People Who Enjoy Nudity Are In Good Company

“Benjamin Franklin was in the habit of taking air baths each morning in his room. He made some efforts to induce others to adopt the practice and speaks highly of the benefits he derived therefrom. Franklin particularly desired to divest himself of all clothing when doing mental work. . . The real question is - how many famous people are or were naturists without the general public becoming aware?” - Herbet M. Shelton The list of people who appreciate nudity and even practice naturism is nearly endless. Consider these famous people: Alan Graham MacDiarmid (Nobel Laureate Research Chemist), Alanis Morissette (Singer), Alexander Graham Bell (Inventor), Alicia Silverstone (Actor), Amy Grant (Singer), Barry Goldwater (Senator), Barry Manilow (Singer), Benjamin Franklin (Inventor/Politician), Benjamin Roston (Mine Detector Inventor), Bettie Page (Model), Betty White (Actress), Bev Killick (Actor), Billy Graham (Evangelist), Bismarck (1st German Chancellor), Bob Crane (Actor), Brad Pitt (Actor), Brian Giles (Major League Baseball Player), Brigitte Bardot (Actor), Bridget Fonda (Actor), Britney Spears (Actor), Bruce Willis (Actor), Calvin Coolidge (President), Carmenza Gomez (Actor), Catalina Sandino Moreno (Actor), Catherine Zeta Jones (Actor), Charles F. Richter (Earthquake Measuring System Inventor), Charlize Theron (Actor), Chelsea Handler (Model), Cher (Singer/Actor), Christina Aguilera (Singer), Christy Brinkley (Model), Claudia Schiffer (Actor), Daniel Radcliff (Actor - Harry Potter), Danny deVito (Actor), Daryl Hannah (Actor), David Duchovny (Actor), David Ginola (French Spurs Soccer Star), Demi Moore (Actor), Dolly Parton (Singer/Actor), Donna Summer (Singer), Drew Barrymore (Actor). Tired yet? Here are more people who appreciate nudity: Edgar Rice Burrows (Author), Edward Kennedy (Senator), Edward the 8th (King of England), Eliza Dushku (Actor), Elle McPherson (Model), Erica Durance (TV Actor – Smallville), Erica Jong (Actor), Ernest Hemmingway (Writer), Erykah Badu (Singer), Eugene O'Neill (Writer), Eva Mendes (Actor), Ewan McGregor (Actor), Framke Janssen (Actor), Fred Rogers (TV Actor - Mister Rogers' Neighborhood), Gabrielle Reece (Model), Gary Merrill (Actor), George Bernard Shaw (Playwright), George Orwell (Writer), Gerald Ford (President), Geraldo Rivera (News Reporter), Gilda Radner (Comedian/Actor), Goethe (Philosopher/Scientist), Gwyneth Paltrow (Actor), Halle Berry (Actor), Hanna Teter (US Olympian), Hayden Panettiere (Actor), Heidi Klum (Model), Helen Mirren (Actor), Helena Christensen (Model), Henry David Thoreau (Author), Hilary Swank (Actress), Isadora Duncan (Dancer). And here are more: Jack Nicholson (Actor), Jackie Kennedy Onassis (First Lady), Jennifer Hawkins (Model), Jerry Seinfeld (Comedian/TV Star), Jim Carrey (Actor), Jimmy Buffett (Singer), Jennifer Aniston (TV Actor), Jennifer Lopez (Actor), Jennifer Love Hewitt (Actor), Jenny McCarthy (Actor), Joanna Krupa (Model), John Adams (President), John Barrowman (Actor - Dr. Who), John D. MacArthur (Billionaire Insurance Man), John F. Kennedy (President), John Lennon (Singer), Josh Duhamel (Actor), Julianne Moore (Actor), Justin Timberlake (Actor), Kahlil Gibran (Writer), Karlie Kloss (Model), Kate Hudson (Actor), Kate Humble (Actor), Kate Winslet (Actor), Katherine Hepburn (Actor), Keira Knightley (Model), Kelly Clarkson (Singer), Kevin Bacon (Actor), Kyra Sedgwick (Actor), Lenard Nimoy (Actor – Spock), Leona Lewis (Singer), Lily Allen (Actor), Linda Hamilton (Actor), Lindsay Lohan (Actor), Lison Brie (Actor - Mad Men), Lizzy Caplan (Actor), Lynda Bellingham (Actor), Lyndon Johnson (President), Lynn Redgrave (Actor), Macy Gray (Singer), Madonna (Singer/Actor), Marcus Graham (Actor), Mark Twain (Author), Malin Akerman (Actor), Mary-Kate Olson (Actor), Matt Millen (Raiders Football Player), Matthew Fox (Actor), Matthew McConaughey (Actor), Megan Mullally (Actor), Michelangelo (Artist), Mischa Barton (Actor), Natalie Portman (Actor), Nick Offerman (Actor). Getting the idea? Many famous people appreciate nudity. Here are more: Olga Korbut (Gymnast), Olga Kurylenko (Actor), Padma Lakshmi (Actor), Pink (Singer), PJ Harvey (Singer), Rihanna (Singer), Richard Hatch (Writer), Rinko Kikuchi (Actor), Robbie Williams (Actor), Robert Broom (Scottish Paleontologist), Robert Heinlein (Writer), Robert McNamara (World Bank President, former U.S. Defense Secretary), Roger Baldwin (American Civil Liberties Union Founder), Rosario Dawson (Actor - Sin City), Ross Allen (Actor), Scott Brown (Politician), Sean Connery (Actor), Shakira (Singer), Sienna Miller (Actor), Sir Ian McKellen (Actor), Sophie Monk (Actor), Suzanne McNaughton (Opera Star), Theodore Roosevelt (President), Thomas Eakins (Painter), Uma Thurman (Actor), Ursula Andress (Actor), Walt Disney (Businessman), Walt Whitman (Poet), Will Young (Singer/Actor), Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of England), Woody Guthrie (Singer), Woody Harrelson (Actor). “[We swam] Rock Creek or even the Potomac if it came in our way. Of course, under such circumstances we had to arrange that our return to Washington should be when it was dark, so that our appearance might scandalize no one. . . If we swam the Potomac, we usually took off our clothes. I remember one such occasion when the French Ambassador, Jusserand, who was a member of the Tennis Cabinet, was along, and, just as we were about to get into the swim, somebody said, 'Mr. Ambassador, Mr. Ambassador, you haven't taken off your gloves,' to which he promptly responded, 'I think I will leave them on; we might meet ladies!’” - President Theodore Roosevelt

Definitions

“‘Why go naked?’ It is about feeling relaxed, comfortable and free. Imagine walking on a glorious sunny day, wild flowers in full bloom, the alluring green of the South Downs, and the pleasure of the company of like minded people. Reason enough for many to walk in the countryside, but walking without the encumbrance of clothes enhances the experience many times over. ‘Why be a naturist, why go naked?’ is really the wrong question. The real question is, ‘Why not?’ What really stops you?” – The Thoughtful Naturist We were all born naked; this is a simple truth. So what happened after that? Why are we so concerned about nudity? It all starts with what we mean when we think and talk about nudity. Nude is simply not wearing clothes, but as Jenny Harper points out, the concept carries others meanings: “When we use the term ‘naked’, we are referring to being deprived of clothes. It’s a word that almost generates embarrassment of such a condition. We regularly speak of ‘the naked truth’ and ‘the naked soul’, which suggests that nakedness is not just a physical state but a spiritual and psychological one. The word ‘nude’, on the other hand, carries no uncomfortable overtone. The image it projects is not of a defenseless body, but of a confident body.” So I’ll begin with a few definitions to reduce misunderstanding and confusion from the start. Nudism is the ‘practice’ of not wearing clothing. Don’t read more into it than that. Nudists are people who enjoy doing things common to daily life without wearing clothes. They are normal people who like the feeling of the sun and wind on their skin and the freedom to be content with themselves without shame or fear. Nudists believe that the human body is not bad, ugly, or illegal. They enjoy being naked when it is natural, but have common sense so don’t demand nakedness everywhere, anytime, but only when it feels natural and practical. Nudists don't go naked to offend or provoke. They only shed their clothes when it’s convenient and comfortable. They simply enjoy the world at its most natural by experiencing life naked. To be considered a nudist requires no minimum or maximum level of participation in social nudity and it’s really more a mental attitude about the body anyway, so many of its benefits can be derived without ever taking off a stitch of clothing. ‘True’ nudists are not exhibitionists, voyeurs, swingers, or perverts of any kind, so are not interested in seeing others naked, being seen naked, or making nudity sexual. For a nudist, nakedness is not about seeing or sex; it’s about being. The terms Naturism and Naturist are often used interchangeably with the terms Nudism and Nudist, though Naturism also implies more than just taking off clothing for recreation. It’s more of a life philosophy concerned with respect for self, for others, and for the environment, with physical, psychological, environmental, social, and moral benefits. I prefer the term naturist over nudist because it promotes and promulgates a larger, more inclusive worldview, and not just the idea of getting naked for recreation. (So I will mostly use the terms ‘naturist’ and ‘naturism’ from now on.) It’s very important to understand that naturism is not sexual. (I will discuss this in more detail later.) Rather, it’s a totally moral, chaste, and safe life philosophy. It’s not a religion; it is practiced by people of all religious persuasions whether they are Christian, Jew, Buddhist, Wiccan, Pagan - and yes there are even Muslim and Mormon naturists! Naturism may be seen as ‘sinful’ by conservative people who misunderstand and think it is immodest, feeling that naturists are obsessed by evil, but this is untrue. Some people are drawn to naturism more than others and may therefore need it more to be right with themselves. But people are no more obsessed with naturism than they are with being clothed – in fact, they are perhaps less obsessed than ‘textiles’ who demand that ‘everyone’ always be clothed, or else. It’s wrong to be ‘obsessed’ with the sexual aspects of nakedness, and this type of obsessed person is certainly not a naturist. Some examples follow: Voyeurs are accused of being addicted to pornography because they get perverse sexual pleasure from seeking out and looking at naked or scantily dressed people and photos. Gawkers, a unique category of voyeur, might sit with binoculars above any beach watching the people below. Gawkers may even get nude on a beach and sit near other naked people to get a close-up view, and often use a cell phone to take photographs. Voyeurs and Gawkers are NOT naturists. In fact, they may get ‘turned on’ even more by sexy clothing than by nakedness, and are seldom nude while practicing voyeurism. Exhibitionists or Flashers get excitement and perverse sexual pleasure from showing parts of their bodies to shock others. Exhibitionism does not occur in naturism because exhibitionists find no thrill in places that lack overt sexuality; naturists are not shocked by nudity. Exhibitionists may be people who are trying to come to terms with naturism in the wrong way, but they are definitely NOT naturists yet. In naturist environments exhibitionists are as unwanted as in the rest of society, so people who cannot control their ‘inner exhibitionist’ will not be tolerated because true naturists do not get naked to be seen, to shock people, or to experience sexual pleasure. Naturists just like being nude. If they like to be with others, it's because humans are social creatures. Swingers use nudity to find sexual partners other than their spouse. Sex is the main goal for swingers, not being nude, and because nudity might inhibit sexuality, swingers often prefer sexually alluring clothing to total nudity. Swingers are definitely NOT naturists, at least when swinging. Pornists use nudity as a sexual lure to attract people and make money. This group includes strippers, prostitutes, pornographers, and the like. Even some art, fashion, marketing, and media types become pornists at times. These people are NOT naturists. They are only interested in nudity because of the money it produces – sex sells. One might wonder if voyeurs, exhibitionists, swingers, pornists, and the like can be considered nudists when they are simply relaxing without clothes. Perhaps yes, if the reason for being naked is truly ‘not’ about sex. Naturism and sexual activities are totally separate, so it’s as possible for a swinger to also be a naturist as it is for an evangelical Christian. But, since practicing naturism disconnects the ‘naked equals sex’ mind-set, it is essentially impossible for those focused on sex to be naturists who by definition don’t focus on sex. So, don’t make the mistake of lumping this less-than-wholesome crowd with naturism. Exhibitionists are NOT naturists; they are motivated to show their skin for sexual thrills. Voyeurs and those caught up with porn are NOT naturists; they just want to see skin for sexual stimulation. Swingers are NOT naturists; they are motivated by sexual conquest. Pornists like strippers and those involved in sexually-oriented photography and marketing are NOT naturists; they are making money selling sexual fantasy. In contrast, real naturists enjoy naturism for the natural simplicity and sense of freedom it brings them, ‘free’ from sexuality. Finally, perhaps the most common category of people to consider is Textiles. These people may be so obsessed with wearing clothing that they are uncomfortable being nude around anyone, even with a spouse, or in a group shower, or with a doctor. Not only that, but textiles moralistically demand that everyone conform to their clothes-obsessed attitude, seeing nakedness as sexual and perverted. They don’t even realize that they are actually more obsessed with clothing, nakedness, and sex than naturists. They are just the flip-side of the same unwholesome, sexually-oriented coinage as voyeurs, flashers, swingers, and the sex-for-pay crowd, who think nudity and imagine sex. One of the very best aspects of naturism is that it tends to cure people, at least those who want to be cured, from negative sexual obsessions surrounding voyeurism, exhibitionism, swinging, and pornism. Even obsessed textiles who try naturism can be cured. Using nudity as a cure for sexual obsession may seem counterintuitive, but I know this to be true from experience. In the past I was plagued to some degree with voyeurism, exhibitionism, and pornography. Learning about and practicing naturism totally cured me, but more about that later. I understand you may think naturism to be ‘quirky,’ because it is; it must be to correct an even ‘quirkier,’ worldly body attitude. But as ‘quirky’ as naturism seems, it turns out that one is in good company as a naturist. “Nudism is an expression of freedom and to be nude is to be totally free. Nudism embraces the joy of living in a comfortable, healthy, and natural way.” - Inudist “Being naked does not a naturist make. Being a naturist is a life view with nudity as a connection to humanity and nature.” - The Naturist Review “Naturism is a philosophy of life. It’s a way of thinking, acting, and looking at the rest of the world. We are fostering respect for self, for others, and for the environment. . . naturism is a lot more than just taking your clothes off. It is a life philosophy with physical, psychological, environmental, social and moral benefits. People join naturist clubs because they want to find a better way.” – Stéphane Deschênes “I am a ‘Christian naturist’, so to me, naturism is about being able to live as God intended, ‘naked (nude) and unashamed’. It is about allowing our bodies to interact with our environments as they were ‘designed’, not filtered and suffocated through some man-made vestiges apart from the need for protection from the elements such as thorns, thistles, too much sun or too little warmth. It is about proudly proclaiming and displaying that we are made in ‘God's image’, mind, soul AND BODY.” - Nathan Powers “In a topsy-turvy culture where wearing clothes is thought of as normal, and going without is seen as the behavior of exhibitionists or weirdos, an unexpected flash of flesh does for everyday experience what Shelley thought was poetry’s task: it ‘strips the veil of familiarity from the world’. Nudists . . . are the human exclamation marks that punctuate our lives.” - Robert Douglas-Fairhurst “Frankly I have long since tired of so many in general society viewing nudists as eccentric, odd, voyeuristic, exhibitionists, sexual predators and pedophiles. We are simply normal, everyday Americans who refuse to buy into the prudish culture of body shame, extremist modesty standards and nudity as a societal taboo.” - The Emerging Nudist “When a person starts to get outside with the sun and wind on their skin they tend to start appreciating the natural world more. This is why I use the term Naturism instead of Nudism. The practice is not just about being nude. It is getting back to a natural condition physically, psychologically and socially. Extending that perspective outside of yourself allows for an appreciation of others and the world around you.” – Cayanet

