Sauvies Island: Bare Buns Fun Run South Planning

The Bare Buns Fun Runs have become a staple of summer nudist activities in the Pacific Northwest each year . . . typically running first at Fraternity Snoqualmie in Issaquah (Bare Buns West), followed by Kaniksa (Bare Buns East (Spokane)) and the final run at Wreck Beach near Vancouver, BC (Bare Buns North). What we'd like to propose is a Bare Buns Fun Run along the firm sand of Collins Beach on Sauvies Island near Portland . . . a Bare Buns South.

The Bare Buns Fun Runs are a 'bare as you dare' event and anybody can participate in any stage of dress they desire (it's clothing-optional but we all know the best way to run a marathon is nude). You don't have to be a marathon runner . . . this is a fun run and many just walk the course for the fun of it . . . and that's what it is all about. FUN!!!!

Collins Beach on Sauvies Island is one of the two beaches in Oregon designated officially as clothing-optional. The beach lies along the Columbia river with superlative views and over a mile of wide, sun-baked fine sand to sunbathe on, join in a competitive game of sand volleyball, or stroll the firm-pack of sand near the water line. Collins Beach has a great reputation for safety and family-friendliness where you can relax and know that the beach community cares and is looking out for you. There can be no better place to delve into the liberating experience of a clothing-optional lifestyle.

Planning is now underway to try a Bare Buns Fun Run. Would you like to participate in a really FUN EVENT? Would you like to be part of the event planning? Would you just like to take this family-friendly opportunity to try the clothing-optional lifestyle?

If the answers to any of those questions are 'YES', let us know by sending a message to myself (link in the Sidebar) or posting a message in the ORCOBA (ORegon Clothing Optional Beach Association) or NWFunInTheSun groups. The date hasn't been set yet but your input could set that up . . . JOIN IN!!!!!!! Be part of the planning for the First Annual Sauvies Island Bare Buns South Fun Run

Tags Sauvies Island Collins Beach Bare Buns Clothing-optional Beach

Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute

Seems everywhere I hike there seems to be more and more garbage left behind by thoughtless and unthinking people.

And, I think one of the very important messages we, as naturists, should be emphasizing on the public is just how important we believe in preserving our environment and keeping it clean.

You rarely see the run-of-the-mill textile hiker, or soaker, or beach user toting out a garbage bag full of . . . well, garbage, you you see naturists and nudism doing it all the time. That is a very positive image to impress upon the powers-that-be.


This week has been another one of those dash in and get a quick hike weeks for me. I've made Scenic Hot Springs twice, Heybrook Lookout and an eight hour hike along the Quartz Trail as far as Cadet. I've also discovered an unmarked logging road going almost to the top of Windy Mountain . . . that guardian that overlooks the west side of Stevens Pass and Highway 2. As soon as I can get permission from the property owners I would like to seek out Windy Peak and Lake Embro at the top and take in the vistas of the Tye Valley way far below. All of this in the nude, of course.

Tags nude hiking

the adam and eve project: average woman, average man

Nifty project that you might want to consider participating in. Shane Cooper hopes to blend the photos of as many participants as possible to produce a high quality image of the average woman, the average man and an average of both sexes.

Curiously, few men have responded and there is no 'averaging' of a male as there is of the female to the left. Being ever vigilant to worthy causes, I have, of course, volunteered my body to this worthy project. Unfortunately, I think she wants me to remove my floppy blue hat! So I'm going to pose for some pics that meet her specifications.


From her website:

I am seeking as many participants as possible, ranging over the maximum variety of lineage, age, and body types. This is not a project for the "beautiful people" only, I am interested in real people. Your participation is very valuable to me - I need you to represent yourself in the mix. Be brave, it will be worth it - the final image is to be shown in magazines and galleries - there is currently a lot of interest in how this turns out. Don't miss this opportunity to do something fun - help me build something amazing from who you are. Participants will have free access to the final high resolution digital images. These images will be for their own use, and suitable for print. If you are interested in seeing what's involved, or better yet, have decided to join the other contributors, click here -

From each participant, I accept three images

• a closeup of the face
• a nude image of the entire body, front
• a nude image of the entire body, back

As I receive the images, I average all of them into singles images of

• the avergae woman ("Eve")
• the average man ("Adam")
• the average of both sexes, the androgynous being lying between "Adam" and "Eve"

The Place With No Name

If you have never stood atop a high place as the wind caresses your whole body lovingly, then you have missed something sweet.

