America’s great motorcycle rally began today and the country doesn’t know what is about to hit it. Is this the event that could hamstring America’s recovery efforts? Most likely it will be, with increased attendance and rallygoers expected from every state, the case could have been made that this year’s rally could be more dangerous than last year’s.
Living in South Dakota and driving its roads this week, the increase in traffic has become very concerning. Yesterday, as I was passed by countless out-of-state vehicles pulling trailers full of motorcycles the reach of this rally struck me again. Every year it blows my mind to see license plates from all over the country converge on the state. This year the attendance number is estimated to be between 700,000 and 1 million people.
A million people riding around the Black Hills, attending concerts, packing shops and bars, and camping closely together is not what concerns me. It is the weeks following this event that could be a disaster for America.
Last years event was classified as a superspreader with less people in attendance. This year is set up to be by far worse. Set aside the fact that the Delta variant is more transmissible than the original strain, that alone should have caused enough people to question the event. Unlike last year, when most companies had a mask mandate for employees, most gas stations had the same requirements for masks, schools were planned to be remote learning, and many restaurants were still closed to inside dining; those preventative measures have gone by the wayside.
This sets up the perfect scenario for this to be the far reaching event that leads us down a path that may not be fixable. When people return to their towns after attending, they most likely won’t be required to isolate. They probably won’t be required to wear a mask at work outside of healthcare. They will be stopping at gas stations, stores, and restaurants in every state on their journeys home. And, they will be sending their kids back into classrooms (many in states that have banned school mask mandates).
How was any of this not thought of? The problem is, it was thought of. They just placed money above life once again. They did it in the name of freedom. The freedom that is roaring past Mt. Rushmore right now, once again, trumps our collective health. The same freedom that will be screamed about at state capitals across the country if lockdowns are reinstated is the cause of those mitigation efforts, again! But not to worry, at least the city of Sturgis is allowing open containers this year in hopes of encouraging social distancing. No mask requirements. No vaccination stations. The public health initiative the city felt best protected those not dumb enough to attend, was to allow those in attendance to walk down the street with their Jack & Coke in hand. Thanks for that!
Changed So Much! 