Poker Run with Randy Couture.

8 minutes

Friends,

The sound of over a hundred motorcycles starting their engines at once to line up for a Poker run is something that, as a writer, I can’t put into words.

Loud.

Earth rumbling.

Inspirational.

These are pitiful words that describe a mid-summer morning at the Everett Vet Clinic when hundreds of veterans, supporters, and local community members came together to ride in the Xtreme Couture G.I. Foundation’s 4th Annual Ride for Our Troops Poker Run.

Poker Runs.

Now, I had never done a Poker Run before yesterday, but I’ve heard about them. They are big in the biker world during the summer months—a day when a bunch of men and women get together and say, ‘Wanna ride bikes?’

We all meet somewhere, get our first playing card, and then ride together to the next location. Five stops, five poker cards, one winner.

What makes Poker Runs unique is that they support the local community and are tailored to the motorcycle community. A community that is often shunned by the general population because of the stigma that all bikers are bad.

Lean in closer. I’ll share a secret with you.

It’s a community where you generally find the veterans.

Who were we supporting?

The Xtreme Couture G.I. Foundation.

Never heard of it? Doesn’t surprise me. Unlike some of the other big-name nonprofits that I have worked with or for… this one is a backstage manager lurking in the shadows.

Where you find the veterans.

The head of the non-profit is Randy Couture. If you look him up on Google, it says that he is an ‘American Commentator and Actor.’ Oh, and a pretty bad-ass former professional MMA fighter.

That’s what I knew him as. He was one of my favorite MMA fighters, someone I used to watch religiously when I was active in that world. A long time ago, before he walked away from the UFC to pursue a different path.

What most people don’t realize and is not highlighted as much as it should be is that he is a veteran of the U.S. Army. A veteran who is using his popularity and money to help support the service members and their families who are facing tremendous odds as they fight to recover from their injuries.

As someone who spent years working with the injured during my time in the Army- I have seen with my own eyes the physical and mental struggles of recovery. Hell- I have spent years trying to fight my own shadows and the pain that comes with multiple deployments.

It’s nice to have someone who walked the walk and lived the life in our back pocket.

The Experience.

Like I said, I’ve never done a Poker Run before. But if I was going to jump in feet first, this was probably the best one to start with. A day to ride and support service members will always be high on my list of things to do on a Saturday. Even if it’s during a PNW heat wave.

It helped that my hubby was a road captain for group three. I knew he was experienced and had ridden the route three times before leading that many people on the open road. The hubby may be the vain of my existence most of the time with his grand ideas and questionable decisions- but when it comes to motorcycles and riders- he is focused and methodical.

It also helped that I knew the guy who planned the route and knew he went out of his way to make sure the road was cleaned, marked, and safe for everyone. A man with a heart as large as my eyes when I see coffee. Someone known to everyone in the community for his loud voice, big personality, and genuine love for all people- especially veterans. A man known as Two-Cents.

How did he get his name? That’s a story for another day. But let’s just say he is involved in many community activities and is vocal about supporting all of them.

I was safe before the ride even started.

It was hot.

Doing a Poker Run is not for the faint of heart, especially during a heat wave. You are riding at least 75 miles—and that doesn’t count the miles to the start point and back home.

I think the hubby and I were close to 150 miles yesterday by the time we limped home.

Might I also mention, in case you didn’t know, that motorcycles are designed so that the rider sits on top of the engine. Their legs are budded against the pipes and engine block. Seeing as they have yet to design air conditioning for bikes, it can get hot.

Very hot.

Especially in traffic.

So, if you ever wonder why we are going faster than the speed limit (safely, of course), please know that it’s probably because the sweat is dripping down to places it shouldn’t be, and we are trying to cool off.

A great run.

By the time we hit the finish line, I was sunburnt, exhausted, and happy.

I made it. Upright. I didn’t even drop the bike on a hill. Which is always a win for me. Those darn hills are hard to take off on from a stop.

I think I had the worst poker hand out of the group… but since I don’t know how to play poker, it didn’t bother me.

I don’t know how much money we raised, but it was in the thousands. That is thousands of dollars that will go back into the hands of service members and their families during difficult times. It will help pay a bill or make sure that a veteran can get the mental health help they need.

Elephant in the room.

The VA is not effective. I hate to say it. I know there are some great people who work for the VA, and I applaud them. But facts are facts, and as someone who has struggled to get the care that I need, I can tell the general population this with a straight face.

It’s not good.

The government started the VA to ensure that veterans were taken care of after they got out of the military. It’s federally funded and governed. It’s a safety net for us to fall back on, a place for us to get the medical and mental attention we need.

What happened is that we became a political hostage for D.C.

Politicians weren’t ready for the shadows that followed us home from the war. I guess they weren’t aware that when you send sons and daughters to battle- injuries happen. Maybe they missed the memo that bullets hurt, burn pits scar our lungs, and memories can be as dangerous as complex attacks.

The Xtreme Couture G.I. Foundation tries to bridge those gaps that the government has created.

Female riders.

I found a few female veterans riding. Surprising? It’s okay. I’m used to it. Within the 1% of the 1% is another 1%.

Female veterans.

I sometimes call us the ‘Lost Community’ or ‘The Unheard’. We are the daughters who signed the same blank check as the sons and still somehow get pushed into the background.

It is a misconception that we don’t experience war or the military the same way. That because we have boobs- we are locked away in some office in a ‘safe’ place in the middle of a battleground. Our shadows sometimes get lost in the competition of who is the biggest badass.

I will never stop talking about female veterans. I know it annoys people, but I’m okay with it. Someone needs to do it. I have found that, for the most part, female veterans don’t feel comfortable sharing.

That hurts my heart. Their stories deserve to be heard. Female veterans deserve to have a safe space and be accepted without having to reprove themselves. Because they earned the right. They bled, sweated, and did the time to hold the title.

It means just as much to us as it does to our brothers in arms.

Final thoughts.

I’m glad I went, even though my arms are so burned that it hurts to type. What a great day to stand with my community and say, ‘We are here.’

Every single mile was a reminder that there was still work to be done. That 22 a day is 22 too many.

And as Randy said- that number seems awfully light.

I appreciate that the Xtreme Couture G.I. Foundation stands in the shadows. It means it is in the darkness with us, holding a lamp, trying to help us find our way home. After spending years in the non-profit world, I can say honestly—it is rare. Most foundations are about their appearances. They are in it for the money and prestige.

Most CEOs make over $200,000 a year to run their non-profit. Ironically, ones that receive federal grants and donations. Yup, I’m calling you out. I can because I worked or was a part of a few…

Wounded Warrior CEO- over $400,000 a year

Fisher House CEO- over $400,000 a year

Red Cross CEO- over $600,000 a year

Xtreme Couture Foundation CEO- $0.00

So here is my plug: If you want to support veterans, check out The Xtreme Couture G.I. Foundation. Look at its mission. Read about how many families it has helped. Know that it is not judgmental.

They understand that not all injuries are visible.

Xtreme Couture G.I. Foundation | Helping Veterans in Need (xcgif.org)

Until tomorrow, my friends- Keep Reading and Stay Caffeinated.

From Scottish gods to the mystery of Medusa’s life and on to the European Witch Trials, the Raven Society is tasked with finding the truth in history’s inconsistencies. Hold your hats on this epic adventure to save lost souls from being forgotten.

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