If you have never leapt from that high place and plunged into a deep clear pool uninhibited by any trapping of society, then you have missed something delightful.

If you have never lain in the cool grass while the rain drops kiss you in your entirety, then you have missed something valuable.

If you have never sat in a waterfall and been truly free, you have missed something worthwhile.

If you have never been down to the sea clothed only in the night, then you have missed something divine.

If you have never met the wilderness exactly as you are, then you have missed something very precious.

If you don't understand any of this at all, I hope that one day you will. If you never do, then you will have missed something important about your very humanity.

Shane's very eloquent words manifest what many of us feel when we are out there communing with nature . . . seeking and finding that epiphany; oneness and belonging. I very shamelessly borrow Shane's words here under 'Fair Use' in the hope that you will visit his website and come to the realization of what being a naturist really is all about. I cannot say it better than Shane.

Shane's Hiking Journal and "On Being Human"

Aerial Image: Sauvies Island, Collins Beach

The image above is a 'stitched' mosaic of 7 high-resolution aerial images. To the left equals south and the beginning of the clothing-optional area between Trail#1 and Trail #2 and roughly analogous to the curve of the sandbar in the water. Between this area and the area just north of Trail#2 has become very popular with families and children. ORCOBA and the Yellow Flag reps often set up in this area, their presence adding a sense of security and safety to the beach.

There is a very active nude sand volleyball contingent on the beach and the young adults participating (and sometimes allowing us older (over 30) folks in) are very competitive in their tournaments. Another popular sunning area is just north of the volleyball area and continues north toward the taper to the first jetty.

North of the jetty is more popular with people who seek a place to relax without the crowds . . . and sometimes irresponsible partying. This was the site of this years drowning where alcohol was involved and probably contributed to the unhappy outcome.

Going further along the beach, you come to the remains of Tom's Cabin named after a long-time beach-comer who slowly and meticulously assembled his contribution to the beach with loving hands. Sadly, someone took it upon themselves to build themselves a huge bonfire this summer and little remains but charred driftwood. Many remember Tom and are determined to reconstruct the'Cabin'.

Just a little further up the beach is a point that was a favorite among another regular beach goer who just passed away . . . Myran Schnoor. Though I did not personally know the man, countless others did and they speak kindly of his caring soul. The 'point' was one of his favorite parts of the beach and accordingly, I have marked and named the point on the image in his honor and to his memory.

Going just a little further north we come across a low area that becomes very muddy when the tide is out . . . mudflats. Then there is the second jetty and a rocky area before the final stretch of clothing optional beach beyond. This area is popular with the gay element and they do a good job of policing their own. I have never had any problems walking through this area.

The clothing-optional beach ends at a large timber stuck in the beach . . . the official sign just up and barely visible in the dunes west.

Like the previous Rooster Rock image I posted a few days ago, the image behind the 'click' is a much reduced size. For those interested in the original image, drop me a line and I'll send a copy off to you in an email.

Rooster Rock Aerial Photo

The image above is a 'stitched' compilation of 18 high-resolution aerial images. To the left is Sand Island within the clothing-optional area of Rooster Rock State Park; and the image continues to the right, through the parking lots and textile area to the boat-launch area at the western end of the park.

The image behind the 'click' is a much reduced size (or else you'd be downloading all night). For those interested in the original image, drop me a line and I'll send a copy off to you in an email.

FCC Study: NNBD (Nearly Naked Breast Disorder) (Satire)

This article was originally posted in "The Onion", an online eNews site catering mainly to the college crowd with tongue-in-cheek takes on the news. Rick

U.S. Children Still Traumatized One Year After Seeing Partially Exposed Breast On TV

January 26, 2005 | Issue 41•04

WASHINGTON, DC—As the nation approaches the one-year anniversary of the Super Bowl XXXVIII tragedy, an FCC study shows that millions of U.S. children were severely traumatized by the exposure to a partially nude female breast during the Feb. 1, 2004 halftime show.