Iowanudists Video

Matt's freehiking video promoting iowanudists.com: http://vimeo.com/45947913 Ken

Uncomfortable in our skin: the body-image report

I loved this article so much, I decided to edit out a few thoughts. Ken Uncomfortable in our skin: the body-image report - Eva Wiseman http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/jun/10/body-image-anxiety-eva-wiseman "Body image is a subjective experience of appearance. It's an accumulation of a lifetime's associations, neuroses and desires, projected on to our upper arms, our thighs. At five, children begin to understand other people's judgement of them. At seven they're beginning to show body dissatisfaction. As adults 90% of British women feel body-image anxiety. And it doesn't wane – many women in their 80s are still anxious about the way their bodies look which . . . can even affect their treatment in hospital, when their health choices are influenced by aesthetics. Many young women say they are too self-aware to exercise; many say they drink to feel comfortable with the way they look; 50% of girls smoke to suppress their appetite – is it too strong to suggest that these things, these anxieties, are slowly killing them? . . . [the] current "airbrushing" culture leads to huge self-esteem problems – half of all 16- to 21-year-old women would consider cosmetic surgery and in the past 15 years eating disorders have doubled. . . The long-term effects, the piling on of pressures one by one, like a dangerous Jenga tower, means women's – and increasingly men's, 69% of whom "often" wish they looked like someone else – lives are being damaged, not by the way they look but by the way they feel about the way they look. . . Rates of depression in women and girls doubled between 2000 and 2010; the more women self-objectify, the more likely they are to be depressed. . . The pressure, the girls agree, is not, in fact, to be skinny – instead it's to look sexy. "Hot." . . . until now, everybody has talked about thinness and control, rather than changing your body to attract a boy. . . Both the cosmetic surgery and the cosmeceutical industries (anti-ageing products) are growing, fast. It's these industries, along with the fashion houses, the diet companies, the food conglomerates which own the diet companies, the exercise and fitness industry, and the pharmaceutical and cosmetic surgery industries that combine, perhaps inadvertently, to create a climate in which girls and women come to feel that their bodies are not OK. . . "I do think we should be prosecuting the diet industry for false advertising. If dieting worked, you'd only have to do it once. There is evidence that diets may in fact contribute to fat storage and that, in giving a sense that food is 'dangerous', create conditions for rebellion, which eventually makes people fatter than they were to start with." (Ormand) . . . "Eating becomes a means of communication . . . We're socialised to be negative about our bodies . . . fat talk . . . everyday conversation that reinforces the 'thin ideal' and contributes to our dissatisfaction. Like: 'You look great – have you lost weight?' Or, on being offered a bun: 'Ooh, I really shouldn't.' After three minutes of fat talk there's evidence that our body dissatisfaction increases significantly. Naming this – fat talk – makes much sense to me." (Dr Phillippa Diedrichs) . . . We hate how we look because of our new, complicated visual culture, because of a fashion industry that has not adapted, a media that forensically analyses women's bodies and saturates our culture with body-change stories. Because of the rise of cognitive eating, the increasing abilities and accessibility of cosmetic surgery. Because to be feminine, today, means to hate your body."

Born or Made a Nudist?

I was definitely born to be a nudist, and am not right if I pretend otherwise. How about you? Ken "From my earliest memories I have wanted to be nude. Never knew I was a nudist until my first social nude experience. I was born a nudist. It is part of who I am. How about you? Born or made?" – Armadillo "I was definitely born a nudist, it just took me many years to realize it. When I was growing up I always enjoyed being nude when I could but was always careful to be sure I was alone and always managed to avoid being caught. I daydreamed often about how it must feel to be completely nude outside and wished we lived in a rural area that might have given me a chance to try it when no one else was around. In retrospect, I think I may have been somewhat obsessed with the idea. Now that I participate in the lifestyle, my childhood yearnings make a lot more sense." - Perfect Tan "My wife has convinced me many, many years ago that nudists are "born." She says that those that have a "need" to be naked are born with a special gene. She likes being naked, she's been a willing participant but she says that her "liking" being naked is nothing compared to my desire and need to be naked. I don't think any differently about others who state, later in life, that they are "now" nudists. That they've found this lifestyle and enjoy being nude when possible but wonder if circumstances were different or they were given an ultimatum ... they would let it go. I don't think I could or can." – FireProf "I was born a nudist. Some of my earliest memories are being outside playing in the back yard naked. This was before I was 4 years old and all through my school years I loved being nude, I would get my butt paddled when young by my mom for going outside nude in front of the other kids. There was a little girl that lived a few houses from me that would have the same problems with her mother for going outside nude, always wondered what became of her as they moved away when I was 12. I was always nude when at home alone as my parents did not approve of being nude inside or outside the house. My later years in high school I met 2 girls that like to nude sunbathe and we would go into the woods by my house and get nude and lay in the sun and also swam in the creek that ran through it. My wife likes my being nude and since we met she has become a nudist also." - Caaptain Willie "I believe that because young children are rarely reluctant to run around and play naked and have to be taught that society frowns on public nudity, there can be little doubt that most, if not all, people are born nudists. I think it is unfortunate that adults teach young children that there is something fundamentally wrong with being seen naked. How can that possibly adversely affect anyone? How can anyone claim to be offended by the sight of a nude person? But I digress. I am definitely a born nudist. For as long as I can remember I have been more comfortable nude than clothed." - Bill Bowser "I think we're all born nudist and some learn body shame. Those who learn otherwise, learn to accept themselves and many become nudists for life." - Cheri

Interesting Naturist Business Opportunity

'Nakations' offer a respite from clothes and stress Cynthia Johnston “DELUXE IN DEMAND - Nudists also appear to be seeking out a higher-end experience far removed from the more affordable rustic tent camping and family-oriented sing-alongs by the campfire of previous generations, experts say. Wanting to be able to have a cocktail, wanting to be able to join a petanque team or play tennis competitively, or something like that, there is a trend of people looking for more upscale resorts. Increasingly, those options are more available. As for the next nude travel frontier, there is no shortage of ideas for vacations nudists describe as a significant source of stress relief for them as they leave societal norms and expectations behind.” Any ideas about what naturists may want in the future? Sounds like an interesting business opportunity to me. Ken

What Can We Do?

