TAHLEQUAH — It took Cherokees nearly five grueling months to trudge across mountains, rivers, fields and forests to take the northern route of what is known as the Trail of Tears.

Twelve members of the Cherokee Nation expect to make that route in a fraction of the time — 23 days — riding 18-speed bikes along mostly paved roads in what they call the Remember the Removal Ride. Eight riders, plus four adult leaders and chaperones will leave this morning on a drive to Rome, Ga., From there, first thing Saturday morning, they will retrace the 900-mile route, which many of their ancestors took.

“I want to learn more about my ancestors,” said rider Dallas Smith, 16, of Peggs. “I read that only a few went on the northern route, and my mother’s great-great aunt was one of them.”

Baron O’Field, 21, of Tahlequah said he, too, wants to learn more about the trail ancestors on both sides of his family took to Indian Territory.

“My great-great-great grandfather on my mother’s side was a minister named Evan Jones who led people on the trail,” O’Field said. “He met my great-great-grandfather on my father’s side, “Captain O’Field, who was a river-boat captain.”

Todd Enlow, 38, one of the adult leaders on the ride, said the ride is part of the tribe’s leadership program.

“It follows this year’s theme ‘I Learn From all That I Observe,’” he said. “They will learn about who they are and what their personal strengths are, letting them actually do the route. They also are learning about themselves by retracing their history.”

Not only are the cyclists retracing the Trail of Tears’ northern route, they also are retracing the route young Cherokee cyclists took 25 years ago in the original Remember the Removal Ride.

Sarah Holcomb, a Vian 20-year-old participating in this year’s ride, said her mother rode in 1984. She said her mother had a lot of influence and inspiration in getting her to ride.

“I just know I’ll learn a lot about the Cherokees,” she said.

Sherry Holcomb, now a curriculum specialist with the Cherokee Immersion School, recalled the 1984 ride as “a real emotional time to realize what our ancestors had to face.”

“When we first set out, we were in the mountains,” she said. “It seemed the mountains went on forever.”

Holcomb said the main advice she has for her daughter is “don’t give up. Remember why you are doing this.”

She said that while she and other riders had the best 18-speed bikes available at the time, this year’s riders have far better bikes.

“Sarah’s is so light, she can lift it with one hand,” she said.

The Cherokee Nation is providing the bikes, as well as paying for lodging, meals and other major provisions. The ride also has sponsors.

A 2007 graduate of Sequoyah High School, Sarah Holcomb was a three-time all-stater in cross country. She said the cycling works a far different set of muscles.

“When it’s running, it’s the upper thighs where I feel it, the cycling is the lower thighs,” she said.

Holcomb said her mother isn’t the only woman pulling for her.

“A lot of the older ladies are coming up and saying, ‘Do the ladies’ proud,” she said. “I want to do everyone proud.”

The riders of 2009 were selected by an advisory panel that interviewed and determined each participant’s interest and commitment.

Smith’s grandmother, Debra Smith, recalled the teen’s excitement leading up to the ride.

“When I showed him the paper announcing the ride, he nearly wore it out reading it and rereading it,” she said. “When they called to tell him he was accepted, he just jumped for joy.”

The elder Smith said she’s most excited that her grandson will be able to see things first hand that her great-great grandmother experienced on the trail. She said her grandmother attended the Cherokee Female Seminary.

“This will make it more real to them,” she said.

Riders say they’ve been training and dieting in preparation for the ride. Earlier this week, they rode from Tahlequah to Stilwell and back. On Tuesday, they took a 15-mile practice ride.

O’Field said the cyclists will ride 45 miles a day at first and build up to 60, maybe 75 miles.

Enlow said he drove the route, which mostly will go along side roads and away from major highways. He said that while riders will face a few hills in Tennessee, the hard hills will be in Missouri.

“It’s hill after hill after hill after hill,” he said. “I’ve changed my diet, got off pop and drinking lots of water.”

Enlow said he expects the trip to be as meaningful for himself as well as the participants.

“It’s just the accomplishment of it, to say we did it,” he said. “I’m looking forward to riding back into Tahlequah.”



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