"No one who lived through that day is likely to forget the horror," said noted child therapist Dr. Eli Wasserbaum. "But it was especially hard on the children."

The tragic wardrobe malfunction occurred approximately 360 days ago, during Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's performance of "Rock Your Body," when Timberlake tore Jackson's costume, accidentally revealing her right breast.

"By the time CBS cut to an aerial view of the stadium, the damage was done," said Wasserbaum, who has also worked extensively with orphaned and amputee children in Third World war zones. "I've found that children can be amazingly resilient, but this event was too much for many of them to take. The horrible image of that breast is likely to haunt them for the rest of their lives."

According to the 500-page report filed by the FCC, more than 90 percent of the children who saw the exposed breast said they were "confused and afraid."

"Mommy has dirty chest bumps," said a 5-year-old boy quoted in one of the thousands of case studies compiled by the FCC. "She's like the bad lady on TV. I'm afraid Mommy will take off her shirt and scare everyone. I hate Mommy."

Girls were traumatized as well, often expressing apprehensions about sexual development. According to Wasserbaum, one 8-year-old girl told her parents that she didn't "want to get evil breasts."

Wasserbaum said children of both genders associate their trauma with footballs, presumably because of the context in which they were exposed to the breast.

(The Nipple Piercing that traumatized so many children (not part of the original posting)

A great number of children who witnessed the tragedy are still plagued by nightmares of sun-shapes that recall Jackson's nipple ring. Of the infants who saw the breast, 76 percent are unwilling to breast feed or use a bottle, forcing their parents to nourish them intravenously.

"When the tragedy took place, we knew it would cause psychological trauma, but we had no idea how long the effects would last," Wasserbaum said."Our worst fears have been confirmed. It will take years to repair the damage."

Cases of deviant sexual development induced by breast-glimpsing are widespread amongst older children. Pathologies range from schoolyard exhibitionism to gender-role confusion and violent shirt-tearing.

"The FCC imposed the maximum $27,500 penalty on each of the 20 CBS-owned television stations," Wasserbaum said. "But the government offered no recompense to the individuals exposed to the breast. And neither Jackson nor Timberlake has ever specifically apolgized to the children whose lives they ruined, or donated a penny for the adolescents' psychiatric care."

Across America, parental concern over the condition doctors have dubbed Nearly Naked Breast Disorder continues to grow.

"How can my son Brandon be expected to make it through something like that unscathed?" asked mother of four Shonali Bhomik of the San Francisco-based What About the Children? Foundation, one of many social-awareness groups spearheading the fight for increased NNBD funding in Congress. "For approximately 1.5 seconds, he saw a breast. The image was seared into his innocent, tiny retinas. He can't close his eyes without replaying the whole ugly scene over and over in his little head."

"For the love of God—that breast was almost nude," Bhomik added.

Bhomik said she has concerns about her son's development.

"I shudder to think how this could affect my son once he reaches puberty," Bhomik said. "Little Brandon just wanted to watch the fun halftime show with his family. He was only 10 years old."

Bhomik is one of millions of people facing every parent's worst nightmare: that their child will see a partially exposed breast.

Wasserbaum said there is no way to predict whether the children will recover.

"One thing is certain," Wasserbaum said. "For us as a nation, the horrific consequences of almost-nakedness have only just begun to make themselves apparent."

Wasserbaum added that children who saw the televised breast in Europe, Australia, and various other nations throughout the world were somehow unaffected by the sight.

NAC Alert: Wreck Beach

Look at these beautiful bluffs and then imagine a number of high-rise residential towers on the bluffs overlooking the beach below.

Imagine some day the University of British Columbia now arguing that the traditional and legal clothing-optional beach now has to go because it might offend the people who are now living in those towers.

It could happen. Protect Wreck Beach now!

Photo by Judy Williams

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Letter writing campaigns do work. Wreck beach is a superlative nude-venue . . . internationally-known and loved, and now the University of British Columbia in Vancouver threatens the beauty and serenity of this beach . . . and possibly the beaches' very existence. Do your part by making your opinion known. Rick

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NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE
ACTION ALERT

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http://www.naturistaction.org

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Copyright 2005 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.

