we always ride rain or shine
The 30th annual ride is history! click on the link here to visit the ride recap page and get connected to photos from the ride and a summary of how this past year's ride went! Every year the experience is unique!
This year's special design, printed on all official 31st Annual Trail of Tears commemorative motorcycle ride merchandise is intended to capture the history and spirit of the ride. this special design was produced by our own artist, arissa wheeler. to learn more about the design click here.
The image below shows the entire ride from Cherokee, nc to the seminole tribal headquarters in Wewoka, OK. It includes times and hotel info. the official ride on Saturday september 21st only includes the part from Bridgeport, al to waterloo, al. All are welcome to ride the entire route with us. for more information on the ride from cherokee, nc to bridgeport on friday September 20th or on the ride from Tuscumbia, al to wewoka, ok, Sunday to Tuesday, read on.
Thursday 9/19/2024
Ride to Cherokee Nc to meet with the eastern band of the cherokee nation.
For information about riding to Cherokee, NC with other riders contact Ike Moore or Michael Hutton.
FRIDAY 9/20/2024
Ride from Cherokee, NC
An unescorted ride will be held from Cherokee, NC
Depart at 10:00 AM EDT From the Cherokee indian fairgrounds to Ross’ Landing, 160 riverfront pkwy, Chattanooga, TN.
Leaving from Chattanooga at 3:00 PM EDT and continuing on to Bridgeport. arrive at bridgeport at 3pm cdt.
For more info click here.
Friday evening September 20
Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride® Kick Off Party Downtown Bridgeport, AL.
Kids Bounce House, Food Trucks, Vendors, Concert, Fireworks.
$500 Cash giveaways Best Bike award
people’s choice 3rd place $50
2ndplace $100
1st place $200 !!
at 3PM − Bikes arrive from Cherokee Indian Reservation NC.
5PM − Opening Ceremonies
6pm - music entertainment begins
7:30 John Stone and The trailer park allstars
9:00 fireworks & 3 best bike giveways
9:30 John stone & the trailer park allstars
(for vendor information call randall gibson 256-608-9542)
If you haven't signed up for the mailing list please do that so we can keep you up to date about the events that are coming!! Sign up on the home page.
● Door Prize drawings throughout the evening (must be present to win)
For More Info on the Bridgeport Celebration click here.
**attention**
please be aware that we have our own deputy sheriff 'Barney fife' on duty to police the festivities. In the event of any rambunctuous behavior or tom foolery... he will be there to
'nip it in the bud'!!
Info will be made available for this years entertainment as soon as we have it figured out!
come celebrate with us!!
september 19-21, 2023
Starting Friday at 8:30 am, free 3 day pow wow, vendors, great food, arts and crafts, rider gear and much more.
Free live entertainment friday and saturday night
Saturday September 21
Downtown Bridgeport – Bridgeport, AL
Leave 8:00 AM CDT - Riders will start lining up in downtown Bridgeport on Alabama Street at 7 AM CDT and will leave at 8 AM CDT. The City of Bridgeport will close off the downtown streets to line up the motorcycles.
LUNCH STOP: Madison, AL
Arrive 10:30 am - Leave 12:00 PM CDT
Redstone Harley-Davidson will have food vendors on site, live music, giveaways & much more!
Waterloo, Official End of the Ride(approx. 90 mi) Arrive 2:30 PM CDT
Keep Left Lane Open for Police and EMS
for more information on the events. For Bridgeport vendor information call: Randall Gibson − 256-608-9542
RIDE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
see the ride rules here!
Partial Entertainment Schedule:
North Boat Ramp
Indian Festival 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Memorial Walk at 10:00 AM from Bridge to Waterloo Landing
Entertainment info made available when we have it.
Sunday Sept 22nd
Indian Festival 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
For more info on the pow wow click here
or email townofwaterlooal@gmail.com for all the events and times!
The City of waterloo's facebook powwow event page is here.
We produce a brochure each year that provides useful information about the ride and what is special for this year. It is a good guide to know what's going on and when! If you'd like to download the brochure just click on the image below.
SUNDAY 9/22/2024 See the Allen Ward memorial ride info (below) for details on the Sunday-Tuesday ride to the seminole headquarters in wewoka, Ok. we will be greeted by seminole tribal leadership for an appreciation event.
