“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
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
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.
“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.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Nude Fun - Camping
Camping goes right along with hiking. And we love freehiking, so we naturally love freecamping. We’ve enjoyed nude camp outings at Bear Lake in northern Utah, and at many locations in the red-rock country in southern Utah. We’ve camped nude in central California along the beautiful Big Sur coast. Nude is the best way to camp by far.
Many enjoy camping nude. Jim offers this wonderful description of naturist camping:
“Imagine . . . camping without having to be concerned about clothes. You rise to sun streaks piercing your tent, exit your sleeping bag in your natural night gown, amble to the lake shore and plunge in. The warming sun serves as your towel as you return to camp to the pleasant sounds of the birds as they discuss their breakfast menu. As others in your party rise, similarly smartly attired, you already have the campfire lighted. Growling stomachs chant approval to the welcome aroma of morning coffee and sizzling bacon. After a few days of such simple bliss, you may have to dig deep down into your pack to check the identification in your wallet, to see if your name isn’t ‘Adam’ (or ‘Eve’) after all” - Jim C. Cunningham
It seems that naturist camping inspires wonderful writers. Consider this description by the Bare Campers:
“I slip out of the tent as quietly as possible so as not to wake the rest of the family. As I stir the ashes of last nights campfire a small flame takes hold and I add a few dry twigs to the flame to ward off the morning chill while I marvel at the beauty around me. The morning mist still hangs heavy and drops of dew fall from the trees splashing on my bare shoulder, only then do I realize that I am totally naked in natures beauty. . . As I look around, the rest of the camp is starting to stir. Soon the smell of coffee fills the air and the clatter of pots and pans signals that breakfast is underway at many campsites. My own family is starting to stir and I watch as the kids slowly ease from their slumber. One by one they emerge from the tent, naked and rested. . . A gentle hand on my shoulder causes me to turn from watching the kids as now my wife stands beside me taking in the morning glory. She flips her sleep tossed hair back from her naked shoulders and laughs that she too needs to keep the sunscreen handy today. Now it really hits me, it’s Sunday morning and the kids aren’t fighting over the remote, the TV isn’t blaring, the garbage doesn’t need to be taken out, and best of all my cell phone isn’t ringing. Yes we really have found a little piece of paradise right here. I almost can’t believe that I’ve spent the entire weekend naked and free. . . What a great time we’ve had. We’ve made new friends, gotten closer together as a family, found out you really can survive without high speed internet and best of all mother nature really does have a great front porch. Will we be back? YOU BET! In fact the kids are already asking when they can come back to what they now call the NEKID CAMP.” – Bare Campers
Here are two more thoughts by naturist campers:
“I've been naked camping for 20 years now. I have run the gamut from car camping to back packing and a few years ago I got a travel trailer . . . I love getting out in nature and for me now camping in a nude campground is pretty close to heaven. Some are more to my liking than others and I have definitely camped nude outside of these places at remote locations in the desert and in the mountains, but it is really nice to get up in the morning and not have to ever worry about wearing clothes period. I have wonderful memories of nude camp outs with my friends from the Camping Bares, soaking in natural hot springs under the stars enjoying a glass of wine feeling the hot water soak my weary bones and contemplating the heavens. Great times.” - NudeAl
“I feel so comfortable here. Nudism is something I never even wondered about. My husband was the one always curious about it. So he wanted to try it and we agreed that if one of us were uncomfortable we wouldn't stay. But we never felt that way. . . I love the camping. I feel safer and more comfortable camping at a nudist park than anywhere else. The people are friendlier and it seems we all have so much in common. Everyone loves nature and the outdoors.” – Resort Guest
Many enjoy camping nude. Jim offers this wonderful description of naturist camping:
“Imagine . . . camping without having to be concerned about clothes. You rise to sun streaks piercing your tent, exit your sleeping bag in your natural night gown, amble to the lake shore and plunge in. The warming sun serves as your towel as you return to camp to the pleasant sounds of the birds as they discuss their breakfast menu. As others in your party rise, similarly smartly attired, you already have the campfire lighted. Growling stomachs chant approval to the welcome aroma of morning coffee and sizzling bacon. After a few days of such simple bliss, you may have to dig deep down into your pack to check the identification in your wallet, to see if your name isn’t ‘Adam’ (or ‘Eve’) after all” - Jim C. Cunningham
It seems that naturist camping inspires wonderful writers. Consider this description by the Bare Campers:
“I slip out of the tent as quietly as possible so as not to wake the rest of the family. As I stir the ashes of last nights campfire a small flame takes hold and I add a few dry twigs to the flame to ward off the morning chill while I marvel at the beauty around me. The morning mist still hangs heavy and drops of dew fall from the trees splashing on my bare shoulder, only then do I realize that I am totally naked in natures beauty. . . As I look around, the rest of the camp is starting to stir. Soon the smell of coffee fills the air and the clatter of pots and pans signals that breakfast is underway at many campsites. My own family is starting to stir and I watch as the kids slowly ease from their slumber. One by one they emerge from the tent, naked and rested. . . A gentle hand on my shoulder causes me to turn from watching the kids as now my wife stands beside me taking in the morning glory. She flips her sleep tossed hair back from her naked shoulders and laughs that she too needs to keep the sunscreen handy today. Now it really hits me, it’s Sunday morning and the kids aren’t fighting over the remote, the TV isn’t blaring, the garbage doesn’t need to be taken out, and best of all my cell phone isn’t ringing. Yes we really have found a little piece of paradise right here. I almost can’t believe that I’ve spent the entire weekend naked and free. . . What a great time we’ve had. We’ve made new friends, gotten closer together as a family, found out you really can survive without high speed internet and best of all mother nature really does have a great front porch. Will we be back? YOU BET! In fact the kids are already asking when they can come back to what they now call the NEKID CAMP.” – Bare Campers
Here are two more thoughts by naturist campers:
“I've been naked camping for 20 years now. I have run the gamut from car camping to back packing and a few years ago I got a travel trailer . . . I love getting out in nature and for me now camping in a nude campground is pretty close to heaven. Some are more to my liking than others and I have definitely camped nude outside of these places at remote locations in the desert and in the mountains, but it is really nice to get up in the morning and not have to ever worry about wearing clothes period. I have wonderful memories of nude camp outs with my friends from the Camping Bares, soaking in natural hot springs under the stars enjoying a glass of wine feeling the hot water soak my weary bones and contemplating the heavens. Great times.” - NudeAl
“I feel so comfortable here. Nudism is something I never even wondered about. My husband was the one always curious about it. So he wanted to try it and we agreed that if one of us were uncomfortable we wouldn't stay. But we never felt that way. . . I love the camping. I feel safer and more comfortable camping at a nudist park than anywhere else. The people are friendlier and it seems we all have so much in common. Everyone loves nature and the outdoors.” – Resort Guest
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Nude Fun Walking and Hiking
“The best dress for walking is nakedness.” - Colin Fletcher
“Nude hiking is freedom and the ultimate way to experience nature.” – John
“You get out to experience nature, right? Well get out there as natural as you can. Feel the sun and breezes on the largest sensory organ on the human body . . . the skin.” – Rick
“People can enjoy hiking clothed, but freehikers know firsthand that doing so naked makes the experience quantitatively and qualitatively superior in every way.” – Mark Storey
“The first written account of a European climbing a mountain merely for pleasure appears to be by Petrarch in 1336. Why was such an account so long in coming? Historians . . . have missed the point. People didn't climb mountains for fun because so few of them thought to do it Nude!” – www.bodyfreedom.org
For me a solo nude hike in a remote forest is a spiritual experience. It renews my soul and fills me with joy.” – Alan
I love everything about hiking nude – the feeling, the exercise, the beauty, and how it has fixed my head. Nude hiking has become such a wonderful, freeing experience that I call it freehiking. Every time I go for a freehike I'm more and more convinced of how enjoyable and good and right and wonderfully beneficial naturism, and especially freehiking, is for my life.
It’s wonderful to experience nature as you hike, and freehiking makes the link to nature so much stronger. Freehiking is really a spiritual experience, made more interesting and enjoyable when shared with good friends. I’ve made so many close, really life-long friends hiking nude.
Freehiking motivates me to me to exercise, bringing together so many positive feelings and motivations – the feel of sun and air on my body, the cooling as sweat evaporates, the visual beauty and interest of being one with nature, the aerobic beating of my heart. I love freehiking, so I easily get the exercise I need.
The freehiking experience defies simple description; it must be enjoyed first-hand. I've never heard of anyone saying they tried naked hiking and regretted or disliked it! It is addictive, but it is the most healthy addiction possible.
So how does someone get started freehiking? As mentioned, I was always interested in being naked, but didn’t understand how freeing and healthy it could be until I read a story on the Internet about a person who enjoyed freehiking. I decided to try it. I found a private area up a canyon, took off my clothes, and took a hike. Life has never been the same!
Here’s an account about how freehiking happened to Cheef:
“. . . it started raining while I was hiking, and in no time at all I was soaked. My heavy, soaking wet blue jeans soon began chafing my inner thighs as I walked. I doubted I would meet anyone in the rain, so I removed the jeans and hiked nude. . . When the rain quit, I just kept hiking nude. It dawned on me that the day before had been Labor day and I had only seen one hiker after leaving the road. The odds of meeting someone the next several days were minimal. I just decided I would do without the clothes for the rest of the week, which I did. I only dressed when I got within sight of the road. Ever since then, I have been hooked on nude hiking.”
Cheef and I are not alone. Many people enjoy freehiking as can be seen from the many quotes that follow:
“I enjoy hiking in the nude, free and feeling whole with Nature, the Earth and the Sky. It’s an overwhelming feeling of joy.” - Palm Springs Nudist
“Nothing beats the freedom of walking naked in the open air, unencumbered by the restrictive grip of clothing. Nothing. Not even gravity. I felt like a kid again.” – Tracy Issacs
“I personally enjoy hiking nude. It's a magnificent, often spiritual experience communing with nature in my natural state. . . To commune with nature in my natural state was such a transcendent experience that doubt just melted away. I discovered how ‘blind’ I had been before, smothering almost my entire organ of touch with clothing. Hiking clothed was like hiking with my hands over my eyes and peeking through little slits between my fingers. Feeling nature on every square inch of my body was exquisite. I craved the touch of the wind where it had never touched me before. I could sense the slightest change in temperature. The connection I felt with nature was palpable.” – Marty
“There's no way to explain it [freehiking] until you experience it. . . It's not about being lewd and crude and all that. It's just enjoyment.” - Andrew W.
“This summer I was able to go for a nude hike for a couple of miles at Cedar Trails in Ohio. My wife and I wandered through the woods and around a meadow for well over an hour, completely free and out of sight of people and signs of civilization. Until you have experienced freehiking you cannot appreciate the comfort of not having sweaty clothes clinging to your body.” – Nudiarist
“I have thought about this for awhile, looking for a way to express how I feel about hiking, the outdoors and being naked. . . I have often thought that there is a spiritual feeling from being in nature. . . I often feel that connection when I am alone in the woods. . . Being naked . . . just comfortable shoes and your true self to connect with nature and your God.” – Nude Walker
“When we first arrived [at Mountain Air Nudist Resort, Colorado] I was very nervous, and actually went into the bathroom to remove my clothes, and then persuaded my husband to go on a hike with me. We went on a hike, and I was in paradise. I loved every minute of it, and it gave me time with just him to become comfortable being naked in public, though we did pass people by the pool, and on the way to the trails.” – Texas Woman
“I have hiked nude in Yosemite National Park and it was great. I found a small waterfall and got in - something I have always wanted to do. The sun on my body and the cold water was so fantastic. Just below the falls the water pooled and I was able to soak up the experience. I hike nude whenever the opportunity comes up.” – John
“My favorite is hiking in the rain. The feeling of the cool random raindrops is unlike any other. After shedding the clothing, it's not long before it feels completely normal. The worst thing about the entire experience is knowing it has to end. I dread that time of having to get dressed.” – jcg
“I have been fortunate enough to freehike at Ohio's Cedar Trials, which has 5 miles of paths, and after feeling the freedom of not having sweaty clothes clinging to my skin, and feeling the cool breeze instead, I think it's weird that anyone would ever want to hike wearing textiles.” – The Political Naturist
“I am an avid nude hiker, and this most naturally healthy pursuit has forced me to seek out the unbeaten paths of the Sierra and the Big Sur mountains near my home. . . any true wilderness devotee would appreciate humanity's natural state, which is to be nude in the wilds.” - Jeffrey
“Been freehiking for a couple of years. Nothing more enjoyable than the freedom of enjoying the great outdoors with nothing inhibiting all the sensations the environment has to offer. The fact that I have also lost 30 lbs. is a bonus (not including the clothes). I highly recommend it to all hiking enthusiasts.” – dodger
“Freehiking is great. I don't mind hiking clothed if it’s cold; but if it is warm, the clothing has to go!” – yogaman
“I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in the 2009 Naked European Walking Tour . . . The first day we climbed more than 1100 meters . . . We pitched camp amid cows and horses at a high pasture area called Angeralm, and for the next three days we did naked dayhikes from there to various peaks and passes. . . The wildflowers, including the deep blue gentian, were in full bloom. . . the days were all sunny and warm, perfect for naturist hiking. It was absolutely great.” – Milt
“For me there is no greater recreation activity then walking nude in the sunshine through a forest and meadow . . . You can't get this with clothes on. I stood there eyes closed slowly breathing the pine-scented air, sun warming my body . . . with a gentle warm breeze wafting up from the ground around my legs swirling around my body as if mother nature were giving me a wonderful hug. I looked at my body, the body of a lone creature contrasted against the granite, ground, wildflowers, and trees of this area. I felt dwarfed by such a magnificent spectacle as all the worldly stress of everyday life melted away in insignificance compared to such beauty. Thank you God for this moment and day.” - Jay
“I remember my first freehike in Utah just a few years ago, and how amazing it felt to the have the sun on my skin, and being at one with the earth. I went with a group I didn't know very well, but that's the thing about being nude together, it's easier to get to know each other and be real. We all have this unique thing in common. I had so much fun and have been freehiking ever since!” - Namaste Naturist
“I enjoy . . . hiking in the nude. Be warned it is addicting. It feels so great to be a part of nature this way.” - Steve
“I live in the desert near Palm Springs where I hike naked more than I do with clothes on. There's plenty of empty desert where I never encounter another hiker. It's more comfortable to hike naked in hot weather and I don't get tan lines.” - Ron
“[My wife] shares my interest in hiking, so we've done that a lot together. At one point on one of our hikes together near Provo, UT, I decided to be funny, and when I was a bit behind her on the trail, I slipped off the bottom half of my clothes and caught back up to her, just to see her reaction. She laughed, but told me not to put them back on. Later, we went off the trail a bit, and we both shed our clothes and just enjoyed the feel of the sun and wind on our skin.” - Cori
“I've had the joy of walking through a forest nude, feeling the spongy ground under my feet and the forest air kissing my skin. My husband and I strolled nude down the Hamma Hamma River in Washington.” - Crystal
“Nothing feels better that getting out in nature and getting nude and taking a hike. This year I have done away with the backpack and have a camo side pack that goes over my shoulder and a water bottle attached. When I hike I go during weekdays when most folks are at work or school.” - Gabare
“I belong to a naturist walking group . . . where I can enjoy discrete naked hikes in the wonder of God's Creation - this is simply just awesome!” - Ceci
“I had a great naked hiking and camping experience last weekend at the Arizona (Ringbolt) Hot Springs, downstream from Hoover Dam. . . There were three of us, a 62 year old woman, a 46 year old man, and me, a 59 year old man. . . We hiked in nude from the highway to the river (about 2 miles), then along the river to our camp spot below the main beach and camping area. We encountered several groups along the way, but as usual, our nudity was not a problem. . . We spent the weekend getting in and out of the cold river, hiking to and soaking in the pools, and just generally hanging out in a beautiful area.” – Canyon Hawk
“I think I am definitely going to do all the summits nude! I love the experience of dropping the pack by the trail, and running up to the peak naked! . . . I'm sure there are many more nude summits in my future.” – Eric
“. . . there is a resort near Jacumba, CA that is clothing optional. . . I parked my car and with shoes, a walking stick, and water bottle headed up into the hills above the resort and out into the desert. . . The trail system is a mixture of footpaths, old jeep trails and dry sandy washes that cut into the granite creating a meandering path through the oddly shaped rock . . . Walking nude so far from my clothes felt wonderful. I soaked in the sun and breeze totally.” - Jay
“The weather has improved enough to get back out to the desert. . . it is desolate and the terrain appears harsh at times from a distance. I think it is only when you walk amongst it that the beauty and thriving life is evident if you’re open to it and being naked your whole body is open.” - Jay
“I went yesterday to our nature reserve, stripped, took of everything . . . including watch, glasses, shoes, socks, the lot. . . and went off, for a two hour hike. . . there is no better way to experience complete freedom, to experience nature in all it glory, just you the way you are supposed to be, with God and his creation. You don’t see the animals, but the sounds of so many creatures are all around you. The rustling of the wind in the trees, a gently cool breeze stroking your skin. . . moonlight which gives everything that special, spooky is the wrong word, appearance. I don’t know how to describe it, but it is fantastic.” - Habakukrsa
“Naked Hiker Day was a blast! I hiked from about nine in the morning to four in the afternoon completely in the nude! What an awesome day! It was sunny, sunny, sunny! . . . Hiking along the cool drafts of breeze felt wonderful all along my totally exposed body. The warm rays of the sun were free to hit along skin rarely exposed to the sun, creating wonderful large amounts of vitamin D reserves for the winter! . . . The day ended with lively conversations around a campfire at beautiful Chicken Spring Lake.” – Eric
[Why hike nude?] “There’s not much to discuss. It’s freedom. First, freedom in your head; then, freedom of the body.” - Konrad H.
