Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Driving Nude

I enjoyed driving nude for many miles during our May visits to family. I drove nude most of the way through California, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Utah. PJ often joins in, removing her pants, but normally not her top because she’s concerned people will notice.

But for me, I’ve decided that to be true to myself as a naturist I am essentially required to drive nude when the opportunity arises.

We’ve been looking for window screens that fit our car’s windows better so we can turn our car into a traveling nudist resort. Anyone have suggestions?

Ken

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Naturism Eliminates Abortion & Divorce

Can naturism alone solve societal issues such as abortion and divorce? The following excellent quote seems to claim this.

While I'd like to think so, I suspect more is required?

What do you think?

Ken

“There are about 4, 500 babies that are mercilessly murdered by abortion every day in the US alone. Of those 4, 500 mothers and fathers who abort (read kill) their babies, close to 70% claim Christianity as their religion . . . Another sad statistic . . . is that well over 60% of all so-called Christian marriages end in divorce. That is a lot of marriages and families that have been aborted. Yes, the religion of Christianity is very broken - just look at the carnage. . . There is a cure, a surefire cure, for the horrendous destruction of human life, whether it is through the death of divorce or abortion and the cure is so simple it makes you laugh - literally. Why? Because God designed us this way and our lives are meant to be fun and full of joy. What is it? It’s so simple that it seems crazy, but the answer is literally to just take your clothes off and live as God intended, naked and without shame. . . “Show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my works.” What is my work? I get naked without shame before God and man. That is the “work” of faith! How easy and cool is that? Yes, for sure, we are saved and kept by grace, but it is by the “work” and faith of standing naked and unashamed, that we grow in Christ.” - Roland Smith

Friday, May 20, 2011

Answering the Door – Nude?

Imagine you’re relaxed and undressed at home and suddenly you hear a knock on the door. What do you do? (I’m sure this has happened to many of my readers.)

PJ and I live at a naturist resort most of the time, and there we just open the door naked to welcome whoever is knocking.

But I remember a time not long ago when what to do was a concern. We usually jumped up and threw on the robes that we kept in the closet by the door, not wanting to offend the person who was knocking.

We’ve been traveling the last few weeks to visit family and friends, so we threw our robes in the trunk in case they were needed - not needed so far, but we prepared. Still, I wonder if we are overly concerned, and perhaps even lying in a way. After all, our family all know we are nudists, so why try to be something we’re not? Maybe we ought to be more open.

What do you think?

What do you do when someone knocks on the door and you’re naked at home?

Here are a few thoughts from others about this:

“I put a pair of shorts on to answer the door. If it's someone I know then I apologize for the delay as I don't wear clothes around the house. More often than not they say not to worry they wouldn't be offended. Next time they call then I answer the door nude. I get a lot more visitors now and every Thursday Wendy an elderly friend from a few doors down knocks at the door for a chat whilst walking her dog! This way nobody is offended and I can enjoy being naked at home.” - CJ Devon

"I like to keep some shorts hanging by the door. It’s easy to put these on fast. But it reminds me of the “oops” moment I had a while back. I was cleaning the house and listening to music, so I was really zoning out at the time. The doorbell rang and I quickly went to open it. I opened the door and it was the mail lady dropping off a package for something my wife ordered. I took the package and even commented on how nice the day was. She commented back and just smiled and told me to have a great afternoon. When I closed the door and turned to walk towards the kitchen I noticed my shorts on the chair. Needless to say I had an OMG moment. I laughed and so did my wife when she got home. The next day I made a point to talk to the mail lady (with my shorts on). She just laughed and told me her best friend is a nudist. So it wasn’t a big deal but we laugh about it when I run in to her. I’m sure everyone has had an “oops” moment at some point." - NudieIrishBoy

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Is Naturism Boring?

I completely agree with this thought by GHL.

Ken

“As a nudist, I live my life nude pretty much all day (except when I am at work or out). The minute I walk into the door of my apartment, the first thing I do is take off my clothes. That is how I feel the most comfortable, the most myself, and the most "free". The draw to nudism is being able to do things I enjoy in the nude. Doing such things in the nude creates a greater meaning and enjoyment of the activity. . . what I enjoy most about nudism is the ability, when I can, to do outdoor/athletic things in the nude. Although I understand the relaxing and lounging part of nudism, I have always found it boring. When I go to nudist resorts . . . I could never understand why anyone would spend so much of their nude time sitting and lounging by the pool for hours at end. To me it is just beyond boring and a waste of time. . . It seems we are not talking about nudism as something more than leisure activity; it is also a culture and way of life. . . If you go back into history of nudism, it was not just something of leisure. East German nudism stressed health, fitness and taking care of one's body, a concept that is TOTALLY lost in American nudism. . . I relish at any chance to practice outdoor nudism and be active. It is just overall great. . . That my friends is what nudism is all about.” - GHL

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

South Dakota Freehike

Can one find a place to freehike in the mid-west? I did today!

