2008 Ride Recap

Bikes lined up, two by two, on highway 61 along the Mississippi River.

Another June is past us. Another Crow Creek Commemorative Ride, the third annual, is also past. As you know, we ride to remember those that have suffered. It was in 1863 that the Dakota and Winnebago people were forcibly taken away from their homes in riverboats and rail cars to a place far away. They were left there to die, but ended up surviving. We ride their trail of tears on motorcycles every June to remember.


Sunny days abound for the Crow Creek Longriders.

The weather was terrific most of the time. Bright sunny days. Not extremely hot or humid for the most part. We did hit rain on Day 2. We were riding West across Iowa State Highway 2. We saw the darkening cloud and pulled over to put on rain gear. It was a pretty quick storm, some small hail that stung my cheeks. I should have been wearing that full face helmet that day.


Smiling faces in the sun while riding through South Dakota.

We rode out of that storm and into Missouri and actually dried off for the most part, then hit more rain and rode in that across Missouri for a hundred and fifty miles. It cleared up and we dried off again. We saw a bright strip of clear sky to the West and the setting sun, going down late in the day as it was solstice time, was still in the sky. The sun set and we headed North along the Missouri River. Thunder boomed, lightening struck ahead of us. The wind came up and we rode in the worst wind and rain I have ever seen from the seat of a motorcycle.

Everyone made it safely. Even the group that laid behind to wait for the two bikes that needed tire repairs. They got in late, but made it, safe and sound. One bike stayed in Macon for other reasons, and rode in early on Day 3 to rejoin the group.


Two riders sit patiently waiting to get going.

The first day was a good ride. From Fort Snelling in St. Paul, MN down the Mississippi River. Flooding had us alter the regular route. Our ride was blessed by the words of two spiritual leaders that were on hand to send us off on our journey. Highway 61 was closed South of Dubuque, Iowa. We did get close to the river near Fort Madison and saw the water up over the wheels of the old steam locomotive on display at the river front park. The road was closed off in front of us and the water was deep over the pavement.


At Fort Snelling, the drum plays and singers send the riders off in great fashion.

That first night, in Davenport, people greeted us. We couldn’t meet at Lindsay Park, the actual site of Camp McClellan. It was under water. But with the help of some local organizers, we were able to substitute Lindsay Park with another public park in Davenport. Sarah, a woman who had been doing research of the events that took place at Camp McClellan during the 1860’s era, presented us with a story board of events. A drum group headed up by a man named Mark and his family, sang songs and presented our leader with an Eagle feather for a staff. We had received an Eagle feather earlier when we started the ride from an Elder who thought it a good thing to make a staff to recognize the effort.


Waiting for the light to change in Red Wing, MN.

The folks in Davenport fed us dinner. The kind folks in Winona, MN fed us lunch. Two meals on Day 1 provided by others. Day 2 had the operators of the Big Lake State Park, in Mound City, MO, hold the place open until well past 1 a.m., and have food available, as we rode in, soaked and cold, shivering from the rain. There were new owners at Big Lake this year. They weren’t sure what to expect when they heard a group of motorcycles were coming, but they accommodated us and made us feel welcome and went above and beyond the call of duty by keeping the light on for our late arrival.


Another pair from Crow Creek enjoying the ride.

Day 3 was a bright warm sunny day and had us in Winnebago, Nebraska and a great feast given to the riders by that Native Community. A dance demonstration from one of their royalty kept us entertained and the art work in their gift shop is worth stopping to see when out that way. The day ended at the Fort Randall Pow Wow and a special dance and honoring song played for our benefit on Friday night. The Pow Wow MC, an old friend of many, Jerry Dearly, recognized our efforts.

In the morning on Day 4, we saddled up and left for Chamberlain, SD to assemble Then the ride into Fort Thompson and the Crow Creek Reservation. We made a circle and each took their turn speaking about what the ride meant to them. We attended another beautiful feast at the Pow Wow grounds and listened to the drum as the children danced for us. An Elder spoke and thanked us again for our efforts.

As in the past two years, the spirits grabbed a hold of me and I cried when we crossed the boundary into the Crow Creek Reservation. There were people in cars waiting there to wave hello. A wave of thanks.