“I find that being nude has a real benefit when it comes to hiking, it`s sooooo much more practical and comfortable, than having restrictive clothes that make you all hot and sweaty and chafing, plus you can do it in lower temps, when just hanging out sunbathing nude would be too chilly.” - Phil
“Freehiking brings one closer to nature, and the Creator, than is otherwise possible. Clothed, I feel like an observer of nature. Naked, I am a part of nature.” - Paul
“I love to be out in nature, the way God intended me, without a scrap of clothing, so that I can feel the sun, and, if it`s not too cold, the gentle wind. I really feel close to God and nature, when I am naked in nature.” - Jonathon
“There was a time that I used to laugh at the idea of nude hiking . . . I remember seeing photos of a nude hike posted at Valley View hot springs in Colorado (they were wearing only their hiking boots and backpacks), and I thought it was the goofiest thing I had ever seen. But since then I've been hiking on various occasions without my sweaty clothes on. It makes so much practical sense, and is far more comfortable . . . I've taken a real liking to it.” – Alan P.
“I used to hate hiking; when I would go hiking I would get exhausted, thirsty, and sweaty - it was simply a miserable experience. When I tried hiking nude I found it to be liberating and exhilarating, the feeling of walking, climbing, the sun, the wind and the feeling of freedom is amazing.” – Nude Explorer
“I found my overall experience hiking [the Deep Creek Hot Springs] trail to be fantastic! It was only a matter of getting out and openly doing it. To allow myself to be cloaked solely by God's created skin. To experience the natural way my body was meant to feel and witness the elements; and touch with harmony the inherited latent gene in the mind which validates all the senses when the body is purely in accordance with the way our early ancestors hunted and lived for thousands of years. This experience has opened a whole new dimension in hiking for me. It felt so good, so relaxing, and so very natural.” – Deep Creek Hot Springs Freehiker
“You’re more a part of the world when you’re not wearing a whole bunch of clothing. It connects you to the wilderness so much. You get up in the high country, in the tundra, and have a light breeze blowing, and it’s absolutely magical.” – George W.
“My wife and I are keen naked bush walkers. We have hiked many extreme tours (naked) all over Australia and the World. Our absolute favourite area is the Northwest of Western Australia. . . It is paradise on Earth. We climbed the second highest mountain in WA [naked] and spent many days in Wittenoom Gorge, Bee Gorge and the Karijini Gorges (also naked) - one of the most stunning places we've seen . . .” - karijini49
“. . . when freehiking . . . I almost always have a chance to meditate, a chance to converse with myself, with those I'm with, and with God, and a chance to feel a part of that which is around me. On every freehike we also try to take a moment for a contemplative and thankful prayer, and at the end of the hike, thanks and a hug for those who have graced us with their presence. I can think of few things more enjoyable.” - Nkdmn N Cps
“I feel connected to the natural world around me more when I am nude with nothing standing between me and the environment. . . For me it is very nearly a religious experience. I feel closer to my version of The Creator when I am nude in nature. I am a part of this wonderful world, another being sharing that space with the wild creatures that live there. I find my senses are more heightened. I feel and sense things more. My eyes are keener and my hearing sharper. I feel the breeze and the rain on my skin, or the sun. I am enveloped by the surrounding nature. I go out in nature to recharge my batteries, to renew my soul, and to scrub off the layers of crud that living in civilization tends to put on you. . . My memories of these hikes sustain me when I am cooped up in my civilized world. I savor these memories and look forward to the next hike to rejuvenate my soul.” - NudeAl
“Last year I started on a lifelong wish to do overnight hiking. I started with a three day hike around the southern tip of our state . . . I had a wonderful time. Went with a number of Christian friends. . . Have you tried nude hiking? It is the best!” - Alfie
“I love to hike naked and take several hikes each week during the summer, and once or twice a month in the winter, when the weather cooperates. When I get to one of my trailheads and take off my clothes and stand naked again, it's like my body breathes a sigh of relief at being cooped up in clothes since the last hike.” – BillBill
“. . . think of hiking naked as skinny dipping, not in the water, but in the breeze. There are few experiences that match the cleansing that occurs when one has an opportunity to peel off all of the layers of civilization . . . I feel blessed to have been allowed to experience in person, a special place of beauty and peace in my life.” – Dan
“I may not be in big wilderness . . . But the creek in my city has many deer, raccoons, skunks, foxes, birds, etc., and I have seen many of these wonderful creatures during my naked walks around the creek. . . My nude walks usually start about Midnight and I often end up noticing the coming of a new day when the sun starts to rise about 5- 5:30 am.” – Aqui Zinaga
“There is nothing better than communing with nature dressed as nature intended. A 5K nude walk in open countryside is just what the doctor ordered for de-stressing.” - Pete
“. . . when you are nude and have managed to not take along too many things, you can practically float along the trail. Not just smooth, flat trails but any trail. You can manage pretty well by leaving more things behind. It might be minimalist but it is also primativist . . . And it's more fun - but mainly because you're naked.” – Blue Train
“I have a strong appreciation for the ‘nature’ in ‘natur-ism.’ Being naked in a rustic environment is like a vitamin for me. I can get by day to day without it, but eventually it ‘catches up’ to me and I have to get out and get natural in the woods. Long leisurely walks in the nude where possible are delightful.” - Van
“Here in Charleston, South Carolina . . . Anne and I went to a secluded island . . . Leaving our clothes in a safe place, taking only a small satchel with supplies, we decided to go for a long hike through the forest, along the marsh, and hopefully explore a beach on the other side of the island we'd not ventured to before. Hiking nude is different because your body must physically navigate variable terrain. . . Seeing your partner's body perform the work of climbing, stepping, hopping, walking, and balancing is a completely different experience. . . The length of the hike, the hours spent far away from our clothes, and the exhilaration of experiencing our bodies and the natural terrain without clothing are what made that fall day so amazing and memorable to us both. I highly recommend . . . hiking nude.” – Christopher & Anne
But what if you run into someone when you’re freehiking? Won’t the clothed person get upset? Won’t you get arrested? Surprisingly, no, few people get upset, and getting arrested is very unlikely.
It’s not a bad idea to take along a loose cover-up like shorts, or a light kilt, or a long t-shirt to slip on if you hear someone coming. But sometimes you don’t hear people coming – they just appear. And it looks guilty and stupid to start jumping around trying to get dressed. In fact, the person may totally misunderstand your intentions if you jump naked into the brush at the side of the trail. My experience is that it’s better to just say nude, say something like: ‘Hi, hot day isn’t it’, and keep walking, or perhaps even stop to talk if the person is interested.
For instance, on one freehike I encountered a woman on a horse (you seldom hear a horse before it’s too late to dress). As she rode past we exchanged greetings. She said how nice it was that the rain had finally stopped, and how green the area was. I asked if I could take her photo - she agreed. She didn’t mention my nudity and didn’t seem embarrassed or upset at all.
Many other freehikers have had similar experiences meeting clothed people:
“I spent two days hiking nude in a California State Park. The only person I saw was a ranger that drove by on a back road; he just waved and kept going. . . A nude hike to a backcountry lake for a swim is the only way to go!” – Anonymous
“I’ve met people on the trail several times while hiking nude. Most just nod, say hello, maybe giggle a bit, then move on. And I ran into one woman once who, when she saw me, said, ‘I wish I had the guts to do that.’ I told her, ‘Why not?’ She thought about it a minute, then just took her clothes off. We hiked along together for about a half-hour.” - Rusty Stevens
“A great day was had on Mt. Martha. About 5 hours of naked hiking with my dog. Heard one couple so I called out, ‘Naked hiker coming.’ They smiled and agreed it was a hot day and kept on going. I finished hiking both summits, meeting no one until I was almost at the base. I looked up and suddenly saw a lady in front of me. She smiled. Asked a question about the trail. Never mentioned my nudity. We talked for about 5 minutes and I stayed naked to the trails end near the parking lot.” - Mike
“. . . my wife wanted to go for a hike. . . About 1 mile in on an old unused trail . . . My wife stopped . . . The next thing I knew she was naked. Well, I joined her. . . My wife was right, great fun, super feeling of freedom and my skin loved the sun and wind . . . The leaves were red, orange, yellow and falling with the wind. It was so natural . . . After a while we turned around and there were two couples just staring at us. . . We just said hi and I said why not join in. Believe it or not the women got naked and joined and then the men. The day continued, with all six of us naked hikers and with no loss for conversation. I guess this friendship will last a long time. . . This was a great day to remember . . .” - Bear
“I was in Yosemite National Park a few Springs ago . . . a beautiful day, sunny and looking to get warm . . . by the time I got to the top of the falls it was mid-morning and I reckoned this was about the place that most tourists stop, take their pics and head back for home. . . I wondered if I dared risk taking off my clothes. . . But I hadn't seen anyone for a while so I reckoned I should just give it a go. No sooner had I got my clothes off then I heard steps behind me. A woman with her young daughter were walking up the path behind me . . . I got the shock of my life but did my best to keep my cool and told them I hoped I hadn't startled them. She . . . suggested . . . that my clothes might have got soaked in the spray of the waterfall on the way up. . . She even said they had taken their own clothes off through that part . . . Then off they went. . . I can't have been going for more than a few minutes when I heard someone else behind me! No time to cover up, so I turned to brazen it out. It was a female park ranger! Now I was really busted! But she wished me good morning with nothing more than a smile... and a warning that she was about to meet a bunch of teenagers waiting round the next bend and I might want to cover up. . . from that point on, for the next five or six hours, I walked up and back along the valley trail, completely nude, without meeting a single person. . . I'm very grateful to the two women I bumped into for being so chilled and not scaring me out of my first proper hike!” - Greystoke
“. . . in Maine and Vermont where on remote trails my clothes are more often than not, packed away and unavailable. . . attitude is everything. It didn't take me too long hiking naked in different contexts, and encountering numerous people over time, to personally feel no difference between being dressed or undressed, in such situations. In my mind, I am simply another hiker using the trail and this projects. Most everyone I meet accepts me that way, totally. Any question of ‘lewdness’ is instantly dispelled under such circumstances. I have had many pleasant trailside conversations during such chance meetings. . . I have gone from starting a hike textile to hiking naked within the first mile, with some of my coworkers. They were not expecting it, yet settled into it very quickly, remarking that they were surprised at how natural, it appeared for me to be so, thus encouraging them to feel the same about the experience.” – FreewalkerMA
“I kept wondering what other hikers would say if they saw me hiking nude. . . after rounding a blind curve on the trail and having no time to cover up, there was a couple coming at me. I said hi . . . The guy looked surprised but said hello and the girl looked me over and smiled. I felt relieved again that people just didn't seem to care I was hiking nude. . . So, down the trail I went. I came across about 30 hikers on the way out with no negative reactions that I could sense except for a few surprised looks. The interactions were much the same as if I was hiking 'normal' - most people said hi and some passed by with no reaction. Two females hiking together stopped and talked to me about my dog for a bit and didn't mention my nudity, then wandered on. . . I'd guess that around 400 hikers have seen me in 8 years of nude hiking . . . The positive reactions have been numerous and have been subtle as smiles, to verbal comments like ‘Alright!’ or ‘I wish I had the guts to do that’ . . . I came across a lone female hiker who said ‘I've got to tell my husband about this!’ She told me she had always wanted to hike nude, but couldn't get her husband to do it and didn't feel safe hiking nude alone being female. . . I was hanging out nude at my favorite spot . . . when a female and her two male companions came down the side trail to where I was. They could see I was nude, but didn't seem to care. . . She said, ‘Alright, that's what we should be doing!’ [I] started on my way down. I turned back and noticed they had stopped and she was removing her clothes! It felt good that I had inspired someone else to try nude hiking!” - Steve
“I suspect clothed hikers totally approve of seeing the freedom expressed in a fellow hiker having the balls to hike nude and do what something inside them wishes they were doing themselves.” - Deep Creek Hot Springs Freehiker
Sunning, swimming, and otherwise being outdoors nude is wonderful, but freehiking is an altogether different experience. Freehiking is a unique blend of satisfaction, for a longer period of time, and over much more terrain. Comfortable footwear is required - I like low socks and tennis shoes. Water, snacks, sun or insect cream, and a compass are helpful, along with a hat and a camera if you like. By definition, clothes are usually left far behind when freehiking, except for a loose cover-up that can be easily carried. Depending on how far you decide to go, freehiking can be a lengthy and thrilling commitment, with heightened exhilaration. Freehiking is definitely fun.
