Beard & Long Hair

[dr_wu002]

I've noticed that if I hike lighter, I hike faster and therefore longer over a given period of time. I used to keep sunglasses in my pack -- now I wear them. Also, I take 2 poptarts instead of 3 because I noticed I never finish the third one on any given trip regardless of how long it is (and when I run out of poptarts at home I could always count on having an extra in my pack -- wasted space! So now I just have to stock up extra on poptarts so as to never run out).

The problem is that over the last few months I've been hiking slower and slower and it's driving me crazy, trying to figure out what is heavier. My body fat ratio hasn't changed and neither does my weight appear to have changed. I've even considered having Pete help me with his axe. Neil told me that Pete helped him with his axe.

One day recently I was looking at some photos. Last year I looked like this. And now I look like this (note sunglasses on face and not in pack). Look at that damb beard! I hadn't even noticed it had gotten so wooly. And my hair in the back -- I haven't cut it in 2 years now at all (except Jess has trimmed it a little because I get split ends from swimming). So, does anyone out there notice that beard and long hair makes them hike slower? I know Pete did a scientific study as to whether a beard makes a man's face warm or colder (I does!) in the winter but I'm not sure anyone has done this study. Is it possible to hike with a costume like what they wore in the '88 Olympics to reduce drag? Or is it not wind resistance that's slowing me down but instead the extra ounces of weight that durn beard gives me?

Several people have suggested that I hike with a bag on my head but this seems dangerous and irresponsible -- especially because I sometimes hike alone and go to cliffs to look at the vistas. Perhaps someone in the airline industry knows how they reduce drag on airplanes. It's just that I'd hate to cut off my beard only to find that it does nothing fer me except to make my face cold, always, and then takes 1 or 2 months to grow it and get it all wooly again.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Jay H]

You're a regular grizzly adams!

I say you cut every other strand of hair off, therefore you reduce the density and perhaps weight, yet with the beard, you will disrupt the laminar flow of air around you, thereby reducing surface friction and drag. Kind of like those dimples on those cycling helmets time trial riders use or golf balls.

Of course, I'm sure the bag over the head would work, I mean you would cut out holes for your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Jay

 

[dr_wu002]

Of course, I'm sure the bag over the head would work, I mean you would cut out holes for your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Jay

This would certainly move it into turbulent flow. I'm familiar with that Navier-Stokes Equation, bub!

-Dr. Wu

 

[marty]

In the song Rock and Roll Never Forgets, Bob Seger wrote:

"So now sweet sixteen's turned thirty-one
You get to feelin' weary when the work day's done"

Maybe it's the aging process. If so, welcome to the land of the mortals.

Nice sharing a beer and good conversation last night with you, Jaytrek and Sapblatt.

Best regards,
Marty

 

[sapblatt]

This would certainly move it into turbulent flow. I'm familiar with that Navier-Stokes Equation, bub!

-Dr. Wu

Hiking with me is bound to slow you down...
Those luge helmets and face masks should help reduce drag...

 

[spencer]

When it comes to slowing me down, I've never considered my beard b/c I have other more obvious things to blame.

but, very soon I'm going to be shaving my beard off for the first time in quite a while. I figure I'd rather get married sans hair (okay, it was partly decided for me ) I'm just waiting for a motivational moment to whack it... I'll let you know if I suddenly get faster

I've never had long hair...

spencer

 

[Pete_Hickey]

So, does anyone out there notice that beard and long hair makes them hike slower? I know Pete did a scientific study as to whether a beard makes a man's face warm or colder (I does!)

For those not familiar, I'm somewhat world fameous for my beard research. If you google my name, my beard reaearch comes out at the top. If you google 'Beard Research" you'll get similar results with me at the top.

I've even been interviewed by the BBC about it.

http://mudhead.uottawa.ca/~pete/beardradio.html

Wu... There isn't enough time or disk space to discuss this on-line. Just another point to note. The beard collects ice (weight) as the breath (or dripping nose) freezes onto it.

 

[Neil]

How would you think if you cut off your beard? How would think up these questions?
You could remove half of your beard (not 50% of the strands but 100% off of one half of your face: left or right, it dosn't matter, does it Pete?) and collect some raw data thereby extending Pete's research.

Don't forget to weigh the shavings. Rather than compare hiking times you should compare heart beats per horizontal mile before and after(kilometers would be best so you can share your results with the international community). I or Artex would be glad to help you with the data collection.