Over the last few weeks, PJ and I have traveled from Southern California, through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and Nebraska – driving nude most of the way - and have reached Arlington, South Dakota, where we have been visiting a daughter and grandchildren. It’s been fun visiting those we love, and yesterday I helped put in their garden – clothed – oh well.

Today I had some free time since PJ and driven into Sioux Falls to help another daughter, so I decided to walk along the roads to pick asparagus. I didn’t find any, but several miles out of town I came upon a nice wooded section of land bordering a large corn field, cut down to just brown stubs from last season. It looked just too inviting, so I decided it was time for a freehike.

I stepped through the woods, stripped, and wandered naked along the edge of the cornfield for about 15 minutes until the wooded area neared the road and petered out. Hiking nude outdoors always feels so wonderfully freeing – I guess that’s way it’s called freehiking. I walked back to where I’d started, and dressed, prepared to return to town.

On the way back I noticed a dirt road that passed through extensive, stubbled cornfields. Walking down this detour I realized that the land rolled, leaving shallow valleys in the fields through which one could walk without being seen. It was time for another, longer freehike.

I walked far enough down the dirt road so I couldn’t be seen from the main road, except perhaps from afar. At a shallow valley in a field I stepped off the dirt road, again stripped to my brown, naked and natural self, and hiked out into the open field. The day was clear, the sun warmed my skin, the temperature was just right for freehiking, and a nice breeze constantly brushed against my entire bare body. No bothersome bugs. It was soooo natural and wonderful to be freehiking once again.

Along the way I jumped up rabbits, ducks, pheasants, and even a white-tailed deer. Experiencing and observing nature is such an integral aspect of freehiking.

Occasionally, I’d reach a rise in the land and see a truck pass by on the distant road, so far away that it would be impossible for the driver to see that I was as naked as God made me, hiking through the corn fields.

As I neared town, just when I had about decided to get dressed, I came upon a marshy area that diverted me away from town a little way. That turned out to be fortunate. I stayed naked.

Eventually, I reached a row of trees, four wide, that been planted by a business on the edge of town, so I just continued walking naked through the trees until I was only 25 yards from the first road in town. It was finally time to get dressed again.

As I returned to our daughter’s house, it felt so very good knowing that I had enjoyed an hour freehiking through the flat cornfields of South Dakota, and to realize that with just a little care, one can enjoy the love of freehiking nearly anywhere.

Ken

Meeting Others & Freehiking in Colorado

Here's a great report about meeting people and how accepting they can be of freehiking.

Ken

"I went into an area to hike on a Tuesday. It was up in Colorado, the trail head was about 1 hour from a city so I knew I could hike naked the whole day.

I got to the trail head and there was an older couple a woman and two dogs. I got out and was getting ready and the man came up and saw my plates from another state and started talking. They hike the trail a lot and the woman was their daughter, they were getting ready and they invited me to go with them. I declined and all three of them said I should come with them. I asked them how they felt about nudity, they kind of looked at me funny. I then explained free hiking and that was what I was planning on doing. The man said no problem. I said the women need to decide. So off they walked to their car and talked and came back and said it wouldn't bother them.

So I stripped down and off we went. The older man said he would like to try it and also stripped down as we were hiking; his wife kind of giggled a little.

Their daughter said she was going to stop for a minute and would catch up. She showed back up with her top off. We kept hiking and a little later she again said she would catch up, this time she caught up naked.

Her and her father were talking about how great it felt and couldn't believe how it felt. Mom kept all of her clothes on. They said they would do it again and Mom said she was to embarrassed to do it in front of strangers but she wanted to strip also." - jamaccl

Monday, May 16, 2011

WNGD

PJ and I didn't get a chance to garden nude Saturday, but will as soon as we return to California.

Here are some additional nude gardening photos, past and present: http://imageevent.com/kenandjane/wngd

Ken

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Traveling Nudist Resort

Wish you lived at a nudist resort? Why not create your own in the way you live?

Many of us are home nudists. That's much like living at our own private nudist resort.

PJ and I have chosen to actually live at a nudist resort. It is great to be able to be natural pretty much anytime, but we still get dressed to go into town.