“You know; it’s not rude to bathe in the nude, in the shower, a spa or the bath. Well out in the scrub, I walk in the nude; so I ‘bathe in the breeze’ on the path!” – Luis Cortes
“In recent years, it has become fashionable for a growing number of Swiss and some foreigners to wander in the Alps clad in little more than hiking shoes and sun screen. Last summer, the number of nude hikers increased to such an extent that the hills often seemed alive with the sound of everything but the swish of trousers. . . in Switzerland there is no law against hiking in the nude.” – John T.
“German naturists will soon have their own 18-km (11-mile) long trail for hiking in the nude . . . Heinz Ludwig, who runs a nearby campsite, has led the project to create the nudist trail that meanders up and down the Harz mountain range in central Germany . . . between the village of Dankerode and the Wippertal Dam. . . The trail is being marked with special signs warning the uninitiated that they could encounter nude hikers. ‘If you don't want to see people with nothing on then you should refrain from moving on!’, reads one warning sign.” - Caroline C.
“We were born to be walkers. Other forms of life creep, crawl, hop, leap, bound, gallop, swim or fly - but humans walk - and many of us find it to be a great delight. A regular schedule of walking boosts mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health. It can lower high blood pressure, keep arteries healthy, relieve tension and anxiety and calm a troubled mind. Walking is the exercise that needs no gym. It is the prescription without medicine, a tranquilizer without a pill, weight control without a diet, therapy without a psychoanalyst, and a vacation that doesn't cost a penny. If we were born to be walkers we were also born naked so we were born to be naturist walkers.” - adapted from a piece by Dr. Dale E. Turner
“If two of the main purposes of hiking is to dive into nature and to experience the exhilaration of one’s physicality, clothing is obviously an obstacle.” - Jim C. Cunningham
“I have become an unabashed advocate of nude hiking. I've been day hiking and backpacking all my adult life, but when I started doing it nude a few years ago, I was changed forever. . . Try it . . . you'll like it.” – Mark Storey
“I lost my wilderness when I lost my fear. . . Once you lose your 'sense of wilderness' you gain something much more precious - the sense of existing as a part of the natural world. This is not something that ends when you come out of the woods. It's a life lesson . . . It's about experiencing nature in a direct way, and it's also about experiencing yourself in a direct way after you've removed your masks and set aside your filters of preconception. . . What makes wilderness natural is the fact that you are immersed in the natural world. Once you put clothing on in a deep woods spot, you aren't part of the wilderness anymore, you are in direct touch with civilization. You are wearing a mask that protects you not just physically, but also mentally from the wilderness.” - Shane
“You haven’t lived until you’ve hiked naked! . . . Hiking nude may be the ultimate experience of freedom. Nothing between you and the air allows you to totally relax and become one with the environment.” – InternationalNudist
“Amazing what a naked walk will do to recalibrate one's sanity barometer.” - FreewalkerMA
“Nude hiking is freedom and the ultimate way to experience nature.” – John
“You get out to experience nature, right? Well get out there as natural as you can. Feel the sun and breezes on the largest sensory organ on the human body . . . the skin.” – Rick
“People can enjoy hiking clothed, but freehikers know firsthand that doing so naked makes the experience quantitatively and qualitatively superior in every way.” – Mark Storey
“The first written account of a European climbing a mountain merely for pleasure appears to be by Petrarch in 1336. Why was such an account so long in coming? Historians . . . have missed the point. People didn't climb mountains for fun because so few of them thought to do it Nude!” – www.bodyfreedom.org
For me a solo nude hike in a remote forest is a spiritual experience. It renews my soul and fills me with joy.” – Alan
I love everything about hiking nude – the feeling, the exercise, the beauty, and how it has fixed my head. Nude hiking has become such a wonderful, freeing experience that I call it freehiking. Every time I go for a freehike I'm more and more convinced of how enjoyable and good and right and wonderfully beneficial naturism, and especially freehiking, is for my life.
It’s wonderful to experience nature as you hike, and freehiking makes the link to nature so much stronger. Freehiking is really a spiritual experience, made more interesting and enjoyable when shared with good friends. I’ve made so many close, really life-long friends hiking nude.
Freehiking motivates me to me to exercise, bringing together so many positive feelings and motivations – the feel of sun and air on my body, the cooling as sweat evaporates, the visual beauty and interest of being one with nature, the aerobic beating of my heart. I love freehiking, so I easily get the exercise I need.
The freehiking experience defies simple description; it must be enjoyed first-hand. I've never heard of anyone saying they tried naked hiking and regretted or disliked it! It is addictive, but it is the most healthy addiction possible.
So how does someone get started freehiking? As mentioned, I was always interested in being naked, but didn’t understand how freeing and healthy it could be until I read a story on the Internet about a person who enjoyed freehiking. I decided to try it. I found a private area up a canyon, took off my clothes, and took a hike. Life has never been the same!
Here’s an account about how freehiking happened to Cheef:
“. . . it started raining while I was hiking, and in no time at all I was soaked. My heavy, soaking wet blue jeans soon began chafing my inner thighs as I walked. I doubted I would meet anyone in the rain, so I removed the jeans and hiked nude. . . When the rain quit, I just kept hiking nude. It dawned on me that the day before had been Labor day and I had only seen one hiker after leaving the road. The odds of meeting someone the next several days were minimal. I just decided I would do without the clothes for the rest of the week, which I did. I only dressed when I got within sight of the road. Ever since then, I have been hooked on nude hiking.”
Cheef and I are not alone. Many people enjoy freehiking as can be seen from the many quotes that follow:
“I enjoy hiking in the nude, free and feeling whole with Nature, the Earth and the Sky. It’s an overwhelming feeling of joy.” - Palm Springs Nudist
“Nothing beats the freedom of walking naked in the open air, unencumbered by the restrictive grip of clothing. Nothing. Not even gravity. I felt like a kid again.” – Tracy Issacs
“I personally enjoy hiking nude. It's a magnificent, often spiritual experience communing with nature in my natural state. . . To commune with nature in my natural state was such a transcendent experience that doubt just melted away. I discovered how ‘blind’ I had been before, smothering almost my entire organ of touch with clothing. Hiking clothed was like hiking with my hands over my eyes and peeking through little slits between my fingers. Feeling nature on every square inch of my body was exquisite. I craved the touch of the wind where it had never touched me before. I could sense the slightest change in temperature. The connection I felt with nature was palpable.” – Marty
“There's no way to explain it [freehiking] until you experience it. . . It's not about being lewd and crude and all that. It's just enjoyment.” - Andrew W.
“This summer I was able to go for a nude hike for a couple of miles at Cedar Trails in Ohio. My wife and I wandered through the woods and around a meadow for well over an hour, completely free and out of sight of people and signs of civilization. Until you have experienced freehiking you cannot appreciate the comfort of not having sweaty clothes clinging to your body.” – Nudiarist
“I have thought about this for awhile, looking for a way to express how I feel about hiking, the outdoors and being naked. . . I have often thought that there is a spiritual feeling from being in nature. . . I often feel that connection when I am alone in the woods. . . Being naked . . . just comfortable shoes and your true self to connect with nature and your God.” – Nude Walker
“When we first arrived [at Mountain Air Nudist Resort, Colorado] I was very nervous, and actually went into the bathroom to remove my clothes, and then persuaded my husband to go on a hike with me. We went on a hike, and I was in paradise. I loved every minute of it, and it gave me time with just him to become comfortable being naked in public, though we did pass people by the pool, and on the way to the trails.” – Texas Woman
“I have hiked nude in Yosemite National Park and it was great. I found a small waterfall and got in - something I have always wanted to do. The sun on my body and the cold water was so fantastic. Just below the falls the water pooled and I was able to soak up the experience. I hike nude whenever the opportunity comes up.” – John
“My favorite is hiking in the rain. The feeling of the cool random raindrops is unlike any other. After shedding the clothing, it's not long before it feels completely normal. The worst thing about the entire experience is knowing it has to end. I dread that time of having to get dressed.” – jcg
“I have been fortunate enough to freehike at Ohio's Cedar Trials, which has 5 miles of paths, and after feeling the freedom of not having sweaty clothes clinging to my skin, and feeling the cool breeze instead, I think it's weird that anyone would ever want to hike wearing textiles.” – The Political Naturist
“I am an avid nude hiker, and this most naturally healthy pursuit has forced me to seek out the unbeaten paths of the Sierra and the Big Sur mountains near my home. . . any true wilderness devotee would appreciate humanity's natural state, which is to be nude in the wilds.” - Jeffrey
“Been freehiking for a couple of years. Nothing more enjoyable than the freedom of enjoying the great outdoors with nothing inhibiting all the sensations the environment has to offer. The fact that I have also lost 30 lbs. is a bonus (not including the clothes). I highly recommend it to all hiking enthusiasts.” – dodger
“Freehiking is great. I don't mind hiking clothed if it’s cold; but if it is warm, the clothing has to go!” – yogaman
“I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in the 2009 Naked European Walking Tour . . . The first day we climbed more than 1100 meters . . . We pitched camp amid cows and horses at a high pasture area called Angeralm, and for the next three days we did naked dayhikes from there to various peaks and passes. . . The wildflowers, including the deep blue gentian, were in full bloom. . . the days were all sunny and warm, perfect for naturist hiking. It was absolutely great.” – Milt
“For me there is no greater recreation activity then walking nude in the sunshine through a forest and meadow . . . You can't get this with clothes on. I stood there eyes closed slowly breathing the pine-scented air, sun warming my body . . . with a gentle warm breeze wafting up from the ground around my legs swirling around my body as if mother nature were giving me a wonderful hug. I looked at my body, the body of a lone creature contrasted against the granite, ground, wildflowers, and trees of this area. I felt dwarfed by such a magnificent spectacle as all the worldly stress of everyday life melted away in insignificance compared to such beauty. Thank you God for this moment and day.” - Jay
“I remember my first freehike in Utah just a few years ago, and how amazing it felt to the have the sun on my skin, and being at one with the earth. I went with a group I didn't know very well, but that's the thing about being nude together, it's easier to get to know each other and be real. We all have this unique thing in common. I had so much fun and have been freehiking ever since!” - Namaste Naturist
“I enjoy . . . hiking in the nude. Be warned it is addicting. It feels so great to be a part of nature this way.” - Steve
“I live in the desert near Palm Springs where I hike naked more than I do with clothes on. There's plenty of empty desert where I never encounter another hiker. It's more comfortable to hike naked in hot weather and I don't get tan lines.” - Ron
“[My wife] shares my interest in hiking, so we've done that a lot together. At one point on one of our hikes together near Provo, UT, I decided to be funny, and when I was a bit behind her on the trail, I slipped off the bottom half of my clothes and caught back up to her, just to see her reaction. She laughed, but told me not to put them back on. Later, we went off the trail a bit, and we both shed our clothes and just enjoyed the feel of the sun and wind on our skin.” - Cori
“I've had the joy of walking through a forest nude, feeling the spongy ground under my feet and the forest air kissing my skin. My husband and I strolled nude down the Hamma Hamma River in Washington.” - Crystal
“Nothing feels better that getting out in nature and getting nude and taking a hike. This year I have done away with the backpack and have a camo side pack that goes over my shoulder and a water bottle attached. When I hike I go during weekdays when most folks are at work or school.” - Gabare
“I belong to a naturist walking group . . . where I can enjoy discrete naked hikes in the wonder of God's Creation - this is simply just awesome!” - Ceci
“I had a great naked hiking and camping experience last weekend at the Arizona (Ringbolt) Hot Springs, downstream from Hoover Dam. . . There were three of us, a 62 year old woman, a 46 year old man, and me, a 59 year old man. . . We hiked in nude from the highway to the river (about 2 miles), then along the river to our camp spot below the main beach and camping area. We encountered several groups along the way, but as usual, our nudity was not a problem. . . We spent the weekend getting in and out of the cold river, hiking to and soaking in the pools, and just generally hanging out in a beautiful area.” – Canyon Hawk
“I think I am definitely going to do all the summits nude! I love the experience of dropping the pack by the trail, and running up to the peak naked! . . . I'm sure there are many more nude summits in my future.” – Eric
“. . . there is a resort near Jacumba, CA that is clothing optional. . . I parked my car and with shoes, a walking stick, and water bottle headed up into the hills above the resort and out into the desert. . . The trail system is a mixture of footpaths, old jeep trails and dry sandy washes that cut into the granite creating a meandering path through the oddly shaped rock . . . Walking nude so far from my clothes felt wonderful. I soaked in the sun and breeze totally.” - Jay
“The weather has improved enough to get back out to the desert. . . it is desolate and the terrain appears harsh at times from a distance. I think it is only when you walk amongst it that the beauty and thriving life is evident if you’re open to it and being naked your whole body is open.” - Jay
“I went yesterday to our nature reserve, stripped, took of everything . . . including watch, glasses, shoes, socks, the lot. . . and went off, for a two hour hike. . . there is no better way to experience complete freedom, to experience nature in all it glory, just you the way you are supposed to be, with God and his creation. You don’t see the animals, but the sounds of so many creatures are all around you. The rustling of the wind in the trees, a gently cool breeze stroking your skin. . . moonlight which gives everything that special, spooky is the wrong word, appearance. I don’t know how to describe it, but it is fantastic.” - Habakukrsa
“Naked Hiker Day was a blast! I hiked from about nine in the morning to four in the afternoon completely in the nude! What an awesome day! It was sunny, sunny, sunny! . . . Hiking along the cool drafts of breeze felt wonderful all along my totally exposed body. The warm rays of the sun were free to hit along skin rarely exposed to the sun, creating wonderful large amounts of vitamin D reserves for the winter! . . . The day ended with lively conversations around a campfire at beautiful Chicken Spring Lake.” – Eric
[Why hike nude?] “There’s not much to discuss. It’s freedom. First, freedom in your head; then, freedom of the body.” - Konrad H.
