The growls of Harleys and sport bikes will soon take over the Alpine roads surrounding the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, with the annual Ride the Alps military motorcycle rally June 24-26. The event brings military riders together from all over Europe.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the ride, which began as a customer-appreciation event sponsored by Military Auto Source, the overseas military motorcycle sales program for Harley-Davidson. Now, the event hosts as many as 300 participants from as far away as Spain and Iceland.

The Alps are one of the best destinations in the world for motorcycle riding, according to Brad Hays, marketing director for Edelweiss.

“This area in particular has many idyllic mountain vistas that let the riders enjoy the freedom of the road, but it’s the camaraderie of the military riders that keeps them coming back every year,” he said.

One of the highlights of Ride the Alps is the poker run, in which riders collect five playing cards along a predetermined route. When they return from the 150-mile jaunt, they play poker with their hand for prizes. Last year 180 bikers participated.

In addition to the ride on marked routes, the rally takes on a festival atmosphere, with live music provided by Armed Forces Entertainment on Saturday.

Limited rooms are still available at Edelweiss Lodge and Resort. If you aren’t staying at the Resort, you can still participate in the rally, poker run, all-you-can-eat buffets and entertainment for $75 per adult.

For information about the rally and lodging, visit www.edelweisslodgeandresort.com/ news-deals.

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