“When I was a kid here in Utah we had a public pool and after swim team or anytime really we were always hanging out in the shower room naked. There were no dividers in the shower and it was all good. We would even have towel fights or other goofing off. Today it is a no go. I have had kids in gym and sports and no one showers in front of each other. It is a bit bizarre with how the world has progressed in other areas and the rise of a more predominant progressive mind set. And yet I am sure none of my kids have showered or maybe even seen the same gender naked. I think it is pretty ridiculous and so do all my friends and few of them are naturist or nudists. So the question is are they going to be freaked out or bothered if they ever see anyone shower naked or heaven forbid a nudist or freehiker. It feels like we have done a disservice to future generations.” – Threadsfree “I use our local gym here in Chico, California . . . My gym has a men's-only steam room, dry sauna, and jacuzzi, and large group shower in one room. I am astounded at the silliness of modern-day youth. I am 48 and grew up showering everyday in high school, required of course, with the gym teacher standing there handing out towels and making sure you showered and returned them. . . I see young men practically do gymnastics in their efforts to change their clothes without their bodies being seen. I saw a guy in the Jacuzzi with shirt and shorts. I see guys shower in shirt and shorts. I see guys who have worn boxers into the shower and then act embarrassed by their boxers "showing" so they hold a towel tightly around their midsection to "hide" their boxers. What the hell is life coming to in this country? I am honestly dismayed that this kind of behavior can even exist. Those of us who are simply being ourselves living in reality, natural, and comfortable, unwilling to pretend that we need to "hide" for some reason, are a dying species. I fear, honestly I fear, for the next generation when those of us over forty are dead and no one even remembers what body freedom is about. It's not just about body freedom. It's about freedom of loving, of believing things, of expressing one's feelings, of being an individual. From my point of view, these young people are growing so distant from reality on so many levels that they are becoming like the electronics they worship. . . I am interested in making a difference if there is anything we all think we could actually do to turn the tide back to a nature-based reality.” - Brian Anthony Kraemer

Nude Group Showers?

When I was in Jr. High in ultra-conservative Logan, Utah, we were "required" to swim naked during gym, and we got naked to shower as a group. Then an earthquake made the school unsafe. Maybe that's why swim suits started to be required, or may I'm just getting old. Ken Here are some thoughts from others about the changes that are occurring in this "modern" world. Anyone else have some thoughts about that? "I just started going to the gyms in the past 5 months and in 2 different gyms I was amazed at the number of men who will put on gym trunks in the locker room, then go to a shower stall to shower, then change back into their street clothes in the locker room. This makes no sense to me at all." - Clevenaturist "Started out taking gang showers from Jr. High all the way through High School. That continued during my stint in the service. Not a thing wrong with it. Just a bunch of guys getting clean and ready for the next class, rest of the day, etc. There was no harm and nobody made an issue of it. While at the gym later on in life, the shower stalls were open gang type as well. Nudity was common. Again, nobody made an issue out of it." - NudeM "I remember when I was growing up . . . being naked in a locker room was not only not an issue, but it was something you were supposed to do. You changed, walked naked to the showers . . . then walked again naked to the locker, and in between you could be chatting with a friend, or with a friend of your father´s. . . Every month we had to undergo a medical check up. The Dr. Office was in the locker room, so it was not unusual for men to be standing in line naked, waiting to see the Doctor. There was a season when the original doctor was off, and a female doctor subbed for him." - 788 "When I was in the Marines there was no privacy in the shower not even stalls without doors much less with. We removed our uniforms outside the showers in one large room, picked up your soap & washed. When you were finished you walked back to the bench where you left your clothes, dried off & dressed." - Pahjo "I'm 35 and when I had a gym membership . . . I stuck out because I wasn't ashamed to be naked in a locker room. I was a rarity for my age and generally you had to have white hair otherwise to be nude in the locker room. I once sat in the sauna with a fully dressed guy - probably aged 20. He had his full gym wear, socks, and sneakers! He left the steam room and left the gym without changing, into February cold." - Chris "Somebody made a decision to end showers, and high school has stunk to high heaven of sweat and Axe ever since." - Mark "I am amazed by how many young people my age go through great lengths to ensure no one sees them as they change or undress. Some wrap towels around themselves and some go as far as enterting a bathroom stall to change. I can only shake my head in disbelief at their stupidity. . . I attended an all boys high school ('96-'00), and no one dared to get naked in the locker room. After gym period, no one showered. . . . I recall my freshman year, it was hot outside and everyone was sweating and once we all went back to the locker room, you can smell the sweat. I had English afterwards with most of the students and the class room smelled reaal bad. The teacher cracked all the window and was angry at us for being inconsiderate and not showering. He had to cancel class because the smell was so bad. From what I heard, he brought it up to the attention of our principal and gym teacher but nothing changed. I also was on the track team and a football club in HS and even when we had games, no one showered. We changed back into our clothes and left. I think this is the same story for most young people and it has to be a major reason why they are so paranoid and shy about public nudity." - Croydon "My HS had a pool that was open to the public. . . After the swim, we would always take off our swim trunks and shower. Others would be in the showers too. I thought nothing of it. I remember one time as I was getting older, entering the showers and seeing kids my age with their swim suits still on. I remember debating whether I should have my suit on too. No one teased me or anything, but I wondering which was correct: on or off. That was the first of many debates when I had to choose between being like my peers or my family. If my family showered in our suits, there would have been no debate. When I was in HS, showers after gym were mandatory. Everyone did it nude. Since it was the norm, no one thought twice of it." - Kouak "A few years ago I was at a public beach and I went into the mens shower room to shower and change before going home. After I came out of the shower I was standing standing in the common area of the shower room toweling off and a man was holding up a towel sheilding me from his childrens view, both of who were boys, and he said in a very cross manner "Do you mind, there are children in here!", to which I replied, "no, I don't mind that they are here at all!" and continued on as I was. He "hurumphed" and hurried his kids out of the shower room so they would not be forced to see a naked person in the shower. It was all very crazy. I still can't understand what he thought was going to happen if his boys saw a naked person in the shower room." - Eagle59 "This is amazing to me also. Anyone under 30 at the gym seems to have a deep fear of nudity. They change into workout clothes with a towel wrapped around their waist and wear board shorts into the shower. They also sit in the sauna fully dressed. My friends at the gym, the 45 to 55 crowd seems much more relaxed. We walk to and from the showers naked and can even have a conversation along the way. I have thought about doing a survey about attitudes towards nudity. I suspect it comes from the fact that junior and senior high school students no longer shower at school. We have let the hysteria over the rare cases of pedophilia override common sense hygiene and body acceptance." - Hikenaked "Wow, yeah. These accounts have me shocked and horrified. Society has really stigmatized nudity even in locker rooms. Sad. Really sad that people are so ashamed to be nude even in front of people of the same sex. That mentality, to me, is what is shameful." - Steve-O

Sharing Naturism with Textles

"I personally feel that the only way naturism will gain general acceptance is if non-naturists have more opportunities to see it and get used to it. And that means more mixed venues. I know we worry about losing hard-won nude and C/O beaches due to an influx of textiles. The solution however is not segregation and isolation, but to develop an army of textiles supportive of the option to be nude, textiles willing to speak up in support when some individual complains, textiles willing to tell a complainer to cool it and be tolerant, textiles ready to vote against intolerant regulations and instead be willing to discuss mutually agreeable modi operandi. The change is not just for textiles. We naturists need to be more open, to seek actively and publicly more officially sanctioned C/O spaces, to talk to our neighbors about things like backyard nudity, to be naturist role models that supportive textiles can point out, to sincerely not be bothered if we are seen nude by some colleague, acquaintance, friend or unknown invitee, to engage intolerant people in a patient and friendly way, to work to revise intolerant regulations. We're simply not going to get textiles to recognize the distinction betwwen "indecent exposure" and "decent exposure" unless they've seen the difference themselves. We have a wonderful set of values to advocate, that are in tune with mainstrean themes like gender-equality, ecology. tolerance and mutual respect. It is time to let these out the gates of a hidden "lifestyle". It may seem more comfortable to be safe among certified like-minded naturists, but in the long run we need expand our naturist community to include actively-tolerant textile friends who share our values even if they don't shed their clothes." - Adge

Two Great Quotes Today

“Thirsty prurience drinks furtive sips, but a strong wash quells the curse and quenches the curious. Too many of us live wrapped up in our customs/costumes when we need to be open to the common gifts of humanity. Too many of us live wrapped up like entourage mummies in someone else's idea of heaven. Too many of us live and die without the fun of nude photos of ourselves doing regular, everyday things.” - Will Forest, Nude Scribe “Where are our nude beaches? Somehow, we have lost something here that has been enjoyed since the dawn of humanity. For thousands of years we humans have removed our clothes to bathe naked in lakes and rivers. . . Not so long ago, in very recent history, someone decided swimming suits were necessary. What happened? As a boy in the 1930s, my father used to skinny-dip in Beaver Creek, north of Slayton in Murray County. As a boy in the 1960s . . . We, swimsuited scouts from Roseville, shared the Wilder pool with grown men, all of whom swam naked. No one regarded either situation as a crime, but our youthful swimsuits were an indicator of America's growing fear of the naked body. Something had changed . . . I think the change was driven by fear. . . that naked equals sex, and sex is bad, and that naked is therefore bad. I believe that many unhealthy behaviors result from this flawed reasoning, ranging from eating disorders to sexual abuse. The repression of natural things encourages them to manifest sideways.” - Patrick Scully

Phoenix to Las Vegas Skinny Road Trip

Yesterday I drove nude with PJ from Phoenix to Las Vegas on our way to work in Utah. As I mentioned previously, this route would make an ideal Skinny Road Trip – what could be better than enjoying a naturist drive/camp/freehike/soak on the way to a fun weekend in Las Vegas? On the way we passed the Burro Creek Campgrounds and Kaiser Warm Springs exits. According the Casa Blanca, this would make idea place to stop as part of an organized Skinny Road Trip along this route: “The Upper Burro Creek Wilderness Area East of Highway 93 offers a mere 27,440 acres of free nude camping, nude sunning/swimming at deep pools connected by small waterfalls, and enough scenery to last a lifetime. Kaiser Warm Spring is MUCH more than just a spring, it's a BLM owned home run with the bases loaded! The walk is just far enough to keep unwasheds out and, verily, was just about absolutely the most litter free spot we've visited in years. There's complete privacy and the scenery beggars description with all manner of desert flora and fauna, several bird songs we'd not before heard,wild burro tracks (and skat all over the place, but we saw no burros), 800 foot high canyon walls, several natural caves, name something. Shortly before reaching the spring, there's even the abandoned Touch Hole Gold Mine, so named because the claim holders kept destroying the visitor-built pool at the spring in an effort to keep soakers away. After the claim was vacated, a couple from Hawaii rebuilt the pool and it's been great soaking ever since; THANK YOU to them. The mine is just before the spring on the right. UNLIMITED nude hiking and free fourteen day nude camping and two tepid tubs a few yards downstream from the warm spring add to this WORLD GUIDE CLASS area, but the icing on the cake is that less than 200 yards from the spring, Kaiser Canyon meets Burro Creek with its sandy beaches, good sun window, MASSIVE red sandstone sunning boulders, the largest we know of, and skinnydipping in the refreshing creek water. Who could ask for more?! Flowing at 12 gallons per minute and 95 degrees, Kaiser isn't hot in our book, but those waters must be HEAVENLY in summer. We enjoyed a couple of nice soaks; an advantage of spring water below about 99 degrees is that one can stay in much longer without becoming overheated; marathon soakers will be at home at Kaiser. According to three sources, clothing (rather, the lack of it) is NEVER a concern at Kaiser, "because that's the way the Indians used it for THOUSANDS of years before we arrived." Words cannot describe the feeling of freedom and sisterhood with nature, one feels strolling down Kaiser Canyon in clothes freedom.” We are definitely interested in joining other naturists on a weekend Skinny Road Trip from Phoenix to Las Vegas. We would plan to stop at the wonderful area described above. Let us know if you are interested in joining us.

