They do it different over here......
Harley Riders
These are a strange species over here – all look to be having a middle age crisis and prove their crisis-ness by not wearing helmets or other protective gear. Even most of the women (who I thought would not have had to prove how tough they are) don’t wear helmets.
The only leather worn is cowboy-chap-type things with their jeans-clad bums hanging out and little leather caps with sparkly bits. Tassels on bike and body are also big. In Australia, they would be laughed at and asked where the Mardi Gras was.
In 20 years, Harley’s market will shrink dramatically as this lot get too old/injured, so they will need to have a plan B up their sleeve.
Guns-n-Attitude
Guns are everywhere and this is considered absolutely normal. In trucks (utes), sports shops, TV and radio advertising and even National Parks (as long as they are unloaded – I bet that really rankles the locals). The craziest example of this guns/military/patriotism thing was an old attack helicopter, complete with guns and rockets, mounted 10 feet off the ground in a diving position in the yard of an elementary (primary) school!
However, this was in a town where we saw the following slogans:
- Its not attitude – we really are that good
- Land of the Free because of the Brave
- These colours don’t run (under a flag diagram on a T-Shirt)
Uniform/Gun/Attitude Fetish
It seems that any job that could possibly need (and even some that don’t need it) a military-type uniform and a gun definitely has one. This even extended to a cute young female National Park ranger doing meet-and-greet duty at the entrance station at Glacier – complete with pistol on hip. I suppose you never can tell what those grey nomads are up to.
There is an obsession with uniforms/guns/attitude and it seems that any job worth doing has all three.
Patriotism
‘Patriotism’ is way over the top – even worse than when Ian was here in the early 1990’s, no doubt exacerbated by 9/11. It has developed into an ‘us versus them’ thing and it seems that if you are not a way-right-wing born-again Christian then you must be subversive.
Degree of Religion-osity
Americans visiting Australia must think we're a bunch of heathens – and they would be right!! Religion is much more prominent here with lots of well attended churches, gospel radio stations, car stickers, T-Shirt slogans etc. It is particularly noticeable that American politicians appear very devout. You probably couldn’t get elected over here if you were an atheist.
Respect for the Military
There is more overt respect for the military here than in Australia, both for serving and also retired people. Lots of caravans we see in the parks will have stickers saying ‘US Marine/Navy etc Retired’ or the dates they served in whatever division.
Individual/National Disconnect
At least 99% of the Americans you meet on an individual basis will be exceedingly nice (though perhaps a bit loud). We have asked lots of dumb questions etc, and have always been received very pleasantly.
We are still trying to work out why there is this huge disconnect between very-nice-individuals and the less-than-nice ‘we have the God-given right to dominate the world’ government.
Fitness and Food
There is a pervasive availability of cheap take-away and frozen fast foods - more than Canada, and much more than Australia. As you can imagine there are a lot of overweight people, but perversely, also a very strong fitness culture, particularly in some towns like Boulder. It would seem there are less people in the middle ground of being neither fat nor fit then in Canada or Australia.
Urban Sprawl
Colorado (in particular) doesn’t seem to have any town/state planning. The ‘greater Denver region’ on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains stretches
from Fort Collings to Colorado Springs – about 200 km of sprawling suburbs, strip malls and acreage lots. Hopefully Australia can avoid the worst of this.
The USA Economy
In the weeks leading up to the recent stock market crash, we had decided that the American economy is at the top of a slippery slope. Additionally, once they don’t have that big economic stick to hold over the head of others, fewer nations will feel the need to join in with at least the craziest of US ideas. The world is in for some big changes in the next 10 – 20 years.
Grotesquely Excessive, But I Want One
We saw a really nice motorhome in Salt Lake City – it was a bit flasher and more neatly finished than anything else we had seen, so I tracked down its website. Check it out on: www.newellcoach.com. 625 HP, 12 speed auto, 4 push-outs, 4 airconditioners, polished granite floor tiles, ensuite etc
These are a strange species over here – all look to be having a middle age crisis and prove their crisis-ness by not wearing helmets or other protective gear. Even most of the women (who I thought would not have had to prove how tough they are) don’t wear helmets.
