The Dog Days of Summer Beards

After 65 days of growth my beard, particularly in the neck region, is getting pretty scraggly and is slogging through the dog days of summer. Our crew has moved on to our last work site and we have only two weeks left. My beard was extremely spoiled last week and will continue to be, as our crew is staying at The Cabin, a quasi-operational hiker hostel. We have a shower, cable TV, a refrigerator, a microwave, and most importantly, beds. These are normal amenities for most people, very abnormal for my beard at this point in its life. This is my beard sitting in the doorway of a tepee we put up in the yard outside The Cabin. My beard was thoroughly impressed with the simple and subtle construction of a tepee.


This is my beard in action swinging a Polaski to chop up some roots, thus slowly killing the adjacent tree.


This is my beard at the overlook on our hike to and from our work site. Please note the sun and blue sky; my beard has been enjoying some nice consistent summer weather.


This is my beard laying on the perfect water bar. A water bar is a diagonal rock wall that diverts water from the trail and prevents erosion. Usually rocks, soil, roots, weather, and bugs work against the formation of anything this exquisite, making this particular creation worthy of my beard's admiration.


This is one of the guest beards of the week, Evan. Evan is from New York and enjoys long distance running, reading fine literature, drinking good beer, and getting buff. Evan is working for MCC for six months, unlike most of us three-monthers, and is hopefully working for the Peace Corps afterwards. Please note a beardless Nate in the kitchen admiring Evans beard; Nate shaves.
The second, but equally impressive, guest beard of the week is Mike. Mike is from Rhode Island and enjoys hardcore outdoor adventures, sheep, singing lewd rap songs, and rocking out. Mike does trim his beard, but we don't hold that against him.

Quotes of the week:

"Well I don't want to play with Abe Lincoln anyway." - A feisty local yokel at the basketball court we play at. My beard declined his attempts to join our 2 on 2 game, as well as his attempt to start a 4 on 4 game involving his girlfriend/wife and child. He was not wearing shoes and had to be dragged away by said girlfriend/wife.


"When it comes to fuckin' around, he don't." - Rob, talking about any of us at our most hardcore.


This week my beard is feeling:

Giddy