Horse Thief Trail Freehike

Driving from Grand Junction, CO, to Salt Lake City, UT, in late April 2012, PJ and I stopped to freehike the San Rafael Swell with our friend Sum Oleguy. It had been years since we’d had a chance to be nude in this area. We started by taking a few photos (see http://imageevent.com/kenandjane/sanrafaelhike) at the abandoned Smith Ranch near the trailhead. Then we got naked and then hiked the Horse Thief Trail. We didn’t bother to take along a safety wrap; the area was so out-of-the-way. Much of the trail crossed slick-rock, so it was good we had a guide to keep us on the trail. Along the way we saw many beautiful red-rock formations. Boob Valley was especially interesting because the name was so descriptive of the rock formations. Spectacular views the norm near the top. Wow, what a view at the final pass where the trail dropped steeply to the valley. I has to be one of the best views in the world. The freehike back was quicker – we wanted to get down before dark. As always, the sun and breeze felt so wonderful on my bare skin, but it was especially gratifying to realize that my old feet still worked. That evening we ate dinner with Sum Oleguy and stayed at his home. Thanks Sum Oleguy for the very memorable freehike.

Still Naked Me

Yesterday, as I was walking naked down the road (except boots) to work on the tail around Shangri La, I realized how completely naturism has become natural for me. I felt totally natural walking and working naked outdoors. In fact, it took conscious thought to even realize I was naked. Even the idea of working in clothes seemed totally insane. Later at 10:30 pm I was returning from the restroom (nude of course) and stopped to talk for about five minutes about the trail with a lady friend who was out walking her dog. She loved what PJ and I are doing. Afterwards, I realized how amazing it was for a naked guy to approach and talk with a naked woman in the dark of night without a care from either person. I slept naked of course. This morning I’m naked on the computer, and about ready to put on my socks and boots (that’s all) and head back to work on the trail for about five hours. I love being naked. Naked is so completely natural for me now. Naked is how I live! Naked is who I am!! Naked is great!!! PS – Morning, eating a bowl of Raison Bran, sitting under the large Palo Verde tree over my deck, the tree covered in yellow blossoms, accompanied by the buzz if many feeding bees, the breeze light, enjoyable, my next door neighbor stepped out of his trailer to let out the dog. Then Trucker Steve walked by with his dog. We were all nude. Nude is wonderful!

Naked Me

Yesterday, as I was walking naked down the road (except boots) to work on the tail around Shangri La, I realized how completely naturism has become natural for me. I felt totally natural walking and working naked outdoors. In fact, it took conscious thought to even realize I was naked. Even the idea of working in clothes seemed totally insane. Later at 10:30 pm I was returning from the restroom (nude of course) and stopped to talk for about five minutes about the trail with a lady friend who was out walking her dog. She loved what PJ and I are doing. Afterwards, I realized how amazing it was for a naked guy to approach and talk with a naked woman in the dark of night without a care from either person. I slept naked of course. This morning I’m naked on the computer, and about ready to put on my socks and boots (that’s all) and head back to work on the trail for about five hours. I love being naked. Naked is so completely natural for me now. Naked is how I live! Naked is who I am!! Naked is great!!!

Skinny Road Trip to Phoenix

Today I drove from Las Vegas to Phoenix (actually New River) – 4.5 hours – naked all the way. About half way I pulled off the highway onto a dirt road and stood by the car naked to take a wiz. I did throw a towel over me when I stopped at the Burger King to-go window, so not quite naked all the way. As I drove I watched for places to stop for a future nude picnic and freehike; there were many great places. I realized that this route is an “ideal” Skinny Road Trip! Wouldn’t it be fun to join a “group” of naturists on a nude drive through beautiful desert scenery, stop for a naked picnic and freehike along the way, and arrive in Las Vegas just in time for a show and perhaps a swim at a topless European-style pool? I’m sure the drive back would be equally memorable. Is anyone interested in joining PJ and I for this Skinny Road Trip? We love Vegas, and sharing naturism along the way seems the perfect way to go! Here are a few more thoughts from those who love Skinny Driving as much as me: “I can wear a pair of shorts while driving and I'm constantly tugging at the crotch because of pinching and binding...then wear another pair and not have that problem but an irritation someplace else. Most times, when I wear shorts and am driving...the shorts stay off til I get to where I'm going!” - FireProf “I went to a nude bowling event the other night. Afterwards, I was going to meet up with a friend at a bar about 25 minutes away. It was a cold night with some rain/snow mix. I only wore a pair of track pants & a hooded sweatshirt to the bowling, so for one, I could slip in and out of them easily, and two, I didn't have to take off my jeans, shirt, etc and leave them lying around. So when I left the bowling alley, I got into my truck, turned on the heated seats and slipped off my shoes and pants, leaving the sweatshirt on, but unzipped. I brought my jeans & t-shirt with me to wear at the bar. I drove like this for about half the way, then the car had warmed up enough that I took off the sweatshirt and drove nude the rest of the way. I stopped around the corner from the bar and got dressed in my truck (well, I actually opened my door and stood out on the running board nude to slip on my jeans).” – AlwaysNaked “We were traveling across the country and hit some long stretches of road in Texas where there is virtually nothing until you get to El Paso. Everyone in the car shucked off their clothes and we drove for 100’s of miles rarely seeing anyone else. When we came to more “civilization” we were happy to be in the land of good restaurants and gas stations again but getting dressed was a downer.” - Platypus “Had to go out to Rancho Cucamonga again today, as well as going to Ontario and Burbank before going into work. Out of a total distance of 147.4 miles I was able to drive 136.8 miles nude. As usual I will be driving home nude.” – JP “Over the last couple of weeks my boy (14) has been stripping down to his birthday suit in the car! So what is a mother to do? . . . I do the mad dash into the store and pray that he is all clothed when I get back. What do you think I find? One naked child chillin in the car BUT still has the seat belt on! Yup seat belt in place like this is the way driving is supposed to be. Free and uninhibited! . . . Well it looks like I have a lot more work to do with the “Keeping the clothes on while you’re in the Car” lesson. . . Who’d have thought that this was one of the lessons that would become a part of the teaching repertoire, but I guess it is. How do you explain to the public that the 14 year old kid in the front seat, naked but still wearing his seat belt, is ok . . .” – thefunnysideofautismin

Driving Naked Time

Spring is here so it's about time to start driving named again - Hurray! Later in the week I'll be heading from Northern Utah, through Las Vegas, to Shangri La in New River, AZ. It should be a great trip for comfortable driving. I'll share how it went next week. Until then, here is a fine naked driving video by NakedHikerNW:http: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2xy6mKXdJo&context=C4351d79ADvjVQa1PpcFOHEb9FGGcTqPJFAQiujjpbv_dymmRGxs4= And here are a few quotes from others who enjoy naked driving: “My Mustang convertible is so low you have to sit DOWN to get into it. I often drive naked with the top down in summer. I drive through town. I stop at traffic lights. I don't bother with a "cover." I've never been hassled. Hardly anyone can see what pants you are wearing, even in a low car. And hardly any of those will bother looking. Most people are just paying attention to their own business.” - Bob “. . . we've had unseasonably warm temperatures here the past few days, so today I drove from Toronto back to Montreal, nude the entire way. I even had to stop to take a leak on the way so I pulled off the highway onto a back road and just got out of the truck while naked and just went on the side of the road. When I got home, I didn't feel like getting dressed, even though it was still light outside, so I opened the garage door and backed my truck half way in (it won't fit all the way in), and then got out and proceeded to unload everything from the truck and take it into the house. Once I was finished, I pulled the truck out into the driveway and just stepped out while still nude and went into the garage and then into the house. It felt absolutely wonderful.” – Always Naked “In addition to my normal drive to and from work every day I was able to get in a little extra nude driving time today. I had to go from Valencia to Simi Valley and back. I was driving nude for a total of 72 miles and 1 hour and 17 minutes in the middle of the day. This Monday I have to go out to Rancho Cucamonga before coming to work. I am looking forward to a few hours of nude driving time.” - JP “Took an hour+ drive home from getting my dad's motorhome and driving home naked!!! In a word...driving a motorhome naked is...AWESOME! What a great feeling and great way to drive relaxed and comfortable. . . I loved it and can't wait to do it a few times more before I return the motorhome next week! I think I'm gonna buy this motorhome and love every minute of ownership and driving nude in it!!” – FireProf “I just completed a 4500 mile Nakation trip across the lower states out west. I drove from South Texas to Northern California nude the entire time. . . Changing the flat tire by the side of the highway was interesting, and no one seemed to notice, or if they did, nothing was said. I managed to get State Line sign pics with no trouble, as well! I had a wonderful break at DeAnza Springs resort on the way. In spite of being 'shanghied' into water volleyball BEFORE I had a chance to unpack,I thoroughly enjoyed the people I met there. And, yes, the activities were great! A busy Family schedule kept me from a few things I wanted to do (going to the nude beach was one), But there is always the next time. While she slept most of the way, my sister and I had a lovely nude ride back to Texas, and now it's time to settle back into my own little nude world.” - Txbiker

8 Reasons You Should Be Naked More Often

I like these quotes from Kate Fridkis, 8 Reasons You Should Be Naked More Often (http://www.thefrisky.com/2012-04-09/8-reasons-you-should-be-naked-more-often/):

“Standing in front of the mirror, I had a small epiphany. I should get to know my naked body. I should get good at being naked. Actually, everyone should. If I was a dictator, I’d mandate daily naked time.”

“Under all those clothes, this the way you actually look. The rest is a disguise. Isn’t it weird not to know your own naked body? . . . But no matter how separate from your body you feel, you are your body. And it is you. . . So you should get to know yourself. Naked.”

“For amazing sex, body confidence is an absolute necessity.”

“The better you feel naked, the better you’ll feel in clothes. Because clothes won’t just be about hiding things, they’ll be about celebrating things. I want my clothes to be a celebration.”

“Liking yourself naked is liking yourself exposed, flawed, complicated, and undone. If you can like yourself like that, you can face the world proud and naked!”

