The 2025 Remember the Removal riders finished their journey as they arrived in Tahlequah, Okla. on Friday, June 20. (Photo by Anadisgoi – Cherokee Nation News)
One Feather Staff Report
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The 2025 Remember the Removal riders finished their journey as they arrived in Tahlequah, Okla. for a homecoming celebration on Friday, June 20 where they each received a medal. Following a send-off event at Kituwah on Friday, May 30, the riders began their trip on Monday, June 2 in New Echota, Ga., the former capital of the Cherokee Nation.
The ride is a 950-mile cycling event which retraces the northern route of the Trail of Tears through Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. A total of 18 riders, representing the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and the Cherokee Nation, went on this year’s ride.
The riders representing the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians on this year’s ride included: Daryl Martin, Freida Saylor, Mary Caley, Nathaniel Cummings-Lambert, TW Saunooke, and Jamy Queen.
Remember the Removal Riders representing the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) on this year’s ride are shown, left to right, Mary Caley, Nathaniel Cummings-Lambert, TW Saunooke, Jamy Queen, Daryl Martin, and Freida Saylor. They are shown prior to a send-off event held at Kituwah on the evening of Friday, May 30. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
They joined 12 riders from the Cherokee Nation including: AP Anderson, Kalina Campos, Stephanie Conduff, Kacey Fishinghawk, Adriauna Garcia, Baylee Gregg, Jeremy Hamilton, Kiyah Holmes, Baleigh James-Levy, Jenny Kliest, Lexi Melton, and Mackenzie Teehee.
Ugviwyuhi (Principal Chief) Michell Hicks posted this message on his Facebook page, “They’ve crossed hundreds of miles, retracing the steps our ancestors were forced to walk and with each mile, they stepped deeper into the truth of who we are as Cherokee people. This journey was one that connected them to the land, the pain and resilience of our ancestors, and the strength that lives in each of us. That matters now more than ever.”
The message continued, “We are living in a time where our identity is being questioned, diluted, and misrepresented by those who were not part of the Removal, who did not live through generational trauma, and who have not carried the burden of rebuilding a sovereign nation. To our EBCI riders: Jamy Queen, Daryl Martin, Freida Saylor, TW Saunooke, Mary Caley, and Nathaniel Cummings-Lambert, let this not be the end of their journey, but the beginning of their leadership. May they continue to speak the truth, protect our story, and carry this experience forward with purpose.”
Cherokee Nation Ugviwiyuhi Chuck Hoskin Jr. said, “The return ceremony is one of the most important moments of the year for Cherokees everywhere. This day is a day where we can draw a great deal of strength. This program is unique due to the degree which it challenges the participants physically and mentally, and that’s before they even begin the 950-mile journey. Just the preparation is something remarkable to accomplish. Reconnecting with historic sites is vital to remembering the story of our forced removal. I’m filled with a great deal of pride to recognize our riders on their safe return home.”
According to a press release from Anadisgoi (Cherokee Nation News), “Over the last three weeks, the cyclists visited many historical sites significant to Cherokee history. An impactful spot for the team was Blythe Ferry, in Tennessee. The river marked the boundary of Cherokee traditional homelands. Other stops included preserved portions of the Trail of Tears at Port Royal, Tennessee, and Mantle Rock, Kentucky, where Cherokees found shelter during a particularly brutal winter while waiting for the Ohio River to thaw. The ride tests both the physical and mental fortitude of the cyclists as the travel through rain or shine, hills and valleys – occasionally climbing over 3,00 feet in elevation or traveling up to 70 miles in a single day.”
