Shaving Legs?

When you only have children of one sex, there are certain things you mentally cross off your list.  When we had 2 boys, I gave a sigh of relief for quite a few conversations and issues I just wouldn't have to deal with.  One of those was shaving your legs.  

I remember very well the first time I was allowed to shave my legs.  I had to have been at least 12 or 13.  It took a lot of negotiation and then I did take about 4 inches of the top layer of skin off my shin bone.  But enough about me.  (Notwithstanding the Cycle Mom name, we have established that this blog isn't really about me.)  The point is that the entire "when to, how to, etc" discussion around leg shaving was off my list.

Most of you have probably jumped to where this is leading.  Cyclists shave their legs.  I always thought that it was simply to be more aerodynamic (or just to get attention) so when James started talking about shaving his I thought it was a coup for us to settle on 12ish years old because he would be much faster then (and it would delay the issue 2 years).  Little did I know his dad would totally throw me under the bus and corroborate in a negative assurance kind of way that there are actually 2 other reasons for a cyclist to shave his legs.  (Clearly, "his" legs is appropriate here since "she" cyclists would have many other, unrelated reasons for this ritual.)  There is the "road rash" argument.  I don't feel that I have totally gotten to the bottom of this one.  But it has something to do with the anticipation of crashing, which we seem to do with great regularity, and having to change the bandages.  Why you don't just deal with that pain when it is necessary is quite beyond me, but we've already established this isn't about me.  The second is that "it just proves you're a cyclist."  Hmmm.  I thought the minor (quickly morphing into major) fortune we had invested in this sport proved that.

So, tonight we shaved James's legs.  I gave him a quick primer and warned him of all those tricky places.  He is now convinced it's a task he can handle.  I have to admit I chuckled to myself as I recalled my dad's warning - once you start, you can't stop.

I decided it prudent not to include a picture tonight.  Christopher was there snapping away, but that is the kind of thing that can lead to life long family feuds.  Later, I will back track and give details on James's and Christopher's time trials last night with photos, of course.  The fact that I am now having to revisit every item I had crossed off my mental list was too good to pass up.