Nude Driving

Driving nude one must be careful to not offend other drivers of course; though other drivers seldom see you, the police probably won’t appreciate the un-sexual aspects of naturism. Still, being careful, which one should be when driving anyway, naked cross-country is a wonderful way to go. We’ve driven naked often – mostly on longer trips from Utah to Washington and to California. Here are thoughts from a few others who report enjoying Skinny Driving:

“Driving nude is a privilege. Many times I have driven to the nude beach and the resort. I will drive for 200 miles easy without a worry.” - NudeDrew

“I`ve recently taken up commuting to work nude. It`s about a half hour ride down the coast - all highway. It is very comfortable.” - NickCalifornia

“I drove a U-haul truck from Sacramento to LA with only my shoes on. I heard (unverified) that having shoes to safely operate the peddles is more of an issue than clothing. Great fun. Discretion won out at gas and snack stops. . . Gym shorts are handy. I was able to have a soda at a rest stop overlooking Pyramid Lake. I parked away from others and sat on the wall watching the moon over the lake & canyon - beautiful sight and feeling. . . My wife and I have driven 60 miles from a nude resort to home in the nude - great fun.” – 85Springer

“I have been driving naked for over 30 years. As soon as I get into the car after work, off come the cloths (unless I have to make a stop on the way home). The drive home is about 30 miles, mainly on the freeway from Valencia to the San Fernando Valley. After being at work all day, it is nice to be able to relax on the drive home. The longest drive I have done was on a five day trip in 1986 from home to the Grand Canyon, then to San Diego then back home. Other then stopping for gas, food, lodging and the time spent sight seeing I was able to stay nude almost all the time. . . I drive a 4 door sedan and keep a pair of shorts handy for when I have to pass a bus or large truck.” - Totaltanjim

“I have driven nude in many situations, many times. The furthest was from Joshua Tree, California, to Burningman in Gerlach, Nevada. . . I am observant of those around me, and cautious. Last week my girl friend and I drove nude from our hike - about 70 miles. Our next trip to Laughlin, Nevada was about 200 miles, nude to the hotel parking lot. My understanding of the law (in California) is that it is not illegal to be nude in your car, but if it becomes sexual, or somebody complains, then it is considered public nudity. As far as I can determine, [it is the] same in Nevada .” – Naked Bruce

“I stay as nude as I can. . . Two years ago I kept track of my nude driving miles. 2006 I drove over 2,000 miles in the nude. I'm an RVer. I've driven from Springdale, AR, up through KC, MO, up through IA into SD totally nude.” – Newt

“Several times when I would head up to the White Mountains from Tucson, I would get in my truck at work slip out of my clothes and drive the 200 miles to Showlow. When I got to the cabin it was dark and I didn`t have to worry about any neighbors so I just unloaded my truck and began enjoying my weekend. Just starting right out of work I was relaxed before I even left the city.” - Mpcarter

“It was a nice spring day here in Las Vegas, as my bride and I were packing up the truck to head back home from Sun Rancho Nudist resort just over 55 miles south of town. It was the end of a wonderful nude weekend at the resort with friends, games, Bar B Q and completely relaxing. As we finished packing up, I suggested to my wife we should extend our nude time until we get home, which required us to stay al natural for the 50+ mile trip, she agreed so we headed home without a stitch on. . . During the drive, we did not encounter any problems of any kind, and the fellow drivers didn`t have a clue we were naked as we drove down the freeway.” - Hornmeister

“I really enjoy the freedom of the road.” – NudeDrew

Nude Bowling

Nude bowling – this I’ve got to try! How about you? The reports about nude bowling sound so fun:

“When we tell people that we go nude bowling, that usually starts an interesting conversation . . . Initial reactions may include a shocked expression, often followed by a string of questions. ‘You aren’t serious’, is one of the typical responses. ‘You are not really nude, are you?’ Peg sometimes has matter-of-factly replied, ‘Of course not - we all wear bowling shoes.’ Many say, ‘I could never do that!’, but even they are usually interested to learn about what they are missing. Another immediate reaction has been ‘That certainly must be a sight!’ For many, we can sense that they would like to do something like nude bowling, but doubt they could do it. I recently had a high school reunion, and brought this up with some of my classmates. One reaction was, ‘You were so shy growing up. Now look at you, I wish I could do the same!’” – Dick W.

“We gathered at the Airport Bowling Center in Erding for an evening of naked bowling. With 30 people on the mailing list, we were pleasantly pleased to find 11 people turn up on the day. The bowling alley was almost empty, apart from a friendly pair in a lane to our left, and we were able to play uninterrupted for a good couple of hours . . . The bar staff were friendly and kept us supplied with drinks and snacks, and we had a great time bowling and chatting the early evening away.” - Richard F.

“Bernie and Alex had posted an invitation . . . to join them and some friends at a naked bowling event up in the Bavarian town of Ingolstadt, just north of Munich . . . In all, seventeen people turned up, including four women . . . It was refreshing to see several young couples, in addition to the more predictable middle-aged men, like myself. . . At first it was too cool for some of the group, but most of us stripped off immediately and began a little casual bowling to warm up a bit. The waitress from upstairs came down to take drink and food orders from us occasionally, and while she may have thought we were all a bit odd to be naked bowling, she was very polite and friendly about it. We whiled away several hours with bowling games and chatting about all sorts of stuff . . . and generally having a good time.” – Richard F.

“There are all sorts of people that are practicing social nude recreation. Bowling is new for us and it's proving a great success.” - Paul A.

Nude Biking

“I'm still thinking about that [naked bike] ride - it was awe-inspiring, transcendent!” – Brian B.

I was a kid when I last took a nude bike ride, late one night, down a well-traveled neighborhood street - crazy I know - I didn’t understand naturism then. However, for many people nude road and mountain biking is a totally acceptable activity. For example, almost every weekend during the summer people expose themselves to the elements - and onlookers - on cross-country cycling tours around Bavaria for the Nacktradler.

Another example - Nick Lowe, of Johnsonville, New Zealand, often rides his bike naked on the roads outside town. While most people have no issue with this, one person took offense, taking Lowe to court. Justice Clifford of the Wellington High Court ruled that Mr. Lowe's behavior did not meet the standard of ‘offensive’, determining that one person finding a behavior offensive is not sufficient to support a conviction for offensive behavior.

The World Naked Bike Ride happens annually in mostly large cities around the world. Here are a few thoughts from participants in the Portland ride:

“We are starting to plan for this year’s party associated with the World Naked Bike Ride in Portland. . . And it gets to be a bigger job each year . . . Last year the number is estimated to be at least 1500, maybe 3000, we don't even know. It took more than 15 minutes for the ride to pass through an intersection.” – Dan J.

[Riding in Portland’s naked bike ride] “. . . I passed an older man with a big beard standing on the sidewalk. He was gazing down Burnside in awe at the sea of happy nakedness coming his way and I heard him very calmly remarking to himself, ‘Marvelous’.” - Vanessa

“This was my second year [in Portland’s naked bike ride], and I think I'm going to do this every year for as long as I can ride a bike. And then I'll do it in a wheelchair. Very life-affirming.” – Brian M

“I totally love the Naked Ride - what a great, body-positive experience!” – Matt Picio

Here are thoughts from other nude bike riders:

“I bought a used mountain bike last year . . . You think hiking nude is exhilarating? Now imagine the rush of invigorating air spilling all over your body as you coast [on a bike] without a care in the world.” - Rick

“I camped at Canyon Creek Campground (a 2 hour drive north of Spokane) and then ventured out from there on my mountain bike. There are hundreds of logging roads off of Highway 20 from Kettle Falls to Republic. This year I was able to ride my mountain bike on several of these deserted roads nude. . . Many of the roads were pretty steep for me to ride, so I ended up freehiking up most of the hills. But the ride down was worth it.” - John

“I have a cottage in a Canadian resort area which is overflowing from May 24 until Labor Day . . . Once the tourist season ‘shuts down’, Rob, Kevin & I cycle [nude] frequently around the resort area. . . We carry shorts with us in case of encountering oncoming traffic . . . its quiet enough that one can hear a motor for miles. Last fall, we . . . didn't hear an oncoming pickup truck . . . The truck . . . turned around to follow us . . . As it turned out, he's a ‘solid acquaintance’ of mine . . . His intent in turning around? To ask if he could join us some day. He's become, since, a regular member of the cycle . . . group.” - Alic

“I have some experience naked bike riding. Lots of times I will drive my truck as far as reasonable on a 4wd drive road, then ride my bike to a wilderness trail head where I stash the bike and hike. Summer before last I rode a portion of the Continental Divide Mountain Bike Route in Wyoming and Colorado. I rode about 250 miles from South Pass Wyoming to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Of that mileage, I rode nude for about 100 miles across the Great Divide Desert of Wyoming. Interestingly, I never saw another person or a car, even though I was on dirt roads easily negotiable by ordinary vehicles.” – Michael Y.

“Well, a few weeks ago I did a 50-mile cycle ride through the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. It was a fairly warm day, and when the weather allowed I went nude. I was mostly off-road or on quiet lanes, which is what you look for when cycling, but I still passed a number of people who greeted me quite normally. When I got to Swyre Head [I met a] few people, couples and singles [who] were intrigued by my bike . . . So, remarkable weather, remarkable scenery, remarkable bike, the fact that I was bollock-naked - no remark whatsoever. . . I try to come across as polite (yeah really), friendly, non-threatening, and ‘normal’. And on that basis I've never had a problem with the Great British Public.” – Bob

“This was my first naked bike ride and I have to say it was the best most fun I have ever had in my life.” - Topher

Nude Fun - Sports

“Finery is no less alien to virtue, which is the strength and vigor of the soul. The good man is an athlete who enjoys competing in the nude.” - Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on the Sciences and the Arts

We’re not real sports enthusiasts, but my wife and I have enjoyed volleyball, water volleyball, tennis, badminton, and golf - nude. For us, nude makes sports enjoyable.

Here is a link to photos of naturists plaing sports: http://imageevent.com/kenandjane/sportsgames

And here are a few reports from others who enjoy nude sports:

“Naked sport is booming in the sizzling summer heatwave - and what better way is there to enjoy the outdoors than in the buff? Some of the more adventurous nudists took part in a clothes-free parachute jump that took place over the Baltic island of Usedom earlier this month. And for tourists preferring more traditional sports, the nudist resort of ‘La Jenny’ on the French Atlantic coast claims it has opened up the world’s first and only naked golf course.” – Nicole G.

“Wairau Valley Golf Course [New Zealand] may never be the same again as about 25 keen naturists hit the green. You could say naked ambition drove a first time naturist's win at the Wairau Valley Golf Course on Sunday. Twenty-five people, including some from the United Kingdom and Australia, took part in Nude Golf International at the township's nine-hole course.” – Claire Connell

“A nude tradition in New Zealand: the annual nude touch rugby match, featuring members of the All Blacks New Zealand national team, [was] held on New Zealand's National Nude Day on the South Island. The 2009 match . . . was held in a park in Dunedin, New Zealand's oldest city . . . ” – sffb

“No, there won't be a torch-lighting - someone's short hairs might get singed - but all the Olympic sports you love are coming to Baker Beach sans those pesky jerseys, leotards, or other articles of apparel. . . Events include the 100-, 500-, and 1,000-meter dashes . . . ; ancient Greek wrestling . . . ; sumo wrestling . . . ; discus . . . ; broad jump . . . ; volleyball; and touch football.” - Joe E.

“Somewhere along the way, it became a tradition at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Colorado, to ski the last day in April buck naked. What may have started as a free-lift-ticket promotion became a beloved local tradition . . .” - Lachlan M.

“White Thorn Lodge hosts the Nude Volleyball Superbowl every year on the weekend after Labor Day. Each year, over 90 teams participate. Competition includes Men's AA, A and B classes, Women's AA, A and B classes, and multiple mixed Novice level teams. . . players include both nudists and non-nudists from all over the world. Over 1500 players and guests gather to play in and watch the games . . . opening ceremonies, dances, club facilities, corn roast, nude skydivers. Many teams return every year for ‘the most unique event in nudism.’ One visitor spoke for every guest: ‘I don't care where in the world I am next year, I'll find a way to get to Superbowl!’” – WhiteThorneLodge.org

Nude Fun - Dining

“There’s something very real about naked dinner.” - Arianne C.

