Things to Know about the Bare Burro 5K

Hurry - only two days left to register for the Bare Burro 5K. Don’t miss California’s first nude run! (And even if you can’t run, you can join PJ and me for a fun walk in the sun and claim an awesome commemorative Bare Burro t-shirt for participating!)

As Laura says: “Can't wait for April 18th! Chica and I will be there with bells on!” Hopefully you can attend as well.

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE BARE BURRO 5K

The Bare Burro 5K will be held Sunday, April 18th, at Olive Dell Ranch, 26520 Keissel Road, Reche Canyon, Colton CA. Link to map here: http://www.olivedellranch.com/directions.htm
Race-day check-in starts at 9:00 am, and we will gather for the race by 10:15 am.

If you’re coming Saturday the 17th, plan for some fun activities, including a pre-race freehike of the course, of course. In addition, we are planning guided tours of the totally unique Dellymaze Park and the newly opened Olive Dell Nature Trail. Dave is offering nude tennis lessons. If we have enough people we will hold volleyball, shuffleboard, and horseshoe competitions.

There is nude karaoke at 6:00 pm and a fun dance at 8:00 pm Saturday night – the annual Trailer Trash Dance - followed by a group soak in the hot tub. Hopefully the pool will be warm enough, and it will certainly be warm enough for some relaxation / sunbathing.

The restaurant will be open all day, and will serve a special dinner (you must order the dinner by lunch time). It should be a fun weekend for you and any friends you bring along. There are still very nice cabins available for $30 a night (call Olive Dell at (909) 825-6619, and ask for Bobby).

We are also planning a BBQ after the race.

Olive Dell is clothing optional (you may chose to wear clothes or not), but the race is nude, except you should plan to wear socks and running/walking shoes, unless you’re a barefoot runner.

You must be nude to enjoy the hot tub, pool, and surrounding areas. Please shower before entering; shower facilities are available at the resort.

Bring two towels with you; it is nudist etiquette to sit on your own towel\.
Bring your sunscreen, especially if you are a newbie nude.

Cameras and cell-phone cameras are not allowed during the race. A photographer will be available after the race to take your photo if you want.

Firearms and illegal substances are not allowed at Olive Dell ranch.

Plan on not being embarrassed; everyone is bare for the first time; you’ll soon find just how relaxing and enjoyable nudity can be. Check out www.aanr.com or www.naturistsociety.com for pertinent information about the nudist lifestyle.

For more information on Olive Dell Ranch, go to www.olivedellranch.com. Address questions to kenfreehiker@yahoo.com.

A Day in the Life of a Naturist (Video)

I loved this documentary video (part one) about Carina who has chosen to live a life as a naturist in a colony in southern Brazil. She is involved in nude driving, gardening, shopping, volleyball, swimming, yoga and meditation, making a living, and just plain living as a naturist:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbkpdy_a-day-in-the-life-of-a-naturist-par_lifestyle

In part two, Carina gets ready to attend a wedding, experiences a romantic dinner/evening, sleeps, showers, gets ready for the day, eats breakfast, works, plays bocce ball, jogs, swims, and generally enjoys life as a naturist:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbkprf_a-day-in-the-life-of-a-naturist-par_lifestyle

Nude Gardening, Freehiking, and Visitors

PJ and I had to work an extra day this weekend, so only had Monday off. We got to Olive Dell early, determined to do some overdue weeding in Dellymaze Park (with the recent rains the weeds seemed to have jumped up). While nude weeding, I noticed a naked couple freehiking down the Olive Dell Nature Trail. (It’s always so gratifying to see someone enjoying our handiwork.) I invited them to tour Dellymaze, so after meeting Trevor and Barbara from Orange County, PJ and I took them on a nude tour of the Park.

Then, we prepared some cement and freehiked to the top of the nature trail to fix a trail sign the Bare Burros had broken. While working on the sign, Laurie came by, taking her morning freehike.

We then freehiked the rest of the trail to check the other signs, and returned to our naked gardening in the Park.

Laurie stopped by to talk when she returned from her freehike. It was nice to hear more about her life as a naturist.

