Republic of Texas Biker Rally
Austin, Texas

When: late May-early June

Where: Travis County Exposition Center in Austin.

In the spirit of Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild," get your motor runnin' and head out on the highway for the city of Austin, where each first weekend after Memorial Day motorcyclists and chopper enthusiasts alike meet for a four-day ode to freedom.

Revving up the crowd for the event, a motorcycle parade roars along a 10-mile stretch with awestruck Austinites lining the route to Congress Avenue, where the riders revel until the wee small hours of the morning with 200,000 other helmet-wearing road warriors.

The weekend offers aerial action as Freestyle Motocross masters fly off ramps during the ROT Rally X Fest Stunt Shows, while custom motorcycle builders show off their skills in the Big Texas Chop-Off™. Chrome will shine when custom-made motorcycles have their moment in the spotlight at the Ride-In Bike Show on Saturday, and helicopter rides offer brave bikers a bird's eye view of the festival.

Music from four stages provide the pulse of the rally all weekend long, while over 300 vendors offer permanent souvenirs of the event ranging from leather goods to tattoos.

Bikers may be hell on wheels, but on Sunday morning the riders turn their thoughts toward heaven when they congregate at the Main Arena for a worship service. After giving thanks to the Lord, rally attendees can appreciate God's creation in a self-guided tour of the Hill Country (maps are provided during registration) or give thanks to the men and women in the armed forces at the Dignity Memorial® Vietnam Wall™, where uniformed soldiers will gather together in an area which will also feature a number of helicopters and tanks.

For more information:

• visit www.rotrally.com

Photo courtesy Austin CVB