For more info call 678-RIDE-TOT
the official ride happens on the 3rd Saturday every September. However, the organizers ride to Cherokee on the Thursday before the official ride, and then ride with members of the eastern band of Cherokee, along with supporters, from Cherokee to Bridgeport, arriving Friday evening for the kickoff party. then the official ride happens Saturday and runs from Bridgeport to waterloo on the official Drane/hood route. Sunday morning the organizers leave from spring park in Tuscumbia for the Allen ward ride west. the Allen ward ride for 2024 takes us to Wewoka, OK this year where we'll be greeted by Seminole Tribal leadership for an appreciation event. plan to ride the whole ride with us!
After the official saturday Ride the organizers and a small group of the devoted leave on sunday morning for points west. This 'ride after the ride' is dedicated to Allen Ward, a long time supporter of the Annual Trail of Tears Ride. The destination of the Ride varies from year to year and often terminates with a visit to one of the 5 tribes in indian territory in oklahoma. For information about Allen Ward and about the ride in general, please click here. to learn more about allen and the memorial plaque that we placed for him at Dequeen, arkansas, please visit the 'dequeen plaque' page.
For information about this year's Allen Ward memorial ride... read on below!
Sunday september 22nd
Meet Sunday Morning at 8am cdt at Sacred Tears monument at spring Park for the UNESCORTED Ride West
The Sunday ride will take us from tuscumbia spring park, where we'll be escorted out of town. The schedule below shows the important schedule and info.
Ride Escorts: Dave Nelson, David Burnett and Mark Swindle
Depart Spring Park 8:00 am CDT Spring Park Road Tuscumbia AL
Arrive 10:40 East End Grill
Depart 12:30 East End Grill
All route info and hotel accommodations will be available about June 2024
Every year, the organizers and a hardy group of supporters makes a ride west, under the banner of the allen ward memorial ride. You can learn more general info about the 'ride after the ride' by clicking here. However, our destination changes year to year, with each year dedicated to some different interaction with one of the 5 tribes in Oklahoma 'Indian territory'. this year we will be going to Wewoka, OK for a reception by Seminole leadership there. this is an honored event and those that travel with us on the final leg of the Trail of Tears ride. You really should be there with us.
Below are images from the 30th Annual ride where we were welcomed by Leadership of the Cherokee nation.
The museum visit concluded the 2023 Allen Ward Memorial Ride.
If you haven't already made plans to continue onto Oklahoma this coming year you will be missing a fantastic experience! We will be welcomed by the leadership of the seminole nation. Come on and Ride the whole Trail!
On thursday September 19th a group of the organizers will leave out of bridgeport in the morning headed for Cherokee to meet with the eastern band of cherokee riders that join the saturday ride. for information about joining this ride click here.
Montgomery, AL - Bridgeport Ride
Friday, September 20th 9am
assemble at 8 AM and leaving at 9:00, Harley Davidson of Montgomery 655 North Eastern Blvd Montgomery, AL 36117
11:00 AM Leaving and stopping at Roebuck Shopping Center in Birmingham and
11:30 PM - Leaving Birmingham Roebuck Shopping Center and
Stopping at DeKalb County Tourism on AL Hwy 35 in Fort Payne and
1:30 PM - Leave DeKalb County Tourism to arrive at the Bridgeport exit off HWY 72 to join the Riders from Cherokee NC at 2:45 PM & arrive in Bridgeport, AL at 3 PM.
3 PM - Bridgeport exit off HWY 72- Ride into downtown for the Kickoff Rally.
For more information contact
Dennis Johnson email alabamariderdennis@hotmail.com or call (334) 202-4389.
on the monday before the trail of tears ride a group of christian fellowship riders leaves from san antonio, texas to travel across the states and arrive in cherokee, nc on the friday before the ride. on Thursday this group usually leaves from tellico plains, tn, and takes a ride up the cherohala skyway and then up through the smoky mountains on the way to cherokee, nc. These texas riders usually also take in the 'tail of the dragon' in north carolina. yeehaw!
to learn more about the louis hutton memorial ride click here.
if you are interested in joining this group in san antonio or anywhere along the route please contact michael hutton. or call 703 638 4724.
