Bearded & Tschorn: Let the battle of the beards begin!

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ANCHORAGE -- The World Beard and Moustache Championships are a day away, and a flotilla of facial hair has already arrived in town in advance of Saturday’s mane event.

Signs in the windows of local businesses proclaim the merchants to be “beard friendly,” and within a few blocks of the Dena’ina Convention Center, you can’t throw a mustache comb without hitting a handlebar or mussing a musketeer, each exquisitely styled, groomed and waxed to perfection.

Stepping out to purchase a few cans of sugar-free Red Bull (it stayed light until about 11 tonight and the sun will start rising around 4 a.m.), I ran into a trio of tonsorial wonder a few blocks from my hotel.

They included Los Angeles resident Kevin McFarland who, as of today is still “undecided” as to whether he’ll actually compete, his brother Ryan, who lives in Petersburg, Alaska, and is entering the “partial beard freestyle” competition, and Earl Warner, also from Petersburg, whose chin whiskers will be vying for a trophy in this year’s new “Alaskan whaler” category.

Whether he wins or not, Ryan McFarland’s facial hair is certainly in the spirit of the event -- the right side of his face is shaved into the letters “B” and “E,” and the left side bears the letters “R” and “D.” The triangle beard in between forms the letter “A.”

Now that’s a cheeky beard.

-- Adam Tschorn

Jack Passion Leads With His Beard

Top photo, from left: Brothers Kevin and Ryan McFarland, and Earl Warner in Anchorage on Thursday. Credit: Adam Tschorn
(Note: The photo caption in an earlier version of this post said the picture of the three men was taken March 21, 2009.)