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5/11/2019 6:41 am  #1


The trip beard as badge of honour

I have never brought any form of shaving device on a trip, nor have I attempted a knife-shave in the backcountry. I can’t imagine ever doing either, no matter if the trip be a long weekend or a two-week expedition. Of course to those who wear full-time beards this means nothing, but for the rest I’m curious as to your take on the proverbial ‘trip beard’.
 
I admit it’s part of my own long-formed conceit about canoe-tripping that growing facial hair marks an achievement I wear proudly. There’s nothing quite so satisfying as putting in days of arduous travel without seeing a soul, then coming upon other trippers obviously fresh on their trip. Wearing that certain haggard appearance topped off by several days’ growth automatically connotes an authenticity no one would dare question. Then when the inevitable conversation about trail or water conditions arises, your audience listens in with profound reverence for the wisdom imparted by the wise old sage-like traveller they’ve had the good fortune to stumble upon deep in the wilds of Algonquin.
 
But seriously (or not so seriously), the modern era of backcountry travel has brought so many changes, it has me questioning several of my long-held ‘truisms’ about the experience—and this is a great example. I’m sure many trippers shave and bathe regularly out in the backcountry these days, especially with these ultra-light portable sinks available. Why not feel fresh and clean-shaven every day?  And so by extension am I not a stubborn old mule, clinging to my out-dated notions of the “legit tripping experience”?
 
Maybe . . . probably . . . okay certainly, but part of the beauty of the backcountry experience is you get to do it your own way, live by your own rules for that brief time. So I’ll wear my lengthening, increasingly itchy facial growth for the whole trip forevermore, thank you very much. I’ll wear it more proudly every day, so eventually stumbling up on shore at the takeout, looking the grizzled god-like veteran [Ed. Note: I think I stole that expression from a recent Uppa post], I can proudly behold the reverent faces of the stunned onlookers [read: completely unaware group of kids playing at the Brent beach, stumbling in my path as I unload my canoe.]

Okay, that’s my homage to martin2007, though admittedly far from equal to his level of poetic eloquence. Hoping for another of your epic responses here, Martin.

 

5/11/2019 7:56 am  #2


Re: The trip beard as badge of honour

Paddlerunner, nobody ain't never ever done paid homage to me before. Sure, they've paid me cash lots of times. If I knows ya I'll sometimes take a personal cheque.  But never 'homage'!  I can barely see the computer screen for the tears of gratitude springing out my eyes. Springing clear out like 16 trilliums on a May two-four weekend. 

But no time for eloquence.  I've got some serious vacillating to do before I get in the car for the marathon drive to Brent. I wonder if we'll cross paths up there. I've already got a 3-day head-start on my 'grizzled' look. I'll be paddling a green Osprey, trying to keep up with an ironman-style commando in ridiculous short pants paddling a brand new Kee. 

Happy and safe tripping!

 

5/20/2019 7:39 pm  #3


Re: The trip beard as badge of honour

Bring on the beard and long live tradition!  Just take a look at a few of those Stanley Cup finalists.  And keep scaring the beach-goers, it'll keep them on their toes in case a bear wanders near.

 

5/25/2019 6:56 pm  #4


Re: The trip beard as badge of honour

Two "grizzled god-like veterans" (to quote Uppa via Paddlerunner). One veteran so godlike he expresses disdain for those lesser gods and paddling folk who depend on silly accoutrements like maps and compasses to find their way around. Can you spot which one?  We're smiling gratefully here because this was one of those rare moments when we were more-or-less sure of our location.  Yep, we were definitely somewhere in the vast wilderness of Algonquin Park.  It's day 10 on our spring ice-out trip of May 12-22, 2019. 

Great company, fantastic trip!



 

5/26/2019 9:33 am  #5


Re: The trip beard as badge of honour

martin2007 wrote:

Two "grizzled god-like veterans" (to quote Uppa via Paddlerunner). One veteran so godlike he expresses disdain for those lesser gods and paddling folk who depend on silly accoutrements like maps and compasses to find their way around. Can you spot which one? 

Awesome! And no, I cannot spot the difference in deity hierarchy LOL 10 days--very nice! 

I too have just returned, though mine I shortened to 9 days in the end. Here's a before and after--though admittedly not having been taken on site there's nothing to confirm this as a legitimate trip beard, but you can at least see that it is not my normal state. 

@GordK: good point. Indeed, I feel almost like a Stanley Cup finalist after enduring cold, wind and rain for over a week--not to mention alder-chocked upper Maple Creek, dozens of portages with numerous blowdowns, half-submerged boardwalks and more alder blocking my path -- oh and then there were the trails that suddenly disappeared. Good times for sure Hail to all Algonquin Adventurers!

P.S. Please forgive my ugly mug and balding dome. Couldn't resist after starting this silly thread in the first place. I encourage others to share for the sake of comradery . . . or something like that.


 

     Thread Starter
 

5/26/2019 2:43 pm  #6


Re: The trip beard as badge of honour

LOL@ Martin and I.  We look like Batman and Robin..hahahaha

 

5/26/2019 3:33 pm  #7


Re: The trip beard as badge of honour

geez,, i think the guy on the right looks like that penguin fellow phil kessel,
    over lords of algonquin,,keepers of the flame,, guardians of oatmeal,,,

 

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