“Oh, you’ve grown your beard out” has been the obvious statement which I have heard several times over the last couple months. It is usually followed by a puzzled look and an awkward pause. Usually, I try to fill the silence with some justification as to why, I would do such a thing to my face.
I understand the question.
My beard is an accurate gauge of my mortality. I check it annually from November through January. Every year, the territory of brown whiskers has slowly been ceded to the territory of the grey. At this point, whiskers are an effective strategy to add 10 years to my appearance. This is the question behind every puzzled look – why would you do that?
My reason for growing a beard is one that only those who live in cold climates can appreciate and today, my reason was fulfilled.
I was fortunate enough to get outside and do some New Year’s Day cycling. The temperature was 12 degrees F and the roads were relatively free of ice. So, we bundled up and rode.
I grow my beard out for just this opportunity. If you cycle cleanly shaven in the cold, the best you will experience is a frozen face. However, a beard gives you the opportunity to experience the shear epic-ness of winter cycling:
the beardcicle.
A DEVOTED LIFE 