Well, in an effort to drum up some additional donations this year, I've publically posted on my participant page that if I hit certain milestones with my fund raising, certain body parts are getting shaved.
My annual goal is set at $5,000 again, but if I hit $7,500, my legs face the razor (I'm a die-hard mountain biker....this scares me a bit). If I manage $10k, the head goes bald and the moustache goes bye-bye :)
Thing is, I've also stated that from the time I hit the milestone until the Ride, whatever is shaved stays shaved I know I'm nuts...I'm even letting the team captain wield the razor if my head gets shaved!!
Ok....this is scary. My wife has now pledged her hair if I can get to $25,000. I don't see it as likely and her hair is pretty safe, but it's nice to know I've got family backing me up :)
Update...I'm 2/3 of the way to shaving my legs and 1/2 way to losing hair and moustache. Something tells me I'll be an anomaly...big freeride mountain bike with shaved legs ;)
I have a strong suspicion that I will hit the leg milestone at the very least. Less than $2k to go with several "heavy hitters," my dentist, my eye doc and several co-workers to come yet.
I have a great fear, though... If I end up shaving my legs, I'm sure there will be a grass roots drive here in my office to get that last $2500 to make me shave the head and moustache off. I know 2 or 3 suspects who would likely call up our other offices and challenge them to raise some money towards the cause :)
I'm resigned to the legs, though (as much as I am loathe to admit it)...I actually picked up a loofah the other day so I will be ready "when."
Yeah, a lot of cyclists do go hair free on the legs...but as a general rule, they are road cyclists. My first and main passion is mountain biking...baggie shorts and hairy legs are my thing rather than spandex and clean shaven legs.
Still, if I can bring in a few more dollars for the cause by hanging the razor out there, I'm willing to sacrifice for the cause :)
To be perfectly honest, I've never tried the stuff. I am not a racer (I have neither the build, bike nor the desire for racing) and it is just something you don't see much in the mountain biking community outside of the racers.
If ai end up being clean shaven....well, then we can talk about the "extras" I would not normally play with. ;)
Oh crap, Oh crap, Oh crap.... I'm in "no-man's land" for my fund raising efforts now and I still have several potential donors who could put me very, very close to shaving my legs in short order.
Ok...I need a recommendation for embrocation cream now ;) Clicked over the $7,500 mark last night and will need to shave the legs pdq (I already have folks clamouring for video of the Mike's legs razor massacre). ;)
Hehehe....Dean, I think I need a real cyclists' bike now...I have nothing intended for pure skinnies. My most "roadie" of bikes is a Cx bike with slicks ;)
I do have to wonder, though....do you think the improved aerodynamics will get me a 0.1 km/h increase in speed on my 37 lb full suspension mtb for the event? ;)
Shaved legs do nothing for aerodynamics. Advantages - more surface area to evaporate sweat, reduced infection in the event of road rash, WAY better for massage. Pro mountain bikers shave their legs too.
No, I know that they do diddly for aerodynamics ;) Still, IME, it has been road racers/pros, cyclocross racers and XC mtb racers who I've generally seen running bare legs (in that order)....for AM / FR / DH types, it's a really rare thing.
I can see pluses for massage (if you get near a masseuse...I've never been so lucky in this event) and road rash (though for trail type stuff, the advantage is less), but when it comes to armor, a little buffer helps it stick less ;)
Regardless, though, I'm happy to be sporting the bare legs on a Whistler oriented bike for the cause :D
Oh...btw... The challenge is back for 2013. If I can break my new higest ever fund raising effort (from 2012), I'll take the works...legs, moustache and top of head ;)
I know I'm nuts...I'm even letting the team captain wield the razor if my head gets shaved!!