DATE : September 7, 2005
SUBJECT: Wreck Beach, British Columbia
TO : All naturists

Dear Naturist,

The Naturist Action Committee (NAC) asks all naturists to unite in a worldwide grass roots e-mail writing campaign to save Wreck Beach from plans being made by the University of British Columbia (UBC) for three additional residence towers to overlook the beach. One tower is already being constructed. If the University is allowed to continue on its present course, a total of four towers will blight the beach forever.

This situation has been the focus of previous NAC Action Alerts. The decision by NAC to issue this new Action Alert was prompted by UBC's recent insistence on moving forward, despite public protests, with two more 18-story towers and a 14-story one. NAC asks for your help in a grass roots battle to preserve Wreck Beach. This new request is made in close cooperation with the Wreck Beach Preservation Society (WBPS), the Pacific Spirit Park Society (PSPS), and the Federation of Canadian Naturists (FCN).

This e-mail writing campaign is a NEW effort to preserve the magnificent view from Wreck Beach, including its forested cliff tops and its sense of wilderness.

The Wreck Beach Preservation Society will be binding copies of your e-mailed letters into a book for presentation at these meetings. So that we have documented proof of the contents and numbers of letters authorities are receiving, we ask that you please copy all e-mail correspondence (and whatever replies you may receive) to Judy Williams, NAC board member and Chair of the WBPS: judyw@wreckbeach.org

"Note: You probably want to include Judy as a Blind Carbon Copy (Bcc) instead of a regular Carbon Copy (Cc) in the emails you send to further imply to the recipients that you are writing of your own volition and not necessarily as a mass response. In my previous emails with GVRD officials I found that a personalized email got individualized replies rather that a piece of 'boiler-plate'. Rick"

BACKGROUND

Wreck Beach in Vancouver, BC, Canada is one of the most beautiful clothing-optional beaches in the world. Presently, the pristine forested cliffs above the beach have hidden any university buildings from view, giving beachgoers a natural backdrop that approaches wilderness despite closer proximity to the city. This precious heritage view is still enjoyed by boaters and people who visit the tidal flats today. The mistake of Tower #1 must not be allowed to be replicated three more times.


UPDATE ON THE RESULTS OF YOUR EFFORTS SO FAR

At the meeting of the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) board of directors on July 29, 2005, GVRD basically supported preserving the natural views from Wreck Beach. We urge your letters to encourage the GVRD to hold the line on the line-of-sight recommended by their staff and to encourage the GVRD to ensure that visibility is measured prior to consideration of any new UBC building plans.


ACTION: NAC ASKS ALL CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS TO CONTACT THE FOLLOWING
AUTHORITIES

We urge you to become part of this important new effort. Whether or not you have written before, please write now in order to make a difference at the meetings of GVRD and UBC on September 21 and 22. Please send your e-mail correspondence to as many on the list as possible. Surface mail may not arrive in time.

Note: I have taken the liberty to insert 'email' links. The link will start a new message in your email program with the proper addressing (including Bcc to Judy), subject and beginning salutations . . . which, of course, you are free to edit. Rick

1) GVRD-UBC JOINT COMMITTEE
c/o Paulette Vetleson
paulette.vetleson@gvrd.bc.ca

2) GVRD-UBC JOINT COMMITTEE
c/o Kristian Nichols, GVRD

kristian.nichols@gvrd.bc.ca

3) INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS of the JOINT GVRD-UBC COMMITTEE:
Gary Gibson, Electoral District A: gbgibson@telus.net
Councillor Raymond Louie: clrlouie@city.vancouver.bc.ca
Mayor Ralph Drew, Belcarra, BC: rdrew@shaw.ca

4) MEMBERS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE WHO CAN BE REACHED
THROUGH GVRD:
Nicola Byres, UBC Board of Governors
Bryce Rositch, UBC Board of Governors
Chancellor Allan McEachern, UBC Board of Governors

Address e-mail to the above-named officials ...
c/o Shelley Jackson, GVRD Program Assistant
Shelley.Jackson@gvrd.bc.ca

5) PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY
Martha Piper, President of UBC and Member, Board of Governors
c/o Shelley Jackson, Shelley.Jackson@gvrd.bc.ca

6) GVRD PARK COMMITTEE CHAIR
Judy Higginbotham
jehigginbotham@city.surrey.bc.ca

7) GVRD BOARD OF DIRECTORS
c/o Paulette Vetleson, paulette.vetleson@gvrd.bc.ca

8) GVRD CAO
Johnny Carline, CAO of the GVRD
c/o Paulette Vetleson, paulette.vetleson@gvrd.bc.ca


WHO SHOULD WRITE?