We had free camping offered in Davenport, Fort Randall and at Fort Thompson. The second day was the only day that we had to pay for camping or lodging. At Fort Thompson, some rooms were made available at the small casino motel. A gift arranged by a tribal councilman named Tommy Thompson. Tommy drove the support vehicle, a pick up truck with a trailer, along the entire ride. The aforementioned flat tired steeds needed the bed of that trailer for an hour or two, until they were repaired at a Harley Davidson shop in Burlington, Iowa.


The riders at Crow Creek, overlooking the Missouri River.

At the circle, when people spoke, it was evident that like the years prior, the spirit of the ride, its meaning and significance, had appeared in the hearts of everyone who rode and those that greeted us. It didn’t matter how many came or what was taking place in the way of celebration. It was being there, at that time, remembering the past, remembering those that passed before us.


Arriving at old Fort Thompson, circling the arbor.

Yes, we rode motorcycles and had a good time compared to the suffering that took place when the people were brought to this place by force. Yet the people survived and those that dwell there now have their own trials. Our ride tries to help the community at Fort Thompson with monetary gifts for their children's programs like the Boys and Girls Club and the Head Start program. We try to bring them the hope of remembrance. If the feelings we generate in our own hearts is any indication of the presence of the spirits of the past, then we are doing our duty.


The children of Crow Creek dancing in the Pow Wow circle, celebrating the end of our ride.

Many brands of motorcycles were on display. Harley Davidsons, Kawasakis, Triumphs, Hondas, Victorys and maybe another brand or two that I forgot. Many brands of people took part as well. People from all colors of mankind. Hopefully, this show of unity was felt by all. One family followed in their automobile, others met us along the way where they could. Some couldn’t make the ride and were missed, but with us in spirit.

We thank the residents that worked so hard to put together a greeting for our group. The drum and dancing, the food, the fellowship. In discussions since the ride, we all vowed to try harder to give more to the people of Crow Creek and to continue to remember those that suffered in 1863. We also thank the people who generously gave us lunch in Winona, and those that fed us in Winnebago, NE. We thank Sarah and Mark and the greeting in Davenport. as well as the kind family that provided dinner that first night out. We thank the Spiritual Elders who started our ride with prayers when we left Fort Snelling.


The group picture of the Crow Creek Longriders, taken at the Missouri River overlook at Chamberlain, SD.

We thank The Creator for the safety of all. We are thankful for the lessons taught to each and every one of us, individual by individual, for each person saw things in their own way. One saw the people on the rail cars while riding across Missouri, another saw the people in barges on the river. They told him that all would be safe and they moved on up river to the next days destination to wait for us. Every interpretation led to the same result. A terrible thing to have happen to anyone. In remembering, we strive to make sure a tragedy like this never happens again.

We look forward to next year and another ride. We hope that you join us in some way. On your bike, with your wallet, with your time and with your heart.

Peace to all.

Note: The photos that appeared in this post are the fine work of Tracy Wilson. Tracy was on the ride from start to finish as a passenger on her husbands Harley Davidson and was a great addition to our effort. Many thanks to her and to all that made the ride possible.


Crow Creek Longriders in file down the road.

2008 Ride T-Shirts Available

This the back of the T-Shirt

These are the new T-Shirts for the 3rd Annual Crow Creek Commemorative Motorcycle ride. They are available now at J&S Bean Factory in St. Paul, MN.

Call Steve at (651) 699-7788, or stop in at the store at 1518 Randolph Ave. Just a short block East of Snelling on Randolph.

Shirts cost only $15.00 each for Medium and arge sizes. The larger XXL and XXXL sizes are $16.50 each.

Help support our fundraising efforts. All proceeds go to the Crow Creek Reservation Boys and Girls club and to the Head Start Program at Crow Creek

Stop by or call and order now.

See you on the ride next week on the 18th of June.


This is a view of the front of the T-Shirt, showing a map of the entire ride.

Crow Creek Longriders 3rd Annual Ride June 18 through June 21, 2008

A view of the grounds at the original site of Fort Thompson along the Missouri River. The Crow Creek Indian Reservation.