Lately we’ve taken several road trips. We traveled back from Texas to California a month ago, and are now on a trip to visit family in Utah, Omaha, and Sioux Falls. Most of the time I drove nude.

It feels so natural and right to be who you are whenever possible, even when driving, and naked is who I am and who I need to be. Recently I heard a great quote about that by a Reverend Davis: "Be who you is, not who you ain't, because if you be who you ain't you can't be who you is."

PJ joined me naked on occasion as we traveled, but was more reluctant, concerned about being seen by passing motorists.

That got me thinking. Why not create our own traveling nudist resort? If you’re already a nudist at home like we are, why not expand your nude time to your vehicle?

With just a little preparation, your car can become your private traveling nudist resort. That might be as simple as hanging a towel in the window to keep passing truckers from seeing in. Or maybe you could hang a short curtain across the lower part of the windows? I suspect window screens are available.

PJ made me a kilt that’s easy to wrap around should I need to stop, or be stopped by the police. A wrape for a woman needs to cover a little more, and perhaps be a little more stylish. Flip flops are easy to slip on.

Sure it takes a little courage to travel as a naturist, especially when stopping for fuel or a meal or to visit a scenic attraction, but it’s so simple to wrap up in a kilt, or put on shorts and a t-shirt (if needed), and slip on flip flops. But if we're truely naturists, we should be proud of it! Why not live it and share it when traveling?

Perhaps naturist activities can be done while traveling? I’ll think more on that.

Oh, and let’s not forget a naturist bumper sticker, and a naturist t-shit. And how about wearing a button saying “Ask me why I love being a naturist!”

Anyone out there have additional ideas or experiences with a Traveling Nudist Resort?

Wonderful Freehiking Video

Here's a link to a wonderful freehiking video: http://vimeo.com/15844944

I love hiking nude! Do you too?

Ken

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

La Jenny Naturist Golf Course

The following quote about a nude golf course in France is inspiring. I've putted around a small golf course at Cypress Cove, and plan on installing a nude miniture golf course in our park. Anyone else interested in playing golf nude?

"La Jenny Naturist Course, on France's west coastline, is the only golf course in the world where nudity is not only allowed but a must. The 22-acre course has only six holes, but they include four par 3 holes and two par 4 holes and a water hazard. There's also a large putting green and a golf pro ready to show guests how to swing that club. There are a few rules that aren't found at other courses. . . golfers must remove all clothes before walking on the course and they are only allowed to take photos of their family and friends. Oh, and any kind of sexual activity on the course is a "non non." - David Moye

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The Best Part is the People

". . . we decided we were going to go to our first nude resort! . . . As we arrived through the gate I remember thinking how perfect the weather was sunny and warm. I couldn’t wait to get undressed and feel the sun on my skin. . . Once the car was parked, it took me about a split second to shed my clothes. My wife just laughed a bit because she knows how I am! . . . As we walked through the tree lined pathways I never felt so close to nature, the elements were so intense. No matter how good this felt, NOTHING could have prepared me for what was next! The best part of being there was the PEOPLE. Everyone we passed looked right in our eyes and gave us a warm and genuine greeting. Thats right people being warm and genuine. THIS was a new experience for us. This was what it was all about, and until you feel it you can not even imagine how wonderful it is. Even my words here do not describe it. . . all I can say to you is GO . . . this weekend and meet the wonderful people that are naturists. Move past your anxiety and I guarantee you will say “Why oh why did I not do this sooner!“ So get up, Get out there, and meet the Greatest People on the Planet. You’ll love it! I guarantee!" - Eric

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

2011 Bare Burro a Success!

Three years ago as I freehiked those quite dirt roads imagining people running and walking naked through the hills above Olive Dell Ranch, and thought up the name “Bare Burro 5k”, how could I have known what a wonderful event it would become? How could anyone have known?

The April 17th, 2011, 2nd Annual Bare Burro 5k at Olive Dell Ranch was a great success. Over 100 nude participants enjoyed the course and the awards ceremony afterwards. Then, many stayed to relax in the sun and eat with spectators and new friends on the deck and around the pool. This year the winning time was a blazing 19:40. (Way to go Patrick who asked before the race if he could run it barefoot!)

New people ran, including many who had never attended a naturist event before. The local running club attended this year, along with many other new faces. Cottontails abounded. What a great way to introduce new people to nude recreation!

The event was not only fun, it was a financial success; expenses were paid and the club made a profit. It started Olive Dell’s season off with a bang!