“I find that being nude has a real benefit when it comes to hiking, it`s sooooo much more practical and comfortable, than having restrictive clothes that make you all hot and sweaty and chafing, plus you can do it in lower temps, when just hanging out sunbathing nude would be too chilly.” - Phil
“Freehiking brings one closer to nature, and the Creator, than is otherwise possible. Clothed, I feel like an observer of nature. Naked, I am a part of nature.” - Paul
“I love to be out in nature, the way God intended me, without a scrap of clothing, so that I can feel the sun, and, if it`s not too cold, the gentle wind. I really feel close to God and nature, when I am naked in nature.” - Jonathon
“There was a time that I used to laugh at the idea of nude hiking . . . I remember seeing photos of a nude hike posted at Valley View hot springs in Colorado (they were wearing only their hiking boots and backpacks), and I thought it was the goofiest thing I had ever seen. But since then I've been hiking on various occasions without my sweaty clothes on. It makes so much practical sense, and is far more comfortable . . . I've taken a real liking to it.” – Alan P.
“I used to hate hiking; when I would go hiking I would get exhausted, thirsty, and sweaty - it was simply a miserable experience. When I tried hiking nude I found it to be liberating and exhilarating, the feeling of walking, climbing, the sun, the wind and the feeling of freedom is amazing.” – Nude Explorer
“I found my overall experience hiking [the Deep Creek Hot Springs] trail to be fantastic! It was only a matter of getting out and openly doing it. To allow myself to be cloaked solely by God's created skin. To experience the natural way my body was meant to feel and witness the elements; and touch with harmony the inherited latent gene in the mind which validates all the senses when the body is purely in accordance with the way our early ancestors hunted and lived for thousands of years. This experience has opened a whole new dimension in hiking for me. It felt so good, so relaxing, and so very natural.” – Deep Creek Hot Springs Freehiker
“You’re more a part of the world when you’re not wearing a whole bunch of clothing. It connects you to the wilderness so much. You get up in the high country, in the tundra, and have a light breeze blowing, and it’s absolutely magical.” – George W.
“My wife and I are keen naked bush walkers. We have hiked many extreme tours (naked) all over Australia and the World. Our absolute favourite area is the Northwest of Western Australia. . . It is paradise on Earth. We climbed the second highest mountain in WA [naked] and spent many days in Wittenoom Gorge, Bee Gorge and the Karijini Gorges (also naked) - one of the most stunning places we've seen . . .” - karijini49
“. . . when freehiking . . . I almost always have a chance to meditate, a chance to converse with myself, with those I'm with, and with God, and a chance to feel a part of that which is around me. On every freehike we also try to take a moment for a contemplative and thankful prayer, and at the end of the hike, thanks and a hug for those who have graced us with their presence. I can think of few things more enjoyable.” - Nkdmn N Cps
“I feel connected to the natural world around me more when I am nude with nothing standing between me and the environment. . . For me it is very nearly a religious experience. I feel closer to my version of The Creator when I am nude in nature. I am a part of this wonderful world, another being sharing that space with the wild creatures that live there. I find my senses are more heightened. I feel and sense things more. My eyes are keener and my hearing sharper. I feel the breeze and the rain on my skin, or the sun. I am enveloped by the surrounding nature. I go out in nature to recharge my batteries, to renew my soul, and to scrub off the layers of crud that living in civilization tends to put on you. . . My memories of these hikes sustain me when I am cooped up in my civilized world. I savor these memories and look forward to the next hike to rejuvenate my soul.” - NudeAl
“Last year I started on a lifelong wish to do overnight hiking. I started with a three day hike around the southern tip of our state . . . I had a wonderful time. Went with a number of Christian friends. . . Have you tried nude hiking? It is the best!” - Alfie
“I love to hike naked and take several hikes each week during the summer, and once or twice a month in the winter, when the weather cooperates. When I get to one of my trailheads and take off my clothes and stand naked again, it's like my body breathes a sigh of relief at being cooped up in clothes since the last hike.” – BillBill
“. . . think of hiking naked as skinny dipping, not in the water, but in the breeze. There are few experiences that match the cleansing that occurs when one has an opportunity to peel off all of the layers of civilization . . . I feel blessed to have been allowed to experience in person, a special place of beauty and peace in my life.” – Dan
“I may not be in big wilderness . . . But the creek in my city has many deer, raccoons, skunks, foxes, birds, etc., and I have seen many of these wonderful creatures during my naked walks around the creek. . . My nude walks usually start about Midnight and I often end up noticing the coming of a new day when the sun starts to rise about 5- 5:30 am.” – Aqui Zinaga
“There is nothing better than communing with nature dressed as nature intended. A 5K nude walk in open countryside is just what the doctor ordered for de-stressing.” - Pete
“. . . when you are nude and have managed to not take along too many things, you can practically float along the trail. Not just smooth, flat trails but any trail. You can manage pretty well by leaving more things behind. It might be minimalist but it is also primativist . . . And it's more fun - but mainly because you're naked.” – Blue Train
“I have a strong appreciation for the ‘nature’ in ‘natur-ism.’ Being naked in a rustic environment is like a vitamin for me. I can get by day to day without it, but eventually it ‘catches up’ to me and I have to get out and get natural in the woods. Long leisurely walks in the nude where possible are delightful.” - Van
“Here in Charleston, South Carolina . . . Anne and I went to a secluded island . . . Leaving our clothes in a safe place, taking only a small satchel with supplies, we decided to go for a long hike through the forest, along the marsh, and hopefully explore a beach on the other side of the island we'd not ventured to before. Hiking nude is different because your body must physically navigate variable terrain. . . Seeing your partner's body perform the work of climbing, stepping, hopping, walking, and balancing is a completely different experience. . . The length of the hike, the hours spent far away from our clothes, and the exhilaration of experiencing our bodies and the natural terrain without clothing are what made that fall day so amazing and memorable to us both. I highly recommend . . . hiking nude.” – Christopher & Anne
But what if you run into someone when you’re freehiking? Won’t the clothed person get upset? Won’t you get arrested? Surprisingly, no, few people get upset, and getting arrested is very unlikely.
It’s not a bad idea to take along a loose cover-up like shorts, or a light kilt, or a long t-shirt to slip on if you hear someone coming. But sometimes you don’t hear people coming – they just appear. And it looks guilty and stupid to start jumping around trying to get dressed. In fact, the person may totally misunderstand your intentions if you jump naked into the brush at the side of the trail. My experience is that it’s better to just say nude, say something like: ‘Hi, hot day isn’t it’, and keep walking, or perhaps even stop to talk if the person is interested.
For instance, on one freehike I encountered a woman on a horse (you seldom hear a horse before it’s too late to dress). As she rode past we exchanged greetings. She said how nice it was that the rain had finally stopped, and how green the area was. I asked if I could take her photo - she agreed. She didn’t mention my nudity and didn’t seem embarrassed or upset at all.
Many other freehikers have had similar experiences meeting clothed people:
“I spent two days hiking nude in a California State Park. The only person I saw was a ranger that drove by on a back road; he just waved and kept going. . . A nude hike to a backcountry lake for a swim is the only way to go!” – Anonymous
“I’ve met people on the trail several times while hiking nude. Most just nod, say hello, maybe giggle a bit, then move on. And I ran into one woman once who, when she saw me, said, ‘I wish I had the guts to do that.’ I told her, ‘Why not?’ She thought about it a minute, then just took her clothes off. We hiked along together for about a half-hour.” - Rusty Stevens
“A great day was had on Mt. Martha. About 5 hours of naked hiking with my dog. Heard one couple so I called out, ‘Naked hiker coming.’ They smiled and agreed it was a hot day and kept on going. I finished hiking both summits, meeting no one until I was almost at the base. I looked up and suddenly saw a lady in front of me. She smiled. Asked a question about the trail. Never mentioned my nudity. We talked for about 5 minutes and I stayed naked to the trails end near the parking lot.” - Mike
“. . . my wife wanted to go for a hike. . . About 1 mile in on an old unused trail . . . My wife stopped . . . The next thing I knew she was naked. Well, I joined her. . . My wife was right, great fun, super feeling of freedom and my skin loved the sun and wind . . . The leaves were red, orange, yellow and falling with the wind. It was so natural . . . After a while we turned around and there were two couples just staring at us. . . We just said hi and I said why not join in. Believe it or not the women got naked and joined and then the men. The day continued, with all six of us naked hikers and with no loss for conversation. I guess this friendship will last a long time. . . This was a great day to remember . . .” - Bear
“I was in Yosemite National Park a few Springs ago . . . a beautiful day, sunny and looking to get warm . . . by the time I got to the top of the falls it was mid-morning and I reckoned this was about the place that most tourists stop, take their pics and head back for home. . . I wondered if I dared risk taking off my clothes. . . But I hadn't seen anyone for a while so I reckoned I should just give it a go. No sooner had I got my clothes off then I heard steps behind me. A woman with her young daughter were walking up the path behind me . . . I got the shock of my life but did my best to keep my cool and told them I hoped I hadn't startled them. She . . . suggested . . . that my clothes might have got soaked in the spray of the waterfall on the way up. . . She even said they had taken their own clothes off through that part . . . Then off they went. . . I can't have been going for more than a few minutes when I heard someone else behind me! No time to cover up, so I turned to brazen it out. It was a female park ranger! Now I was really busted! But she wished me good morning with nothing more than a smile... and a warning that she was about to meet a bunch of teenagers waiting round the next bend and I might want to cover up. . . from that point on, for the next five or six hours, I walked up and back along the valley trail, completely nude, without meeting a single person. . . I'm very grateful to the two women I bumped into for being so chilled and not scaring me out of my first proper hike!” - Greystoke
“. . . in Maine and Vermont where on remote trails my clothes are more often than not, packed away and unavailable. . . attitude is everything. It didn't take me too long hiking naked in different contexts, and encountering numerous people over time, to personally feel no difference between being dressed or undressed, in such situations. In my mind, I am simply another hiker using the trail and this projects. Most everyone I meet accepts me that way, totally. Any question of ‘lewdness’ is instantly dispelled under such circumstances. I have had many pleasant trailside conversations during such chance meetings. . . I have gone from starting a hike textile to hiking naked within the first mile, with some of my coworkers. They were not expecting it, yet settled into it very quickly, remarking that they were surprised at how natural, it appeared for me to be so, thus encouraging them to feel the same about the experience.” – FreewalkerMA
“I kept wondering what other hikers would say if they saw me hiking nude. . . after rounding a blind curve on the trail and having no time to cover up, there was a couple coming at me. I said hi . . . The guy looked surprised but said hello and the girl looked me over and smiled. I felt relieved again that people just didn't seem to care I was hiking nude. . . So, down the trail I went. I came across about 30 hikers on the way out with no negative reactions that I could sense except for a few surprised looks. The interactions were much the same as if I was hiking 'normal' - most people said hi and some passed by with no reaction. Two females hiking together stopped and talked to me about my dog for a bit and didn't mention my nudity, then wandered on. . . I'd guess that around 400 hikers have seen me in 8 years of nude hiking . . . The positive reactions have been numerous and have been subtle as smiles, to verbal comments like ‘Alright!’ or ‘I wish I had the guts to do that’ . . . I came across a lone female hiker who said ‘I've got to tell my husband about this!’ She told me she had always wanted to hike nude, but couldn't get her husband to do it and didn't feel safe hiking nude alone being female. . . I was hanging out nude at my favorite spot . . . when a female and her two male companions came down the side trail to where I was. They could see I was nude, but didn't seem to care. . . She said, ‘Alright, that's what we should be doing!’ [I] started on my way down. I turned back and noticed they had stopped and she was removing her clothes! It felt good that I had inspired someone else to try nude hiking!” - Steve
“I suspect clothed hikers totally approve of seeing the freedom expressed in a fellow hiker having the balls to hike nude and do what something inside them wishes they were doing themselves.” - Deep Creek Hot Springs Freehiker
Sunning, swimming, and otherwise being outdoors nude is wonderful, but freehiking is an altogether different experience. Freehiking is a unique blend of satisfaction, for a longer period of time, and over much more terrain. Comfortable footwear is required - I like low socks and tennis shoes. Water, snacks, sun or insect cream, and a compass are helpful, along with a hat and a camera if you like. By definition, clothes are usually left far behind when freehiking, except for a loose cover-up that can be easily carried. Depending on how far you decide to go, freehiking can be a lengthy and thrilling commitment, with heightened exhilaration. Freehiking is definitely fun.
“You know; it’s not rude to bathe in the nude, in the shower, a spa or the bath. Well out in the scrub, I walk in the nude; so I ‘bathe in the breeze’ on the path!” – Luis Cortes
“In recent years, it has become fashionable for a growing number of Swiss and some foreigners to wander in the Alps clad in little more than hiking shoes and sun screen. Last summer, the number of nude hikers increased to such an extent that the hills often seemed alive with the sound of everything but the swish of trousers. . . in Switzerland there is no law against hiking in the nude.” – John T.
“German naturists will soon have their own 18-km (11-mile) long trail for hiking in the nude . . . Heinz Ludwig, who runs a nearby campsite, has led the project to create the nudist trail that meanders up and down the Harz mountain range in central Germany . . . between the village of Dankerode and the Wippertal Dam. . . The trail is being marked with special signs warning the uninitiated that they could encounter nude hikers. ‘If you don't want to see people with nothing on then you should refrain from moving on!’, reads one warning sign.” - Caroline C.
“We were born to be walkers. Other forms of life creep, crawl, hop, leap, bound, gallop, swim or fly - but humans walk - and many of us find it to be a great delight. A regular schedule of walking boosts mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health. It can lower high blood pressure, keep arteries healthy, relieve tension and anxiety and calm a troubled mind. Walking is the exercise that needs no gym. It is the prescription without medicine, a tranquilizer without a pill, weight control without a diet, therapy without a psychoanalyst, and a vacation that doesn't cost a penny. If we were born to be walkers we were also born naked so we were born to be naturist walkers.” - adapted from a piece by Dr. Dale E. Turner
“If two of the main purposes of hiking is to dive into nature and to experience the exhilaration of one’s physicality, clothing is obviously an obstacle.” - Jim C. Cunningham
“I have become an unabashed advocate of nude hiking. I've been day hiking and backpacking all my adult life, but when I started doing it nude a few years ago, I was changed forever. . . Try it . . . you'll like it.” – Mark Storey
“I lost my wilderness when I lost my fear. . . Once you lose your 'sense of wilderness' you gain something much more precious - the sense of existing as a part of the natural world. This is not something that ends when you come out of the woods. It's a life lesson . . . It's about experiencing nature in a direct way, and it's also about experiencing yourself in a direct way after you've removed your masks and set aside your filters of preconception. . . What makes wilderness natural is the fact that you are immersed in the natural world. Once you put clothing on in a deep woods spot, you aren't part of the wilderness anymore, you are in direct touch with civilization. You are wearing a mask that protects you not just physically, but also mentally from the wilderness.” - Shane
“You haven’t lived until you’ve hiked naked! . . . Hiking nude may be the ultimate experience of freedom. Nothing between you and the air allows you to totally relax and become one with the environment.” – InternationalNudist
“Amazing what a naked walk will do to recalibrate one's sanity barometer.” - FreewalkerMA
Friday, February 24, 2012
Nude Fun Swimming and Soaking
“I will go to the bank by the wood and become undisguised and naked.” - Walt Whitman
“Is there nothing more natural than being received naked by the ocean?” - Australian Writer
“Body shame is a social disease. Wearing a swimsuit while swimming makes as much sense as wearing a bathing suit while bathing! Take your clothes off and live! Don't let The Man make you wear a soggy shame suit when your birthday suit fits best!” – Bodyfreedom.org
“Swim naked. Skin is the best swimsuit.” – Bare Danmark
Why would anyone wear clothing to swim? If you don't wear clothing in the bath or shower, why put on clothes to jump in the ocean or a lake or pool? It won't make you any warmer. It won't protect you from getting wet. And when you get out of the water in a wet and soggy swimsuit, it still doesn't make you warm - it rather makes you cold! Naturism and water just go together hand in glove as the people below point out:
“The only thing better than sitting here with nothing on, is going into the water with nothing on.” - Sharon C.
