20th Annual Trail of Tears Remembrance Motorcycle Ride

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jim Dunn, 1-877-TOT-TRIP(868-8747)

September 3, 2013 Trail of Tears 2013

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO: Trail of Tears Remembrance Association, Inc.

Bill Cason, Ride Leader & Originator (from inception)

WHAT: The 20th Annual Trail of Tears Remembrance Motorcycle Ride

WHEN: The ride, Saturday, September 21, 2013 – 8 a.m. EST. Rain or Shine.

The Official TOT Kickoff Event is Friday, September 20, 2013.

WHERE: In downtown Chattanooga motorcyclists should travel West on Martin Luther King Boulevard to Riverfront Parkway where traffic directors will be present to line everyone up.

The 2013 Trail of Tears Remembrance Ride will start in Chattanooga, TN, and follow scenic highway 41/72 around Lookout Mt. to Jasper, TN. In Jasper, the ride will leave the Drane Hood route and follow Highway 41 to Monteagle, TN. This route is one of the most scenic and historic routes in the state. As the ride comes off Monteagle Mt., it will pass thru Cowan, TN and on to Winchester TN. We will take highway 64 at Winchester, which is the Bell Removal route. This route went from Calhoun, TN to Memphis, TN. We will remain on the Bell route to Fayetteville, TN where we will stop for lunch, gas, and restrooms. Official Trail of Tears Remembrance merchandise will be available during our stop at Fayetteville. We will depart at 11:30 or 12:00 C.S.T. (Note: West bound Lane of bypass from Lincoln County Junior High School to US 64 will be “motorcycles only).

Upon departure, we will follow highway 64 to Pulaski, TN, the only point at which 2 land removal routes cross; the Benge and Bell routes. This is a historical point on the Trail of Tears. We will continue on highway 64 to Lawrenceburg, where the Trail of Tears was routed through downtown. Lawrenceburg holds a Trail of Tears reenactment each year in November. From Lawrenceburg we will head south on highway 43 to Florence, AL and the end of the main ride at McFarland Park.

The last stop for Saturday’s official ride is McFarland Park in Florence, AL, we will arrive at approximately 2:30 p.m. CST. RIDE SAFE.

DETAILS: There is no registration fee. The ride will be police escorted and riders will be required to obey all law enforcement orders. Riders need to remember that helmets are required; they need to keep up with the pack and always stay in the right lane.

The Official TOT Kickoff Event will be held on Friday, September 20, 2013 at Thunder Creek Harley Davidson on Lee Highway. The event will feature live entertainment, vendors, lots of great food and cold beverages. Visit www.thundercreekharley.com or call 423.892.4888 for more information.

At the finish in Florence, AL, there will be plenty of activities for a welcome of all riders. The three day

festivities (Sept. 20,21, & 22) include - Native American & Motorcycle vendors, a Pow Wow, demonstrators, exhibition dancing and great food will be open from 10 a.m. – park closing. All area schools are invited on Friday for a day of education in Native American Culture.

On Sunday Sept. 22 the “Extended Ride” will continue on to Okmulgee, Oklahoma, the home of The Muscogee Creek Nation. Please visit our website for information and details.

For more information visit www.trailoftears-remembrance.org or call toll free 1.877.TOT.TRIP (868-8747)

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