How to clear out a bath house 101

I know this is show and tell but on this one I am just going to tell.

I loaded up the truck hooked up the camper and loaded my wife, grandson and his friend for a extended labor day weekend camping trip. What I thought was going to be an average trip turned out to be one of the best trips of my life. Looking forward to shaving took on a whole new meaning as well as taking my sweet time. It all started with forgetting my shaving mirror.

Day 1 I was up in the bath house after the morning rush as I had forgot my mirror and was shaving at the far end sink. I had grown men stop so fast that their shoes made a squeaking noise and some even left marks on the floor. You would have thought I had a chain saw and hockey mask as they quickly did an about face.

Day 2 I thought what the heck I had so much fun the day before I went during the morning rush. I have learned that a Straight razor can clear a bath house quicker than a bad fart!! At this point I have gained knowledge and relish the fact there is no reason to hurry a good shave.

Day 3 Cy my 9 year old grandson and his friend were brushing their teeth armed with a Scooby Doo and Transformers tooth brush while I was shaving. We were all talking so one brave man went as far as using the toilet for his morning constitution. After completion he used the first sink at the end to wash up, by choosing so he bypassed the soap dispenser that was in the middle of the 6 sink lineup.


Day 4 The campground had mostly cleared out and my wife knew why I was headed up shaving early. Had another great close & relaxing shave. However was sad there was no floor show.

Its mean and I know it, but I can’t help myself, it is just too much fun to watch the sequence of events while grown men experience testicular reduction in front of me for absolutely no reason.

Besides watching the campground wannbe RAMBO’S in their surplus store camouflage do the Pee-Pee shuffle outside the door waiting for me to clear out is the cherry on the cake.
I suppose the logical next step is to strop my razor and talk to myself while throwing in a giggle every now and then just for the sport of it.

As a foot note word must have got around. During our time there people would avoid eye contact when I was walking or riding my bike around the campground after the first day. Thus I have now made a permanent move from shaving at the camper to the large mirror at the bath house I now own for as long as it takes me to shave.
I suppose I am taking advantage of what our world has come to – Oh well

Sorry I wasn't there. I would have been the first person to stand, gawk, and ask everything I could about what you were doing. And generally make an ass of myself in the process because regardless of my age, the sight of something new to me is the childhood curiosity rekindled with the need to know everything I could about it. Too bad there weren't any man "man enough" to speak to a stranger in a public bathroom to satisfy his curiosity.

[QUOTE=Razorfeld;1206145]Sorry I wasn't there. I would have been the first person to stand, gawk, and ask everything I could about what you were doing. And generally make an ass of myself in the process because regardless of my age, the sight of something new to me is the childhood curiosity rekindled with the need to know everything I could about it. Too bad there weren't any man "man enough" to speak to a stranger in a public bathroom to satisfy his curiosity.[/QUOTE

I also would have ask questions or gone on with business as normal. I don't understand running away from a 54 year old man with a soft mid section
just because he is shaving with something I don't understand.

I do this all the time too! its FUN! :beer1:

Good story. Had I been there I would have given you a knowing nod and went about my business.
No one has actually seen me use a straight razor but many of my friends have irrational ideas about it. It reminds me of the average person's fear of snakes.

People are odd.

Awesome story and a funny one at that. I showed a friend of mine how I shaved with a straight. He knew I liked them but he really was tickled to see me use it. He is 74 yrs young and can well remember his dad using a straight.

thats great. wish i could have seen that!

This is just too funny but the opposite could have been a worry. Imagine a crowded room with guys bumping into you during the shave. Nahh forget that , was never gonna happen . :roflmao

This is most likely going to upset a few after reading this. I have put much thought to this and have moved from amused to concern for all men.

I think I would have preferred to have a couple of guys ask questions or just watch than got the response I received. IMHO I think the response fits the typical neutered male syndrome that has been enacted on us since we were told to be closer to our feminine side.

Through my life I have watched the destruction of Men and now there is a sharp decline of Guys. What I am referring to is the bonding men had through events – Camping, Hunting, Ice Fishing, Sailing, working on their cars Etc. These bonding sessions have been replaced with the Wife - Girlfriend included on these trips if they even happen at all. Their influence has altered our ability to bond with other men for fear the (Other Half) would disapprove of our actions or even feel neglected, thus our sons know no other way to act.
Think about it, the best one man can hope for from a stranger is the (sudo macho nod) while walking by.