“Swimming nude is definitely the best. Not sure why, but it just feels so much better, no sticky swimsuit stuck to you, just the smooth water flowing over your body.” - Jerry
“. . . swimming in my birthday suit was such an enriching experience. I felt myself coming alive again, like when I was kid. I didn’t worry about what others thought of me or my body. I just swam. I could feel my hair cascade down my back in waves as if I was a mermaid . . . I don’t think I could swim with something on again. It would be far too constricting. Besides, it would be far too cruel to capture a fish once she has been freed. I’ll just follow the tides.” - Sara L.
“Swimming naked is absolutely wonderful. It's a bit of who I am and I'm not worried about my body. And it's fun. We're not showing off, we're swimming.” - Jill
“I love swimming nude (and now hate swimming with clothes on). On family outings, we have chosen nudist resorts over hotels several times because they offer the opportunity to swim nude.” – Alan P.
“As the weather gets warmer, I keep thinking about one of my favorite nude past times. Skinny Dipping! I love to skinny dip! To feel the water over my body and to be free in the open air. There really is no other sensation like it.” – Mahoning Valley Naturist
“We've snorkeled nude every time we've take our nude vacation in the Bahamas. It's absolutely fantastic being in the water like that completely nude. It's like swimming in a giant aquarium.” - jandatxnude
“My husband Ivan and I got started on it [skinny dipping] when we were young travelling around Australia and have enjoyed the fun of it ever since. I really can't imagine life without its simple pleasures. For me it's about the liberation and oneness of nature. And don't people look funny with their bits of string pretending to be covered up when they are letting it all hang out in bikinis and budgie smugglers? It's such a jolly topic and so harmless.” - Cate M.
“Our first experience skinny dipping was in Hawaii . . . It was amazing!! I loved it and came home looking for a place that we could do it legally.” – Texas Woman
“There’s nothing more enjoyable than swimming and socialising in the nude. My wife and I discovered nudism five years ago during a tour of Australia. We came across a ‘free beach’ at Darwin and decided to give it a go, just for the heck of it. The experience of swimming nude in the ocean was incredibly liberating and we went on to visit other nudist locations and resorts." – Bill S.
“. . . we decided that we would buy us a pool this year. After the financing of our huge 15' round by 3' deep pool (100 dollars, Big Lots special), we realized it was going to be a wonderful summer. Labor Day weekend was the kickoff. Our friends . . . Pioneer, his wife and 2 kids came up and we had our inaugural soak for the length of the three-day weekend. It was fantastic. But so as to make it complete, we did do clothed activities as well. . . we were naked at least the majority of the afternoons this summer . . . the best money we spent was on that hundred dollar pool.” – Kevin
“Naturally nude was the way we were determined to be, the same way people have soaked in hot springs since time began. We don’t soak if wearing clothing in the water is necessary; we feel it’s against nature and is an abomination.” – Camilla & Bill
[At Deep Creek Hot Springs] “I thought I'd attempt to make myself into a ‘mud beast’ . . . I stepped out into the knee-deep, black mud and dug down into the bottom where the really gooey stuff was. . . After I had superheated myself in the hottest spring, I slathered myself from head to toe with the black mud - and then went on the prowl, as mud beasts are inclined to do. . . How many places do you know where you can walk around, in your birthday suit, caked with drying mud, in the middle of winter - and everyone around you thinks this is completely normal? . . . After the mud dried (and I could just feel it pulling out the toxins in my skin), I washed it off and went up to the upstream hot pool to heat up again and visit with the neighbors there. Once I got good and hot again, I decided it was time to take my mandatory swim downstream to the main springs. ‘This is going to hurt,’ I said, just as I plopped straight from the hot water into the freezing river. It did - but in a good way.” – Alan P.
“I feel sorry for people who are stuck in the textile lifestyle and who can't go out and enjoy a swim in a pool like I can.” - Rich
“I try to swim one half mile every day. (That's a bunch of laps in my pool.) I have been "doing my laps" nude for a few years now. No drag from a swim suit and less clothes to wash.” - Gloria
“We have had a hot tub of one kind or another since 1971 and no suits have passed thru our hot tub!!! Except the one time in 1971 when a modest man did and the soap suds removed from his suit when the jets were on filled half the backyard!!” - B.T.
“When we got our hot tub my wife who is not of the same attitude as I regarding nudity, wore a bathing suit in the tub only once to realize it was stupid. Now it's nude all the time.” – Dekref
“We have friends who have a hot tub that is a ‘no bathing suit zone’. . . the hot tub can be a good introduction to social nudism. That is how we got involved - at our friends' house in their hot tub. It is a totally safe place and relaxing.” – Boreas
“When we first got our spa . . . we became a little braver and would venture out in the nude. It felt so wonderful, freeing, and much less expensive. Wonderful because the feeling of the water on the body with jets enveloping the body was a real experience. It was freeing because there were no restrictions, or inhibitions. Best of all, we didn't have to waste money on suits that deteriorated very quickly. We have had our Spa for three years now and wouldn't dream of ever wearing a suit again.” - B.
“Suits in our spa? Yeah, right! We tell our guests that they are free to do whatever they want so long as they don't mind seeing other people naked. Of the 21 different people who have spa'ed with us, not a one has ever gone the suit route. I guess we just have intelligent friends.” - D.P.
“As I take my place on the starting block, a hush sweeps around the spectators at the side of the swimming pool. A race is about to begin. The Union Jack is emblazoned on my swimming cap and to my left – poised and at the ready – are two lithe and toned Germans. I am competing for Great Britain at an international swimming competition and . . . I am completely and utterly stark naked. And about to take part in the world’s largest nude swimming gala in front of hundreds of total strangers. . . The global swimming championships were first launched in 1971. National teams from eight countries have come to take part: Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Holland, Belgium, and Switzerland.” – Jessica H.
“Regardless of our views about nudity, whether personal or societal, EVERYONE should swim nude. All public pools should require that no swimsuits be worn, or that they be worn optionally at each swimmer’s discretion. . . Swimsuits don't keep us warm and they don't keep us dry, so what's the point? They are a completely useless piece of clothing. . . We all know what each other has underneath our clothes, so our swimsuits aren't hiding anything shocking anyway. It's time for our society to learn the difference between chaste nudity and overt sexuality. It's time to grow up.” - Snakeman
“Truth is, most of us contain a splashing, giggling, squealing child who knows without thinking that bare skin and water go together as wings go with air, roots with earth, and the phoenix with incendiary sun. . . Bare skin is the one and only right criterion for receiving water's gracious acceptance or any acceptance whatsoever from that element.” - Janet L.
“Once you’ve gotten used to swimming with no clothes on, or lying on the beach with no clothes on, it’s just not the same any other way.” - Jeff H.
“Is there nothing more natural than being received naked by the ocean?” - Australian Writer
“Body shame is a social disease. Wearing a swimsuit while swimming makes as much sense as wearing a bathing suit while bathing! Take your clothes off and live! Don't let The Man make you wear a soggy shame suit when your birthday suit fits best!” – Bodyfreedom.org
“Swim naked. Skin is the best swimsuit.” – Bare Danmark
Why would anyone wear clothing to swim? If you don't wear clothing in the bath or shower, why put on clothes to jump in the ocean or a lake or pool? It won't make you any warmer. It won't protect you from getting wet. And when you get out of the water in a wet and soggy swimsuit, it still doesn't make you warm - it rather makes you cold! Naturism and water just go together hand in glove as the people below point out:
“The only thing better than sitting here with nothing on, is going into the water with nothing on.” - Sharon C.
“Swimming nude is definitely the best. Not sure why, but it just feels so much better, no sticky swimsuit stuck to you, just the smooth water flowing over your body.” - Jerry
“. . . swimming in my birthday suit was such an enriching experience. I felt myself coming alive again, like when I was kid. I didn’t worry about what others thought of me or my body. I just swam. I could feel my hair cascade down my back in waves as if I was a mermaid . . . I don’t think I could swim with something on again. It would be far too constricting. Besides, it would be far too cruel to capture a fish once she has been freed. I’ll just follow the tides.” - Sara L.
“Swimming naked is absolutely wonderful. It's a bit of who I am and I'm not worried about my body. And it's fun. We're not showing off, we're swimming.” - Jill
“I love swimming nude (and now hate swimming with clothes on). On family outings, we have chosen nudist resorts over hotels several times because they offer the opportunity to swim nude.” – Alan P.
“As the weather gets warmer, I keep thinking about one of my favorite nude past times. Skinny Dipping! I love to skinny dip! To feel the water over my body and to be free in the open air. There really is no other sensation like it.” – Mahoning Valley Naturist
“We've snorkeled nude every time we've take our nude vacation in the Bahamas. It's absolutely fantastic being in the water like that completely nude. It's like swimming in a giant aquarium.” - jandatxnude
“My husband Ivan and I got started on it [skinny dipping] when we were young travelling around Australia and have enjoyed the fun of it ever since. I really can't imagine life without its simple pleasures. For me it's about the liberation and oneness of nature. And don't people look funny with their bits of string pretending to be covered up when they are letting it all hang out in bikinis and budgie smugglers? It's such a jolly topic and so harmless.” - Cate M.
“Our first experience skinny dipping was in Hawaii . . . It was amazing!! I loved it and came home looking for a place that we could do it legally.” – Texas Woman
“There’s nothing more enjoyable than swimming and socialising in the nude. My wife and I discovered nudism five years ago during a tour of Australia. We came across a ‘free beach’ at Darwin and decided to give it a go, just for the heck of it. The experience of swimming nude in the ocean was incredibly liberating and we went on to visit other nudist locations and resorts." – Bill S.
“. . . we decided that we would buy us a pool this year. After the financing of our huge 15' round by 3' deep pool (100 dollars, Big Lots special), we realized it was going to be a wonderful summer. Labor Day weekend was the kickoff. Our friends . . . Pioneer, his wife and 2 kids came up and we had our inaugural soak for the length of the three-day weekend. It was fantastic. But so as to make it complete, we did do clothed activities as well. . . we were naked at least the majority of the afternoons this summer . . . the best money we spent was on that hundred dollar pool.” – Kevin
“Naturally nude was the way we were determined to be, the same way people have soaked in hot springs since time began. We don’t soak if wearing clothing in the water is necessary; we feel it’s against nature and is an abomination.” – Camilla & Bill
[At Deep Creek Hot Springs] “I thought I'd attempt to make myself into a ‘mud beast’ . . . I stepped out into the knee-deep, black mud and dug down into the bottom where the really gooey stuff was. . . After I had superheated myself in the hottest spring, I slathered myself from head to toe with the black mud - and then went on the prowl, as mud beasts are inclined to do. . . How many places do you know where you can walk around, in your birthday suit, caked with drying mud, in the middle of winter - and everyone around you thinks this is completely normal? . . . After the mud dried (and I could just feel it pulling out the toxins in my skin), I washed it off and went up to the upstream hot pool to heat up again and visit with the neighbors there. Once I got good and hot again, I decided it was time to take my mandatory swim downstream to the main springs. ‘This is going to hurt,’ I said, just as I plopped straight from the hot water into the freezing river. It did - but in a good way.” – Alan P.
“I feel sorry for people who are stuck in the textile lifestyle and who can't go out and enjoy a swim in a pool like I can.” - Rich
“I try to swim one half mile every day. (That's a bunch of laps in my pool.) I have been "doing my laps" nude for a few years now. No drag from a swim suit and less clothes to wash.” - Gloria
“We have had a hot tub of one kind or another since 1971 and no suits have passed thru our hot tub!!! Except the one time in 1971 when a modest man did and the soap suds removed from his suit when the jets were on filled half the backyard!!” - B.T.
“When we got our hot tub my wife who is not of the same attitude as I regarding nudity, wore a bathing suit in the tub only once to realize it was stupid. Now it's nude all the time.” – Dekref
“We have friends who have a hot tub that is a ‘no bathing suit zone’. . . the hot tub can be a good introduction to social nudism. That is how we got involved - at our friends' house in their hot tub. It is a totally safe place and relaxing.” – Boreas
“When we first got our spa . . . we became a little braver and would venture out in the nude. It felt so wonderful, freeing, and much less expensive. Wonderful because the feeling of the water on the body with jets enveloping the body was a real experience. It was freeing because there were no restrictions, or inhibitions. Best of all, we didn't have to waste money on suits that deteriorated very quickly. We have had our Spa for three years now and wouldn't dream of ever wearing a suit again.” - B.
“Suits in our spa? Yeah, right! We tell our guests that they are free to do whatever they want so long as they don't mind seeing other people naked. Of the 21 different people who have spa'ed with us, not a one has ever gone the suit route. I guess we just have intelligent friends.” - D.P.
“As I take my place on the starting block, a hush sweeps around the spectators at the side of the swimming pool. A race is about to begin. The Union Jack is emblazoned on my swimming cap and to my left – poised and at the ready – are two lithe and toned Germans. I am competing for Great Britain at an international swimming competition and . . . I am completely and utterly stark naked. And about to take part in the world’s largest nude swimming gala in front of hundreds of total strangers. . . The global swimming championships were first launched in 1971. National teams from eight countries have come to take part: Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Holland, Belgium, and Switzerland.” – Jessica H.
“Regardless of our views about nudity, whether personal or societal, EVERYONE should swim nude. All public pools should require that no swimsuits be worn, or that they be worn optionally at each swimmer’s discretion. . . Swimsuits don't keep us warm and they don't keep us dry, so what's the point? They are a completely useless piece of clothing. . . We all know what each other has underneath our clothes, so our swimsuits aren't hiding anything shocking anyway. It's time for our society to learn the difference between chaste nudity and overt sexuality. It's time to grow up.” - Snakeman
“Truth is, most of us contain a splashing, giggling, squealing child who knows without thinking that bare skin and water go together as wings go with air, roots with earth, and the phoenix with incendiary sun. . . Bare skin is the one and only right criterion for receiving water's gracious acceptance or any acceptance whatsoever from that element.” - Janet L.
