It's The Year Of The Beard...
The Chinese New Year ushers in a positive period for beards everywhere, but is the outdoors beard an endangered species?
Posted: 7 February 2003
by Jon
Good news for traditional hairy-chinned mountaineers, it is now
officially the Year of the Beard.
The Chinese New Year celebrations on Sunday ushered in the year of
the Goat or Ram, which are both hairy, bearded animals and
traditional symbols of peace, it says here. To celebrate, members of
the Beard Liberation Front staged an official mass beard waggling in
celebration of the Chinese New Year in London.
'Waggling' apparently involves moving the beard vigorously up and
down. For many British mountaineering is synonymous with beards. Sir
Chris Bonington's is arguably the best known beard in world climbing,
but other beards have also made a huge public impact, not least that
of Brian Blessed.
In the field of outdoor journalism, TGO was for many years a safe
refuge for the traditional outdoor beard, however a redesign last
year appears to have ushered in an era of clean-shaven cheeks and
chins.
In the wider field of sponsored climbers, the beard is also
fighting a rearguard action - of prominent British-sponsored
climbers, only Bonington is currently sporting a chin wig, with the
likes of Alan Hinkes, Andy Cave and John Dunne determinedly clean
shaven. Also without face hair is Leo Houlding, though it's not clear
whether he has a choice in the matter.
Is the outdoors beard an endangered species despite its useful
insulation properties? Have your say on this important question in
the OM forum.
Discuss this story
As you previously said, since you started counting them, they've gone into decline. So its prob'ly your fault. Incidently the old UFO guy - that wasn't me.
Posted: 07/02/2003 at 14:43
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