Skip to content
Sections
  • Obituaries
  • eEdition
  • Popular Content
  • Submit a Tip
Dispatch Mobile Logo
Share
Subscribe
Login
August 9, 2022
  • QUICK LINKS
  • Obituaries
  • eEdition
  • Popular Content
  • Submit a Tip
  • News
  • Columbus & Lowndes County
  • Starkville & Oktibbeha County
  • West Point & Clay County
  • Area
  • State
  • National
  • Business
  • Sports
  • High School Sports
  • College Sports
  • Local Columns
  • eEdition
  • Opinions
  • Local Columns
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Roses & Thorns
  • Dispatch Editorials
  • Obituaries
  • Lifestyles
  • Columns
  • Entertainment
  • Food
  • Transitions & Announcements
  • Community
  • Religion
  • Classifieds
  • Photo Galleries
  • Public Records
  • Building Permits
  • Marriages & Divorces
August 9, 2022
Dispatch Logo

Open eyes, open minds.

Home » News » Living the dream: Dispatch pressman prepares to ride World Poker Run

Living the dream: Dispatch pressman prepares to ride World Poker Run

By John Ward • July 22, 2021

 • 3 mins to read

Living the dream: Dispatch pressman prepares to ride World Poker Run
Dispatch pressman Tom Hudson travels the Tail of the Dragon Run in the Tennessee Smoky Mountains. Hudson said the route is the fifth most challenging road to travel in the world, with 318 curves in one stretch of 11 miles. Next week, he will embark with a group on a 3,200-mile poker run from Port Charlotte, Florida to Sturgis, South Dakota, aiming to be part of a Guinness world record. Courtesy photo
Tom Hudson

Tom Hudson works with the press room crew to produce The Dispatch during a typical work day. Parked in the alley behind the paper is his ride: a 2012 Dyna Switchback Harley Davidson motorcycle.

“I’m on my fourth bike in five years,” he said. “With proper maintenance, you can get half-million miles out of a Harley.”

Hudson will be taking some time off next week to ride 750 miles down to Port Charlotte, Florida, to group up with a gang of maybe 150 riders aiming to set the world’s record ride on motorcycles. It’s called the World Poker Run, encompassing some 3,200 miles across 12 states that will bring the riders to their final destination at the Buffalo Chip Music Festival in Sturgis, South Dakota, on Aug. 6. The nine-day festival that dates back to 1981 is billed as the largest music festival in motorcycling. The current record according to the Guinness Book of World Records stands at 3,123 miles logged across the United Kingdom. It will be Hudson’s first time to ride in this event.

“It will be the longest ride I’ve attempted within two weeks’ time,” he said. “We’ll have two GPS apps on our phones, and we’ll have pictures taken at every stop to confirm the distances traveled.”

Average miles traveled per day during the ride will be around 500. Bikers are encouraged to make sure their machines are up to the marathon.

The route will cross northern Mississippi, going through Tupelo and Oxford on the way to Helena, Arkansas.

Hudson has a biking buddy at work in circulation manager Mike Floyd. They even live in neighboring loft apartments on the upper level of The Dispatch building.

newsletter

The Dispatch delivers the most in-depth, responsible journalism straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

“I’ve been a biker since I was 14 years old,” Floyd said. “Tom and I rode together across northern Arkansas to Mountain Home once. We circled back around Hot Springs and returned home via Interstate 40 to Memphis.”

The Poker Run takes its name from the popular game of cards. Riders will each pull a card at designated points, or pulls, along the way. The winner will be determined in Sturgis.

“Whoever has the best hand wins,” Hudson said. “It’s a check, but nobody knows how much it is.”

Hudson started riding motorcycles in his early 20s upon the invitation of Calvin Jareld, with whom he worked, and it was love at first ride. Hudson first found out about the Poker Run through a biking buddy from Biloxi.

“I think his name was Corey,” Hudson said.

Hudson is looking forward to the ride of the year, if not a lifetime, but he’s preparing for contingencies that may happen during that long of a ride.

“It ain’t gonna be no vacation,” he said.

You can help your community

Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.

Subscribe

READER FAVORITES

  • LCSD proposed $29.4M budget would cause tax hike

    By Jessica Lindsey • 1 day ago

  • Monday Profile: Adeline Rollins’ recovery from liver transplant surgery has been remarkable

    By Slim Smith • 1 day ago

  • Board mum after closed-door discussion of Labat’s job

    By Jessica Lindsey • 6 hours ago

  • Alexander will not seek new term on CRA board

    By Brian Jones • 6 hours ago

Popular

LCSD proposed $29.4M budget would cause tax hike

August 8, 2022

Monday Profile: Adeline Rollins’ recovery from liver transplant surgery has been remarkable

August 8, 2022

Starkville’s run in Little League Southwest Regional ends with walk-off loss

August 8, 2022

Other editors: The IRS is about to go ‘beast mode’

August 8, 2022




On This Day 2021

J. Martin Tucker: Why now is the time to get vaccinated

J. Martin Tucker: Why now is the time to get vaccinated

By J. Martin Tucker

Featured Podcast

The C Dispatch Podcast

Dispatch

Sections

  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Lifestyles
  • Obituaries

Info

  • About
  • Contact
  • Submit a Tip
  • Terms & Service
  • Popular Content

Contact

Main Switchboard:

(662) 328-2424

Physical Address:

516 Main Street
Columbus, MS 39701

Mailing Address:

PO Box 511
Columbus, MS 39701

cdispatch.com © 2022 – The Commerical Dispatch

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT