I had heard of the Buffalo Soldiers; but I didn\’t really know who they were, or what they were all about. This article is very interesting; and it shows that RAAM wasn\’t exactly a novel idea.

Those fellows were made of some tough stuff. Can you imagine riding a 59-pound bicycle all those distances? And on top of that, they didn\’t have the luxury of paved roads.

Incidentally, how much does a loaded touring bicycle weigh?

Cinelli Hobootleg Touring Bike

For touring you\’ll need a rack and panniers to carry food and clothing; and you\’ll be packing along camping equipment as well. That\’s quite a load!

But I digress. Interestingly, the first Buffalo Soldiers were stationed at Missoula, Montana, where Adventure Cycling Association now has its headquarters. They rode from Missoula to St. Louis, to show that bicycles could be used in military operations; and I guess this was remembered later.

Maybe you can say that the Buffalo Soldiers were the ancestors of today\’s off-road biking enthusiasts. There were few roads for them to use; and those roads were often in poor shape. Sometimes they had to resort to traveling along railroad tracks; and dual suspension MTBs didn\’t exist back then. It must have been a very bumpy ride!

Lycra wasn\’t anywhere near the radar, either; and what I see them wearing in that picture looks very uncomfortable. I\’m glad I don\’t have to dress like that to ride!

It\’s a shame Buffalo Soldiers\’ efforts came to naught. I\’ve read of other countries using bicycles in war; but not the USA. Maybe we should reconsider that?