MISSOURI—Cyclists from the Cherokee Nation recently stopped at the Mark Twain National Forest supervisor’s Office for food and refreshments during their 950-mile Remember the Removal bike ride. The ride retraces the 1838-1839 Trail of Tears, which forcibly removed the Cherokee from their ancestral homeland. Part of the 2,200-mile trail, a designated National Historic Trail, goes through the Mark Twain National Forest.

The Remember the Removal Ride is a memorial for the riders and a chance to connect with others on their shared history. Twenty riders, ages 16 to 67, stayed together for the entire ride. The stop in Rolla, Missouri, marked just over the halfway point on their 19-day ride. Cyclists started their journey in northern Georgia and finished in the Cherokee capital of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The Remember the Removal Ride started in 1984 and has continued every year since.

Mark Twain National Forest Tribal Relations specialist Karen Wilde coordinated with riders and hosted this lunch stop, providing drinks, homemade chili, sandwiches, chips, fruit and trail mix. Along with refreshments, riders also heard from Deputy Forest Supervisor Tony Crump and Heritage Program manager Danny Cain. The Mark Twain National Forest was honored the riders chose to stop at the supervisor’s office and values their relationships with tribes.