NAC is asking ALL CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS to send comments by e-mail. That includes residents of the US, as well as those who live in Canada and elsewhere. Vancouver and UBC pride themselves on their international appeal.


WHAT SHOULD I SAY?

When you write, be sure to give your name and address. Anonymous correspondence is typically ignored. Be polite. Carefully express your outrage and your resentment, if you wish, but avoid threats and name-calling.

In your message, state very clearly that you OPPOSE the proposed towers.


SOME POINTS TO CONSIDER

Please use your own words. You may simply and respectfully ask decision-makers to consider the requests of the Wreck Beach Preservation Society, or you may elaborate on any of the following points:

1) ENCOURAGE the GVRD to continue to defend the line of sight
that will protect viewscapes from the beach toward the tops
of the cliffs.

2) STRESS THE URGENCY. With decisions about to be made at the
executive levels, call upon the GVRD to ensure that visibility
of the towers is measured prior to consideration of any
additional UBC building plans.

3) OPPOSE any bio-engineering (shaving of cliffs and planting
of replacement vegetation) and interceptor ditches to protect
buildings that should never have been built at the proposed
heights and locations UBC has planned.

More than any other issue, the potential loss of the wilderness-like setting has captured the attention of naturists and nature lovers from around the world. Simply put, the construction of towers looming over the beach would forever change the character of Wreck Beach.


WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?

As of September 1, 2005, over 40,000 persons have signed petitions opposing construction of the towers. You can still add your name to the petition online at http://www.wreckbeach.org.


PLEASE HELP NAC HELP NATURISTS IN CANADA AND ELSEWHERE

The Naturist Action Committee exists to advance and protect the rights of naturists throughout North America. NAC is a volunteer nonprofit organization that relies on the grass roots participation of those who understand that individuals working together can make a difference.

NAC has no membership roster on which to assess dues, and it relies completely on voluntary contributions from concerned and involved naturists like you. Monitoring developing situations and coordinating action across North America is expensive.

Won't you take a moment to help NAC by sending a generous donation? you may donate directly online, using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card by going to:

http://www.naturistaction.org/donate/

You may also send your contribution to the address below, or you may call toll free (800) 886-7230 during normal office hours to donate by phone, using your MasterCard or Visa.

NAC
PO Box 132
Oshkosh, WI 54903

Thank you for choosing to make a difference!

Naturally,

Judy Williams
Board Member
Naturist Action Committee

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Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Bob Morton - Executive Dir. -
Judy Williams - Board Member -
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com

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To help you out with ideas, here is the email I sent to all addresses in the above list:

Dear

I read with growing concern about the building of four high-rise buildings being planned on the bluffs overlooking one of the most cherished natural surroundings in a world where such soul-renewing spots are disappearing within easy reach of people. I have visited the Wreck Beach many times . . . one of the destinations I always plan whenever I visit Canada and Vancouver from the States. There are few such open places remaining and Wreck Beach is a 'breath of fresh air' from the steel-concrete-and glass of the city. To have four tall, and large buildings rise up on the bluffs destroys the perception of visitors of 'paradise' just a little way from the city. Many visitors go to this area to escape the big city. And now the University of British Columbia wants to intrude the city back on the beach users?

I have been previously assured by representatives for the University of British Columbia that adequate technical and aesthetic studies have been performed with public input and that the "University will continue to maintain its commitments to development review procedures and to providing opportunities for public comment." Yet I still read of steady encroachment and diminishment of the views and perceived open-space of the beaches better-known as Wreck Beach and Spirit Park. When I last visited for the popular Bare Buns Fun Run Marathon this summer, I could not ignore the rising floors of Tower #1 already insinuating itself into the view of beachgoers. Nor could I ignore recent slides of unstable material from the bluffs that are indicative of the need for caution.

