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Wrong Way in a Buffalo Herd
I was stationed at Fort Sill, OK in October 1980, near Lawton. On a local Saturday club ride, I was alone out front on a packed dirt road in the Wichita Wildlife Refuge adjoining Fort Sill, which was open back then to cyclists on occasion. Passing by long-horn steer and tall grass filled with rattlers and tarantulas, I thought nothing at first of the cloud of dust ahead on the road -- must be a Park ranger or maintenance vehicle. A minute later I realized it was an oncoming small herd of buffalo trotting on the road!! I turned around, but was now headed into the wind and uphill as I heard and felt the stamping of hooves. The herd of about 12 buffalo split into two lines and pounded past me with about a foot to spare on either side -- big mamas and papas up front glaring at me, and little ones struggling to keep up. They stank to high heaven, but moved on and then off into a field. About three minutes later the cycling group caught up and couldn't understand at first why I was standing in the road by my bike with heart pounding faster than it ever did in a race or parachute jump! The Army had a sense of humor, I guess, about sending me to the only installations in America with free-roaming buffalo -- Fort Greely, Alaska in 1976; Fort Sill/Wichita, Oklahoma in 1980; and then on to Fort Riley, Kansas. Needless to say, I did not ride again anywhere near where the Kansas buffalo grazed. Mike Simone, COL (Ret.) U.S. Army (and still riding, but only near squirrels, birds, small dogs . . .)
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https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a54068103.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8367cb0b9.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b4cb36de9.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c169b23d4.jpeg Great story Mike! I’ve wondered how cantankerous Bison are. I almost rode my bike on the 30 mile loop through Theodore Roosevelt National Park last July. But opted to just ride integrated van with my wife. About 2/3 of the way around we came up on a nice sized herd in and along both sides of the road. They were stretched out far enough it would have taken some time to get through them. At that point I was glad to be in the car. I also encountered one while climbing the road out to the East Entrance in Yellowstone a couple years ago. We both stared at each other for a while and then he went back to eating his breakfast. If he’d come at me I probably would have turned around and gone down the road that I’d just climbed, https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dfa60a374.jpeg On the side of the road as I was climbing up to Sylvan Pass. |
Originally Posted by MikeSimone
(Post 20840563)
I was stationed at Fort Sill, OK in October 1980, near Lawton. On a local Saturday club ride, I was alone out front on a packed dirt road in the Wichita Wildlife Refuge adjoining Fort Sill, which was open back then to cyclists on occasion. Passing by long-horn steer and tall grass filled with rattlers and tarantulas, I thought nothing at first of the cloud of dust ahead on the road -- must be a Park ranger or maintenance vehicle. A minute later I realized it was an oncoming small herd of buffalo trotting on the road!! I turned around, but was now headed into the wind and uphill as I heard and felt the stamping of hooves. The herd of about 12 buffalo split into two lines and pounded past me with about a foot to spare on either side -- big mamas and papas up front glaring at me, and little ones struggling to keep up. They stank to high heaven, but moved on and then off into a field. About three minutes later the cycling group caught up and couldn't understand at first why I was standing in the road by my bike with heart pounding faster than it ever did in a race or parachute jump! The Army had a sense of humor, I guess, about sending me to the only installations in America with free-roaming buffalo -- Fort Greely, Alaska in 1976; Fort Sill/Wichita, Oklahoma in 1980; and then on to Fort Riley, Kansas. Needless to say, I did not ride again anywhere near where the Kansas buffalo grazed. Mike Simone, COL (Ret.) U.S. Army (and still riding, but only near squirrels, birds, small dogs . . .)
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Yup, reeled in and dropped ignominiously! But at least the buffalo peloton sprinters did not elbow me as I did my best to stay upright.
Mike |
At least you didn't try to roller skate in a buffalo herd.
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had to.. Lyrics Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd But you can be happy if you've a mind to Ya can't take a shower in a parakeet cage Ya can't take a shower in a parakeet cage Ya can't take a shower in a parakeet cage But you can be happy if you've a mind to All ya gotta do is put your mind to it Knuckle down, buckle down, do it, do it, do it Well, ya can't go a-swimmin' in a baseball pool Ya can't go swimmin' in a baseball pool Ya can't go swimmin' in a baseball pool But you can be happy if you've a mind to Ya can't change film with a kid on your back Ya can't change film with a kid on your back Ya can't change film with a kid on your back But you can be happy if you've a mind to Ya can't drive around with a tiger in your car Ya can't drive around with a tiger in your car Ya can't drive around with a tiger in your car But you can be happy if you've a mind to All ya gotta do is put your mind to it Knuckle down, buckle down do it, do it, do it Well, ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd But you can be happy if you've a mind to Ya can't go fishin' in a watermelon patch Ya can't go fishin' in a watermelon patch Ya can't go fishin' in a watermelon patch But you can be happy if you've a mind to Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd...Songwriters: Roger Miller |
Buffalo are not all that mean. In fact, many can be house broken, unlike cyclists.
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Yup, Bison is what we have in Canada and the USA. Buffalo are a totally different beast - and are found in SE Asia - like in Vietnam, Cambodia, and India.
Two totally different beasts. Does not matter what Roger Millar wrote - a nice song but he bent the truth. Might as well call Black Labrador dogs "wolves" ....:eek: |
Originally Posted by berner
(Post 20841607)
Buffalo are not all that mean. In fact, many can be house broken, unlike cyclists. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtnZ...?v=jtnZ2vFR9Hc
I do a gravel ride in the fall that goes through a nature preserve near Des Moines with free roaming buffalo. They're beautiful but yeah I don't want to make them mad. |
Originally Posted by tmac100
(Post 20841617)
Yup, Bison is what we have in Canada and the USA. Buffalo are a totally different beast - and are found in SE Asia - like in Vietnam, Cambodia, and India.
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Yup, we all have our own version of reality ... I will stick with Bison.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bison |
South Dakota back in 2015. Yes. I was on my bike. Back in 2000, while riding east from W. Yellowstone, there were a couple lying in the roadway. They were likely taking advantage of the heat from the warm asphalt. In Yellowstone they kill and injure far more people than bears do.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6b3ab936a7.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...06b35d2149.jpg |
Originally Posted by bikemig
(Post 20841621)
That's a heck of a video.
They're beautiful but yeah I don't want to make them mad. But sometimes it's unavoidable. Several years ago two young people who were working hospitality in the park were walking a trail to their dorm one evening. They came around a corner and startled a bison. I believe one of the girls was badly injured, if not killed. |
Dont roller skate in a buffalo herd.
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@MikeSimone;20840563
Holy "cow"! |
Wood bison herd that I encountered near Fort Providence NWT when I was working up there a dozen years ago. I saw the herd every time I drove that stretch of road.https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...827efaea7f.jpg
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For that you need a buffalo bike!
Buffalo Bicycles Or is it bison bike? These are the bikes provided by World Bicycle Relief to the needy. They are awesome! |
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