The Rules and Culture of the Ride

1) What is the bike ride?
It is the first in a series of bikes, walks, hikes, and paddles to explore the numerous trails of tears found around the world.

2) Why these trails?
We are moving along these historical trails and paths to explore the trauma caused by forced removal (involuntary dislocation) from our human ecologies. We will remember the original souls who were dislocated, as well as today’s children, youth, and adults who are being cut from their families, their marriages, their homes, and their places of connection and support. We will awaken people to the hurt and historical trauma of such events, if we do not move through them with the full knowledge of how to reweave our webs of life.

3) Who can come?
Anyone is welcome to come for as long as they want. What is important to remember is that we are self-organizing community of individuals. There is no trip leader. The ride is unstructured, giving travelers the space to create their own journeys, as they are able, and as they need. And, while we will form friendships, and become intertwined and shelter one another, this will happen organically. We will have no formal structures or rules to make these connections happen.

4) What support will be offered?
The trip is designed to be self contained. All gear, food, water will be carried upon each of our bikes and and backs.

5) Where will we stay each night?
We’ll be camping in fields, city parks, church yards, people’s yards – anywhere people will allow us to lay our heads. (Some participants may opt for hotels/motels. Obviously that will significantly alter the experience of the trip.)

6) Do we have a route map?
Yes, we will follow the “main trail” traveled by each group. The Trail of Tears ride has been reconnoitered by car with GPS and quality mapping gear. We will be taking the safe and scenic route. While not actually covering all of the exact identical ground as the original trail, we have found roads and by ways that capture the sights, sounds, scents, and contours of the original trail. (Most of the trail has been paved and straightened and now link cities to each other to expedite commerce. Those roads don’t resemble the “feel” of the original trail in any way. We will be traveling parallel to those busy thoroughfares.)

7) What will I ride?
We recommend a bicycle that is safe, comfortable, and reliable. We recommend that you carry rear panniers, and have a bike flag to increase visibility.

8) What will I need to carry?
You are welcome to carry whatever you will need to keep you comfortable, nourished, and safe. We strongly recommend traveling light. Carrying the following: 1) enough food to keep you nourished, 2) enough water to keep you hydrated, 3) a sleeping bag, 4) a sleeping pad, 5) a shelter (tent or bivy sac), 5) one change of clothes, 6) personal hygiene (soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.) 7) a source of light,  a cup (for warm drink), 9) water bottles or containers, 10) cell phone. (See the Gear List.)

9) How far will we ride each day?
We will ride as far as we can, weather and conditions depending. We’ll cover between 60 and 90 miles per day. We’ll average, throughout the day, approximately 13 miles per hour.

10) What can I do to ensure my safety on the road?
Your bike should be equipped with a safety flag, a flashing red tail light and a headlight. You will wear a helmet, and protective eyewear. You should wear bright colors, and even carry a slow moving vehicle triangle on the back of your bike.

11) What if I have bike problems?
You will be expected to be self sufficient. And, if a member of the ride is able to help you with repairs, of course, that will happen. Every rider should know how to change a flat, and have the tools with them for basic repairs.

12) What if I can’t finish the ride?
Every rider will ride at their own pace. We will not ride in a group for obvious safety reasons. Each rider will set up their own vehicle support, if they’ll be needing it. We will all do our best to camp in the same locations, in the evenings. While this will not be a problem in 2012, there may come a time when we have more riders (travelers) than a good Samaritan can accommodate, and people will have to be resilient and find safe places to lay their heads at night.

13) Where are we riding?
From Tahlequah, OK to Red Clay, Georgia. We will leave on Saturday morning, September 22nd, and end on October 12th. (We’ll be following the northern route of the Cherokee Trail of Tears.) The Nashville to Red Clay ride will take us through or near the communities of: Woodbury, Fall Creek Falls, Dayton, and Red Clay.

14) When will the ride be finished.
We will complete the ride on October 12th, at noon, in Red Clay State Park, Georgia.

15) Is there a cost associated with the ride?
No. But, in the years ahead, we’ll be raising money for www.changingchildrensworlds.org. (It is a foundation dedicated to “Changing the Whole World Around the Whole Child” and teaching the individuals how to 1) weave their children into the web of life, 2) protect the webs of support of their children and youth, and 3) to reweave ourselves into the web of life.)