I question the necessity to site these buildings just where they are. Obviously, they give superlative views to the students who will live there and probably will make the UBC a prime choice among potential students . . . but at what cost? The buildings are inappropriate and will destroy the nature of Wreck Beach and the adjoining shoreline areas.

I am also extremely concerned about the environmental impacts of these buildings and the seemingly lack of any addressing of this issue by the university. In fact, there seems to be little or no public discussion on these impacts from the university side and one must ask 'why?' when the initial decision to go ahead was made in spite of strenuous objections from many quarters. The UBC is a construct of the people and I would expect that the spirit of academic freedom and discourse would apply in any impacts the university would have on the community it services . . . the people of British Columbia, Vancouver and the untold thousands of international visitors each year.

I am one of those international visitors and I spend a lot of money in the recreational activities that abound in the Greater Vancouver area . . . including the pristine shorelines like Wreck Beach that lead to hours of relaxation from a busy day in the glass towers of downtown Vancouver. What is needed is preservation of the beautiful scenery and wild areas we already have . . . not a diminishment of them.

I would hope that the University of British Columbia would reconsider the height and siting of these buildings; perhaps re-siting back from the bluffs or reducing the overall height with a view toward minimizing the visual impact from the beaches below.

UBC is a public institution and has an ethical obligation to be up-front and above-board in all its' dealing with the public . . . which means when a citizen asks questions about the process, the studies, the impacts; the university would answer those questions honestly, completely and with due haste. The University of British Columbia is a world-class university in a world-class city known for it's breath-taking natural views within city limits. Please don't destroy this legacy.

Therefore, I respectfully ask that reconsideration be given to the long-term effects these buildings will have on the perception of international visitors to the gorgeous Greater Vancouver area and everything this world-class setting stands for.

Respectfully,

(Your full name and address if you want to be taken seriously)

Sunlight Robbery: A Critical Study of the UK Health Policy on Sunbathing

Some interesting light reading for those of you who enjoy getting out onto the beach and working on your tan. The author of this study is highly critical of the UK Ministry of Health's policy recommendations to the public on sun exposure; arguing that the policy is based on the SunSmart program that was developed for the Australian counterpart and that people in the northern lattitudes just do not get enough sun.

The author even goes so far as to suggest that sunbathing in the nude is that healthful approach and should be practiced . . . an endoresment for the naturist lifestyle, in a way.

The study is 47 pages long in a PDF format. You can download it here, or by clicking the title link. Maybe you should read it this weekend while we crisp our skins at Sauvies . . .

2) Regular sunbathing needed for optimum health
The SunSmart campaign fails to explain that regular sun exposure is needed in summer in the British Isles so that vitamin D stores may be replenished after the winter. Vitamin D levels in people living in the British Isles are generally low and sun exposure is of vital importance to maintain these levels. Some 80-90% of our vitamin D comes from the sun.

Exposure of the naked body to the sun for 20 minutes (10 minutes each side) at midday in midsummer in the UK will provide maximum vitamin D synthesis. Less time should be spent in the sun if there is any baking or burning sensation. People with very fair skins may be able to tolerate only five minutes (or less on first exposure) in the midday sun in the UK. Nevertheless such brief exposure is important for them and will generate a substantial amount of vitamin D. Under optimum conditions longer than 20 minutes exposure will not produce any more vitamin D.

In fact optimum conditions for vitamin D synthesis are seldom achieved in the UK because of cloud cover. To obtain good exposure of the skin to UV light and obtain good vitamin D synthesis (while taking care to avoid any baking or burning sensation) longer than half an hour will often need to be spent in the sun in the UK. These facts should be addressed in a public health programme concerned with sunlight.

. . .

Part 2: Vitamin D and chronic disease
Sceptics may find it difficult to believe that the many diseases listed below can all be influenced by deficiency of just one ‘vitamin’. In fact vitamin D is different from many other vitamins. Although vitamin D has become known as a vitamin through its discovery in food, most of our supply comes from sunlight rather than food. Actually vitamin D is better described as a steroid hormone. Vitamin D is now known to have many effects other than those on bone and is synthesised at numerous sites throughout the body in many tissues and organs.

