 818 Dornan Drive in Point Richmond, where participants signed in and drew their first card. We snagged the King of Clubs. Riders then headed across the bridge to Fairfax for the second card stop. Jack of Spades.

The route continued on the Bolinas-Fairfax Road into the redwoods. From there, the route climbed Pantoll Road and traced the curves of the Panoramic Highway, then ran along California Highway 1 north through Stinson Beach to the Old Western Saloon in Point Reyes Station for the third card. Four of Hearts.

The ride continued on Point Reyes -Petaluma Road, through Nicasio Valley and over Lucas Valley Road, before following Highway 37 past Sears Point and into Vallejo.

The final card was drawn at a member’s home in Crockett, where riders gathered for a barbecue and prize ceremony. Jack of Clubs, finishing with a pair of Jacks.

Founded in the 1940s, the nonprofit club has a long history in Bay Area motorcycle culture. In its early decades, the Ramblers hosted competitive hill climbs on the ridge above Point Richmond, events that were a highlight for local riders until the late 1970s.

“We used to be able to ride the hill here,” McColl said. “We’d have events right here in town, and those went on until about the late ’70s.”

The club adapted over the years, shifting from hill climbs to street runs, competition races, and family enduros. A family enduro, McColl explained, is a timekeeping event in which riders follow a preset course and aim to hit checkpoints at specific times without arriving early or late.

“You want to follow the speeds and keep your time down,” he said. “If you show up early, it costs you more points.”

The poker run tradition has been part of the club “forever,” said member Don Dotson. “Ever since the club’s been going.”

Proceeds from the $25 entry fee, which included a lunch of hot dogs or hamburgers with beans, chips, and a drink, help cover event costs. “Maybe it’ll pay for the hamburgers,” McColl said.

The Richmond Ramblers meet on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 7 p.m., and members say newcomers are welcome.

For many, Saturday’s ride was about more than cards or prizes; it was about keeping a piece of Richmond’s motorcycle history alive.

“Come out, see the roads, enjoy the company,” Dotson said. “It’s what riding’s all about.”

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