Thanks to all of the Olive Dell residents, Don of www.ThingstoDoNude.com , and other non-residents who volunteered their time. (I’d like to personally recognize my wonder wife, Jane, for all of her help during the race. For those who don’t know her, she’s the one who painted numbers on everyone’s legs.) The event wouldn’t have been nearly as successful without so much help.

We all look forward to next year. Be sure to attend the 3rd Annual Bare Burro 5k in 2012. It’s such fun to run bare in the sun!

Ken

PS – Some photos have already been added to the Olive Dell website (http://www.olivedellranch.com/bburro.htm ), and I’ll send additional photos out soon. In the mean time, here are this year’s results:

Overall Winners
Patrick – 19:40
Wayne – 21:26
Mike – 21:40

20-29 Year Old Men
John – 27:10
Brian – 28:26
James – 30:37

20-29 Year Old Women
Charmaine – 28:26
Samantha – 44:42

30-39 Year Old Men
Patrick – 19:40
Mike – 21:40
Kevin – 21:44

30-39 Year Old Women
Ivy – 36:18
Sunday – 37:42

40-49 Year Old Men
Wayne – 21:26
Lee – 22:47
Dan – 25:44

50-59 Year Old Men
Eric – 23:35
Jeff – 24:11
Peter – 26:13

50-59 Year Old Women
Lynn – 43:34
Antia – 44:55
Penny – 66:50

60-69 Year Old Men
Paul - 26:59
Jake – 32:11
Gil – 32:33

70-79 Year Old Men
Alan – 29:50
Richard – 79:01

Times
Patrick – 19:40
Wayne – 21:26
Mike – 21:40
Kevin – 21:44
Rupert – 22:05
Lee – 22:47
David – 23:06
Choy – 23:25
Eric – 23:35
Jeff – 24:11
Glen – 24:20
Dan – 25:44
Robert 25:46
Peter – 26:13
Todd – 26:21
John - 26:50
Paul - 26:59
John – 27:10
Joe – 27:11
Michael – 27:44
Keith – 27:49
Jay – 28:15
George – 28:25
Jim – 28:26
Brian – 28:26
Charmaine – 28:26
Raygan – 29:49
Alan – 29:50
Paul – 30:35
Douglas – 30:37
James – 30:37
Roger – 31:28
Jake – 32:11
Willis – 32:30
Gil – 32:33
Vincent – 32:36
Ron – 32:42
Drew - 32:47
Robert – 32:53
Greg – 32:53
Dennis – 33:07
Joe: - 33:08
Julio – 35:35
Joe: - 35:39
Neil – 36:18
Ivy – 36:18
Mikie – 36:58
Mike – 37:42
Sunday – 37:42
Jim – 38:20
Siong – 38:04
Art – 38:50
Scott – 39:37
Michael – 39:38
Gordon – 40:00
JP – 40:14
Howard - 40:26
Larry – 40:38
Robert – 40:49
Eric – 41:22
Edd – 42:04
Lynn – 43:34
Samantha – 44:42
Antia – 44:55
David – 45:30
Edwin – 45:56
Gilbert - 49:00
Ed – 50:35
Roger – 50:36
Scott – 50:37
Scott – 60:05
Laurie – 60:05
Paul – 66:05
Penny – 66:50
Richard – 79:01
Charles – 90:00
Rolf – 100:00

Skinny Dipping Girl Scouts

"Before this first experience, I had never been nude in public. I hadn’t given personal nudism any thought. I’d heard the term “skinny dipping” but had associated it with far away and fiction about boys at the ol’ swimming hole. About age 12, our camp group went on an overnight into the “rough country” near a mountain stream in the high Sierra Nevada Mountains. Upstream from our rustic campsite a generous pool of water was fed from the stream that washed across and between huge granite boulders. Wading into the pool we regretted leaving our bathing suits back at the main camp. Being “just girls”, however, a few brave souls finally removed jeans and shirts. It didn’t take long before the rest of us doffed all clothing in order to vigorously splash in the stream, a rare treat, compared to the chlorine-laced waters we all knew. Just above the pool one particular boulder was nearly flat, the size of a small truck. The granite was green with the algae, where water flowing across it enabled growth in the glinting sun. Some brave girl, completely naked, clambered to the highest place on that boulder and then slid down gleefully into the pool.
Soon, all of us joined her, sliding on the slick rock and shrieking, again and again, as we plunged into the icy surging stream. The smartest ones stopped to sunbathe and dry off after only a few times, while the rest of us continued our slide until we realized that the algae was wearing off the rock. Our red butts were a painful reminder of our foolish hedonistic activity. That was my first nudist experience. I secretly savored that memory anytime I saw a similar stream for years. I also didn’t tell my parents that I went skinny dipping at Girl Scout camp." - Allegra