Later, another couple, Jeff and Donna from Colorado, came up the hill to visit Dellymaze - quite a few visitors for a Monday! We took them on a tour of the Park, and left them at the start of Grandkid’s Gulch. Later we noticed them freehiking down the Nature Trail.

After nude gardening for five hours, we took a break and drove into Moreno Valley (a town only ten inutes from Olive Dell) for lunch. While there, we purchased several cactus plants for the Park, which I planted when we returned. We then worked on a new ‘Alien Attraction’ that PJ has been planning for Dellymaze. We love our nude garden, and sharing it with our naturist friends.

We ended the day taking a shower together, relaxing in the hot tub with four friends from the resort, and then enjoying a nude dinner in the restaurant. All in all, our short break from the clothed world was very enjoyable.

Unabashed Freehiking Advocate

“I have become an unabashed advocate of nude hiking. I've been day hiking and backpacking all my adult life, but when I started doing it nude a few years ago, I was changed forever. There is not much that can beat the physical and psychological satisfaction of hiking nude up a long, hot, sunny alpine trail, of finding an icy, glacier-fed lake, of quickly jumping in, of leaping out even faster, of bragging to any Gray Jay that will listen of your superhuman ability to withstand the most Arctic of water temperatures, and of baking dry on a nearby flat piece of warm granite. Such activities were meant to be enjoyed nude, and I encourage all men and women to experience them.” – www.bodyfreedom.org

Why I Hike Naked

“. . . my friends have asked me why I hike naked and how I came upon it. At this time of year, the question gets around to why I am crazy enough to continue through much of the winter, and in the snow.

My short reply to all of them is that I have found a way to combine two of my passions, naturism, and outdoor active personal sports.

I have since discovered that in this case, the boost to my spirits and other benefits to my life are truly greater than the sum of the parts. I have found hiking naked to be an effective deterrent to my seasonal bouts of depression. Every season has its own special pleasures. . .

Another answer that I have come up with to explain hiking naked to people who have skinny dipped before . . . is to think of hiking naked as skinny dipping, not in the water, but in the breeze. There are few experiences that match the cleansing that occurs when one has an opportunity to peel off all of the layers of civilization, leave most or all of it behind for awhile, and play in the sun, moon, dirt, wind, and rain as we did as kids and as our creator intended. . . I feel blessed to have been allowed to experience in person, a special place of beauty and peace in my life.” - Dan

Love Being One With Nature

This past Wednesday afternoon PJ and I spent some time freegardening in Dellymaze Park and along the Olive Dell Nature Trail, changing a few signs, and gathering a few plant specimens for identification.

Then, on Thursday morning I freehiked the course for the upcoming Bare Burro 5K (to be held at 10:30 on April 18th - see http://www.olivedellranch.com/ for details and registration information – hopefully some of my readers can attend).

The weather was perfect to be out in nature naked. The plants are green, the trees are growing leaves, the flowers are blooming, and the wild cucumber pods are getting huge.

I just love being one with nature the way God intended – naked and totally unashamed.

Nature Lovers are Freehikers

“First, we hike because we like hiking and being in nature. It just makes sense that a nature lover would want to be natural in nature.” – Happy Hikers

Olive Dell Nature Trail Nearly Complete

I didn't have a lot of time Tuesday morning before going to work, but I did take the time to freehike the Olive Dell Nature Trail (about one mile), and picked a couple of new plant samples for a professor at the university to identify. (The professor says he'll bring his family for a tour when the trail is ready, although he doesn't know it's at a naturist resort yet.)

The Nature Trail (and trail guide) is nearly done. It will be one of the best nature trails in Southern California. People are already walking it and thanking us for our work on the trail. That is very gratifying.

When the Nature Trail is done we'll announce and host an open-house (open-trail?) with guided tours. Anyone interested in visiting us and taking a tour? The Bare Burro 5K, which will be held at 10:30 on April 18th, would be a good time to visit for a guided tour.

