ORANGE BEACH, AL. — The irrepressible grin on Mindy Boggan’s face told the whole story.

“Where’s my bucket list?” she said. “Here’s a big old CHECK.”

The Wetumpka woman was visiting with friends in Orange Beach for Thunder on the Gulf when she was presented with what she considered an opportunity of a lifetime: A ride on a go-fast boat.

After years of coming to watch the races on the Gulf, Boggan made it well known to anyone with earshot that she fancied a ride on one of the sleek, loud and mainly fast boats.

Thanks to a friend in the media (blush, blush), she was able to get a spot on the 42-foot Tide’s Pride, owned by Ricky Day.

Day’s wife Dana was one of the organizers of the Mystical Order of the Miriams Mardi Gras krewe’s Slo Poker run. To draw attention to the fundraiser, Dana offered the media rides on Ricky’s boat.

The Miriams used the event to raise money to help in recovery from the April 27 tornadoes, with a focus on the ravaged areas of Tuscaloosa.

For Boggan, it meant a thrill of a lifetime.

“I gotta set down,” she said. “I am totally blown away. I mean just fried.”

And the best part of the ride?

“95,” Boggan said quickly. After leaving Terry Cove and rounding Bear Point, Ricky let the throttle open on the twin 725-horsepower motors.

“After he did that, I looked at him and said ‘what did you just do?’” Boggan said. “And he knew exactly what I meant. He didn’t say ‘scratch my nose’ or something like that.

“He just said ’95.’ My eyelids were peeling back.”

And a check went up on the bucket list.