Monday, May 2, 2011

Search for Body Acceptance

"I’m a 35 year old female nudist and I hope others can learn about the healing, joy, and freedom that nude recreation can bring. My journey started in 2003 and boy has my life changed radically since then! . . . My search for body acceptance changed my life. It brought me to learn of the freedom of clothes-free living. Not just freedom from clothes and the cost of so much laundry detergent to clean them, but freedom from my self-imposed bondage to fear, shame, and self-hatred. I was the last person in the world who anyone would have expected to enjoy nude recreation, yet I’m the happiest person in the world now that I live it!" - Barely Melissa

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Surviving the Bare Burro 5K

HOW I SURVIVED OLIVE DELL’S ANNUAL BARE BURRO 5K RUN
By Rolf H.

Cynthia and I arrived at the Olive Dell Nudist Ranch around 9 am on an absolutely beautiful, crystal clear Sunday morning to take part in their 2nd annual 5K Bare Burro Run. The temperature at that point was in the low 80's and just perfect for running, or walking the course. I am still a little too out of shape to attempt running the 3.1 mile trail that winds through the green hills behind Olive Dell, but I figured I could easily walk it.

We got our gear from the car and made our way up to the shady grass area near the pool where we met some friends and SCNA members George and Leslie from San Diego. They were both planning to run for the second year in a row, but Cynthia decided she’d rather be an observer this time, watch our stuff, and take pictures of us at the start and end of the race. When we registered, we were each given a commemorative t-shirt, and they painted our entry number on our right leg (I was #16). As the hour progressed we saw more and more people arriving, including SCNA members David, Gordon, and Akila and her daughter Amy. We also said hello to Anita and Joe Panganiban from AANR-West.

A little before the 10:30 start time all 101 runners and walkers gathered at the start line in the upper parking lot. The organizers explained the course layout.

As we stood at the starting line, Leslie pointed out to me the footwear of another runner standing near us. "Yeah, they're called "Mexican sandals," he said. I mentioned that they looked more like Roman sandals, consisting of leather soles approximately 1/4" thick with leather laces over his feet, ending just above his ankles.

Just before the countdown started, Leslie said, "Don't worry about holding back to walk with me. If you want to go ahead, go for it." In reality, it was the other way around, for as soon as the count went to zero and we all started off, everyone (save about 4 others) passed me by very quickly.

The course left the clubhouse parking lot and wound around past the "birdhouses" and then through the residential area and into the hills above. It seemed like the next mile and a half were almost all uphill. Whew! Just as I passed the half mile marker going up and had been walking approximately 15 minutes, the guy wearing the "Mexican sandals" ran past me downhill on his way back to finish line.

And speaking of nature, about 3/4 of a mile up the course as I rounded a bend in the trail, I came upon a native crossing the road, a four-foot long rattlesnake! I kept my distance and let him go on his merry way, but warned the next few runners on their way back down to watch out for him.

The course took us to a peak that overlooked the entire area and afforded a glorious view of all of Reche Canyon and Colton beyond to the north.

Olive Dell had painted red "uphill" arrows and blue "downhill" arrows on the ground for us directionally challenged first-timers and they also had volunteers along the way providing water, as well as encouragement, throughout the course.

Hey I wasn’t in any rush; just completing the course was going to be a victory for me. I kept plugging along, sure but steady, stopping a few times along the way to snap some photos or let my pounding heart settle down a little. I finally made it to the peak around 45-50 min. after starting. I stopped to take some more pictures of the gorgeous landscape and vistas visible from that point. It also helped to have a nice cool bottle of water waiting for me up there.

The good news is the second half of the course was almost all downhill. After a few minutes, I started back down, only stopping a couple of times to let a couple on horseback pass on the path. I finally reached the finish line and clubhouse patio a little after noon. The awards ceremony had already started. Besides medals for the overall winners, Olive Dell gave medals away to males and females with the best times in different age groups. For example, Leslie won the First Place medal for women in the 40-49 age range! Anita Panganiban also was awarded a medal (see photo). And what happened to the "Mexican sandal" guy? He was the overall winner completing the entire course in only 19 minutes! Next year we suggest they put rocks in those shoes as a handicap!

We spent the rest of the day visiting with friends, making some new ones, and relaxing in the sun, pool, and Jacuzzi.

The owners, Becky and Bobby Kilborn, as well as their staff, and all the Olive Dell volunteers need to be congratulated for organizing and overseeing a great race and opening up their hospitable and friendly resort for a wonderful naturist event.