Sporting Goods
The article I mentioned yesterday on those Dutch cyclists who avoid dressing in spandex and helmets points to European differences from mainstream American culture when it comes to sports:
In the U.S. we have a “hiking culture� – people who have trail maps, Gore-Tex, special boots, trekking poles, GPS, etc. Then there’s the guy who is walking down the street to get from the bus stop to the mall. He’s more analogous to the cyclists I photographed in Amsterdam
This reminds of a time when my younger cousin and his wife came over from England to visit, and spent a weekend camping in Yosemite. One afternoon they were leaving their campsite to explore the Valley when a friendly Yank at the next campground asked “Hey! Are you guys going for a hike?”. “Actually, no,” my cousin replied – somewhat mystified – “we’re just going to walk around a bit…”
Only in America will you find “The World’s Largest Sporting Goods Store” and trade associations dedicated to marketing everything from hunting, shooting and fishing to equipping a home gym or kitting out junior for the soccer or softball league. This is big business. He who dies with the most toys wins. Those with money to burn, like the CEO of Oracle, spend millions on sport.
Meanwhile, the redwood forests, gulf stream waters, diamond deserts and endless highways are there to explore for free in this land that was made for you and me.
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