Special to the One Feather
Motorcyclists from across the nation will come together Friday, Sept. 20 for a scenic ride from Cherokee N.C. through the Nantahala Gorge then the Ocoee River Gorge to Bridgeport, Ala. to honor Native American Indians. Now in its thirty-first year, the Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride travels from the home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in Cherokee, N.C. with a stop at Ross’ Landing in Chattanooga, Tenn. at about 1:30 p.m. and will be joined by riders from all over the nation to continue from there at 3 p.m. to downtown Bridgeport, Ala.
A kick-off rally offering children’s activities, live music, a street dance, fireworks show, and other free family fun for the public to enjoy is scheduled in downtown Bridgeport on Friday, Sept. 20. Bikes will arrive from Cherokee, N.C. at 3 p.m., and the official opening ceremony gets underway at 5 p.m. Music begins at 6 p.m. with Bottom Holler Band and slated to perform for the special thirty-first anniversary is Benny Carl and the Loose Lips Band from Nashville who will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. and again at 9:30 p.m. following the fireworks show.
The Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride® begins Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Alabama/Tennessee state line off U. S. Highway 72 in downtown Bridgeport with riders departing at 8 a.m. CST on Saturday, Sept.21. The ride travels U. S. Highway 72 West to I-565 West arriving at Redstone Harley-Davidson at approximately 10:30 a.m. for an official rest and lunch stop. The public is invited to welcome riders while enjoying lunch and special entertainment. At 12 p.m., riders will depart and head west through Florence arriving in Waterloo at approximately 2 p.m.
The town of Waterloo, Ala. will host a free Indian Festival Sept. 20-22 in remembrance of all those who walked the Trail of Tears. Presented by the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission, the three-day event offers live music on Saturday afternoon and night, flute and drum music and displays from Native American artisans and vendors. A River Walk Dedication Ceremony is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. to honor those who experienced the forced journey with the grand entry slated for 1 p.m. and bikes arriving around 2:00 p.m.
The ride is held rain or shine. For more information on the Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride including a map of the route and a schedule of events, https://trail-of-tears.webflow.io/the-ride/this-years-ride . Or like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Trailoftearsmotorcycle
The first Trail of Tears Motorcycle Ride was organized in 1994 with approximately 100 riders participating and has grown to more that 10-15,000 riders each year.
A Ride continuation to Seminole, Okla. will leave from Spring Park in Tuscumbia, Ala. at 8 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22.
