For the first time ever, I’m about to spend a laidback and truly enjoyable weekend in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. Allow me to explain.

Every year, OK, almost every year as I had a schedule conflict this year and another a few years back, I travel there to cover the Desert Storm Poker Run. It’s a great event—the West’s grandest go-fast powerboat happening—but it’s also a crazy-busy event, at least if you’re there to cover it. Free time to enjoy the lake is nonexistent, as is time to hang out with industry and consumer friends.

Starting tomorrow, the annual DCB Regatta on Lake Havasu should be spectacular. Photo courtesy/copyright Todd Taylor/Todd Taylor Images.

That’s about to change—at least for a weekend—as I’m heading to the DCB Performance Boats Regatta tomorrow. My biggest concern is being on time for the Friday evening welcome party at the London Bridge Resort, the host venue for the annual gathering of the DCB faithful, which is entering its 21st year. (As I take these party punctuality quite seriously, I have a 6 a.m. flight out of Sacramento to Las Vegas tomorrow.)

The next day, we have a crack-of-11:30 a.m. photo shoot followed by an uber-casual, four-stop poker run and a dinner celebration that evening. Participation in the poker run, or any event during the weekend, isn’t mandatory. DCB encourages attendees to do what they want.

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