“Once you’ve gotten used to swimming with no clothes on, or lying on the beach with no clothes on, it’s just not the same any other way.” - Jeff H.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Nude Sunbathing and Beaches
“The naturists were the first social sunbathers, the first to turn what had been a medical necessity (to cure tuberculosis or combat rickets) into a way of life. Before about 1930, there was no real distinction between ‘sunbather’ and ‘nudist’. . . The nudists were devoted to healthy living and the great outdoors, and were simply sunbathers with attitude, fighting for things we now take for granted in our relationship with the Sun.” - Robert Mighall
“It's one of those warm, dry, late summer days. You arrive at the beach with just the bare essentials - towel, sunscreen, snacks, and some beach toys. You pick a spot near other families - perhaps your kids will meet a new friend or two? Once you spread out your towel, your ‘changing room’ is ready. You drop your clothes on the towel - or possibly put them in plastic bags to keep them separate and free of sand. No hassle, no problem, no smelly bathroom with filthy floors - and you know where your kids are at all times. With the sunscreen applied and a good book in hand, you settle back and enjoy the complete caress of the sun and gentle sea breeze. You notice in passing that the kids have selected an ideal sandcastle site (out of throwing distance from you), and have invited some neighboring children to help. The kids go at their castle-building with gusto, and the sand gets everywhere. You're not concerned though, as cleanup will be a snap. When it's time to go, you herd the kids towards the shallow water where they can rinse off all the extra sand. You pick up your youngest and assist them in rinsing off - perhaps using a bucket if the water is too cold or rough to stand in. Since there are no swimsuits to worry about, the cold is over quickly - in fact by the time you've helped everyone else into their clothes, you're practically dry. You rinse your feet off with a bucket of water before stepping into your shorts. How convenient, and how very natural - just another wonderful day at the beach.” – Alan P.
Perhaps one of the most pleasurable experiences of being a naturist is sunbathing naked, unhindered by clothing of any kind. The feeling of well being, as the sun bathes one's body, perhaps a gentle breeze caressing the skin, is something that needs to be experienced to be appreciated. Those who wear shorts or swimsuits, including women wearing a covering over their breasts, no matter how brief, do not experience the same thing, because the body knows that it’s wearing something so the brain focuses on the covered areas, especially if, say the swimming trunks are tight or wet due to swimming.
So, sunbathing nude feels good, is good for you, and is the most natural thing in the world. Here’s what a few people have said about it:
“I love the summer time lying in the sun and letting the warmth soak into my body. I can't think of anything more relaxing and enjoyable than sunbathing in the summertime naked.” – Lovin it
“I do quite a bit of sun tanning in the two canyons [Big or Little Cottonwood Canyons, Utah] . . . The hotter it is the higher I drive up the canyon. . . no clothes are better than those pesky tan lines.” - Leigh
“My first experience [at San Onofre nude beach] . . . I shrugged and slipped out of my clothes. No one noticed. No one cared. It felt fine. In fact it felt great. I felt free. It felt completely natural. And true to what I had previously read, it was truly a non-sexual experience. When I left . . . I felt different and somehow changed.” – Rancho, CA Man
“Arriving at the lake's edge [Hippie Hollow, TX] I settled in near a middle-aged couple who were both sporting a deep all-over tan. After a few minutes I decided to do what I had come to do, stood and stripped. And there I was, naked; there were no lightning strikes, shrieks of laughter or gasps of horror. It felt wonderful. I spread my towel and settled back to enjoy the experience, the sun, the wind and read the book I had brought. Later, I got up and explored the rest of the area with its many coves and rocks. I chatted with several people and got good directions on the best route from there to the airport. The experience was enlightening, exhilarating but too brief as I had to leave to catch my plane (and I didn't have to deal with a wet swimsuit!). There was not anything that felt the least bit sinful.” – Salt Lake City Man
“About ten years ago (in my 30's) I had a chronic problem with an itchy annoying rash on my penis. I went to a number of doctors who all gave me gooey ointments to apply, all to no avail. Finally one told me he always told mothers to expose their babies diaper rashes to the sun and it always helped. He suggested I try that. We had a home pool, and even by myself, in total privacy it was a tremendous embarrassment. However, the rash went away. Whenever it started to reappear, I'd go out back when the kids were at school and expose myself to the sunlight - it worked better than any ointment. After a while I became used to being without clothes by the pool and my wife began to join me. At first, we thought it would be some sort of ‘turn on’ for the two of us to enjoy. After about the first 10 minutes it lost its novelty and the ‘turn on’ was gone. However, we both noticed we hated big white buns, and ridiculous tan lines. The other thing we grew to dislike was getting out of the pool and having a wet swimsuit hanging on us like a wet diaper. (Didn't help the rash either!) Then one time we were on vacation and started looking for an out of the way beach to enjoy some private sun. NOT for some sexual turn on - we just didn't want to come back from the beach with those big white buns again. We couldn't find the right place to get naked, fearing we'd break the civil law, or end up the object of ridicule. Then one day, we stumbled onto a nude beach and felt a sense of relief. We knew we could be naked there and not be in trouble with the civil authorities. Did we set out to be ‘social nudists’? No, but there is safety in numbers. We also found that like ourselves, others on the beach were older, not ‘great looking’ and not there for some sort of turn on or perversion. They were there for the same reason we were - to get some sun.” - Midwestern U.S.A. Man
“My friend and his girlfriend took their clothes off right away, and suddenly there I was sitting fully clothed on a nude beach. My girlfriend joined in right away, but lay on her stomach as soon as she got her clothes off. I really felt out of place by this time, and so while sitting, I took off my shorts and shirt. At first I felt ‘naked’ as I had never been nude in front of any of these people before. But soon, with the warmth of the sun soaking into my skin, I began to feel a deep joy and freedom that I had never known before. Within a half-hour all four of us were frolicking in the surf. The immense freedom and power that come your way from being naked in the company of others in the sunlight and soaking in the rays of the sun is indescribable. I will never forget my first time at Zuma Beach. My friends and I were never the same and very much for the better after that day! In conclusion, I can only say what are you waiting for? You will love it!” – Seattle WA Man
“I demand the right to sunbathe nude in my garden, and so should we all.” – Mike S.
“It's one of those warm, dry, late summer days. You arrive at the beach with just the bare essentials - towel, sunscreen, snacks, and some beach toys. You pick a spot near other families - perhaps your kids will meet a new friend or two? Once you spread out your towel, your ‘changing room’ is ready. You drop your clothes on the towel - or possibly put them in plastic bags to keep them separate and free of sand. No hassle, no problem, no smelly bathroom with filthy floors - and you know where your kids are at all times. With the sunscreen applied and a good book in hand, you settle back and enjoy the complete caress of the sun and gentle sea breeze. You notice in passing that the kids have selected an ideal sandcastle site (out of throwing distance from you), and have invited some neighboring children to help. The kids go at their castle-building with gusto, and the sand gets everywhere. You're not concerned though, as cleanup will be a snap. When it's time to go, you herd the kids towards the shallow water where they can rinse off all the extra sand. You pick up your youngest and assist them in rinsing off - perhaps using a bucket if the water is too cold or rough to stand in. Since there are no swimsuits to worry about, the cold is over quickly - in fact by the time you've helped everyone else into their clothes, you're practically dry. You rinse your feet off with a bucket of water before stepping into your shorts. How convenient, and how very natural - just another wonderful day at the beach.” – Alan P.
Perhaps one of the most pleasurable experiences of being a naturist is sunbathing naked, unhindered by clothing of any kind. The feeling of well being, as the sun bathes one's body, perhaps a gentle breeze caressing the skin, is something that needs to be experienced to be appreciated. Those who wear shorts or swimsuits, including women wearing a covering over their breasts, no matter how brief, do not experience the same thing, because the body knows that it’s wearing something so the brain focuses on the covered areas, especially if, say the swimming trunks are tight or wet due to swimming.
So, sunbathing nude feels good, is good for you, and is the most natural thing in the world. Here’s what a few people have said about it:
“I love the summer time lying in the sun and letting the warmth soak into my body. I can't think of anything more relaxing and enjoyable than sunbathing in the summertime naked.” – Lovin it
“I do quite a bit of sun tanning in the two canyons [Big or Little Cottonwood Canyons, Utah] . . . The hotter it is the higher I drive up the canyon. . . no clothes are better than those pesky tan lines.” - Leigh
“My first experience [at San Onofre nude beach] . . . I shrugged and slipped out of my clothes. No one noticed. No one cared. It felt fine. In fact it felt great. I felt free. It felt completely natural. And true to what I had previously read, it was truly a non-sexual experience. When I left . . . I felt different and somehow changed.” – Rancho, CA Man
“Arriving at the lake's edge [Hippie Hollow, TX] I settled in near a middle-aged couple who were both sporting a deep all-over tan. After a few minutes I decided to do what I had come to do, stood and stripped. And there I was, naked; there were no lightning strikes, shrieks of laughter or gasps of horror. It felt wonderful. I spread my towel and settled back to enjoy the experience, the sun, the wind and read the book I had brought. Later, I got up and explored the rest of the area with its many coves and rocks. I chatted with several people and got good directions on the best route from there to the airport. The experience was enlightening, exhilarating but too brief as I had to leave to catch my plane (and I didn't have to deal with a wet swimsuit!). There was not anything that felt the least bit sinful.” – Salt Lake City Man
“About ten years ago (in my 30's) I had a chronic problem with an itchy annoying rash on my penis. I went to a number of doctors who all gave me gooey ointments to apply, all to no avail. Finally one told me he always told mothers to expose their babies diaper rashes to the sun and it always helped. He suggested I try that. We had a home pool, and even by myself, in total privacy it was a tremendous embarrassment. However, the rash went away. Whenever it started to reappear, I'd go out back when the kids were at school and expose myself to the sunlight - it worked better than any ointment. After a while I became used to being without clothes by the pool and my wife began to join me. At first, we thought it would be some sort of ‘turn on’ for the two of us to enjoy. After about the first 10 minutes it lost its novelty and the ‘turn on’ was gone. However, we both noticed we hated big white buns, and ridiculous tan lines. The other thing we grew to dislike was getting out of the pool and having a wet swimsuit hanging on us like a wet diaper. (Didn't help the rash either!) Then one time we were on vacation and started looking for an out of the way beach to enjoy some private sun. NOT for some sexual turn on - we just didn't want to come back from the beach with those big white buns again. We couldn't find the right place to get naked, fearing we'd break the civil law, or end up the object of ridicule. Then one day, we stumbled onto a nude beach and felt a sense of relief. We knew we could be naked there and not be in trouble with the civil authorities. Did we set out to be ‘social nudists’? No, but there is safety in numbers. We also found that like ourselves, others on the beach were older, not ‘great looking’ and not there for some sort of turn on or perversion. They were there for the same reason we were - to get some sun.” - Midwestern U.S.A. Man
“My friend and his girlfriend took their clothes off right away, and suddenly there I was sitting fully clothed on a nude beach. My girlfriend joined in right away, but lay on her stomach as soon as she got her clothes off. I really felt out of place by this time, and so while sitting, I took off my shorts and shirt. At first I felt ‘naked’ as I had never been nude in front of any of these people before. But soon, with the warmth of the sun soaking into my skin, I began to feel a deep joy and freedom that I had never known before. Within a half-hour all four of us were frolicking in the surf. The immense freedom and power that come your way from being naked in the company of others in the sunlight and soaking in the rays of the sun is indescribable. I will never forget my first time at Zuma Beach. My friends and I were never the same and very much for the better after that day! In conclusion, I can only say what are you waiting for? You will love it!” – Seattle WA Man
“I demand the right to sunbathe nude in my garden, and so should we all.” – Mike S.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Nude Fun
"The problem with many nudists is that they are stuck in some mindset that nudists and naturists are somehow not allowed to have fun and express themselves like much of the rest of society. Petanque tournaments and pot luck dinners are not the sort of activities that most people find fun." - Nudiarist
I agree totally with Nudiarist - naturism is "fun". Something I wrote a few years ago about the fun of naturism follows. Exploring the topic of naturist fun is a great winter activity. I can think of so many activities that are more fun done nude - hiking, camping, karaoke, and gardening to name just a few. Anyone else experienced activities that are more fun done nude?
Ken
Naturism Can Be Fun
“Modern cosmetic pharmacology focuses so heavily on eliminating depression that it entirely misses one essential point: depressed people are suffering from a lack of fun. Nobody ever describes depression as a ‘Fun Deficiency Syndrome’, but lack of fun is clearly the root cause of all depression. It is impossible to be depressed when you are having fun, yet modern therapies for depression seek only to minimize depressive symptoms while doing nothing to maximize the daily intake of fun. . . Everyone likes to have fun - no, we love to have fun. When we are having fun we forget ourselves and become one with our actions in a moment of pure playful enjoyment. Having fun goes beyond being happy. Happiness implies a baseline level of contentment and good feelings but it does not include the amusement, exhilaration, laughter and joy associated with fun. If depression is the illness of our age, fun is the cure. . . Fun is always more fun when it is shared with other people. This is why partying is an essential human behavior for regulating feelings of self-esteem and social worth. Having fun with other humans in a social setting stimulates serotonin and oxcytocin, two neurochemicals essential to feelings of security and being loved. So if you’re feeling depressed and nothing seems to be working, the only solution is to call some friends and go out and have some fun. It is clinically proven to make you feel better.” - h+ magazine
“Any kind of recreation can be enhanced with the removal of clothes!” – Bare-Belly
“You’ll never grow old as long as you remember to play in your birthday suit.” - NUWD
Put simply, naturists have more fun! . . . naturist activities are harmless, healthy, and fun, and the more people who realize this, the healthier in both body and mind people will be.
Nudity is not an activity in and of itself. It's simply my preferred choice in dress as I do other things I ‘want’ to do. There isn't anything people do that couldn't be done – in the right location – nude.
Most naturists seem to gravitate towards sunshine and water, so sunbathing and swimming are a given. But fun naturist activities certainly don’t stop there. Basically anything that can be done in clothing can also be done nude, with the exception of climbing Mount Everest perhaps.
Naturists play basketball and horseshoes, they bungee jump and bike, they sing karaoke and even fly kites. The list can go on and on: act in theater, barbeque, bike, bowl, build sand castles, canoe, cook, do archery/ballet/crafts/gymnastics/hobbies/household chores/martial arts/yoga, do yard work/carpentry/plumbing/painting, eat, exercise, fish, garden, golf, hike, hot tub, ice skate, surf, jog, kayak, do laundry, do photography, picnic, play cards/games/baseball/basketball/softball/tennis/volleyball/ping pong, play music and video games, read, ride horses, rollerblade, sail, scrapbook, sculpt, shop, sew, skateboard, sleep, snorkel, sunbathe, surf, surf the internet, swim, talk, walk, walk the dog, wash the car, watch movies, weight-lift, windsurf, wrestle, write. Naturists bowl nude, camp nude, yacht nude, dance nude, and some even work a regular job nude. Love some specific activity? Naturists do it in the nude. Oh, those wacky naturists.