I suppose the reason I like Straight razor shaving on my face is a women can not do it unless they are over 30 and most likely of Mediterranean descent (Not to disrespect but a fact). And most of those women unless Americanized want their men to be and remain men. OK that is it for today’s soap box speech. I look forward to the squealing scurry of the sissy boys on my next trip
:rant:

Yours respectfully

King of the bath house

Hahaha, brilliant story. When I was on holidays, no-one would give me a second look while I was shaving. When a few weeks later I got a barber shave in a railway museum, people were gawking and making pictures. I wonder if that was because I became part of the museum, or because it was a professional barber which makes it less scarily masculine, if that makes sense.

Hides to art,
I would probably fall into the "sissy boy" rather than "macho man's man" camp, while I can appreciate what you are saying, that men with men interact differently than men with women, people are generally scared/intimidated by the unusual.
For example when happy days was made the tv company would only let Henry Winkler (the fonze) wear his leather jacket if his bike was in the scene, in the 70's men with long hair were seen as odd/gay or whatever, I wasn't around then but I have seen stuff about it on the tv, read about it in books.
This is probably how people view someone who uses a straight razor in public (not gay necessarily).I do not fall into the "they are different so they are obviously dangerous" camp, i take the time.to talk to people, and judge them based on what I find out, I am also open to changing that view the more I get to know somebody. I would say that my attitude towards others is seen as strange in the "if I ignre them, they will ignore me" society. People are scared to interact because others are so unpredictable.
I live in a mine site camp for 2 weeks out of 3, and there are a few guys living here that go to dinner and breakfast with massive headphones on, sit on their own listening to whatever they are listening to and don't interact with anyone, I consider them unfortunate to be missing out on potentially interesting people and conversations.

EDhewitt,
I hear what you are saying,
I guess I am a dinosaur when it comes to things. I still stop to help a strange on the side of the road at night. I see a stranger struggling with something I walk over and offer to help. When a neighbor is splitting wood I grab my ax and walk over uninvited and join in while not saying a word at all, just working. This is also the case with the people I call friends. I suppose I am crazy for not fearing the unknown. I prefer to live my life boldly and intentional than as a sheep. I was raised that a stranger was nothing more than a friend I didn’t know, until they proved different.

I have never feared a knife or gun as I understand they are nothing more than a tool. It is my quest to find out does the person behind any tool have knowledge that I could benefit from. I suppose it is how one is raised. Myself I was raised from Alaska to Puerto Rico in a 4th generation military family. I can remember my buddies and I in the 10th grade getting on the school bus in Alaska on Wednesday in 1974 with backpacks and rifles to go on a hunting trip over the thanksgiving weekend. No one thought a thing about it. We just had to leave the rifles in the principles office until we got out of school. In today’s world many choose to fear than learn.
If a man shuffles his feet outside a bathroom because he has to pee instead of coming in while another is shaving – well the world has one heck of a problem. The point I am trying to make is ask your grandfather if he would have turned around. Then examine what has changed since that time and don't blame it on Gillette.

I might be scared of you if you silently walked up to me with an axe :)
But yes the world is changing for better and worse.

hidestoart, Right on my man!

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Originally Posted by hidestoart

Its mean and I know it, but I can’t help myself, it is just too much fun to watch the sequence of events while grown men experience testicular reduction in front of me for absolutely no reason.

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Thanks, I needed that! What a great belly laugh!
~Richard

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Originally Posted by hidestoart

This is most likely going to upset a few after reading this. I have put much thought to this and have moved from amused to concern for all men.

I think I would have preferred to have a couple of guys ask questions or just watch than got the response I received. IMHO I think the response fits the typical neutered male syndrome that has been enacted on us since we were told to be closer to our feminine side.

Through my life I have watched the destruction of Men and now there is a sharp decline of Guys. What I am referring to is the bonding men had through events – Camping, Hunting, Ice Fishing, Sailing, working on their cars Etc. These bonding sessions have been replaced with the Wife - Girlfriend included on these trips if they even happen at all. Their influence has altered our ability to bond with other men for fear the (Other Half) would disapprove of our actions or even feel neglected, thus our sons know no other way to act.
Think about it, the best one man can hope for from a stranger is the (sudo macho nod) while walking by.

I suppose the reason I like Straight razor shaving on my face is a women can not do it unless they are over 30 and most likely of Mediterranean descent (Not to disrespect but a fact). And most of those women unless Americanized want their men to be and remain men. OK that is it for today’s soap box speech. I look forward to the squealing scurry of the sissy boys on my next trip
:rant:

Yours respectfully

King of the bath house

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Dear Your Highness,
Men from my parts are still men, we all gather in the pub every Saturday to watch the football, and don't let women dictate our lives (that's not to say they aren't a big part) but when we are down the pub, we are down the pub and we ain't movin'. Alot of the time the men even bring their wives/girlfriends down the pub, so many things are discussed in the pub sometimes even business is done and round our parts for instance if you don't shower naked with the team your a strange'un.

