Photo ProvidedTrail of Tears bike ride
7 days, 470 miles, bike riders follow the Trail of Tears to reflect on struggles faced by ancestors
By Christian Toews
July 7, 2022
The Choctaw Nation’s Trail of Tears Bike Team completed their journey from Philadelphia, Mississippi, to Durant, Oklahoma, on May 27, 2022. The seven-day bicycle ride covered about 450 miles.
The ride is an opportunity for these cyclists to travel along the same route Choctaws were forced to take when they were removed from their homeland and relocated.
Beckah Boykin completed the entire ride for the first time this year and said it was a compelling experience.
“It’s a reflection but also a progression. Remembering where we came from and who traveled on that route but also remembering that we continued to rebuild and grow,” she said. “We are literally walking in the footsteps of those who came before us. It’s difficult because it’s hot, and it’s a mental game, and if you reflect on that’s what our ancestors were thinking.”
Boykin said the trip also focuses on the culture and history by visiting historic locations.
Photo by Christian Toews
Photo by Christian Toews
“At each stop, you’re reflecting on what they went through. Overall, it’s an immersive experience of what our ancestors went through,” Boykin said.
There was a group of 12 cyclists that road the route this year. Boykin said that having a group of people helps motivate you to complete such a physically demanding journey.
She said that supporting each other drew her mind back to her ancestors and how they had to support each other along the original Trail of Tears journey.
“Within that first day, we were already creating that bond of no one is riding by themselves, which is exactly what they would have done. Choctaw people are such a community people that we try to make sure that nobody was going through what they were going through by themselves,” said Boykin.
On May 27, a large group of Choctaw Nation employees, family, and friends gathered at the Choctaw Nation Headquarters in Durant, Oklahoma, to welcome the riders and celebrate their accomplishments. Boykin said that it was a very moving experience to see so many people gather to celebrate the ride.
“To know that you persevered and challenged yourself and learned more about your ancestors’ struggle along the way and then to see everyone support that, there’s nothing like that. It feels like you won a championship or something,” said Boykin.