There are so many fun things to do nude. As you consider the possibilities, perhaps you’ll be inspired to try these fun naturist activities as well. I hope so.
(More to come.)
I agree totally with Nudiarist - naturism is "fun". Something I wrote a few years ago about the fun of naturism follows. Exploring the topic of naturist fun is a great winter activity. I can think of so many activities that are more fun done nude - hiking, camping, karaoke, and gardening to name just a few. Anyone else experienced activities that are more fun done nude?
Ken
Naturism Can Be Fun
“Modern cosmetic pharmacology focuses so heavily on eliminating depression that it entirely misses one essential point: depressed people are suffering from a lack of fun. Nobody ever describes depression as a ‘Fun Deficiency Syndrome’, but lack of fun is clearly the root cause of all depression. It is impossible to be depressed when you are having fun, yet modern therapies for depression seek only to minimize depressive symptoms while doing nothing to maximize the daily intake of fun. . . Everyone likes to have fun - no, we love to have fun. When we are having fun we forget ourselves and become one with our actions in a moment of pure playful enjoyment. Having fun goes beyond being happy. Happiness implies a baseline level of contentment and good feelings but it does not include the amusement, exhilaration, laughter and joy associated with fun. If depression is the illness of our age, fun is the cure. . . Fun is always more fun when it is shared with other people. This is why partying is an essential human behavior for regulating feelings of self-esteem and social worth. Having fun with other humans in a social setting stimulates serotonin and oxcytocin, two neurochemicals essential to feelings of security and being loved. So if you’re feeling depressed and nothing seems to be working, the only solution is to call some friends and go out and have some fun. It is clinically proven to make you feel better.” - h+ magazine
“Any kind of recreation can be enhanced with the removal of clothes!” – Bare-Belly
“You’ll never grow old as long as you remember to play in your birthday suit.” - NUWD
Put simply, naturists have more fun! . . . naturist activities are harmless, healthy, and fun, and the more people who realize this, the healthier in both body and mind people will be.
Nudity is not an activity in and of itself. It's simply my preferred choice in dress as I do other things I ‘want’ to do. There isn't anything people do that couldn't be done – in the right location – nude.
Most naturists seem to gravitate towards sunshine and water, so sunbathing and swimming are a given. But fun naturist activities certainly don’t stop there. Basically anything that can be done in clothing can also be done nude, with the exception of climbing Mount Everest perhaps.
Naturists play basketball and horseshoes, they bungee jump and bike, they sing karaoke and even fly kites. The list can go on and on: act in theater, barbeque, bike, bowl, build sand castles, canoe, cook, do archery/ballet/crafts/gymnastics/hobbies/household chores/martial arts/yoga, do yard work/carpentry/plumbing/painting, eat, exercise, fish, garden, golf, hike, hot tub, ice skate, surf, jog, kayak, do laundry, do photography, picnic, play cards/games/baseball/basketball/softball/tennis/volleyball/ping pong, play music and video games, read, ride horses, rollerblade, sail, scrapbook, sculpt, shop, sew, skateboard, sleep, snorkel, sunbathe, surf, surf the internet, swim, talk, walk, walk the dog, wash the car, watch movies, weight-lift, windsurf, wrestle, write. Naturists bowl nude, camp nude, yacht nude, dance nude, and some even work a regular job nude. Love some specific activity? Naturists do it in the nude. Oh, those wacky naturists.
There are so many fun things to do nude. As you consider the possibilities, perhaps you’ll be inspired to try these fun naturist activities as well. I hope so.
(More to come.)
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Why Hike Naked?
"For people who have already experienced an entirely natural walk in the woods, the question, "Why hike without any clothes on?", is easily answered. . . Clothing is just a mask . . . By wearing clothing in the wilderness we're staying in the car and looking out the glass. We aren't experiencing our animal nature directly. Wearing a bathing suit in the middle of nowhere when nobody else is around is what I call the 'civilization reflex'. By wearing clothes, you deny that your body is part of the natural environment, and you can't hack pure nature. . . There are two ways that clothing conflicts with our experience of nature. The first way is the fact that an anchor of civilization (otherwise known as 'civilization infrastructure') has come with us into the wild. Clothing isn't always critical gear . . . It allows the wearer to separate himself from the natural state of wilderness. What makes wilderness natural is the fact that you are immersed in the natural world. Once you put clothing on in a deep woods spot, you aren't part of the wilderness anymore, you are in direct touch with civilization. You are wearing a mask that protects you not just physically, but also mentally from the wilderness. Hence, through your actions you have broken the idea of wilderness and cannot experience it directly. It's as though you're sitting in a car, eating a burger, and drinking a coke while parked at a scenic overlook and looking out the window at the scenery. . . second and more important . . . When you elect to wear clothing when unnecessary in the environment, you unwittingly tell the world (and yourself in a subliminal way) that a sense of nature is a problem for you that you need to overcome. The natural world as it exists isn't really what you like and you need to counter nature's reality by introducing something to shield and comfort - and this is the important part - not your body, but your mind. This is a kind of sabotage of the direct experience - like the bars on the cages at a zoo. . . Getting out for a walk and a little recreation is great, but shouldn't we be trying to get more out of our experience in nature? To go higher and entertain greater goals? I like my walks to be a more sophisticated venture where the type of recreation and its effect both mentally, spiritually, and environmentally are considered in order to produce an outcome. I like my walks to take me somewhere special, not just out and back again through some kind of tree museum. To have a full understanding of nature and your part in it, you have to understand that it is there for much more than just recreation. It is, in fact, your natural habitat. The habitat of the animal of man. . . NO, I don't expect you to go exposing yourself all over the countryside. . . Some discretion is warranted . . . You must use some sense in all of this and understand what you're reaching for." - Shane - http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/hiking/sections/naked/bodymind.htm
I couldn't agree more!
Ken
I couldn't agree more!
Ken
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
12 Tips for "Hiking Naked" by Mark Storey
"I have become an unabashed advocate of nude hiking. I've been day hiking and backpacking all my adult life, but when I started doing it nude a few years ago, I was changed forever. There is not much that can beat the physical and psychological satisfaction of hiking nude up a long, hot, sunny alpine trail, of finding an icy, glacier-fed lake, of quickly jumping in, of leaping out even faster, of bragging to any Gray Jay that will listen of your superhuman ability to withstand the most Arctic of water temperatures, and of baking dry on a nearby flat piece of warm granite. Such activities were meant to be enjoyed nude, and I encourage all men and women to experience them." - Mark Storey
From 12 Tips for "Hiking Naked" by Mark Storey: http://www.bodyfreedom.org/guide/essays/hiking.html
From 12 Tips for "Hiking Naked" by Mark Storey: http://www.bodyfreedom.org/guide/essays/hiking.html
Monday, February 13, 2012
If you don't like it, don't look.
"I think it is great that people of all shapes and sizes can get together and enjoy feeling happy and free without clothing. If you don't like it, don't look. They are not doing anything dirty and I certainly don't think it's vulgar to be naked. I am not a naturist but I am open-minded and I know that naturism has absolutely nothing to do with sex. . . I have no problem at all with my children seeing a naked body, whether it is mine or someone else's. It's perfectly natural. What I do have a problem with and what I think is much more hurtful for young minds, is being exposed to violence, drunkenness, and plain bad taste. . . So what if we would encounter a group of nudists on the beach who are doing nothing more than enjoying the sunshine and having a swim? If the kids would ask me if that is normal I would probably say no, it's not the norm but there is nothing wrong with it either. They are just people like you and me, the only difference is that they are not wearing any clothes. It's unusual , but totally harmless. . . Goodness me! What's to be embarrassed about? The human body is a revelation of natural beauty. If you are that offended by the sight of something as natural as the human body then you're the one with the issues. Find a quiet isolated beach and try it just once. Then tell me you didn't enjoy the warmth of the sun on your body." - Martine Rolls
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Winter Snowshoeing Video
French video of men snowshoeing. Has anyone else freehiked in the winter?
Link: http://dai.ly/zR8x4L
Ken
Link: http://dai.ly/zR8x4L
Ken
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Winter Freehiking
"We had a nice snowfall followed by a warming trend so I could not pass up a trip to the farm. . . So on a bright sunny day while there was still snow cover a trip and walk was in order. I hesitate to call it a hike because there was not much distance involved and it was still a little cold to spend outside naked for long. So after a drive where the uniform of the day were coveralls, hiking boots, hat and sunglasses I quickly lost the coveralls at the farmhouse and began to explore. Since we haven't really had much of a winter the pond only had a light covering of ice with bare spots at the inflow and outflows, much of the old roadways had melted in the sun leaving a muddy trail. . . So for a little over an hour I walked back and forth from the truck to different areas I wished to see in winter. Not wanting to get dressed again I reluctantly pulled the coveralls on again since the return trip would mean passing buses as school was about to be dismissed. My apologies for not being able to describe a full on hike but even a short period of naked outside time was enough to lift my spirits. Hopefully, some others of you also." - NudeWalker
Nude walker expresses well the desire to freehike even when the weather is cold. I've enjoyed freehiking in the snow, and as long as the sun is out it's easy to get used to hiking naked with temperatures in the upper 30s.
Has anyone else experienced winter freehiking?
Ken
Nude walker expresses well the desire to freehike even when the weather is cold. I've enjoyed freehiking in the snow, and as long as the sun is out it's easy to get used to hiking naked with temperatures in the upper 30s.
Has anyone else experienced winter freehiking?
Ken
Friday, February 10, 2012
We Continue Sharing
PJ and I have shared our feelings about naturism with all of our family and most of our friends. I even wrote a book about naturism for my kids.
Only two lady friends and one man have joined us, and all loved it. One drove from Dallas to Glen Eden in California to experience naturism. For years she referred to this as the best experience in her life.
Another lady was a co-worker who visited us several times. I remember the first time she visited. PJ picked her up at Olive Del's gate, and drove to our trailer where I was busy working naked on our deck. I could tell she was a little embarrassed seeing me nude for the first time, but as we toured around the park and introduced her to others she became more comfortable. By the time we reached the hot tub she was ready to join in. She never looked back - a natural nudist.
Finally, a man I hadn't met communicated with me about naturism on the Internet, and tried it on his own. He became a great friend and often came to visit us at the resort. His wife visited as well. We even stayed at their house where we met the family.
Recently, we invited a girl friend in Phoenix to join us at Shangri La for nude karaoke. She said she'd love to attend. That would be great fun. Hopefully she will.
We'll continue to share whenever it seems the right thing to do because we firmly believe naturism is very good for some people, like us. Has anyone else had similar success sharing?
Ken
Here are a few more experiences concerning sharing naturism with others.
“I knew for a long time that I enjoyed nudism before finally letting everyone know. It first came about because my parents and two young nieces accidentally caught me naked in the backyard from a distance. I managed to put shorts on before they got to me but the secret was out. I really hadn't tried to hide it, just had never admitted it to anyone. After that I thought 'why worry about who knows?' and I even felt that nudism was such a great way of life that I wanted to spread the word to others. So after that I would casually let others know I'm a nudist when discussing things like how warm it is, how good the sun feels, soaks in the hot tub, hiking, etc. It's really easy to just mention something like 'I've recently found out that I like hiking nude much better than clothed.' Or maybe, 'Yes, the sun feels great but I don't like tan lines so tan without clothes.' Then, of course, they ask why I do it . . . So we now try to tell everyone about nudism and have gotten mostly very positive feedback. My girlfriend's daughter has even stated it's fine if we are naked when she comes over (which we do now). And while recently staying with us a few days while recovering from surgery I noticed her walking down the hallway nude, so we are helping others get comfortable with their bodies. . . everyone we know, knows we are nudists and only one family member had any kind of negative reaction, and she got over it in time. So I really think we worry way too much about what others will think when we announce our nudism choice to others. Just present it with confidence and knowledge and it will go fine.” – Guy, CO
“. . . it wasn't until about 10 years ago, when we experienced our "first" social nude outing, that we began to appreciated what nudism is all about. Well, after a trip with two other nudist couples to Tulum, Mexico, I was showing pictures (clothed) of our trip to Mom. I did tell her that the beaches were clothing optional. Then she asked me if we went naked. It was then I told her we were nudists and showed a couple of pictures of us. Then she said "GEORGE ROBERT . . . if I could have only gotten your DADDY to do that!" Then she told me how she would be nude when we weren't home - Love you, Mom.” - Robert, SC
“I started going to nude beaches when I was in the military after I came back from the Gulf War and it changed the way I look at life. . . I told her [my sister] there was a beach I wanted to go to and that is was a nude beach. Well, she had never heard of it and was kind of interested. When we got to the parking lot she kind of got worried and asked if she had to be nude. I said no keep as many clothes on as you like but I am planning on going nude. Is that okay? She was fine with it and we had a good time when we got back to her house she proudly told her husband she had been to her first nude beach. I had still not told my mom or dad but I am pretty sure that sis took care of that. Some time later my mom began dropping hints . . . Anyway the whole entire family now knows and they don't think anything less of me, so far as I know. Every time one of my nieces or nephews likes to run around naked they say they take after their Uncle Alan, which is great for me!” – Alan, WA
“While my closest family members knew [I was a nudist], many other family members didn't know until this past summer. At that time I said something on Facebook about going camping. A half-sister asked where I liked to go camping and I mentioned Juniper Woods, telling of the beautiful grounds and wonderful people. Within 20 minutes I received a message from her telling me that she didn't know that I was a nudist. Other messages from friends and family members soon followed. None were judgmental; all of them simply said that they didn't know. Telling others that I'm a nudist never includes a drum-roll or fanfare. It's a statement of fact, just as my favorite color or work situation are statements of fact of who I am. With this way of telling people I haven't had lots of drama as a result. There are often questions, which leads to wonderful discussion. Sometimes I even find someone who wants to try the lifestyle on for size!” – Melissa, NY
“I love to skinny dip and was lucky enough to grow up in a household where my Mother loathed doing laundry. She especially hated to wash clothes that had Kansas river mud deeply ground into the fabric. But my Mom had the answer - skinny dipping. We went camping every weekend, almost always to the same location on Fall River in Butler County, Kansas, so we grew to know the other campers that frequented the area. One summer early in my life, my wonderful mother went around to each of the campsites and lamented her dislike for washing river mud from our clothes and swimsuits. She found several of the other mothers were like-minded on the chore, so she suggested we make the camp area "clothing optional" for all children under the age of 10 or so. Surprise, surprise, thereafter my brother, sister and I were naked from Friday night arrival until Sunday afternoon's departure. I honestly do not remember anyone complaining about us; even new campers seemed to just go with the flow. Life was good. I skinny dipped with the local children up until about the age of 12. . . Thank God for my mother . . . I have never, since that day, gone more than a few days without removing my stress by letting my skin come out to breathe. . . By the way, Mom still hates to do laundry.” - Randy, GA
Only two lady friends and one man have joined us, and all loved it. One drove from Dallas to Glen Eden in California to experience naturism. For years she referred to this as the best experience in her life.