The only leather worn is cowboy-chap-type things with their jeans-clad bums hanging out and little leather caps with sparkly bits. Tassels on bike and body are also big. In Australia, they would be laughed at and asked where the Mardi Gras was.
In 20 years, Harley’s market will shrink dramatically as this lot get too old/injured, so they will need to have a plan B up their sleeve.
Guns-n-Attitude
Guns are everywhere and this is considered absolutely normal. In trucks (utes), sports shops, TV and radio advertising and even National Parks (as long as they are unloaded – I bet that really rankles the locals). The craziest example of this guns/military/patriotism thing was an old attack helicopter, complete with guns and rockets, mounted 10 feet off the ground in a diving position in the yard of an elementary (primary) school!
However, this was in a town where we saw the following slogans:
- Its not attitude – we really are that good
- Land of the Free because of the Brave
- These colours don’t run (under a flag diagram on a T-Shirt)
Uniform/Gun/Attitude Fetish
It seems that any job that could possibly need (and even some that don’t need it) a military-type uniform and a gun definitely has one. This even extended to a cute young female National Park ranger doing meet-and-greet duty at the entrance station at Glacier – complete with pistol on hip. I suppose you never can tell what those grey nomads are up to.
There is an obsession with uniforms/guns/attitude and it seems that any job worth doing has all three.
Patriotism
‘Patriotism’ is way over the top – even worse than when Ian was here in the early 1990’s, no doubt exacerbated by 9/11. It has developed into an ‘us versus them’ thing and it seems that if you are not a way-right-wing born-again Christian then you must be subversive.
Degree of Religion-osity
Americans visiting Australia must think we're a bunch of heathens – and they would be right!! Religion is much more prominent here with lots of well attended churches, gospel radio stations, car stickers, T-Shirt slogans etc. It is particularly noticeable that American politicians appear very devout. You probably couldn’t get elected over here if you were an atheist.
Respect for the Military
There is more overt respect for the military here than in Australia, both for serving and also retired people. Lots of caravans we see in the parks will have stickers saying ‘US Marine/Navy etc Retired’ or the dates they served in whatever division.
Individual/National Disconnect
At least 99% of the Americans you meet on an individual basis will be exceedingly nice (though perhaps a bit loud). We have asked lots of dumb questions etc, and have always been received very pleasantly.
We are still trying to work out why there is this huge disconnect between very-nice-individuals and the less-than-nice ‘we have the God-given right to dominate the world’ government.
Fitness and Food
There is a pervasive availability of cheap take-away and frozen fast foods - more than Canada, and much more than Australia. As you can imagine there are a lot of overweight people, but perversely, also a very strong fitness culture, particularly in some towns like Boulder. It would seem there are less people in the middle ground of being neither fat nor fit then in Canada or Australia.
Urban Sprawl
Colorado (in particular) doesn’t seem to have any town/state planning. The ‘greater Denver region’ on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains stretches
from Fort Collings to Colorado Springs – about 200 km of sprawling suburbs, strip malls and acreage lots. Hopefully Australia can avoid the worst of this.
The USA Economy
In the weeks leading up to the recent stock market crash, we had decided that the American economy is at the top of a slippery slope. Additionally, once they don’t have that big economic stick to hold over the head of others, fewer nations will feel the need to join in with at least the craziest of US ideas. The world is in for some big changes in the next 10 – 20 years.
Grotesquely Excessive, But I Want One
We saw a really nice motorhome in Salt Lake City – it was a bit flasher and more neatly finished than anything else we had seen, so I tracked down its website. Check it out on: www.newellcoach.com. 625 HP, 12 speed auto, 4 push-outs, 4 airconditioners, polished granite floor tiles, ensuite etc
posted by Ian and Jen @ 30 below at
2:15 PM
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