It is quieter in the winter

Two great things that happen when the weather turns cold - mosquitos and loud motorcycles go away. I went to Gregory Bald at the end of September and, 4 miles from the road, all I could hear was the rumble of loud bikes. How rude. I understand that riding loud bikes and pretending to be a rebel is self expression and compensation for other shortcomings, but I thought self expression was not supposed to infringe on others. Oh, well. Two and half more months of quiet in this end of the country and then business as usual.
I have contacted the park headquarters, in person, several times and their response is that the decibel level is set at 60 decibels for vehicles, but that they do not have the budget to enforce the law. They suggest that the surrounding towns should be the governing body to police this.
Has anyone else campaigned against loud motorcycles? Any suggestions?

They can still wear their little leather costumes, just tone the noise level down a bit.

My local government found they could not enforce the decibel limits for a variety of reasons. The laws were replaced with one that requires approved exhaust systems.

"They can still wear their little leather costumes if they want"....CLASSIC! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ROTFLMA! If you don't know why go rent the movie 'Wild Hogs' With Tim Allen and you'll understand. The above comment reminded me of the scene where the guy is singing on the stage <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I'm not sure why, but "loud" is not considered a status symbol here in the Ozarks and it's rarely a problem. Maybe we've had laws in place long enough to replace all the old cherry bomb mufflers.

There are only a few places left where you can't hear the grumbling of highways though and no place where the roar of jets isn't there with you.

In the first few days after 9/11 I went into the forest and spent one night. I had too. I knew it'd be the only time in my life when I could experience quiet of that magnitude. It was completely silent all night. Didn't last long though, I woke suddenly the next morning to the sound of two jet fighters screaming by at a very low altitude. I remember thinking, "Whew, I'm sure glad they're on our side".

Bill S.

Same issue here in Ruidoso, NM, with two annual bike events chasing away the locals. The noise is a constant rumble and many bikes are unmuffled but the police just look the other way. The $$$ the rallies bring to our community is more important than enforcing the disturbing the peace law.

60 db? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />
Gee I guess maybe my old Huskyvarna was made before that law... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
If I wear ear plugs AND a helmet it doesn't hurt so bad... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> [souds like a 30 cal NATO machine gun]
Course around here in Oregon ya got snowmobiles, 4x4, motorcycles, snow plows, loggers, snow groomers, hunters, bicycles, dogs, etc and we all share.
Down in California a lot of people complain about the snowmobiles and motorcycles, but they don't realise that ALL of the money to keep those back country trails at snow parks open comes from off road vehicle fees. Skiers simply don't have the right to get in the way of the snowmobilers while using their (the snowmobiler's) trail systems.
Wehave back country sheriffs patrols all year round in the mountains around here. Snowmobiles with cherries on top...
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> YMMV <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Jim, I am shocked...I never figured you for a noisemaker.

It's a shame the disturbance comes down to money for the town. It's so annoying to hear those loud bikes drive by, especially around 8 or 9 pm, when things are just starting to get quiet.

Right on, Layla. There are other ways to get money- legalized herbage comes to mind - besides, how much can you get from beer and cigarette sales. Not counting the revenues from those trendy black t-shirts, square toe boots, and chain wallets it can't help that much.

I think they should ride quiet bikes and ride down the road screaming 'look at me, look at me'.

I'm sorry, I can't hear you over my Harley.

Hector, why?

We were hiking in Yosemite a couple years ago in mid May when the crowds weren't too bad. We decided to stop by some Calaveras County wineries around Murphys on the way back to The City for the flight home.

On the road we knew something was up when we met a biker on a bridge over a chasm near Murphys -- standing on his bike with arms outstretched as he sped past. We were soon mired in the gridlock of a thousand Harleys in midtown Murphys.

It was all quite the shock after camping at the Wawona campground -- just opened for the season, and a couple days later we had inadvertantly landed in the the big biker weekend at Murphys for the nearby Jumping Frog Jubilee.

I remember being happy at the time that we had invaded their turf at Murphys, and that we hadn't encountered them at the Mariposa Grove.

I have snowmobiled in, numerous times to destinations to see some country away from others, mostly country I would never be able to see if I had to snowshoe in. Some of these places I may have some noise, but by late afternoon it all goes away. The quietest I have had it, was a trip in N. California into the Caribou Wilderness. I snowmobiled in the 12 miles to the trailhead, put my snowshoes on and bped the 2 miles or less to a cluster of lakes. I barely heard sleds maybe once that day. The balance of the day was very quiet, with some little birds making a little noise. A great night, late winter, warm night, down to freezing was all and me with my 5 degree bag. Another beautiful place is north of Truckee, Perazzo Meadow. Some noise during the day from people using the main road on their snowmobiles and if the wind is right, the noise from I-80. Closer to home, not many people as it is lightly populated and no one else in the backcountry camping.

Mostly the wind, as I worship at the Church of the Breezy Knees. But in parking garages I set off car alarms as I pass. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

We were in the Smokies towards the end of July. I did the Chimney Tops trail and you could very clearly hear bikes and traffic at the summit. Kind of shatters the illusion as far as I'm concerned.

I took the kids up there once in July and once in August. Both times the rock was so hot that we decided not to climb to the summit. I attempted the manway around the left that used to go out to the end of the second summit, but rock fall has destroyed a section of it and good sense told me to stop and go back. And I, too, heard the rumble of motorcycles.

Yeah, I noticed that rock fall. Last time I had been there was about 15 years ago and I climbed up it easily. This time, not so much. Besides the noise, I was bothered by all the pollution in Pigeon Forge. By 10 or 11 each morning you could barely see the Smokies.

I guess they say that it is the most visited park in the country. Lots of traffic, and TN and NC have lots of industry near the park -ALCOA, and Champion paper mill.