Event offers car-free fun in Lauter Valley Sunday

Petra Lessoing
Kaiserslautern American


***image1***Walkers, hikers, bicyclists and inline-skaters have a public street all to themselves Sunday. For the 11th annual adventure day called “Car-free Lauter Valley,” the federal street B270 between Kaiserslautern and Lauterecken closes to motorized traffic, horse carriages and horseback riders from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The 35-kilometer route winds through the Lauter Valley from Kaiserslautern on to Otterbach, Sambach, Katzweiler, Hirschhorn, Olsbrücken, Kreimbach-Kaulbach, Rutsweiler, Wolfstein, Oberweiler-Tiefenbach and Lohnweiler to Lauterecken.

These villages participate in the event. Associations, clubs and private initiators provide an entertaining program including eating and drinking locations.

In Kaiserslautern, the starting point is on Lauterstrasse near the garden fair area. The “musical gas station” in Otterbach offers fresh salads and a children’s corner. More children’s activities to include a merry-go-round can be found on the area of the Reservists Comradeship Otterbach at the end of the village going to Sambach. Here the local sports association serves spare ribs and bratwurst.

In Katzweiler, hungry participants have the choice of fish, frikadellen, bratwurst, Turkish kebab, pizza and regional specialties.

A drive-in worship service is 2 and 5 p.m. in the church yard.
In Hirschhorn, a first aid station provides medial assistance. There also is the possibility to have bikes repaired.

In an old historical mill, arts items, sculptures and paintings can be admired.
In Olsbrücken and Kreimbach-Kaulbach more food stands are available with fish brötchen, steaks, gyros, currywurst and cakes.
In Rutsweiler, the Zweikirche, a church with the oldest bells in the Pfalz, can be toured.

Wolfstein companies offer live music with Crime and Passion, Italian dishes and cleaning of glasses.

In the neighboring villages of Oberweiler-Tiefenbach and Lohnweiler, children can have fun at playgrounds.

Lauterecken is the north end of the road closure. Here the official opening takes place at 10 a.m. Local clubs offer a variety of food and the local curling club offers curling on asphalt. SWR4 radio station set ups a stage on Marktplatz and provides entertainment.
Motorists need to watch for detour signs.