. . . and the study goes on to examine the effects of Vitamin D deficiency on:

• Nervous system diseases including not only schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis but bipolar disorder, autism, Alzheimer’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Diabetes type 1 and 2
• Obesity and weight control
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Muscle weakness and balance
• Cardiovascular disease and heart failure
• Cancers, Psoriasis and Infections (Vitamin D boosts immune system response)
• Polycystic ovary disease, menstrual problems and fertility
• Crohn’s and other inflammatory bowel diseases
• Bone disease: Rickets, osteomalacia, osteoporosis
• Dental decay

Well, well, well. Who knew that prancing about naked in the sun was actually so good for you? LOL

Barclay Creek Nude Sunning

The view of Baring Mountain as we approach the trailhead of the Barclay Lake Trail

Another one of those sunny early afternoons and the itching to get out somewhere and enjoy the sun naked. It was just by chance that I turned off Highway 2 at the FS 6024 sign in Baring just to see what nude hiking possibilities were to be had. A Wednesday and I figured that I might have a chance to have a new trail to myself. I stopped in the middle of the road just to take the above picture and met my first car coming back the other way with two little old ladies just back from an early morning hike. Good thing I wasn't already naked and standing there in the middle of the road . . . they came upon me completely by surprise . . . LOL

At the trailhead there was already two other SUVs . . . one with four days worth of daily passes (jeez, they could of bought an annual pass for the cost of four daily passes). The other car was likewise . . . a couple of days worth of passes displayed, so these were campers, due back today. Well, I'd never been to Barclay Lake so why not give it a try.

First, the obligatory posing in front of the trailhead sign along with my ever-present cup of coffee.

Then I started on down the trail into dark and cool cover. Fifty feet or so in and I heard another car pulling into the trailhead above. Too popular. Barclay Lake would have to wait for another day. I found my short and pulled them on before entering the parking area; said my 'hellos' to the couple and dog. I'd just have to find somewhere else where I could be undisturbed for a few hours.

Driving back I passed a couple of ruts of an old road heading towards Barclay Creek. I pulled over, figuring on a least investigating. I stripped as soon as I was a few feet down the overgrown road. It went in perhaps a hundred feet, terminating at a berm and fallen tree. A few messy fire rings and numerous beer cans. I continued, hearing the creek not far away. It was just the other side of the berm down a scramble of river-bourne boulders.

The lazy creekbed from Barclay Lake

I love cold, crisp alpine creeks and streams cascading down mountainsides . . . but the lowland streams I'm kind of abivalent about. Down here in the foothills leading up to the Cascades (we're around 700-800 ft) it feels different. Of course, it is. The air is heavier . . . there is a stillness about it, as if just hanging about. Far different from the higher elevations I like to hike.

But, it is interesting and I'm quite alone to amble about in the almost dry streambed . . . stepping from exposed, dry rock to rock. It is extremely sunny, too. The stream an open space. So I'm getting lots of sun. I keep thinking to myself, 'Gee, I'm kinda exposed here in the middle of the creek and I'm not really that far from the trailhead parking area and the trail that leads off east to the lake that feeds this creek.' What is really wierd is that there is little bug problem where I expected there to be a major problem (water, warmth, etc.). The bugs just ain't bugging me at all.

Lot's of locations to just sit on a fallen tree trunk and soak in the sun.

Upstream and downstream is just more of the same so I settle of a tangle of storm-piled timber to spend the afternoon laying out on. Some of the tree trunks are three feet or more in diameter, a testament to the force these creeks can attain during the rainy seasons. For now, it is tranquil and the sun is bright and warm.

Posing with Baring Mountain in the background to the east

A closer, zoom-in on the rugged granite peak of Baring Mountain

Location: Just east of milepost 41 at Baring on Highway 2 (13 miles east of Goldbar), take a left on Forest Service road 6024 over the BN RR tracks and straight past a few house. Continue on FS 6024, snaking in and out of the BPA clearcut and then into forest, At 4.3 miles you will reach the trailhead for the Barclay Lake trail. 200 feet short of this is a disused vehicle track to the left, heading down toward the creek.