This is a long holiday weekend in Europe, and there are plenty of volksmarches to choose from. The walks are starting earlier, too, so you early birds can get up and get your volksmarches out of the way first thing in the morning. If you are off tomorrow, you can try the guided walk in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany. It starts at 2 p.m. and goes either 6 or 11 kilometers. The flier states the walk is along the Panoramaweg, so we think it might be along part of the permanent trail outside the city. The start is at the Sporthalle. Hohenfels has a lot of activities planned this weekend associated with the German-American Volksfest. The opening ceremony is Friday night and festivities continue through Tuesday. Start times for the volksmarch are 8 a.m. until noon Saturday and 7 a.m. until noon Sunday. The walk starts at the Kulturzentrum on Dekan-Schnitter-Strasse. This year’s prize is a stuffed duck doll. The whole weekend sounds like a lot of fun. Don’t forget Saturday’s Kiddie Volksmarch at Patrick Henry Village. Start the 5-kilometer trail from in front of the library between 9 a.m. and noon. If you would like to volunteer to help, contact Rob Floyd at hiwc@yahoo.com.Good luck to the Stuttgart German American Wandering Club as they head to the walk in St. Peter on Sunday. After the walk, they are heading to Freiburg for some sightseeing. The Stuttgart club’s blue flag will be at Oberstenfeld, Germany, this weekend. This event is another of its Stammtisch walks. Start time both days is between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. The prize for this walk is a B-medal.If you are new to volksmarching and are in the Stuttgart area, a couple of people from the club have started to meet at the Patch shoppette before departing to a walk to help new walkers get to a local event. If you would like to join them, please contact club president Ann Kathy Reed at clubpresident@sgawc.org for specific dates and times. Monday is Queen’s Day in the Netherlands, and Landgraaf will host its annual Queen’s Walk. It is a very popular event and we have enjoyed this walk on several occasions. The route will usually take you across the border into Germany and past Schloss Rimburg. It’s very convenient for walkers in the Schinnen, Brunssum and Geilenkirchen areas. Monday and Tuesday there will be a whole lot of walking going on in Koblenz. With trails ranging from 5 to 60 kilometers in length, you’re bound to find a trail that is right for you. You can get a wine glass for the shorter distances and a color patch for the longer ones. The start hall is at the Oberwerth sporthalle at Jupp-Gauchel-Strasse 10. Koblenz has some very hilly areas, so you can expect these trails to be challenging at times.Just one more week until the Ramstein Roadrunners host their big spring walk May 5 and 6. The start will be at the Mehrzweckhalle in Miesenbach. The street address for your trusty GPS is Am Kiefernkopf 20. They will be offering 5-, 10-, 15- and 20- kilometer routes. A limited quantity of beer glasses will be awarded or you can choose from different colored edelweiss scarves. If you can’t stay for the walk, you can help by dropping off a donation of just about any kind of baked goods. Volksmarchers work up a good appetite and a brownie or piece of cake is always in demand. If you can volunteer or make a donation, contact Brad at: ramsteinroadrunners@yahoo.com.

Email volksmarch information to two.walkers@yahoo.com. Mail brochures to Bob and Lorraine Huffaker, CMR 460, Box 278, APO AE 09752.