Wife Initiates Freehike

“The first time I went for a nude hike was at my wife’s request in Vermont. . . It was early . . . on a fine autumn day and my wife wanted to go for a hike. . . About 1 mile in on an old unused trail . . . My wife stopped . . . The next thing I knew she was naked. Well, I joined her. . . all she wanted to do was hike naked . . . After an hour or so I was really getting into this naked hiking thing. Wow, I loved it, the freedom. My wife was right, great fun, super feeling of freedom and my skin loved the sun and wind. Yes I was hooked. I was totally amazed . . . What a feeling! . . . The leaves were red, orange, yellow and falling with the wind. It was so natural . . . After a while we turned around and there were two couples just staring at us. . . We just said hi and I said why not join in. Believe it or not the women got naked and joined and then the men. The day continued, with all six of us naked hikers and with no loss for conversation. I guess this friendship will last a long time. . . As we all got back to within a mile or so of the ranch, we stopped for a drink and final conversation. . . This was a great day to remember . . .” - Bear

Visitors To Olive Dell Ranch

It was nice to have two people visit us at Olive Dell Ranch this weekend.

Mike (USH) visited from Utah. He’s come for visits several times before, and we always enjoy his company. We all walked down to the restaurant for breakfast after he arrived, and we were back talking on our deck when Vicki came up the hill with a new visitor to the resort. I asked if he wanted a tour of Dellymaze Park. We talked for a few minutes and he explained he’d decided to visit Olive Dell after reading about it on Kenfreehiker’s blog. I told him he’d found Kenfreehiker.

Soon Mike, Andrew (the new visitor from Texas), and I were freehiking the Olive Dell Nature Trail and up the Picnic Table Trail. (Olive Dell has wonderful freehiking.) Andrew continued further for several hours. Mike and I returned to the trailer.

Mike headed for the hot tub while I prepared signs for the nature trail. Later, Mike, PJ and I met Andrew on Olive Dell Nature Trail returning from his four-hour freehike as we were installing the signs I’d completed.

After installing signs, Mike and Andrew returned to the pool area, while PJ and I continued nude gardening in the park. PJ worked on the Dino Dig, and I worked on a new trail – Sierra’s.

(Perhaps Mike and Andrew will respond to this post and share their feelings about the visit.)

Late afternoon we had to leave to meet up with my son and his family who were visiting from Utah. They’re not naturists yet (too bad) so we couldn’t meet at the resort - maybe someday.
Anyway, it was nice having people visit us. All are welcome to join us when you get a chance.

Freehiking Fixes SAD

“I have found hiking naked occasionally during the winter to be quite effective at keeping my old friend SAD (seasonal affective disorder or winter depression) well occupied during the months of short days and shallow angle sunlight.” - Dan

It's a Great Feeling Freehiking

“I've . . . never had any problems hiking nude on the trail. The hikers I've passed on the trail have been friendly and didn't have any problems with my being nude. Always enjoy having someone hike with me. It's a great feeling hiking nude on the trail.” – Samson3b

Find Your Naturist "Happy Place"

It was still overcast and cloudy when PJ and I arrived at Olive Dell Ranch Wednesday afternoon. Still, it was just warm enough to undress, scope out a new trail to be named after one of the resort kids – Sierra - and erect a few signs in Dellymaze Park, and also one at the top of the Olive Dell Nature Trail. We walked back along Grandkids Gulch looking for a spot for PJ’s newest arrival - the Alien Head. We had fun working and dreaming together.

After sunset we showered together down at the clubhouse, and then soaked in the hot tub which now has a brand new heater. Soaking naked with your loved one, talking about the successes, failures, and dreams of the day, and watching the stars overhead – ah, bliss on a cool evening.

Then we retired to our trailer to eat dinner and watch a movie. We love our “Happy Place” at Olive Dell Ranch.

A few weeks ago PJ explained how much we enjoyed our “Happy Place” and Dellymaze Park to her 82 year old step mother, who commented that she had never even dreamed of having a “Happy Place”. Her life had been one of religion, discipline, and raising a family in the proper manner. How sad to have lived an entire lifetime without a “Happy Place”.