This made me laugh because I just had a similar experience. I work in a prop shop for a theatre and was going from work to an opening night sware and performance. I pulled out my kit in the locker room right before a ballet class got out. I have never seen a dancer boy change so fast.

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Originally Posted by backtobasics

This made me laugh because I just had a similar experience. I work in a prop shop for a theatre and was going from work to an opening night sware and performance. I pulled out my kit in the locker room right before a ballet class got out. I have never seen a dancer boy change so fast.

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Welcome my Brother, behold your undeserved kingdom go forward and shave! :rofl2:

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Originally Posted by hidestoart

...If a man shuffles his feet outside a bathroom because he has to pee instead of coming in while another is shaving – well the world has one heck of a problem...

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I spend so much time driving on I-95 I'd consider myself lucky to find a bathroom where the non-personal-relief activity was limited to men shaving. I had no idea chicken men were an epidemic. Just the same I stand by my sig line below.

Just checking in. For the record I keep an axe that will shave arm hair, first learned to cook over a campfire, and know a tool is a tool no matter what label the fearmongers slap on it.

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Originally Posted by hidestoart

EDhewitt,
I hear what you are saying,
I guess I am a dinosaur when it comes to things. I still stop to help a strange on the side of the road at night. I see a stranger struggling with something I walk over and offer to help. When a neighbor is splitting wood I grab my ax and walk over uninvited and join in while not saying a word at all, just working. This is also the case with the people I call friends. I suppose I am crazy for not fearing the unknown. I prefer to live my life boldly and intentional than as a sheep. I was raised that a stranger was nothing more than a friend I didn’t know, until they proved different.

I have never feared a knife or gun as I understand they are nothing more than a tool. It is my quest to find out does the person behind any tool have knowledge that I could benefit from. I suppose it is how one is raised. Myself I was raised from Alaska to Puerto Rico in a 4th generation military family. I can remember my buddies and I in the 10th grade getting on the school bus in Alaska on Wednesday in 1974 with backpacks and rifles to go on a hunting trip over the thanksgiving weekend. No one thought a thing about it. We just had to leave the rifles in the principles office until we got out of school. In today’s world many choose to fear than learn.
If a man shuffles his feet outside a bathroom because he has to pee instead of coming in while another is shaving – well the world has one heck of a problem. The point I am trying to make is ask your grandfather if he would have turned around. Then examine what has changed since that time and don't blame it on Gillette.

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When I was 8 I had a bb rifle and by the time I was 10 a Marlin lever action 22. By 13 I had a 20 guage shotgun single shot.In High school we were required to complete hunters safety and boaters safety courses. My buddies and I spent our youth up in Northern Michigan shooting squirrel and we had a "lodge" in the woods wich consisted of an old ripped up army tarp stretched out as a leanto. we hammered alligator clips into a tree and that is where we skinned our varmints. We found a deer carcass in the woods and took the head and stuck it on a pole in front of our lodge. For fun we used to try and cross swamps on foot without getting wet(we usually lost) and my first car was a 40 horse inboard outboard boat.Canoeing was our exercise and wintercamping was fun whooo ! Chopped wood for the woodstove in our house and spent winters in waist deep snow shoveling and snowblowing. Old school and very happy to be so. Love yer story ! +1 sir :chapeau

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Originally Posted by Nightblade

When I was 8 I had a bb rifle and by the time I was 10 a Marlin lever action 22. By 13 I had a 20 guage shotgun single shot.In High school we were required to complete hunters safety and boaters safety courses. My buddies and I spent our youth up in Northern Michigan shooting squirrel and we had a "lodge" in the woods wich consisted of an old ripped up army tarp stretched out as a leanto. we hammered alligator clips into a tree and that is where we skinned our varmints. We found a deer carcass in the woods and took the head and stuck it on a pole in front of our lodge. For fun we used to try and cross swamps on foot without getting wet(we usually lost) and my first car was a 40 horse inboard outboard boat.Canoeing was our exercise and wintercamping was fun whooo ! Chopped wood for the woodstove in our house and spent winters in waist deep snow shoveling and snowblowing. Old school and very happy to be so. Love yer story ! +1 sir :chapeau

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Night Blade,
It sounds like our childhood was almost the same. The only difference is I got my 20 Ga (Single Shot) first and then the 22. It is sad that more young men today do not have that to influence their life in the years to come.
Ah, Northern Michigan - I Rough necked there after I got out of the service and have fond memories of the area. From TC to Kalkaska, Gaylord over to Atlanta down to West Branch over to Cadillac and back to TC there was always a watering hole where a GUY named Ski could be found. He had no neck and fingers on the ends of his biceps but you could always count on him to pull you out if you were hung in the snow. And always had your back no matter what you needed. He was the first to congratulate you on your deer even if it was a spike. Thank you for the trip down that path I had forgotten.
I think Ski would have said you were crazy or taking a risk you didn’t need to, but I don’t think Ski would have done the Pee Pee shuffle.