This year, 2008, will be the 3rd Annual Crow Creek Motorcycle Ride

DAKOTA WOKAKIJE UN WICAKIKSUYAPI
[A motorcycle ride in memory of the Dakota that suffered]


June 18, 19, 20 & 21, 2008

Fort Snelling, Minneapolis to Crow Creek, South Dakota

Some History:

This is the Third Annual Commemorative Ride honoring the memory of the Dakota and Ho-Chunk Nations who were forcibly removed from Fort Snelling in Minnesota to Crow Creek, South Dakota after the conclusion of the Dakota Conflict of 1862. The removal occurred during the spring of 1863 and moving over 1,700 Indian people by riverboat and trains accomplished it. This dark chapter in American history is scarcely a footnote in American history textbooks. The reasons for the Dakota Conflict were that the Dakota people were near starvation due to corrupt Indian agents who were swindling and denying the Dakota their food rations and annuity payments as guaranteed by the previous Treaty of 1851 and Treaty of 1858. The federal government often overlooked this pernicious behavior on the part of its Indian agents and these transgressions were often the primary causes of Indian wars. The media vilified the Dakota for their actions and 303 Dakota men were sentenced to death by hanging by a hastily organized United States Military Tribunal. The largest public mass execution occurred in American history with the simultaneous hanging of 38 Dakota warriors at Mankato, Minnesota on December 26, 1862.

Over 1,700 Dakota men, women and children were forcibly interned at Fort Snelling during the winter of 1863. No accounting of how many Dakota Indian men, women and children perished during the brutal internment has ever been documented. In 1863, Congress enacted a law to forcibly remove all of the Dakota from Minnesota to Crow Creek, South Dakota. The first leg of their removal by riverboat ended at Camp McClellan in Davenport, Iowa prior to proceeding to the next stops. The punishment for their actions during the Dakota Conflict resulted in their removal to Crow Creek, South Dakota by riverboat and trains.

In addition to the Dakota and Winnebago people from Minnesota, another group of prisoners from the conflict were taken down river earlier that same year. In April of 1863, nearly 300 Minnesota Dakota prisoners of war landed at Camp McClellan near Davenport, Iowa. Most were held for three years in the most horrendous conditions. At least 61 of these prisoners died there and were buried without any ceremony. Their remains may still be in the ravines that surround the old Camp McClellen area. On April 10, 1866, about 166 of these surviving prisoners were released and sent to Santee, Nebraska. These people are part of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of Flandreau, South Dakota.





This Years Ride and Contact Information

The motorcycle ride route follows the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers with overnight stops at Davenport,Iowa; Big Lake State Park just North of Saint Joseph,Missouri; and Fort Randall Pow Wow grounds, West of Yankton,South Dakota. The ride ends at Fort Thompson on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation,South Dakota on the fourth day.

We will have regular rest and lunch stops. stops. Day one will have a boxedlunch served by the Winona, Mn Chamber of Commerce and their Community Pow Wow committee. Day three has the Winnebago, Nebraska community hosting a fine lunch at their community center. In Chamberlain, South Dakota, on day four, we assemble all the riders for a procession into Fort Thompson on the Crow Creek reservation. A total of 20 riders participated on the first ride the first year, and last year, there were 40 motorcycles and 48 people, not counting those that rode other vehicles on the last leg of the journey into Fort Thompson.


The Iron Horses at rest after the four day ride.

During the trip last year, we traveled through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota. Missouri and Nebraska are Helmet Law States so bring one for yourself and/or your passenger. During the trip we will camp or stay at a motel depending on your personal preference, so pack accordingly. Each day is broken down into 90-120 mile stops for gas and lunch. Route maps will be handed out each day at the start of the ride. Total mileage for this ride last year was 1,753 miles from start to finish, that is, leaving Saint Paul, doing the complete ride, and returning back to Saint Paul directly from Crow Creek and not retracing the river routes used to make the journey.


Click HERE for a picture show from the 2007 ride.

Riders of ALL Nations are welcomed regardless of ethnicity, political preference or National origin. That includes all makes and models of motorcycles as well.

For more information E-mail:

Crow Creek Gmail


Come back often to our site. We will update information as it becomes available.

Check out the Day by Day itinerary links on the side bar. They include more route information as well as motel,camping and morning assembly information for each area that we plan to stop.

We hope to see you join us. This is a great ride through some beautiful Mississippi and Missouri River country. It is a learning experience as well and promotes a sense of awareness for participants. It takes place at a great time of the year and the people along the way at reat and lunch stops have welcomed us with open arms. Consider making this ride this year.

Back From Crow Creek

It's early on Monday morning, July 2, 2007. The ride was over last week, but I've been busy and did do some riding after we completed the commemorative ride from Ft. Snelling in Saint Paul, MN to Fort Thompson, South Dakota. Last year was the first time we tried doing this ride. We had 18 motorcycles and 19 people. This year we more than doubled that number with 40 bikes and 45 people. We also had many people come from quite a distance in their cars and meet the group at Fort Thompson. They didn't drive the same route the motorcycles took, but did make the shorter version of the journey to show their support for the people of the Crow Creek Indian Reservation.