I wonder if the results would vary for redheads, blonds or black haired individuals. For the sake of completeness perhaps Barnum and Bailey could come up with a hiking bearded lady. Speaking of the circus....I have work to do.

 

[spider solo]

I wouldn't go cutting the hair or beard...probably some other variables.diet, age, exercise things like that.
Your in good company with the hair..., Reinhold Messner...Jon Krakauer...John Muir...etc

 

[dr_wu002]

but, very soon I'm going to be shaving my beard off for the first time in quite a while. I figure I'd rather get married sans hair (okay, it was partly decided for me ) I'm just waiting for a motivational moment to whack it... I'll let you know if I suddenly get faster

Tee hee. I'm getting married soon too and I don't gotta cut my beard!

-Dr. Wu

 

[king tut]

One word.... Mullet!
I would go w/ the mullet and beard look in honor of the olympic hockey players. Knock out a few front teeth while you're at it and the hockey groupies will be banging down the front door.

 

[Jay H]

Oh, Dr Wu, looking at your avatar, you probably should do something about those ears and whiskers too, they must produce a lot of drag there.



Jay

 

[Pete_Hickey]

An area of ongoing beard research for me, is with the kinds of hairs.

My supposition is that the grey hairs are much heavier than the darker ones. I am fairly confidant that this is true, since the more gray hairs I get, the slower I get.

Unfortunately, I am unable to provide more details until my research grants are finalized.

 

[Stan]

So, does anyone out there notice that beard and long hair makes them hike slower? -Dr. Wu

Dear Doctor, it is not the weight nor the aerodynamics of the beard that effect your hiking pace, it's the drag created by the things that grow and nest in there.

... and you expected serious answers to this question?

 

[dr_wu002]

Makes ya stoopid!

I've also heard that head-growth hair is like an iceberg. If you have 1 lb of hair growing on yer head, you have 20 or 30 lbs of hair growing inward, inside yer brain. That'll not only add a lot of extra poundage but it'll lower yer I.Q. at the same time!

-Dr. Wu

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I've also heard that head-growth hair is like an iceberg. If you have 1 lb of hair growing on yer head, you have 20 or 30 lbs of hair growing inward, inside yer brain.

Since HarryK doesn't seem to be around, I'll mention that that is a variation on what Bob Dylan said in the 1966 Playboy interview.

"Mathematically speaking, the more of it you can get out of your head, the better. People who want free minds sometimes overlook the fact that you have to have an uncluttered brain. Obviously, if you get your hair on the outside of your head, your brain will be a little more freer. But all this talk about long hair is just a trick. It's been thought up by men and women who look like cigars" B Dylan


He also speaks of warmth of long hair in the article.n Google on "PLAYBOY INTERVIEW: BOB DYLAN"

 

[Whiteman]

I clicked on the link to Dr Wu's pic

Since the picture Dr. Wu posted is on that webshots.com website, the advertising banners popped up first. I mean no offense to the esteemed Doctor, but somehow the ad for Victoria's Secret Juicy Courture Swimwear (replete with photo which was not of the model's face) was incongruous.

Or perhaps that is the ad Dr. Wu somehow selected?

 

[Tom Rankin]

... the advertising banners popped up first. I mean no offense to the esteemed Doctor, but somehow the ad for Victoria's Secret Juicy Courture Swimwear (replete with photo which was not of the model's face) was incongruous.

This is one of the few times I regret having an ad banner blocker!

 

[Mad Townie]

If you have 1 lb of hair growing on yer head, you have 20 or 30 lbs of hair growing inward, inside yer brain. That'll not only add a lot of extra poundage but it'll lower yer I.Q. at the same time!

Don't believe it!!! The thinner my hair gets, the slower I get AND the dumber I get! I was brilliant, and very long haired, at 20!

I won't cut the beard because it's too good as a frostbite preventer under the face mask. Just ask a couple of my winter hiking companions.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

You could remove half of your beard (not 50% of the strands but 100% off of one half of your face: left or right, it dosn't matter, does it Pete?) and collect some raw data thereby extending Pete's research.

That is exactly the experiment I did. It absolutely increases drag. I left my beard on just the left side of my face and found I kept turning left. I did the same experiment the next year with the right side of my face bearded and found I constantly was turning to the right. Standing still in high winds was also problematic. If I was on any type of slippery surface and the wind was high enough I would start spinning like a top. Very disorienting.



Keith