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Originally Posted by hidestoart

Night Blade,
It sounds like our childhood was almost the same. The only difference is I got my 20 Ga (Single Shot) first and then the 22. It is sad that more young men today do not have that to influence their life in the years to come.
Ah, Northern Michigan - I Rough necked there after I got out of the service and have fond memories of the area. From TC to Kalkaska, Gaylord over to Atlanta down to West Branch over to Cadillac and back to TC there was always a watering hole where a GUY named Ski could be found. He had no neck and fingers on the ends of his biceps but you could always count on him to pull you out if you were hung in the snow. And always had your back no matter what you needed. He was the first to congratulate you on your deer even if it was a spike. Thank you for the trip down that path I had forgotten.
I think Ski would have said you were crazy or taking a risk you didn’t need to, but I don’t think Ski would have done the Pee Pee shuffle.

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Born In Grayling, grew up In TC/Long lake Interlochen area, Nice to meet ya man ! I can smell the two stroke fuel and dead fish as we speak.......man I miss that ! Cheers !:)

while i haven't actually started shaving with a straight(i'm still in the process of acquiring all the necessary equipment) i'm really surprised at the reaction that was received. (great story telling BTW) you weren't shaving with a machete were you?

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Originally Posted by hidestoart

Night Blade,
It sounds like our childhood was almost the same. The only difference is I got my 20 Ga (Single Shot) first and then the 22. It is sad that more young men today do not have that to influence their life in the years to come.
Ah, Northern Michigan - I Rough necked there after I got out of the service and have fond memories of the area. From TC to Kalkaska, Gaylord over to Atlanta down to West Branch over to Cadillac and back to TC there was always a watering hole where a GUY named Ski could be found. He had no neck and fingers on the ends of his biceps but you could always count on him to pull you out if you were hung in the snow. And always had your back no matter what you needed. He was the first to congratulate you on your deer even if it was a spike. Thank you for the trip down that path I had forgotten.
I think Ski would have said you were crazy or taking a risk you didn’t need to, but I don’t think Ski would have done the Pee Pee shuffle.

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I lived up there and I know that 'Ski guy you're talking about. He'd darn well stand there and watch you shave for a few minutes and, turning, on his way out, give you a big friendly shove on the shoulder and a slap on the back saying, "That's a cool way to shave you got there, Mister, you bet. Oops. Oh... golly. You OK buddy? Mister? You OK?"

He's from right between Mesick and Kalkaska.

I think I went to school with all of Ski's cousins...:w

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Originally Posted by MisterMoo

I lived up there and I know that 'Ski guy you're talking about. He'd darn well stand there and watch you shave for a few minutes and, turning, on his way out, give you a big friendly shove on the shoulder and a slap on the back saying, "That's a cool way to shave you got there, Mister, you bet. Oops. Oh... golly. You OK buddy? Mister? You OK?"

He's from right between Mesick and Kalkaska.

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Remember the time he got misty eyed when Kenny Rogers sang Lucile at the Kalkaska Inn. Showed his softer side that night.

West Silver Lake , East Duck Lake and long lake were my stomping grounds when I had days off. Well that was when I was not sailing or hunting season - Good to know you both also

TinTin

Glad to hear you are going to start the Straight Path there are many here that will help you and have a great knowledge of the path. Remember the dumbest question you can ever ask - - - IS THE ONE YOU DON'T
I was using a 6/8 K.H.S with Cella soap. I did have a red shaving towel over my left shoulder though.
OMG Wonder if that has a meaning in pop culture I am to old to know about?

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Originally Posted by hidestoart

Remember the time he got misty eyed when Kenny Rogers sang Lucile at the Kalkaska Inn. Showed his softer side that night.

West Silver Lake , East Duck Lake and long lake were my stomping grounds when I had days off. Well that was when I was not sailing or hunting season - Good to know you both also

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We lived on Silver lake as well for a couple of years before movin to Long Lake..small world. Did ya ever Party at the Taunz Haus ? That's where I got my drinkin chops started. Uncle Ted Played there a coupla times when he was in the audience bein a local.