Just a short paragraph of history. In 1863, during what is called the Dakota Conflict in history books, Dakota and Winnebago Indian people were loaded onto boats and shipped away from their homeland in Minnesota down the Mississippi River. They were put on rail cars near Hannibal, MO and taken across Missouri to the Missouri River near Saint Joseph. Then, back on boats North to Fort Thompson. There, they were left, in a strange place, to fend for themselves. Many died on the journey. Many were treated harshly, beaten, raped and starved. These people survived and their decendants are there today. Our motorcycle ride is to remember this journey, remember these ancestors who were forcibly interred and moved away from their homeland.

We don't do it to point fingers and call names to a government that treated the first residents of this land so brutally. We don't show or speak of hatred, but we remember and in remembering, we give the people who live there now, hope. Last year, no one knew what to expect. The motorcyclists didn't know where the gas stops were, the route was confusing, nightly lodging for the four day journey was in disarray. The people at Crow Creek knew we were coming, but weren't sure what that meant. It was after we arrived there that we all came together and realized that in remembering someones past, we build a future and we make new friends. We learn our history by seeing the places where things happened. Old stories conjure images of the plight of the people, but now, when we are living in the future of this event, we see that time has past and the people live on. We experience a closeness. We were all of one human race. There was no color. There was peace in our circle.

The people who didn't participate last year had the same feelings I experienced. The thought that our discomfort from hot asphalt, thirst, breakdowns, flat tires, accidents, confusion and disorganization was nothing compared to what happened to the people who were put on the boats. And when they saw the reception that the people prepared for us, they cried as they found something in their hearts. I cried again as well.

The residents of Crow Creek held a children's Pow Wow. They had a feast prepared. Horseback riders led us into the grounds where teepees were set up for us to use overnight. A beautiful shaded arbor was made from small trees to shade us as we watched the children dance in traditional regalia. Songs were written for us, honor songs, because we remembered their ancestors. We were prayed for, smudged and given healing ceremonies for anything that might be on our minds. The people did all that they could do. I cannot tell you the emotion of this reception and how powerful it is when people come together this way. It must be experienced. We realized that a yearly town celebration has started. If I stay a part of this, I'll be able to watch those children grow up. Like having a bigger family.

As for the ride itself, it was great. Good weather in the fact that we didn't get any rain. It was hot and sunny every day on the road. The City of Winona, MN fed us lunch on day one as we passed through. The people of Winnebago, Nebraska fed us lunch on day three. A motorcycle group from Prairie Island, MN bought everyone a tankful of gas in support of the ride, and dinner for everyone in the group. Motels and restaurants and small out-of-the-way gas station convenience stores treated us kindly. No small task when 40 motorcycles pull into the islands all together and want gas, snacks and to use the bathrooms.

Check out the picture album from the 2007 Ride HERE

The journey took us through beautiful river bluffs and lowlands, across rolling farmland and through the plains. The bison are gone, teepees are replaced by houses, air conditioning gives comfort from the hot sun, travel is fast compared to methods of long ago. What took two days in a rail car took a few hours for us.

We sort of took over Big Lake State Park north of Saint Joseph, MO. Usually, facilities, like the restaurant, being not open except on weekends, the proprietors opened up and had specials on hand to feed us dinner on the second night, and a great breakfast buffet the morning of day three. They allowed us to spread about their parking lot as we assembled in the early morning to continue on.

At the end of the third day, we pulled in at Fort Randall, SD. There was a big Pow Wow going on that weekend. They invited us to camp without charge. Every one of the riders and passengers were invited into the Pow Wow circle and we told the people what we were doing, why we were on this ride. The Veterans who were on the ride were honored as is tradition. We were invited to participate in flag raising ceremonies Saturday morning before we left for the final leg of our trip.

As I get time and a problem with my photo generating equipment solved, I'll tell some stories about the ride, the people and the motorcycles. I'll post some great pictures, maybe even a Youtube or two. If any of you have a story to share, contact me and we'll post it here on the Crow Creek Longriders site. But for now, I'll leave it here. It's good to be back, but in some ways, I wish I could continue riding forever.

Peace to all. And thank you all very much for your support.