Heather
When both of us were in elementary school we read the book Underground to Canada. I remember as a child the images of the two slaves running through the swamps and forests and how terrifying it must have been to travel north to Canada. Imagine my surprise when one day whilst surfing the internet I should come across a bike route by Adventure Cycle Association that traces some of the places that people would have traveled through on their journey north. It was a quick decision for both of us to start our retirement with this adventure.
Once the maps were purchased our focus shifted to getting our lives ready to leave and little time was spent on studying the route. I guessed that the route was planned merely to be bike friendly- boy, was I wrong! The starting location, the ending location and the roads were all chosen with a very clear purpose in mind – we are indeed following the underground railroad!
The challenge with the history of the underground railroad is how little documentation and agreed upon info exists. There are theory’s that quilt designs and songs carried secret messages that the slaves used to find the method to travel safely to Canada. Once song, Follow the Drinking Gourd, has many interpretations and the Adventure Cycling Association chose one as a guide to plan the route.
Mobile Alabama does seem like the logical place to start for a number of reasons. Firstly, it’s a wonderful town with great things to eat. Second it was a port town where an untold number of slave ships entered the United States, with the last one arriving in July of 1860- the Clotilda. The route officially begins at the site of the former slave market in Mobile and from there we headed north.
The Drinking Gourd referenced the Big Dipper which points directly to the North Star, and would lead freedom seekers to the Ohio River. First, people were to follow the bank of the Tombigbee River north. As you can see, our route through Alabama and Mississippi is super close to this river. Each time we crossed over it we both stopped to marvel at the muddy, thick forest filled with snakes and thorns and try to understand what it must have been like to walk the shores at night. Inconceivable.
From the headwaters of the Tombigbee people were then told to follow the north star over the hills until they met another river – the Tennessee and continue north. This section of our route has us climbing a number of hills presumably over the mountains referenced in the song. Although I do my best to complain about the hills, I try to remind myself how lucky I am to be travelling this route under the conditions I am, rather than in a true historical context!
The Tennessee joins the Ohio River and at that point freedom seekers were met by conductors who acted as guides along the underground railroad. These conductors, couriers, and safe houses were integral to helping people find their way across the great lakes and into Canada. Our route continues to follow the Ohio River until Cincinnati and then heads towards Lake Erie. Once at the lake, many people would find passage on a ship into Canada, or across lake Niagara into Canada. We will cross the peace bridge at Niagara into Ontario and head north to Owen Sound from there.
Owen sound was known as the terminus of the Underground Railroad as that is where many escaped slaves found and made a home. For this reason, it seems fitting that we will have cycled over 3,500 km and be finished our journey in this town. Every year, Owen Sound holds an Emancipation Day picnic which celebrates the British Emancipation Act of 1834 and The United States Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. We will certainly be in Owen Sound prior to this years event (Aug 5, 2018), but we may just make the effort to get back there in time to celebrate.
At the end of each day I am thankful to get off my bike as my legs are tired and my bum is sore. But I can’t help but think of the people who traveled this route on foot without the advantage of paved highways and with someone chasing them. Every day we meet wonderful people who provide practical advice and support along our journey. I like to think of them as our own ‘conductors’ on our trip. I am humbled and honoured to learn more about this important history of both Canada and the US as we journey north on the Underground Railroad.
