Has 'Tears' ride met its Waterloo?

WATERLOO -- Some board members of the Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride are lobbying law enforcement officials on how to handle the Saturday ride once it reaches McFarland Park.

The majority of the ride's board wants Savannah Highway closed and all riders to be funneled into McFarland Park before being allowed to go on to Waterloo.

The other faction of the board, plus Waterloo Mayor Jerry McIntyre and Lauderdale County Sheriff Ronnie Willis, want riders to have the choice to go on to Waterloo without entering McFarland Park.

The last word to come down last week was that riders would be able to choose to stop at McFarland or go to Waterloo, with Savannah Highway remaining open.

The difference of opinion is the latest public squabble between board members of the non-profit organization.

That's leaving some to question whether the ride survives in its current state after this year.

McIntyre said the factions of the board have lined up legal counsel, but have decided to temper their hostilities until after this week's ride.

McIntyre said the ride may survive but it might not be what it will be this year.

"It may not be Alabama-Tennessee Trial of Tears. It might just be Alabama Trail of Tears, but it will survive," he said.

Bill Cason, a co-founder of the ride and member of the board, said a decision to give motorcyclists the option to stay on Savannah Highway or to enter McFarland will create chaos.

"They will back up all the way through the city," Cason said.

As to the future of the ride, Cason said that as long as Florence is happy to have the ride and as long as the board is satisfied with Florence, the ride will continue -- but he's leaving his options open.

"It's a commemorative ride. It's not a re-enactment," Cason said. "We always have the option to do what is best for the ride."

Cason said the board asked Waterloo to help by adding more food vendors and having fewer vendors selling Trial of Tears merchandise. McIntyre told the board that he was not going to dictate to vendors what they could or could not sell.

Cason said the amount of bogus Trail of Tears merchandise at Waterloo was cutting into profits of official T-shirt sales.

Funds from the sale of official T-shirts go to pay for overtime for police officers, state trooper escorts, a powwow and portable toilets at numerous stops along the route.

What's left over goes toward scholarships for American Indian students, he said.

Cason said law enforcement will be able to lead the ride to Waterloo, but the Trail of Tears board will take responsibility for that portion of the ride.

"That's not our ride. That's the sheriff's ride," he said.

Cason said board members in favor of stopping the ride at McFarland Park based their decision on economics so that the scholarship fund could be preserved.

And this way, Cason said, more people would be able to participate in the final event.

A letter was sent to state troopers by Trail of Tears co-founder and board member Jerry Davis and three other board members, saying the stop at McFarland should be optional.

Cason said Davis' memo, which is on official Trail of Tears letterhead, is not the official stance of the board.

Davis said he didn't write the letter but approved of it being sent.

Willis said he's got word from Alabama state troopers that they are not allowed to block Savannah Highway in front of McFarland Park.

"We're going to Waterloo," Willis said.

"That's their livelihood for a lot of merchants in Waterloo, That weekend is what gets them through the year just about."

Todd Twilley can be reached at 740-5728 or todd.twilley@timesdaily.com.