Nearly everyone enjoys a good meal – yum! But, eating can be even more enjoyable in the nude. I’ve eaten many a good meal in the nude, including Thanksgiving Diner with friends. Give it a go if you haven’t tried it, and like these people you’ll learn what I mean:

“The good part about eating nude is not worrying about staining my clothes.” - Roger

“I do most of my home cooking in the nude. . . Really, I think the dangers of cooking in the nude are greatly exaggerated.” - Jochanaan

“Nothing is more decadent than eating cool, yummy ice cream on a sunny . . . summer afternoon while naked.” - Mary C.

Dining out nude has become a trend in some cities. Consider these news items:

“The au naturel look is catching on at city restaurants, a Midtown yoga club and even a stand-up comedy joint. ‘We're just more comfortable nude,’ said John Ordover, who rents city eateries for dinner parties with a strict dress code - no clothes allowed. . . ‘We're not out to shock or put on a public spectacle. We want only to do things that other people do in the way that we are most comfortable doing them. That, for us, is without clothes,’ he said. About 50 diners - whose motto is ‘no hot soup’ - regularly turn up for Ordover's monthly meals held at venues including the Mercantile Grill on Pearl Street and Pete's Downtown in Brooklyn. They're served by regular restaurant staff - forced by city laws to keep their clothes on. ‘We've never had a restaurant say no to us, and the waiters think nothing of it,’ said Ordover, 46, who works as a Web marketer when he has his clothes on. ‘If you work in a restaurant in New York City, the chances are you've seen a lot more shocking things than a room full of naked diners,’ he added.” – Adam N.

“The Sub Rosa restaurant [in Oregon] serves food and drink with a side of music and clothing is optional. The trend was initially started by the staff, who found themselves stripping down during a blistering hot day at an outdoor barbeque. It wasn't long before the diners joined in, and since then, it's been a clothing optional place to dine, drink and dance.” - Beth H.

“According to a survey of 2,500 adults, more than a quarter of us eat breakfast naked. . . It sounds like we're a nation of cereal nudists!” – Harry Haydon

Nude Fun - Dancing

My wife and I love to ballroom dance, and dances are common at naturist resorts, so we thought we’d love dancing at resorts. We were mostly wrong.

We’ve enjoyed naturist dances at Shangri La Resort in Arizona because the DJ there played good danceable music, and Olive Dell Ranch has small, enjoyable, non-sexualized dances. A friend of ours enjoyed dancing at a TNS convention at Lupin Lodge which says lots because he doesn’t normally like to dance.

Unfortunately, nude dances at other resorts we’ve visited seemed to attract a sexually-oriented crowd. People who never attend other naturist activities showed up for dances wearing sexually-oriented clothing and lingerie. Friends have excused this saying, ‘It’s just a fun costume’, but we usually feel uncomfortable, so leave early.

We’ve heard from other naturists who also avoid dances at resorts because of the sexual-orientation that seems to exist. The fact that very few people ever write positive experiences about nude dances at naturist resorts is telling.

It seems that ‘nude-only’ dances, especially if young people are invited, are less sexually-oriented than clothing optional dances that often attract those who aren’t nudists. Here is an ad for a dance in Poland that seems more naturist-oriented:

“. . . naturists are gearing up for Poland’s first nude-only disco party in Lodz. . . The nudes-only disco party - where the only dress code is that there is no dress - is open to adults. Youths over sixteen are welcome in the company of parents. Participants are expected to come in couples and singles need to be invited by a couple. This is to prevent gate-crashers looking for sensation and ill-conceived excitement. . . annual Nude Nights attract between 300 to 400 . . .” – TheNews.pl

For those who love dancing, as we do, we’d recommend dancing at nude karaoke events. The music is more conducive to dancing, the floor is less crowded, but mostly, the atmosphere is less sexually charged.

Here’s a thought about nude dancing at a resort karaoke event:

“After more than a month of hard work and busy weekends, we needed a break. My girlfriend planned a trip. . . We invited Alice and Bob . . . to join us at a weekend VVRC trip. They readily accepted. . . The scheduled entertainment for the weekend was karaoke. Alice, Bob, and my girlfriend all sang songs. . . My girlfriend doesn't normally like karaoke, but she noticed that being among naturists is different. Everyone was very cheery and supportive, no matter how bad the song. People danced to slow songs (and a few faster ones), and some even jumped in and helped out the singers. She said it was the best karaoke event that she had ever been to. . . After karaoke was finished, plus an hour, it was dead quiet. It stayed that way until the birds started chirping in the morning.” – The Academic Naturist

Nude Fun - Parties and Music

“And, believe me: You haven't lived until you've tried naked karaoke.” - Doreen Orion, psychiatrist

Winter is a great time to practice naturism with others indoors. (After all, it’s too cold to go outdoors, at least in snow country.) We’ve attended many skinny home parties with friends, and I thought it might be nice to share what home parties are like for those who might want to attend/hold one.

A naturist home party starts with an invitation. You may have naturist friends who will invite you to a party – get on the phone. If not, invite some friends over to your own skinny home party – get brave.

You’ll probably want to have something to do at your party, although just getting together to relax and talk is fun too. We’ve attended parties where a few friends talked, ate, watched slide shows of past naturist activities, and soaked in a hot tub. (By the way, you don’t need a hot tub as an excuse to get naked at the party.) At naturist home-parties we’ve played UNO and sung karaoke (the most fun nude activity of all in our opinion). Naturist parties can involve getting together to watch movies or sports. Some naturists celebrate holidays together.

So want happens at a skinny party? Well, you go to the friend’s house (they usually answer the door nude - they’re naturists after all - or in a robe to avoid startling the neighborhood), take off your clothes, and join in the fun. Except for taking off your clothes, nothing is really different than a clothed party. Naturists live a naked lifestyle after all, so nude is simply how they are.

You might wonder if alcohol is required, and if a nude party is an excuse for a drunken sex-fest? Of course not! While alcohol is served at some naturist parties, just as it is at some clothed parties, we don’t drink, and are uncomfortable around drunks – alcohol is never required.

Of course, getting nude is the biggest hurdle for some people. They think that being naked with friends will seem weird or sexy somehow, and it might for first-timers, but for experienced naturists it’s just having fun with friends. So getting comfortable is easy - attend a few skinny home parties, and you too will soon be an experienced naturist.

I’m convinced naturist friends are better, closer, more dependable friends because there are no artificial barriers to stop communication. Some of our friends traveled for five hours to attend Nude Karaoke parties we sponsored. Naturists are like that. They are rare, so they are willing to travel to be with others who understand.

So, invite friends to a skinny home party when the outdoor season ends. In fact, making skinny trip plans is a great topic to discuss at skinny home parties – show some slides of past skinny trips and plan what might be done this coming year.

Karaoke parties are certainly fun naturist home parties. On our honeymoon to Glen Eden we fell in love with nude karaoke. Anyone can do ‘nude’ karaoke because it really doesn’t matter how well you sing. We have good friends who enjoy nude karaoke and can’t sing on pitch at all. Over the years we’ve collected 1000s of karaoke songs, and have often held nude karaoke parties. Here are several nude karaoke party reports:

“Nude Karaoke on October 20th was great fun as always. Eleven members attended. With only 11 in attendance, we all got to sing lots. Idaho Gerry shared his very special humor as he sang – he’s just a crazy, wonderful naturist. We all tried to sing one rock or musical song; a few somehow avoided trying this craziness. Ken even stuck out his tongue while singing (trying to sing?) a Kiss rock song - horrifying! A few as always got away without singing at all. Anyway, the food was good and we all loved the conversation afterwards.”

“Saturday, April 26th, we held our monthly Nude Karaoke event. We met at 6:00 pm and started singing. It took a while for everyone to find us a the new location so we really didn’t get going until nearly 7:00 pm, but that was okay; I got in a lot of singing practice while we waited. Eventually nine people arrived. Everyone had a fun time singing karaoke in the nude – I think it’s one of the most fun things to do nude. One person who said he couldn’t sing, sounded great. There’s no need to compare yourself to others when you’re singing ‘nude’ karaoke – I’ll bet his family members in the Tabernacle Choir wouldn’t do it. Another person is especially good at crazy songs; I mean songs mentally crazy people sing. I’m not sure what that means about him, but it’s NUDE karaoke after all. We had some good munchies, and had a great time with good nude friends.”

The bottom-line here is that home parties are a very fun way to share naturist activities with others. Here are a few comments from others who enjoy naturist
parties:

“. . . when we sing love songs naked, it's more pure and powerful than with clothes on . . .” – Iwan D.

“. . . we had a ton of fun! [at the Badger Naturist Halloween Party.] . . . At least twice as many people wore costumes for the judging. And all evening, we feasted like royalty at the huge selection of thoughtfully prepared pot-luck food and a couple of catered dishes. . . The hot tub was perfectly hot, and the pool was comfortably warm (even for me).” – The Academic Naturist

“Since the weather turned south back in November here in Prague, I have hosted two naked home parties at my flat and both were a great success. As with last year, these are billed as ‘movie’ nights. It's more about socializing than anything else but everyone has enjoyed themselves. We watch a new release and then just hang out and chat afterwards. No one has been in a real hurry to leave as, aside from the weekly nude swims, it is the only time we all have to be naked.” - Roger

[I] “. . . attended another home party in Tucson with the Buff-A-Teers. Big lot, with cars parked strategically to block, we sat on lawn chairs outside. Ate great food, played home made very large Jenga (take a mallot and knock out blocks so that the next person makes the whole thing tumble). I was the one who made the whole 6 ft. tower of blocks tumble. It was fun. The guy who's house it was . . . had made a nice size pond with gazebo, sitting area, walkways, and soon a bridge across the pond that we all walked around. We did have to cover up as there was a neighbor across the way. We drew for gifts as another Christmas thing, ate some more, chatted, and went home. Very comfortable weather, not too warm but not too cool.” - Cherie

“Members from the Midlands and beyond joined in the frivolity of the Travelites' [naturist club] annual Winter Holiday/Christmas Party. The weather was perfect. We enjoyed two different lasagnas and accompaniments as well as yummy homemade cheesecake and two different ice creams for dessert. The grab bag gifts went from the fun to the useful. No one left unhappy. The hot tub was available. Small plush bears were given out as souvenirs.” - Cheri Alexander

“The monthly Hot Tub Party was attended by 19. A new person to the group attended for the first time. The hot tub combo holds all the people easily. The potluck was delicious as usual and avocados were given to all by the host.” - Marv & Pet

“. . . naked parties have been a Yale tradition since the late 1990s, when the idea was poached from nearby Brown University. Naked parties now occupy a place in the large pantheon of ways in which Yale students avoid their homework. They happen several times a year . . . For those who have never gone to one, the idea of a naked party raises certain questions. Is the event sexualized, or decadent, or outright obscene . . .? The truth of the matter is that these garb-less festivities are about as debauched as your average bingo night - and about as carefully organized.” - Presca A.

“I think people aren't going to these [nude] parties because they want to experience others. I think they're going to express themselves and this is a great way for them to come out of their shell or express a side of them they don't normally get to express . . .” - Chris Fariello, Sex therapist

Nude Fun - Boating and Cruising

“I love to sail, and nude sailing is the best.” - Nudeboots

The first ‘nude’ cruise was offered by Bare Necessities in 1991 – on board a Costa Cruises chartered vessel in the Caribbean. Since then nude cruising has expanded greatly. Now, Bare Necessities constantly charters cruise ships taking up to 2000 people at a time on clothing-optional sea voyages to places such as Hawaii, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

We have loved naturist boating experiences. We spent a week canuding the Green River in Utah. Along the way we stopped for freehikes and soaks in warm pools.