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Originally Posted by hidestoart

TinTin

Glad to hear you are going to start the Straight Path there are many here that will help you and have a great knowledge of the path. Remember the dumbest question you can ever ask - - - IS THE ONE YOU DON'T
I was using a 6/8 K.H.S with Cella soap. I did have a red shaving towel over my left shoulder though.
OMG Wonder if that has a meaning in pop culture I am to old to know about?

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I was told that it used to, or still does, have specific meaning depending on which back pocket it was hanging out of. I think over the shoulder is a safe place for it.

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Originally Posted by hidestoart

I did have a red shaving towel over my left shoulder though.
OMG Wonder if that has a meaning in pop culture I am to old to know about?

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Perhaps they thought it used to be white.....

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Originally Posted by Nightblade

We lived on Silver lake as well for a couple of years before movin to Long Lake..small world. Did ya ever Party at the Taunz Haus ? That's where I got my drinkin chops started. Uncle Ted Played there a coupla times when he was in the audience bein a local.

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Taunz Haus oh I do remember that place I remember I got bagged there a few times. I ran from the Pine Stead reef to Flintstones and the Gin Mill up on the corners. I hung more over at the Fireplace Inn

Some of my best memories are cruising to North Port on Saturday mornings in my 66 Mustang with California racing stripe, Cragger mags, G60 14 tires, Traction bars and jacked up. The 289 hypo chugging at every stop. Windows down and Steve Miller on my 8 Track pioneer super tuner under dash with a match book holding the tape to keep it from dragging. Sailing in the afternoon and the return trip included smelt in Omina. Back to Grawn for $0.58 gas and a shower before heading out for the night. How is that for a trip down memory lane? Yeah I remember Northern Michigan
And then there was Deer camp in the fall This was a time when the banker and plumber shared the same cabin, camper or tent, told lies about deer they saw that were bigger than the state of Texas. Jump a head to January in a shanty crouched over a hole with a spear waiting for a pike.

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Originally Posted by hidestoart

Taunz Haus oh I do remember that place I remember I got bagged there a few times. I ran from the Pine Stead reef to Flintstones and the Gin Mill up on the corners. I hung more over at the Fireplace Inn

Some of my best memories are cruising to North Port on Saturday mornings in my 66 Mustang with California racing stripe, Cragger mags, G60 14 tires, Traction bars and jacked up. The 289 hypo chugging at every stop. Windows down and Steve Miller on my 8 Track pioneer super tuner under dash with a match book holding the tape to keep it from dragging. Sailing in the afternoon and the return trip included smelt in Omina. Back to Grawn for $0.58 gas and a shower before heading out for the night. How is that for a trip down memory lane? Yeah I remember Northern Michigan
And then there was Deer camp in the fall This was a time when the banker and plumber shared the same cabin, camper or tent, told lies about deer they saw that were bigger than the state of Texas. Jump a head to January in a shanty crouched over a hole with a spear waiting for a pike.

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Wow.........You sure you and I never met at Hoosier Valley and wasted brains cells together at the Keg ? I was class of "82" . Pinestead Reef and Fireplace Inn. Haven't heard those Names for years. And damn if I haven't had a good smelt fry in ages. Haven't hunted for roughly 30 years........I'm dying out here. Morel Mushrooms in the Spring, Tart cherries in the Summer, Cider in the Fall and Gale Storms in November ! Cherry Festival I am told is getting more and more low key even due to less dependence on tourism, that is sad. My beloved Great Lakes get spoiled by more and more foreign critters and weather each year it seems. ...........different times for sure. I still remember visiting my Grandmothers place in Grayling just off of Dead Mans curve and watching all the Army convoys goin to and fro from Camp Grayling. Oh yeah, and I have a button pin from the now defunct TC 250 SNOWMOBILE RACES that I have held onto for years.

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Originally Posted by Nightblade

Born In Grayling, grew up In TC/Long lake Interlochen area, Nice to meet ya man ! I can smell the two stroke fuel and dead fish as we speak.......man I miss that ! Cheers !:)

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Wow been a long while, we still have property near the old boy scout camp at Bear lake.
Been a long time since I rode the power lines.....
I still have the .22 and 10-22 from my youth my boys get to play with them now. Makes me wonder what happened and I don't consider myself Old....

Don't be surprised if you go back and find multiple men shaving with straight razors next time you're there. It was too much humiliation for them to take lol.