JimRoberts Posted September 4, 2008 #1 Posted September 4, 2008 (edited) Anyone going to ride in the Trails of Tears Sept. 20th? I won't be able to join the ride but several of us from Birmingham will be going up to I think Madison AL to watch it come through on the way from Chatanooga to Waterloo. Been told there will be several thousand bikes or more. Edited September 4, 2008 by JimRoberts
JimRoberts Posted September 4, 2008 Author #2 Posted September 4, 2008 (edited) trailoftears.net/index.phpmbrance.org/ This is the correct webpage for this ride Edited September 6, 2008 by JimRoberts
JimRoberts Posted September 4, 2008 Author #3 Posted September 4, 2008 40,000 bikes to start the ride? You gotta be kidding. Looks like they changed the route from past years. We may be going to Florence instead.
Squidley Posted September 4, 2008 #4 Posted September 4, 2008 I heard about this ride a few years back when we were in Cherokee NC just before we went on the Blueridge Parkway. Sounds like it would be interesting, but I'm not a real big fan of that many bikes together at 1 time
Eck Posted September 4, 2008 #5 Posted September 4, 2008 Jim, you have mail....... You also said: Looks like they changed the route from past years Fear not.. they try (say) this every year... The reason is, the business People in Florence want all the buisness that day not just a portion of it, so they ask the council every year to stop everyone from continuing on to waterloo...and have the ride end in Florence. Problem is... the indians didnt "stop" at Florence... and to say you rode the trail of tears.... you must go to the end..which by the way is in Okla... and besides, the hiway patrol every year always tells them, that the bikers have every right to ride on to Waterloo and they can not stop the bikers from doing so.. The Trail of Tears council has also reviewed / discussed many times the idea of going straight across Tennessee leaving Chatanooga and staying out of Alabama / Huntsville, Madison, Athens and Florence and going straight to Waterloo.. This too has never been done because the bikers know the route the indians were forced to walked and that is the route that they want to ride... the real trail of tears.. not some man made up route to accomodate buisness folks trying to cash in on the once a year ride..
cmiles3 Posted September 4, 2008 #6 Posted September 4, 2008 I'll see you in Okmulgee. I met the ride at the last stop a few years ago. Nice place and a nice reception.
tazmocycle Posted September 5, 2008 #7 Posted September 5, 2008 there are 2 group that are trying to control the ride and to rake in the money, this always hurts the main purpose. i have ridden in it 1 year and almost wrecked because of some clown doing wheelies in the ride. there are too many new rider and those that want to ride side-by-side, which on waterloo road can't be done. a few years we went into waterloo early and set up camping and watched the ride come in. if you do this, your'll be there a few hours, because the bridge into waterloo is narrow and there's been several wrecks there. it's a lots of fun spending the nights there, but it dry too, so you need to stop in florence and get some before you head to waterloo. if you buy it from the bootleggers in waterloo, you'll pay about $2.50 for a 12oz cup. the indians hold true to their traditions closely, and don't do it for the money. but in waterloo, you'll get to see a lot of the things they make and they do a lot of dances by several groups that is great to watch. waterloo is where they kept the indian a while till they got them loaded on barges and shipped them down the river. i don't remember the year but they had over 90,000 bikes in the ride and streched over 39 miles. it's a site to see that many riders in 1 ride. so if you go be very careful and watch all the nuts out there. http://www.al-tn-trailoftears.net/index.php & http://www.trailoftears-remembrance.org/ these are the 2 websites that claim to be the orginal group. from what i see you can take either ride and wind up in the same place, waterloo. looks like it may get crowded at the tn/al line if they arrive at the same times.lol
JimRoberts Posted September 6, 2008 Author #8 Posted September 6, 2008 The Alabama route is the official route recognized by the Indian Councils and such. The group doing the ride through Tenn. is a new group trying to get more of the money for Tenn. They are being sued if I read the article correctly to try and keep them from using the Trail of Tears name. To make a long story short, several of us will be going up to Madison to watch the parade and possibly tag on the end and ride on into Waterloo.
got2mnytoys Posted September 6, 2008 #9 Posted September 6, 2008 Jim, I said not again after doing 3, but if you are going up to madison and only doing half and don't mind me tagging along post up what time you'll be leaving so I can meet up
kingsnake Posted September 6, 2008 #10 Posted September 6, 2008 (edited) I will be making the trip on the alabama route to waterloo heres the link http://www.al-tn-trailoftears.net/ Edited September 19, 2008 by kingsnake
JimRoberts Posted September 10, 2008 Author #11 Posted September 10, 2008 Looks like me and my dad plus a few more maybe's will leave B'ham at a yet to be determined time and ride up to Madison and possibly meet up with Eck to sit and watch the parade as it comes by. Not sure about riding on over to Waterloo. Will keep updates posted as they develop.
Eck Posted September 10, 2008 #12 Posted September 10, 2008 In the parking lot where most all the riders stop at in Madison, and located on your right when facing the "pottery place" of all the strip mall of stores, is a little biker pub called CD's. You can ask almost any local Madison person, and they can tell you where it is.. I will be there...with my 05 Liquid Silver Venture parked right in front of CD's Just look for a stocky fat guy.....
davecb Posted September 11, 2008 #13 Posted September 11, 2008 Hey Eck, What time are you getting there? I plan on being there also..
Eck Posted September 11, 2008 #14 Posted September 11, 2008 Hey Eck, What time are you getting there? I plan on being there also.. Between 7:30 & 8am for a good seat.......and parking place NOTE: CD's is serving breakfast...!!! Huntsville Times newspaper article states that the ride will be an estimate 150,000 bikes will participate. Bikes will arrive in Madison around 10:30am in the Old Time Pottey Parking lot for a lunch stop before leaving at 11:30 for Florence and on to Waterloo around 1:30pm. Madison Police have received an email of same info that the bikes are coming thru Huntsville and Madison again this year and they must support the flow of traffic at all intersections...
JimRoberts Posted September 11, 2008 Author #15 Posted September 11, 2008 It would be nice for all the Harley people to have to walk around a bunch of Ventures to get into CD's to get a cold one. They can get a good look at what they're missing. It'll be around 9:30 or 10 before we make it up there.
davecb Posted September 12, 2008 #16 Posted September 12, 2008 I love it when an Ultra classic rider walks past my Venture...Then they can see how little their bike is...
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