Ok, I looked through a few pages here and didn't see anything about blowdrying long hair. Maybe that is because its the most horrible thing in the world to do but my hair doesn't dry naturally in a pretty way. I'm sure part of that is that it's so out of shape (the reason I found this place) and maybe I just need to be patient with it but I was wondering if you all just let your hair dry naturally all the time or if you had some secret way to blowdry hair that doesnt make it look like a pile of straw. 

I have not used a hair dryer on my hair in decades.  I let my hair air dry.  As Sakina suggested, I use a micro fiber towel that really sucks the moisture from your hair.  I let it hang for a while, I then finger comb the tangles out.  If I need to look presentable I will put my hair in a bun while it is damp.  Taking it down about every hour will let it dry eventually.

One thing that I noticed with air drying - if you use leave in conditioners or heavy conditioners, your hair will take longer to dry than if you don't.  I've found that conditioners that do not have -cones in them, allow my hair to dry faster.

Hang around some more, I'm sure we can help you out!

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Hey Frogi,

I have used a blowdryer.  Yes, I'll admit it, there have been several occasions to use it.  The like being a very special occasion that I couldn't wait the hours it would take for a set of rag curls to dry, etc.  And there have been times, especially in the damp, chilly winter, that I have used a hairdryer.

However...

Using a hairdryer is bad for your hair.  I wouldn't recommend you using one on a regular basis, and could be contributing to why your hair is out of shape now. 

*shakes fist at hairdryers*  Curse my need of you!

Well, onto the good news.  You can minimize the damage of a hairdryer.  Deep conditioning treatments(at least once a month) to start with, and whenever you plan to blowdry your hair, spritz on a little leave-in conditioner before you start.  It works like an extra barrier from the heat.

And the cool button if your friend.  Granted, cold air takes longer to dry the hair, but if you use a mircofiber towel to soak up the majority of the moisture makes the job easier.  And I wouldn't fight the whole "my hair must be all the way dry," experiment a little... see what happens if you put your hair in a braid or bun when it's 80-90% dry.  It'll stay out of your face for the day, and at the day's end, you might find that the slight wave from your hairdo is, well, pretty. 

Of course, weaning yourself off the blowdryer is the best option, but I can't let go of everything...  so I decide to let it do the least damage possible.

Good luck!

See? I knew there was a reason for not finding anything about blowdrying hair on here. 
Thank you all so much for the advice. I'm happy to report that I'm sitting here with air dried hair that is very wavy (I didn't realize how wavy it was) and not minding it too much. I do wish it was a bit straighter but then I'm never happy with all of my appearance. 

I have never heard of a micro fiber towel. Are they sold anywhere or do I have to find a hair product store?

My current routine was to wash and condition my hair almost each night (depending on workout schedule), towel it dry some, read my book to let it dry a bit more and then head to bed. In the morning I get up, get my hair wet and blow it dry while trying to straighten it so it lies smooth and then sometimes (don't throw anything at me here) use an iron to straighten it.
I now realize the error if my ways and will stop that nonsense immediately.  I also need to get my ends trimmed which I'm sure will help.

Aquis is a major name brand for the microfiber towels.  But there are other sources that can be much cheaper. 

One source would be pet supplies.  Dog groomers frequently use microfiber towels to dry dogs that they are grooming.

I have a "pack" towel that is sold by camping supply stores that also works quite well.  These are small, lightweight microfiber or synthetic towels that absorb a lot and dry quickly.  I have one that I use only on my hair, and another for my body when I am on my biking trips.

Air drying will show you the natural curls and waves in your hair.  The ends of my hair don't always look "nice" when air dried.  My trick to "curl" them is to gently wrap sections of the ends around my finger to smooth the hair a bit.  This also curls the ends just enough to match the waves in the rest of my hair.

Good luck and enjoy your hair!

LOL!  Many new visitors make similar comments.  I think most of us have wondered the same thing at one point in time. 

Growing long hair is a long term committment to taking care of your hair.  The ends of my hair are probably close to 10 years old!  They have suffered much, but I treat them carefully now in hopes they won't break off.

Well I started to put my hair in a turban again last night after my shower and stopped myself so your influences are starting to show up.   Instead I just squeezed without twisting and patted it dry.  The turban is just so automatic for me. What is that they say about old dogs? 
I think I will look on the internet for a bigger micro towel. I do live in Montana and we aren't as advanced as the rest of the country on somethings.

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Aww that is nice of you to say! I think if I can get it healthy I can get used to the waves. I have seen some amazing hair that is wavy and it is beautiful. Time will tell I guess. I just wish I had more patience. I guess I'll have to find some. Do you think they sell that on the internet too? 

Oh super!! Thank you for the link. That is what I'll get. No, we don't have a Petco in Missoula. The nearest one is in Great Falls, 200 miles away. I was just there too less than a month ago.
Sweet!! The price is decent too.