Lake of the Ozarks Harbor Hop 2010
A poker run usually happens with motorcycles where the bikers zoom from place to place picking up a card at each spot and then meeting at the end to see who got the best hand. The winner usually wins a pot of cash or other prizes. The Lake of the Ozarks Harbor Hop plays on this idea but instead of motorcycles, the participants use their boats to visit different destinations along the more than 1,100 miles of shoreline that surround the lake.
The best ten hands win prizes but don't worry, if you were lucky enough to get one of the four worst hands, you can win too. And just in case you got neither, there will be ten additional random drawings from participants that will award further prizes from the cash pot. What all that means is that there are plenty of chances to win.
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Harbor Hop 2010 at the Lake of the Ozarks -- Continue
In fact though, everyone who participates wins. Various checkpoints are set up on the lake where participants can pick up their cards. In the past these have included Gravois Arm, sections of the Dam, Big Niangua Arm, and a whole slew of marinas, pubs, bars, and restaurants that can be reached by boat. To enter, just stop at one of the checkpoints and then start collecting the cards for your hand. A hand is made up of seven cards from seven different checkpoints and the hands have to be turned in by 7:00 pm. Part of the proceeds go to benefit the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor's Bureau, the rest are split among the winners (or in the case of losing hands, the losers.)
For the past thirteen years the Lake of the Ozarks Harbor Hop has been a great way for locals and visitors to celebrate the beginning of the summer boating season. Last year there were more than two thousand participants and plenty of other folks who were participating in the fun from the many bars, restaurants, pubs, and marinas along the shore. Most locals see the event as the official kickoff for summer boating fun on the Lake of the Ozarks.
If you miss the Harbor Hop in May though, don't worry. These days you can also join in the fun for the Fall Harbor Hop too. In fact, this event has been happening for even longer than the May event but because of the many events in the surrounding areas during the autumn it hasn't achieved the notoriety of it's younger sibling. That's a little surprising since the Fall Harbor Hop often has folks dressed up in their Halloween costumes. Either way, getting your cards has never been so much fun as it is at the Lake of the Ozarks Harbor Hop.