Our seven-day nude houseboat excursion on Lake Powell was especially memorable. We anchored at quite locations in the red-rock canyons to swim and hike nude. We took small-boat excursions to see beautiful slot canyons and arches. In the evenings we sang nude karaoke and watched the stars. One day on the lake we were hailed by two naked friends in a smaller boat – we didn’t even know they were at the lake.

Last year we took our first nude cruise - Fastasea Fest – with Carnival. It was fabulous! Walking the ship, shopping, eating, singing karaoke, taking dance lessons, watching entertaining shows, sunning on a white sandy Caribbean beach, sailing, scuba diving (all nude), and then participating in a sort-of-clothed, “crazy” festival on Key West - just having a great time with other nudists – wow! We may never cruise clothed again.

I would recommend naturist boating to anyone. If you get the chance, take it; it’s the experience of a life-time, to which these people testify:

“One of the first dreams I had of a naturist holiday back when I first discovered naturism was nude sailing. Removing myself completely from the textile world, naked in nature with only the sea and the sky surrounding me, being caressed by the sea breeze and the crystal clear water as I swim in wild coves, the purity of life on board a small boat, the pleasure of discovering new places and the closeness on board far from the summer hoards, the calm of the sails far from the racket of traffic, the privilege of sharing good times with friends, these were all reasons that finally made me decide to give it a go last summer . . .” - Antoine

“Few things feel better than exerting yourself naked in a kayak. Just enough cool water spays up to hit you, making you feel fresh and invigorated. I like to paddle hard and continuously, while Kathy likes to pause and just look at things.” – Mark Storey

“We like to kayak on the sound between the outer banks of NC and the mainland, especially along wildlife preserves owned by the National Park Service. The water is very shallow and there are numerous small islands and sandbars. Once we get away from populated areas, the clothes come off and we kayak and wade in the nude. I have seen others doing the same in the distance.” - Maturewvcouple

“Canoeing on stretches of water in the buff is relatively easy. I used to paddle from Cedar Key, FL out to the small deserted islands on the Gulf all the time. Never saw another soul on these little bits of wilderness. They have great beaches and I always had the whole place to myself. The best R&R I have ever had. Canoeing on small streams that have no houses nearby is relaxing too.” - Richard

“Since we live on our boat, we don’t have a yard at all. We spend the majority of time down below nude, but anytime we go outside during the day we have to dress. . . when we are sailing, we have the whole ocean as our back yard and don’t have to worry about people seeing us. If they do, then they are probably too close.” - Dsailing

“I sailed nude on a Laser in Singapore for 4 1/2 years. I'd rig my boat . . . and then clip my suit to a halyard once I got about 100 meters off shore. I'd put the suit back on within about 100 meters of docking. I'd often sail to some of the offshore islands and, of course, be nude on them. . . Can't see sailing without being nude. I will only sail in warm weather, and warm weather demands nudity.” - RalphVa

“I have a 41ft. sailboat and when the lines go over, the suits come off. . . I keep a towel handy for the tour boats but other than that I have no problem sailing in the buff. I've had the boat for 6 years now, was renting for about 10 years before that and so far no complaints. . . In my opinion nothing feels better than to be out in the sun on a beach or on a boat getting a charge from the fresh salt air and feeling the sun on your entire body.” - Sailnekkid

“We have a cabin cruiser on a lake here in Alabama. When we get the anchors set off come my clothes . . . I usually anchor in a small cove out of the way of others and when I get hot tanning, I bail off the stern and let me tell you, it is refreshing.” - Lake Cruiser

“We sail naked all the time, and I love it! We do usually wait until we are a couple of miles off shore and/or are in less traffic. I never had any problems with authorities. . . it does seem to me that it is more accepting for people to be nude while boating. I know people that wouldn't normally want to be nude in front of others, but are willing to go bare while on the boat.” - DSailing

“Naked boating is a lot of fun - I did it for many years. I used to have a pontoon that I keep on the KY River about eight miles from where I live. . . Sometimes the wife would take a half days vacation during the week and we would go to the river for an afternoon on the boat. During the week you pretty much had the river to yourself so it was easy to be able to be nude the whole afternoon, which we did. . . I normally kept a pair of swimming trunks close by and if someone I knew came up I'd just lay the trunks over my lap.” – Kentucky Dave

“I had a large sail boat and used to cruise the coast of New England. Wife and I were almost always nude at sea, and on occasion would meet other boats with nude crew. Nothing unusual about being nude on the Atlantic . . . Just a nice relaxing way to spend time!” – Rabid Clam

“I have been boating nude for years. . . I have a smaller boat I take on the Chattahoochee north of Atlanta, and the area I cruise is very natural and scenic. The times I have been encountered nude . . . by other boaters they seemed accepting or at least tolerant and would carry on a conversation with me.” - GABare

“. . . my wife and I went on a nude cruise. . . As soon as we had left port and the pilot left the Captain came over the loud speaker and announced that it was then clothing optional. . . Dinner in the formal dinning room was Dress but every where else was optional. Eating on the lido deck, pool side, in the theatre and every where else was optional. . . we stopped at Bonaire - where we had chosen . . . a trip to Soroban Naturist Resort. . . We kayaked to the reef, walked part way out and just enjoyed the sun. . . All the time we were at sea they had games to play. Trivial pursuit . . . football toss, basketball freethrow contests, shuffle board, volleyball, karaoke, dancing. We participated in a show the crew called the great pretenders which was a lipsink show. The crew commented that in all of their time they had seen people pushing the envelope for nudity on stage but had never had clothes completely thrown out before. . . Our final destination was a private island owned by Holland America, known as Half Moon Cay. . . We were able to spend the whole day there in the full moon state and had our lunch on the island served by the island staff - a perfect end to a perfect cruise.” – Kevin

“Again we were able to go on a cruise, this time it was Key West, Jamaica, and Cozumel. . . . The ship had put together an excursion to a beach [in Jamaica], which was designated clothing optional for the day. We had a ton of games, like water balloon race and toss, a dance competition they called positions, which was not as it sounds but quite the work out. We were also able to play volleyball - who knew sand volleyball was such a killer - my wife and I walked away with a bunch of prizes and a great time. Lunch was also served, Jamaican jerked pork, chicken, hamburgers and all the ‘fixins' - it was incredible, and all nude. Then on to Cozumel, where the clothing optional was another beach party or snorkeling. . . All in all you can never beat a cruise, but for sure never beat a NUDE cruise. Definitely need to give this a try. We are booked on a 15 day adventure next year to Hawaii, with 4 days at sea nude both directions. Hope to see some of ya'll on the next one.” – Kevin

“. . . we experienced an incredible day trip from St. Petersburg to Passage Key with Rusty & Vanessa’s Grin & Bare It Charters. . . As the five of us arrived at the Marina, we were greeted with friendly smiles and prepared for a six hour day cruise. The 90-minute boat ride to Passage Key was as wonderful as the destination. . . as soon as we cleared the inter-coastal, off came the clothes! Once at Passage Key, we joined a hundred or more nudist boaters in a true natural paradise . . . There’s nothing like a day on the water spending hours going from boat to water to boat to water.” - Grin & Bare It

“My husband and I have taken lots of cruises . . . And until last October, they had all been traditional (textile) sailings. . . So why did I wait so long to try a nude cruise? Maybe I needed something to push me over the edge . . . And that's exactly what happened on our last textile cruise. . . . on a ten-day Caribbean itinerary. . . we met a wonderful French couple on their honeymoon, Henri and Nicole. . . we met them in the hot tub and began to chat. In mid-sentence, and without any hesitation or as much as a glance to others, Nicole stood up, peeled off her one-piece swimsuit and placed it on the deck beside her. . . In a show of international solidarity, I immediately removed my top and we continued with our conversation. In less than ninety seconds, two crewmembers were leaning over us, shaking their heads . . . the expression on Nicole's face changed from confusion to astonishment. She couldn't believe she was being asked to cover up. Who could possibility care? ‘Do you think someone was offended by my body?’ ‘I don't know for sure,’ I answered. She lowered her voice to a whisper as she reached out to take my hand. ‘I pity them. It must be very frustrating, trying to impose their values on others.’ At that moment, I knew I was finished with textile cruises. . . Why had it taken me so long to realize that a ship full of nudists would be a little piece of heaven afloat on the ocean? After returning home, we booked our first nude cruise . . . So how did the Bare Necessities cruise compare to our previous textile voyages? . . . once you go on a nude cruise, you'll never want to go on a traditional sailing again.” – Jaye Frances

“Actually, naked boating isn't even rare. If you ask around you'll find that a fair number of the boating world is made up of stripping sailors, unclad kayakers, disrobing divers, and others who enjoy naked watersports. . . It's not just cruisers who take it all off when offshore. Even famous racing sailors like Sam Davies get naked when alone on long hot passages. ‘In the tropics, when it’s really hot, it’s better to do everything naked,’ says Sam. After all, when you're offshore, it's not public nudity - it's about as private as you can get. For ocean rowers, getting nude is a matter of chafe, and the more clothes you wear, the worse it gets. Because of that, rowing naked is more the rule than the exception.” - Yachtpals

Nude Fun - Travel and Vacations

“According to a survey of 1,882 U.S. adults by the Ypartnership/Yankelovich 2009 National Travel Monitor, 10 percent of respondents said that a ‘resort that offers a nude recreation experience’ was an attribute that they would describe as ‘extremely/very desirable’ in a leisure travel experience. That compares to those who favored golf (8 percent), snowboard/skiing (7 percent), hunting (7 percent), mountain biking (6 percent) and tennis (4 percent). Those numbers came as welcome news to the American Association for Nude Recreation, which issued this statement about the survey: ‘The nude recreation experience, though admittedly of interest to just 1 out of 10 travelers based on the total U.S. population of over 303 million, indicates that 30 million would indeed take a Nakation!’” - Intransit

I totally love visiting naturist venues with my wife and friends. Naturist travel is so much fun. I can swim, and swim nude. I can camp, and camp nude. I can hike, and hike nude. I can fish, and fish nude. I can boat, and boat nude. I can play volleyball and tennis, or play both nude. I can sing karaoke, and, no only nude makes any sense with karaoke. The point is, on a vacation I can do it all in clothes or nude, and nude is better.

When we stay at a naturist resort we often use it more as a central base of operations just like a hotel; we don't just lay in the sun at the pool or play at the tennis courts. (Although we could if that was the intention of our vacation.) We leave and see the sights or go to the beach (hopefully nude), or shop, or see a show, or visit a garden or historic sight. Then, when we get back in the evening we get naked at the room, walk naked up to the group showers, sit naked in the hot tub, sing nude karaoke, dance naked, whatever feels right. Using a resort as a home base is a million times better than staying clothed and cooped up at a hotel, and it's cheaper as well.

There are so many options for nude recreation and travel. Here are a few people who have discovered this:

“It's a too-well-kept secret how relaxing and safe a clothes-free getaway can feel. Once you try it, you find yourself wondering, 'Wow. What took me so long?'” – Phyllis G.

