Cyclists traveling 1,000 miles to honor Cherokee heritage

CHATSWORTH, Ga. -- Cherokee was Sarah Holcomb's first language; she was raised to honor her heritage.

The 20-year-old will embark today with seven other young Cherokee Nation citizens from Oklahoma on a 1,000-mile bike ride retracing the historic northern route of the Trail of Tears. The "Remember the Removal" ride is from New Echota in Gordon County, site of the first Cherokee Nation capitol, to the present-day capitol at Tahlequah, Okla.

Cyclists will travel about 60 miles a day, visit a number of sites and hear nightly history lessons. The trip is expected to last about 23 days.

"I know we are all going to grow from this," Ms. Holcomb said. "We're going to go through some hard times here pretty quick."

But, she said, at least the riders are choosing the adventure, unlike their ancestors.

The Trail of Tears took place over the winter months of 1838 through 1839, according to a Cherokee Nation news release. The U.S. government forced Cherokees to leave their homes and travel west through territories that now are parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas. More than 4,000 Cherokees died along the various routes.

"(The trip) has bigger meaning than I can put into words," said Gary Walker, another cyclist.

The group has spent months training for the long ride, and Mr. Walker said he is prepared physically. He anticipates the challenge being "the feelings we are going to go through as we go along the trail."

On Friday, cyclists toured the Chief Vann House, home of a renowned Cherokee family forced off their plantation in 1830s, and biked to New Echota where they camped overnight. The trip officially begins today, and they will travel about 55 miles to reach Red Clay State Park, another historic site along the Trail of Tears, in Bradley County, Tenn.

Todd Enlow, a group leader on the ride, said the young riders will learn about themselves and their cultural heritage, but hopefully others will learn from the experience.

"To me (the trip is) about two things," he said. "One is education and the other part is telling our story."

Mr. Enlow said that 25 years ago the Cherokee Nation held the first "Remember the Removal" ride to bring awareness to the historic Trail of Tears. He said many of the signs seen today were erected after the initial cycling group brought attention to the trail. He hopes the trip will help bring attention to the significance of the sites in Georgia that are seeing reduced state funding.

Sherry Holcomb, Sarah's mother, participated in the first "Remember the Removal" ride. She said in a phone interview that riders then took a different route along the Trail of Tears from Cherokee, N.C. She said the heat will be their main challenge as well as watching out for drivers. It's important to watch out for one another and pace themselves, she said.

"I told Sarah, 'There are going to be times you feel like you just can't go. Remember what you are doing it for and just keep going,'" she said.

Mr. Enlow and Marshal Danny Tanner will ride with the students and Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith will join the ride in a few days. Cherokee marshals will drive in front of and in back of the group as they ride. Two cooks and a few family members also are on the trip.