HISTORY

In 2005 the Trail of Tears Commission of Hopkinsville, KY. was looking for ways to promote the Trail of Tears and raise funds for that purpose. We became aware of the work of the AL-Tn Trail of Tears Corridor Assoc. Inc. on the Southern Route of The Trail. We contacted Mr. Bill Cason, the originator of the Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride for that organization, and he agreed to meet with us. As a result of that meeting and with the help and support of all the members of the AL-TN Trail of Tears Corridor Assoc. Inc. we formed our Motorcycle Ride Committee and began making plans for the Cherokee Trail of Tears Memorial Motorcycle Ride on the Northern Route.

On Saturday June 11, 2005 our first ride left Cleveland, TN. Due to a hurricane it had rained all week before and continued to rain all weekend. However, due to the support of the Christian Motorcycle Assoc., the AL-Tn Trail of Tears Corridor Assoc. Inc., and many others we started the ride with 17 motorcycles, had a total participation of around 30 bikes and reached the end of the ride, on Sunday June 12, 2005, at the Missouri State Trail of Tears Park with 10 motorcycles and a motor home(that had been our trail vehicle for the entire ride). Even with the rain everyone had enjoyed a good ride. Shortly after we arrived in Missouri the rain stopped and everyone got to ride home in pretty weather.