“So began a most wonderful week of celebrating a marriage that we believe to be a rare gift of God. We laid by the pool and read; we laid by the pool and slept; we floated in the pool and tanned; we exercised and swam; we had many delightful conversations with other guests; and we joined in pool volleyball and many other games organized by the resort staff. We found it to be so enjoyable to live clothes-free in that idyllic setting that we ate nearly all of our breakfasts and lunches on the au natural side. On the day we left we put our traveling clothes in our carry-on bags and took them to the poolside so that we could enjoy the last possible moments. We just did not want to get dressed.” – Luvnaturism

“. . . we were in Mexico for a week and half. . . The people we went to see own two villas side by side . . . They had most of our last full day planned out, with the exception of about five hours in the middle of the day. That was our cue to hike back to our secluded beach one last time. I got naked as soon as we cleared the spot in the jungle were we were unlikely to be eaten alive by bugs. . . Most of the afternoon was spent strolling naked, very leisurely, back and forth from end-to-end on the beach, occasionally diving in to cool off. . . Just before writing this we received an e-mail from our main friends from Mexico saying we should come back again before they return to the states in May. We may just wait until right before a forecasted blizzard and take them up on that. We’ve cranked the heat up and are spending the day naked so it feels like we’re still there – not even close to the same but its fun acting like we are.” - Happy Hikers

“We do try to get away for a mini nude vacation each year, just her and I, usually for a long weekend . . . We take very little as far as clothing with us, and we just enjoy each other the entire weekend, nude. One year we did have a week long nude vacation . . . visiting Bare Valley nudist campground . . . my wife got nude right away . . . She really enjoyed herself that week, and she mentioned to me that she began to understand that week why I enjoy being nude so much.” - Rob

“Why feel burdened by the oppressive weight of fabric when you can run around the world in your birthday suit? . . . next time I book a holiday, I’ll opt for naturism and leave my bathing suit behind.” – Julia D.

“Going to a nudist club is not going down a dirt road and behind a junkyard gate. Europeans have known this for a long time. We [Americans] are just getting around to that.” – Nancy Tienmann, owner of Bare Necessities

Nude Fun - Gardening and Yard Work

“Spring’s here and it’s time to get outdoors and play in the dirt! Naked, of course.” – All Nudist

“Gardening is one of the most popular outdoor hobbies worldwide. Doing it in the nude adds a pleasure almost indescribable. When you are in the garden with a gentle breeze and the kiss of the sun on your skin a connection with nature is inevitable.” - Katie R.

“Why garden naked? First of all, it's fun! Second only to swimming, gardening is at the top of the list of family-friendly activities people are most ready to consider doing nude. Moreover, our culture needs to move toward a healthy sense of both body acceptance and our relation to the natural environment. Gardening naked is not only a simple joy, it reminds us - even if only for those few sunkissed minutes - that we can be honest with who we are as humans and as part of this planet. All that's involved is getting naked and making the world's gardens - whatever their size, public or private - healthier and more attractive.” – World Naked Garden Day

Nude gardening is one of our favorite pastimes. We’ve participated in the World Naked Gardening Day, the second weekend of May, for several years. One spring I built my wife a box garden on our apartment balcony. In 2010 we joined others to build a flower bed at the end on Olive Dell Ranch’s tennis court.

We’ve been building an entire nude garden park at Olive Dell Ranch – Dellymaze Park. It has a spectacular rock garden area, nearly a mile of rock-lined trails, and wonderful fantasy features with small buildings and characters. There’s a dinosaur-bone dig, a zombie cave, a castle land, a strange bird circle, an alien landing site, angels, pigs, ferries – the list goes on and on and keeps growing. It’s advertised each month to naturists around the world, and has become such an attraction that we give nude tours to new guests nearly every weekend.

But of course the best part of nude gardening is just being natural in the shade and sun. With naked gardening you're cool even on a hot day - the sweat naturally cools you body, and of course there are no sweaty clothes to make you uncomfortable, and no laundry afterwards. And you don't have to worry about getting dirty - we just head to the outside showers at the clubhouse - heaven. We'd recommend nude gardening to everyone. We just love it.

Here are some thoughts from others who also love gardening in the buff:

“A really lovely garden - peaceful and beautiful, especially without clothes!” – Visitor to the Naked Garden

“Our 15 acres of olives provides a lot of opportunity to get naked and have fun. I am spending the morning with my houseplants out in the rain, cleaning up the pots, and pruning, and getting rid of the dead leaves on them. . . A beautiful, gray, day, and the rain feels good on my skin! Go Forth, NAKED!” - Leeanne

“Farming as naturists provides us the good fortune of what American poet and essayist Wendell Berry calls ‘right livelihood’. . . Working as naturists with the soil, plants, and each other enables us to experience our connection to the earth and our interconnectedness with all life. Naked in nature, we transcend from observer to participant. . . We savor the magical moments and happy images.” – Roger

“I live in Southern California and have been working in my avocado grove naked, almost every weekend, for the past 13 years. There is nothing I would rather do than work outdoors naked. It is the greatest feeling . . . with the breeze blowing and the sun kissing your skin. I love being naked outdoors.” – World Naked Gardening Day Participant

“Today I was able to garden naked – it felt so wonderful. Sure I sweated like always, but it felt so much better to not have wet, filthy clothes hanging all over me. The sweat just cooled my body and made me comfortable. And it was so rewarding to create a beautiful garden. And I love how comfortable my wife is with me gardening naked; she joins in of course - the perfect wife.” – Kenneth Jaines

“We feel most comfortable when we are in the nude. We do not think clothing should get in the way. It is a family pastime. . . We are both naturists . . . We just take off our clothes and walk around the garden. . . In the summer I spend a lot of my time in the garden with my partner in the nude.” - Jeremy & Janet T.
“Gardening naked is not only a simple joy, it reminds us that we can be honest with who we are as humans and as part of this planet. . . I see it as a way to celebrate the beautiful place we have to live and not take anything for granted in this wonderful universe. We forget to celebrate that we are physical beings in a physical environment.” – Bill S.

“. . . there is something too profound for words about sweating naked in your own garden, snacking on peas straight from the pod, rinsing off in a mountain brook, lying naked on pine needles, drying off in the summer breeze, facing the sunny sky, arms outstretched, fully and lushly praying the Lord’s Prayer.” - Jim C. Cunningham

“I've been gardening naked for 40 years now. . . To top off a day of nude gardening, my wife and I enjoy a hot/cold outside shower and then just dry off in the sun. Difficult to imagine how it could get much better!” – F. F.

“Finally, the Seattle, Washington weather is dry and warm enough for some serious backyard naked gardening. I've been able to clean up the veggie bed, throw on some home-made compost, chop some wood, weed like crazy, hand-mow the back yard, and water two new native trees planted to help increase the yard's privacy - and all clothes-free . . . I've become a bit of a fair-weather gardener. If I can't work outside naked, I usually find other things to do indoors. The neighbors to all four sides of us know of our inclinations toward naked gardening . . . every one of them so far has been cool with our backyard gardening nudity. We take the time to meet them clothed, let them get to know us a bit for a while, and later when the weather improves and we're outside as nature intended, they see us pretty much for what we are: whackos, but nice, easygoing, considerate whackos.” - Mark Storey

“Saturday here in Southern California . . . I was able to spend 2 1/2 glorious hours working naked in the yard and thoroughly enjoyed my time. . . There is nothing finer than working without the encumbrance of clothing. . . Let’s continue to stay naked as we garden.” - Dwight

“I have a lot of nude gardening experience because I live in a small apartment and have only two window plants that I water once a week in the nude.” – George

“Yesterday it was a balmy 75 degrees, a perfect day for nude gardening. Mowing and trimming trees are a lot more enjoyable when the soft breezes can whisk away the sweat from a naked body. It was great.” - Milt

“But gardening is special - coaxing life from the fertile soil, hearkening the inveterate calling of man to be a part of the natural cycle. What could be more primal than growing your own patch of zucchini naked?” – Eric O.

“My wife and I have been doing a fair amount of skinny gardening, as the weather has been perfect. The trees in the yard have filled in nicely, giving us some privacy from the neighbors, and allowing us to tend the tomatoes and vegetables in the raw.” – Kevin

“After my husband passed on and after I retired from teaching, I just started gradually drifting back to my old lifestyle of the naked ‘hippie’ chick. . . I do most of my gardening and lawn-mowing au-natural except for a bandanna to keep the sweat out of my eyes and the bugs out of my hair and an old pair of running shoes to protect my feet. I'm not a person who frets about getting all dirty or sweaty either. Working in my garden (naked) does this.” - Linda

“It feels wholesome and healthy to work nude in the warm Spring or Summer days, bare feet in the gardens. . . I had negative feelings about my body when younger, but working naked with other men and women, being in harmony with the earth, is just a relief and a joy.” – Paul

“I . . . experienced gardening without clothing . . . so I know that feeling of spiritual grounding with the earth. Doing farming chores when naked expands that feeling to my whole body. I feel the energy of the sun, wind, and the earth itself. There is a oneness of purpose with my fellow workers to cooperate with mother nature to raise this wonderful food.” – Dennis

“Eventually I tried it [naked gardening] and it feels lovely to have the sun on your back and to feel the plants while you are working in the borders. . . If you don't try things in life you never know the answer, so we just did it. . . Naked gardening puts a smile on people's faces . . .” – Barbara Pollard, The Naked Gardener at Abby House, England

“The ground is drying out and warming up, so the weeds are beginning to take off, and the ‘good’ plants are starting to blossom. My peach is setting buds, and my camellia has already bloomed. So that means I can begin shedding my winter duds, get some vitamin D and start gardening - naked. I did so today, weeding about 40 feet of flower bed, and pulling up lots of dead and decaying leaves from under trees and bushes. It felt great to be outdoors in the sun!” – Train44buff

“But naked, we are as close as possible to Nature, right in it, tending our bit of it, or somebody else's, the way, surely, God intended. . . So we shouldn't be ashamed. Gardening naked is something anyone can do . . .” - Iain H.

“We do most everything we can without clothes. In the backyard, it’s private, and why not garden naked too?” - Guy P.

“There is something special about waking up at sunrise and going out into the garden, taking your clothes off and playing in the dirt au naturel. . . As you stand naked in a garden, you feel the world loosening around you. . . these benefits increase exponentially when you garden naked. . . communing with the pansies without panties, so to speak. People often ask why we feel the need to take off our clothes to trim the fruit trees. ‘Because it’s fun!’ . . . The sun is cleansing and provides that all-important vitamin D. . . Gardening in the nude is wonderful exercise. We are getting in a good stretch while planting healthy foods and flowers. And naked organic gardening makes my connection to the earth, sun, and water feel more meaningful. . . Mother Earth . . . gracefully urges us with her fruitful body to seek union with all living things. Come into nature, she says. Take your clothes off and garden with me. . . You can’t go wrong when you garden naturally.” – Jay N.

“Gardening . . . Once people understand how good it feels to work naked with soil or plants, it’s likely they will think of naturism in a new light. Naturists know that being naked feels good, but being naked while physically active and doing some good in the world is even better.” – N Trends

Gardening in the nude. Let's be honest, we have all dreamed about doing it. Bellies flapping in the breeze, genitals unencumbered by sperm-count-reducing underwear, the light ffffft fffffft of semi-moist skin bouncing off other semi-moist skin as you pad across the lawn unashamed. What's not to love, America?” - Matt V.

“Instead of nude gardening day, I suggest a nude gardening year, every year.” – Malcolm A.