We have friends who would love to find a “Happy Place,” but always have reasons to not get there – too much work, not enough money, not enough time, wrong location (too far away), raising children, family and friends who wouldn’t understand – lots of reasons, many excuses, and in the end "no time left". I know - I’ve lived that way too. Life is too short for excuses.

It’s so sad that most people spend a lifetime striving for approval, money, possessions, and power, setting goals, trying to be like someone they admire, someone who really doesn’t exist, rather than reconciling themselves to their real selves and accepting their true “Happy Place,” a place of peace, a place of love, and in our case, a place free from clothing.

We have discovered the truth that naturism helps people find their “Happy Places,” away from the stresses of the so-called real world. Our “Happy Places” ultimately count most of all. So I encourage everyone to dream enough to search for a “Happy Place”. And naturism is the easiest path to finding a real “Happy Place” – perhaps the only path – at least for me and PJ.

Freehiking in the Off Season

“I hike naked comfortably for hours at a time with the temperatures in the low to mid thirties F and light breeze, as long as I am moving. If I stop for more than a few minutes, out comes some layers to put on.

The deal breaker under these conditions is the wind. As the temperature goes lower, I tolerate less wind, higher and I can tolerate more of it. I am good for an all day naked hike under most circumstances if the temperature is in the mid fifties or higher. If the wind is light, fifties is fine for me sitting naked, as well.

I have hiked many times before under the same conditions, with various combinations of clothing, and been far less comfortable, sometimes down right miserable. I once started out on a cold overcast day last fall on Mt Monadnock in NH wearing kilt, tank, tee, and knit cap. Within 10 minutes, I was sweaty, cold, and miserable. Off came everything except the shoes and socks, and I was comfy the rest of the day.

Of course, there were plenty of muggles and a stiff breeze on the summit, so I put the clothes back on till after I had started back down. The temperature that morning was 38 deg F with a moderate breeze, and did not get out of the 40s the entire day. I will jump at the chance to hike naked in the rain in 50 deg F anytime that I can. I will never do it again textile if I can avoid it.

. . . Though I did not say it, I was implying that one ease in slowly, by continuing to hike naked through the fall and into the early winter, and listen to one's body. Put on clothes or retreat when it is no longer enjoyable.

Hiking naked in the cold is best done with a pack. The only difference between textile hiking in the cold and naked hiking in the cold is that everything that you would be wearing textile, and then some, plus a survival kit, will be in your pack in case you need it.

Cut back your mileage, and know your area, as the days are short. Also keep in mind that when hiking naked in the cold you must eat and drink, almost continuously. Your body is probably burning more calories than usual and may crash suddenly if low on nutrition and hydration. The possibility of hypothermia is not to be taken lightly.

Done with care, hiking naked in the off season is a most amazing experience. Sorry, this has little to do with losing shame, but consider the possibility of encountering a textile hiker while hiking naked on a typical late fall-early winter or late winter-early spring day! The contrast in attire or lack there-of is a conversation starter to put it mildly. Mutual respect and quiet confidence goes a long way in these situations. As usual, I don't go out there to create these situations, but I have been there on occasion, and the experiences have been rich. More naked-textile casual encounters in varied, but appropriate settings - good thing." – Dan

Our Day Freegardening and Freehiking

Even though it was heavily overcast and cool on Monday, PJ and I spent most of the day gardening nude in Dellymaze Park at Olive Dell Ranch. The weeds had grown up to two feet tall due to frequent rains this spring. It was definitely time to do some weeding.

John, dressed only in a shirt and shoes, dropped off the resort’s weed eater and some gas, and I got started. I don’t necessarily recommend operating a weed eater nude, because it has a tendency to throw up small rocks, but it made the task much more enjoyable. Besides, my clothes didn’t end up covered with small bits of green that easily washed off my body when PJ and I showered afterwards. PJ pulled weeds along the trail, while I operated the weed eater. I also pulled a few weeds and cleared out dead branches from a tree near one trail.

After an enjoyable day freegardening, Dellmaze Park looks mowed and beautiful, ready for visitors - I hope some of you drop by.

