A Clash of Two American Cultures

Okay so I am admitting it. A weakness.

Culture shock is getting the best of me a little. I came home to a world of chaos, dirt and noise and I am not very happy. I am changing and would like to make a life for myself that is quite different from my past life.

In the past Garberville has been host to an annual Rodeo weekend with a parade and two weeks later we would have the annual biker run weekend. Both of these cultures I find a little interesting and entertaining but unnerving in many ways. Some really smart person or group of people made the rodeo and the biker run happen on the same weekend this year. The weekend I return home from Europe.

A clash of two obnoxious american cultures lol.
The American Biker Culture
I think the bikes are beautiful works of art. But I hate the noise they make. Like thunder on the horizon, but more rhythmic. With hundreds of them running every road in the county it is quite an "effect". My dog cringes the whole weekend shaking and ducking under furniture. The bikers take pride in looking and acting tough. Heavy black leather, shaved heads and tattoos with skulls, dragons and often violent images from head to toe are quite common. Both the men and the women too lol. And when the bikers "run" it usually means a lot of drinking and loud aggressive behavior all around.
The American Rodeo Culture.
The rodeo culture makes it's living from the exploitation of animals damn it. I hate to see the harsh treatment given the bucking animals and the calves for roping. That said I have always loved the rodeo because of those animals. I love seeing the parade with the people and horses dressed up in their finest western regalia. I am one of those people who always roots for the bull during bull riding events lol.

I think I have grown a bit... out of the old life and into the new with less tolerance for loud or aggressive places and people. The weekend is over and the thunder is starting to recede a little now. The bikers have mostly left for home now. My dog can recover now.

Now it's time to get back to the business of making... my life what I want it to be....