Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

When Erick Cedeno first decided to come to Selma and the Black Belt, he had no idea what he would find when he got here.

After spending a week traveling all over the region by bicycle, Cedeno, who is known as the Bicycle Nomad, left the area inspired.

“I came in on Sunday, and Jeff (Feet) asked me, ‘Hey, what is this gonna be?’ I said, ‘I don’t know.’ When I take a project like this or when I visit a community, it is a blank canvas,” Cedeno said. “But today (Friday), it’s almost painted. Every day, I painted a little bit of that canvas, and I’m leaving very inspired and motivated to come back, and to tell the story from the outside.”

Cedeno’s work has been featured in various esteemed publications, ranging from Outside Magazine to The New York Times, showcasing the depth of his impact and influence. He was recently inducted to The Explorers Club, which is a multidisciplinary, professional society dedicated to the advancement of field research, scientific exploration and resource conservation. His Instagram account features more than 80,000 followers. 

Cedeno’s journey is not just about traversing landscapes; it’s about connecting with history, celebrating the bravery of those who came before, and sharing their narratives with the world.

Cedeno’s trip involved two legs one from Marion to Selma and another from Selma to Montgomery. The trip was sponsored by a partnership between the Blackbelt Benefit Group, Main Street Marion, Conservation Fund, Montgomery Bicycle Club, Alabama-Tombigbee Resource, Conservation and Development Council and Alabama Black Belt Adventures in addition to numerous other groups and community leaders. 

Cedeno visited many of the historic sites around Selma and Dallas County, including Tabernacle Baptist Church, First Baptist Church, Brown Chapel, Foot Soldiers Park, riding the March Trail, 5&Dime, Charlie “Tin Man” Lucas Studio, Old Live Oak Cemetery, Ice House District, Old Town District, Jackson House site, Selma University and The Coffee Shoppe. 

In previous days, he visited Greensboro, took a ferry ride at Gee’s Bend, toured Marion and ate at the Orrville Farmers Market.

One of his final stops in the area was at Old Cahawba, where Cedeno took a tour through the state’s former first capital. With each stop, it inspired him more. While he had an agenda preplanned, he said he was always running behind.

“I was always late to every appointment because there’s so much history, rich history that I wanted to hear everything,” Cedeno said. “I’ve always been fascinated with history, and there’s so much history, rich history here. I love ecotourism. I love to be in the outdoors camping. There’s amazing places to camp. The river is fascinating. I love storytelling. I’m a storyteller, but I love to hear people’s stories and what happened in the region. And there’s so much story here.”

Cedeno is coming back to the area in February for the 2025 Marion to Selma Bicycle Ride, which is the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights March. Others can register for the ride at https://www.bikereg.com/67129.

When Cedeno comes back, he wants to bring his family to come and visit. He believes his son, whose first word was “bird” over mama or daddy, would love to come birdwatching here.

“It’s a fascinating place to visit again, and I’m inspired and motivated to come back,” Cedeno said.”

One of the thoughts that Cedeno will take away is about “the other side of the river.” It came to him while he was having a conversation with Jackie Smith at Reflections Coffee Shoppe during the week. He looked out the back window of the coffee shop and saw the Alabama River and the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

“I wrote it there as a motivation for me every day: there is a story on the other side of the river,” Cedeno said. “Go to Greensboro, go to Marion, go to Camden. Go to all these places that I visited and, and they’re not far from each other.

“There’s so many creative people that I got to meet yesterday. I went to Mr. Lucas’ studio, and I spent an hour and a half with him. And I was just fascinated. Again, there’s so much to do on the other side of the river. And I hope that people could come in and experience what I have experienced, not just only the physical, but also talking to people.”