Later in the afternoon I freehiked the Olive Dell Nature Trail and repaired several signs. A few raindrops fell as I hiked. Still, the trek felt wonderful, even after a day gardening in the nude. There is something utterly and uniquely pleasurable about freehiking. I was reminded yet again how fantastic freehiking feels – even on a cool day.

Naked Fishing Report

“I had seen on a map where a small river rumored to have lots of rainbow trout went down in a very deep, wooded canyon about 30 miles east of us. One weekend we loaded up the station wagon with our cruddy old backpacks, cans of pork and beans, beer, etc. Drove out to where, according to my map, we would find an old road down into the canyon.

Well, “road” would be a very charitable description of what we found. When we could drive no further, we strapped on all our stuff - clothed mind you - and followed the “road” down toward the river bottom as it became less and less of a path, with more and more brush, uglier thorns with every step. The hike wasn’t more than a couple miles, but the temperature was over 90 when we finally popped out at the base of the canyon.

This was an almost inaccessible area; no chance of anyone being around at all. Almost instinctively, in our hot, sweaty, scratched-up, worn-out condition we spontaneously stripped off our clothes and jumped in the river. Wow, what a feeling!

We took our fishing rods and hiked our way naked probably one mile down river and then back up. We drank beer and talked until the million stars were visible overhead; slept well, got up and hiked out the next morning. Caught a few fish, saw no other people, had a grand time. I was hooked (little fishing humor) on being naked outdoors.” - Daveco

Naturism can be Profoundly Positive for Children

Several times this week I was reminded how unconscious kids are of nudity at Olive Dell Ranch.

On Monday I was weeding nude along a trail in Dellymaze Park when the six year old naturist and her mom (and little brother) came down the hill. We talked for a minute about how they had been for a picnic by the stream and then returned via the Grandkids Gulch trail. (I love it that the people at the resort are enjoying the trails I’ve opened up and named.) Anyway, at a branch in the trail above me the daughter took the more difficult trail that passed right by this old naked man. I said, “Oh, you’re coming this way?” Her mom said, “She’s choosing the way.” Obviously my nudity was of no concern to either. It was a nice, natural encounter.

Then Wednesday, PJ and I were naked at the top of Grandkids Gulch fixing a sign when we heard the happy voices of children coming up the trail. Soon four girls arrived excited to show us a waterfall they had discovered. The oldest (12) said she’d really like a trail named after her and I said I’d make one. It was fascinating that nudity didn’t bother them in the least.

Today I read an article called ‘Sexting’ on The Rise at Schools’ (http://www.azstarnet.com/news/local/education/article_71d82f36-d62d-5101-961b-e7ff6d608bdd.html).

The article explained that ‘Kids are collecting these [nude] pictures like baseball cards. It has turned into this contest to see how many pictures they can collect of their peers doing these inappropriate behaviors.” Mr. Bonn sees this as problematic because the majority of students in sexting incidents ‘are such willing participants’.

To my mind, the problem is not that the kids are willing participants, but that society has pornified the naked human body. Three thoughts come to mind:

1. Why are simple naked photos considered sexy anyway? (In fact, why call this ‘Sexting’? Doing this just confuses the issue.

2. If people understood and practiced naturism kids wouldn’t need to send naked photos, and parents and teachers wouldn’t be so freaked out if they were sent.

3. Clearly nudity is becoming more acceptable to kids, and this may bode well for the naturist movement in the future.

Children are natural naturists and don’t confuse nudity with sex until society and parents screw up their minds. How can we prevent our kids from becoming citizens, wittingly or unwittingly, of the vast pornopolis of modern culture? My answer is to practice naturism with our family. All parents should consider the positive aspects of incorporating naturism into their family life. Little can be done to better protect the family. Naturism can be profoundly positive.

First Time Was Nude Hiking

“My first time going out nude was hiking . . . I spent my longest hike nude last spring hiking in the mountains for five hours. I did not want it to end! I could have stayed all day. The liberating feeling of the air on my skin and the sun touching my whole body was exhilarating.” - shysidun

Freehiking the Bare Burro 5K Course

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