Another lady was a co-worker who visited us several times. I remember the first time she visited. PJ picked her up at Olive Del's gate, and drove to our trailer where I was busy working naked on our deck. I could tell she was a little embarrassed seeing me nude for the first time, but as we toured around the park and introduced her to others she became more comfortable. By the time we reached the hot tub she was ready to join in. She never looked back - a natural nudist.
Finally, a man I hadn't met communicated with me about naturism on the Internet, and tried it on his own. He became a great friend and often came to visit us at the resort. His wife visited as well. We even stayed at their house where we met the family.
Recently, we invited a girl friend in Phoenix to join us at Shangri La for nude karaoke. She said she'd love to attend. That would be great fun. Hopefully she will.
We'll continue to share whenever it seems the right thing to do because we firmly believe naturism is very good for some people, like us. Has anyone else had similar success sharing?
Ken
Here are a few more experiences concerning sharing naturism with others.
“I knew for a long time that I enjoyed nudism before finally letting everyone know. It first came about because my parents and two young nieces accidentally caught me naked in the backyard from a distance. I managed to put shorts on before they got to me but the secret was out. I really hadn't tried to hide it, just had never admitted it to anyone. After that I thought 'why worry about who knows?' and I even felt that nudism was such a great way of life that I wanted to spread the word to others. So after that I would casually let others know I'm a nudist when discussing things like how warm it is, how good the sun feels, soaks in the hot tub, hiking, etc. It's really easy to just mention something like 'I've recently found out that I like hiking nude much better than clothed.' Or maybe, 'Yes, the sun feels great but I don't like tan lines so tan without clothes.' Then, of course, they ask why I do it . . . So we now try to tell everyone about nudism and have gotten mostly very positive feedback. My girlfriend's daughter has even stated it's fine if we are naked when she comes over (which we do now). And while recently staying with us a few days while recovering from surgery I noticed her walking down the hallway nude, so we are helping others get comfortable with their bodies. . . everyone we know, knows we are nudists and only one family member had any kind of negative reaction, and she got over it in time. So I really think we worry way too much about what others will think when we announce our nudism choice to others. Just present it with confidence and knowledge and it will go fine.” – Guy, CO
“. . . it wasn't until about 10 years ago, when we experienced our "first" social nude outing, that we began to appreciated what nudism is all about. Well, after a trip with two other nudist couples to Tulum, Mexico, I was showing pictures (clothed) of our trip to Mom. I did tell her that the beaches were clothing optional. Then she asked me if we went naked. It was then I told her we were nudists and showed a couple of pictures of us. Then she said "GEORGE ROBERT . . . if I could have only gotten your DADDY to do that!" Then she told me how she would be nude when we weren't home - Love you, Mom.” - Robert, SC
“I started going to nude beaches when I was in the military after I came back from the Gulf War and it changed the way I look at life. . . I told her [my sister] there was a beach I wanted to go to and that is was a nude beach. Well, she had never heard of it and was kind of interested. When we got to the parking lot she kind of got worried and asked if she had to be nude. I said no keep as many clothes on as you like but I am planning on going nude. Is that okay? She was fine with it and we had a good time when we got back to her house she proudly told her husband she had been to her first nude beach. I had still not told my mom or dad but I am pretty sure that sis took care of that. Some time later my mom began dropping hints . . . Anyway the whole entire family now knows and they don't think anything less of me, so far as I know. Every time one of my nieces or nephews likes to run around naked they say they take after their Uncle Alan, which is great for me!” – Alan, WA
“While my closest family members knew [I was a nudist], many other family members didn't know until this past summer. At that time I said something on Facebook about going camping. A half-sister asked where I liked to go camping and I mentioned Juniper Woods, telling of the beautiful grounds and wonderful people. Within 20 minutes I received a message from her telling me that she didn't know that I was a nudist. Other messages from friends and family members soon followed. None were judgmental; all of them simply said that they didn't know. Telling others that I'm a nudist never includes a drum-roll or fanfare. It's a statement of fact, just as my favorite color or work situation are statements of fact of who I am. With this way of telling people I haven't had lots of drama as a result. There are often questions, which leads to wonderful discussion. Sometimes I even find someone who wants to try the lifestyle on for size!” – Melissa, NY
“I love to skinny dip and was lucky enough to grow up in a household where my Mother loathed doing laundry. She especially hated to wash clothes that had Kansas river mud deeply ground into the fabric. But my Mom had the answer - skinny dipping. We went camping every weekend, almost always to the same location on Fall River in Butler County, Kansas, so we grew to know the other campers that frequented the area. One summer early in my life, my wonderful mother went around to each of the campsites and lamented her dislike for washing river mud from our clothes and swimsuits. She found several of the other mothers were like-minded on the chore, so she suggested we make the camp area "clothing optional" for all children under the age of 10 or so. Surprise, surprise, thereafter my brother, sister and I were naked from Friday night arrival until Sunday afternoon's departure. I honestly do not remember anyone complaining about us; even new campers seemed to just go with the flow. Life was good. I skinny dipped with the local children up until about the age of 12. . . Thank God for my mother . . . I have never, since that day, gone more than a few days without removing my stress by letting my skin come out to breathe. . . By the way, Mom still hates to do laundry.” - Randy, GA
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Still More Sharing
“[I] . . . became a home nudist-the second I got home from work the clothes came off. My friends knew this and even though some of them were not nudists they expected that when they visited my house I would not be wearing any clothing nor would some of my other guests.” - Mark P, MI
“One day I had titled on my email profile "home nudist" and a few days later my 68-year-old mother sends an email asking what I meant by that. To say the least it caught me off guard so much that I did not respond for a couple of days! But those days were actually helpful as it allowed me to think how to present my nudist lifestyle in a positive way. I came back telling her that I have indeed attended a nudist club, and have so much fun being with people of all ages and shapes, from kids to people her age. I think she accepted that explanation, as I did not get a rebuke in reply! Facebook also has been a great tool for starting conservations with friends and coworkers, and so far the reaction has been very positive. Some have asked me about my "clothing optional" vacation plans, and another admitted she would love to visit a nudist resort. By letting others know I am a nudist, I am able to educate them about the wholesome, fun lifestyle that allows you to meet others who enjoy just being without clothes, whether it's at a BBQ, a volleyball game, or a get-together dinner, the activities are endless.” - Rod N., OR
“How would they [parents] react to a surprise? If they take surprises well, you may allow yourself to be caught nude in your room or going to/from the bathroom, and such. Leave the bedroom door open at least partially. Carry the towel instead of wrapping yourself in it going to/from the shower. From there, you can expand. Not dressing immediately after a shower, but staying wrapped in a towel for longer and longer intervals, eventually unwrapping altogether. Are your parents easy for you to talk to? If so, you might mention something to gauge a possible reaction. Maybe something on TV or in a magazine might give an opening.” - Doug H.
“This last Sunday, after the morning service, I found my wife talking with our (female) senior pastor. She was enthusing about the naturist holiday we have just booked for March, in Lanzarote, and encouraging her to visit Infiniti on Fuerteventura in one of the non-naturist weeks. She then started talking about the clothes-optional days we enjoy at Abbey House Gardens. All this time, someone else from the church family was standing just to one side, waiting to talk with the pastor. So I think there is now someone else who has a fairly good idea of our interests and activities in this area.” - Sanuachap
“I recently had a few friends over to swim in my pool. Three were other girls and one was a guy. One of my girlfriends knew I liked going naked in my backyard. She said to me that if I was more comfortable naked, that she didn't mind. I asked her if she would be interested in trying it also? She said sure, but what about the others. So I got up the nerve to tell my friends that I enjoy tanning nude and if they wanted to try it they could. At first they all giggled, but to my surprise they were all in agreement. One after another, they began to take off their swim suits. But what I thought was a real turn on was seeing John, the only guy in our group take off his pants and go completely naked with four girls. What a sight! We spent hours playing in the pool and tanning. What a great experience.” – Sally S.
“One day I had titled on my email profile "home nudist" and a few days later my 68-year-old mother sends an email asking what I meant by that. To say the least it caught me off guard so much that I did not respond for a couple of days! But those days were actually helpful as it allowed me to think how to present my nudist lifestyle in a positive way. I came back telling her that I have indeed attended a nudist club, and have so much fun being with people of all ages and shapes, from kids to people her age. I think she accepted that explanation, as I did not get a rebuke in reply! Facebook also has been a great tool for starting conservations with friends and coworkers, and so far the reaction has been very positive. Some have asked me about my "clothing optional" vacation plans, and another admitted she would love to visit a nudist resort. By letting others know I am a nudist, I am able to educate them about the wholesome, fun lifestyle that allows you to meet others who enjoy just being without clothes, whether it's at a BBQ, a volleyball game, or a get-together dinner, the activities are endless.” - Rod N., OR
“How would they [parents] react to a surprise? If they take surprises well, you may allow yourself to be caught nude in your room or going to/from the bathroom, and such. Leave the bedroom door open at least partially. Carry the towel instead of wrapping yourself in it going to/from the shower. From there, you can expand. Not dressing immediately after a shower, but staying wrapped in a towel for longer and longer intervals, eventually unwrapping altogether. Are your parents easy for you to talk to? If so, you might mention something to gauge a possible reaction. Maybe something on TV or in a magazine might give an opening.” - Doug H.
“This last Sunday, after the morning service, I found my wife talking with our (female) senior pastor. She was enthusing about the naturist holiday we have just booked for March, in Lanzarote, and encouraging her to visit Infiniti on Fuerteventura in one of the non-naturist weeks. She then started talking about the clothes-optional days we enjoy at Abbey House Gardens. All this time, someone else from the church family was standing just to one side, waiting to talk with the pastor. So I think there is now someone else who has a fairly good idea of our interests and activities in this area.” - Sanuachap
“I recently had a few friends over to swim in my pool. Three were other girls and one was a guy. One of my girlfriends knew I liked going naked in my backyard. She said to me that if I was more comfortable naked, that she didn't mind. I asked her if she would be interested in trying it also? She said sure, but what about the others. So I got up the nerve to tell my friends that I enjoy tanning nude and if they wanted to try it they could. At first they all giggled, but to my surprise they were all in agreement. One after another, they began to take off their swim suits. But what I thought was a real turn on was seeing John, the only guy in our group take off his pants and go completely naked with four girls. What a sight! We spent hours playing in the pool and tanning. What a great experience.” – Sally S.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
More Sharing Naturism
“I am very open about being a nudist. I feel it is important to let people know and to get rid of all the ideas that people have about nudists. . . I am very open with my family, friends and co-workers about me being a nudist and love introducing newbies to the experience. Most people are shocked at first, but always seem to come back with questions about the lifestyle. Most questions are from people being curious or they comment on their own body and that they feel that they would be uncomfortable in that situation. I always explain to people that it's not about how you look, but being able to accept your body as it is and as a nudist, you get to meet all types of people and body types and you get to know the people for who they are and not by how they look.” - J Anderson, CA
“I tried to "show-and-tell" one morning when I was still in high school. I walked to the kitchen to have something to drink in the buff. Didn't get a good response and [my family] didn't talk about the incident after that. Silver lining in all this is that they sometimes, very rarely, joke about it. They might know or think that I am just odd. But I have been giving hints every now and then. So I think everyone in my family might know... or not.” – Talvi
“I grew up in a VERY conservative mid-western town and at age nine had the shock of my life. A new family moved down the street and had three sons, one my age, and we became friends. My parents were going out of town one weekend and I asked if I could stay behind at my new friend's house. I arrived Friday after dinner, we played outside for a while then bedtime came. As we walked up to my friend's bedroom his older two brothers came out of their room not wearing a stitch of clothing. I just stared at them and didn't say a thing then we got to the bedroom and my friend took off everything, looked at me and said "Aren't you going to get undressed for bed?" I said "You mean naked like you?" He just looked at me funny and said "Yeah!" So, off came my clothes. We woke the next morning and he goes running downstairs, still naked. So I just followed. We get downstairs and there stands his mother in the kitchen, his brothers and father at the kitchen table and none of them had any clothes on.” - Mark P, MI
“Perhaps the "nude" revolution will be one person at a time. Since the time I was discovered nude by my wife's girlfriend there has been a more open dialogue with some of our closer friends about our home nudity. In fact it has met with more approval than I expected. Small steps toward a more perfect world. . . I had another moment a few days ago. In order to prepare to work an all-night shift I took an afternoon nap. The alarm was set so Mrs. Walker and I could spend some time before leaving for work, so not hearing any noise in the house when I awoke I just strolled into the living room. Before the wife could say anything I walked in on her niece and husband. So, after a brief discussion; there are two more in the family that know and at this rate by year’s end everyone will know!” – Nudewalker
“I tried to "show-and-tell" one morning when I was still in high school. I walked to the kitchen to have something to drink in the buff. Didn't get a good response and [my family] didn't talk about the incident after that. Silver lining in all this is that they sometimes, very rarely, joke about it. They might know or think that I am just odd. But I have been giving hints every now and then. So I think everyone in my family might know... or not.” – Talvi
“I grew up in a VERY conservative mid-western town and at age nine had the shock of my life. A new family moved down the street and had three sons, one my age, and we became friends. My parents were going out of town one weekend and I asked if I could stay behind at my new friend's house. I arrived Friday after dinner, we played outside for a while then bedtime came. As we walked up to my friend's bedroom his older two brothers came out of their room not wearing a stitch of clothing. I just stared at them and didn't say a thing then we got to the bedroom and my friend took off everything, looked at me and said "Aren't you going to get undressed for bed?" I said "You mean naked like you?" He just looked at me funny and said "Yeah!" So, off came my clothes. We woke the next morning and he goes running downstairs, still naked. So I just followed. We get downstairs and there stands his mother in the kitchen, his brothers and father at the kitchen table and none of them had any clothes on.” - Mark P, MI
“Perhaps the "nude" revolution will be one person at a time. Since the time I was discovered nude by my wife's girlfriend there has been a more open dialogue with some of our closer friends about our home nudity. In fact it has met with more approval than I expected. Small steps toward a more perfect world. . . I had another moment a few days ago. In order to prepare to work an all-night shift I took an afternoon nap. The alarm was set so Mrs. Walker and I could spend some time before leaving for work, so not hearing any noise in the house when I awoke I just strolled into the living room. Before the wife could say anything I walked in on her niece and husband. So, after a brief discussion; there are two more in the family that know and at this rate by year’s end everyone will know!” – Nudewalker
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