Let the mustache showdown begin

Next weekend Gina and I will be driving up north to celebrate the sixth annual mustache showdown.
It will be a weekend of camping, partying and yes, my friends and I will be sporting some of the most disgusting mustaches we can dream of.
What, I’m sure you’re wondering, is a “mustache showdown?” Well, six summers ago, my friend Kaleb and I decided, out of boredom, which of us could grow a more disgusting mustache.
The rules were simple. For one whole month we would grow out this facial hair. No trimming or beards or anything to conceal our mustaches.
I should add we were both doing summer courses at St. Cloud State University, which added to the embarrassment. We received some of the more peculiar looks from our fellow classmates.
At the showdown, it’s just us acting like crazy people — with mustaches. At the end of the celebration, we hand out awards. My favorite is the “Rollie Fingers” award, because that’s an amazing ‘stache.
The showdown has grown over the years. Last summer, it was a three day weekend that ended with us at Canteberry Downs watching ostriches race one another. At least 15 people had grown a ‘stache for that one.
We’ve had these showdowns in Mound, St. Cloud and Riverfalls, Wisconsin.
Over the years we’ve relaxed on the rules, mainly because growing a mustache for me takes about five days, so after 30 it’s pretty disgusting.
I have a good start on the facial hair now, and when I come to work on Monday, I will be sporting a fairly decent mustache. By Thursday, it should be just perfect.
Why do we still do it? Well, Everyone involved with the showdown no longer lives in the same city. I’m here in Worthington, others are in Mound, St. Cloud, Minneapolis and we have a few living in Iowa. The point is, we haven’t seen one another much in the past few years.
So it is like a demented class reunion, except with the people you actually liked and furry upper lips.