Uh oh, it might suck living in a tourist town!!!

The sound starts faintly. Your subconscious mind registers it as a possible approaching thunder storm. Was that thunder? Did you hear it? But the rumble is continuous. It soon percolates up from your incognizant mind into a fight or flight temper. The roar has become so deafeningly loud that you assume a crouched, hyper aware stance ready to flee the approaching intruder. And there, at the other end of the street, you see it; a parade of over the hill baby boomers high astride their Harley Electra Strides. Not two, not four, not even ten. But at least forty bikers, with their gray beards flapping, pot bellies jiggling , and their buxomous, bodacious brides clinging on for dear life. Blue jeans and leather were definitely meant for a svelter somatotype.

Now I am not a pack animal. I am more leopard than hyena. I prefer to hang out high up in a tree looking down at the rest of the forest animals with great disdain. I have never felt the need to surround myself with more than one or two of my species at any given moment. Besides, when a herd of elephants comes charging through the forest doesn't everything in their path get destroyed? One or two elephants peacefully grazing on the tree canopy is a pastoral sight to behold. A herd of fifty, on the other hand, is a cause for serious alarm among the village folk.

It's funny; when I park my Subaru in front of the bar I don't sit in it revving the engine for ten minutes. Maybe the vibration feels good on their chaps clad crotch or something. Nor do I spend 85% of my down time discussing the merits of a fuel injected six cylinder Subaru versus the more green four cylinder model with my fellow Subaru owner parked next to me. And believe me, there are way more Subaru owners in the Catskill Park than Harley owners, yet we somehow manage to blend in with the forest.

Some of my friends, coworkers, and patients are bikers. Taken one or two at a time, they are all lovely and warm people. And charitable to boot, as evidenced by the many group rides organized as fund raising events. And I know why they like their pipes loud and why they ride in groups; for safety reasons. Fine. But I have needs too. Like enjoying my beer at a sidewalk table surrounded by the peace and quiet of the mountains and the soothing purr of the Esopus Creek. Let's hope Sturgis never comes to the Catskills.