The one thing that this trip has made me think about and examine in my life more than anything else ever has, is my hair.

Those of you who have seen my hair will be surprised to learn that I've ever spent anytime thinking about it - but I have, occasionally.

But this trip! I currently have long hair. Do I cut it short? How short? Is dirty short hair really a better option than dirty braided hair? If I cut it? Into what style? If I leave it long, my hair can not be combed without conditioner, so I can only unbraid to wash it. If I braid it, how many braids? Two. Or four? Ideally the more braids the better for keeping the hair together through multiple days.


Then I had a brilliant idea that I'd dread my hair. Let nature take its course. Let the hair organize itself! This was the leading hair solution until I started researching dreads. The follow facts emerged:
- do not attempt to dread your own hair - go to a specialist. They were especially emphatic that white people do not attempt to dread their own hair. (CON: I guarantee there is no hair dreader in Invermere, and $)
- the first month of dreading hair actually requires a lot of upkeep and products (I am only bringing one piece of cutlery - there is no way that I'm lugging bottles of hair products with me)
- and third, and most important, it is apparently one of the worst hairstyles for cyclists. I read blog after blog of bike couriers complaining about dreads. Doesn't fit under the helmet, scalp pinching, gets into your vision, really heavy if wet, get caught on things.

So what to do? The obvious choice is to cut it short. But then what about my hallowe'en costume? My hair has been my savior on this. In a pinch, I can always go as a very successful Cousin It.



(me, modelling my hair last night)

and, in the alternative:



(this was very popular with the kids I was ski coaching this year, even if they were too young to get the homage)

Anyway, now that you know how I spend my evenings in Invermere, back to the original issue - Hair.

Chances are I'll snip off like 6 inches before I go and do the braids. And if it is impossible or driving me crazy, I'll just cut it off on the road.