Essentials for the Nude Hiker

1. Sun Tan Lotion or Oil: Especially if you are hiking the mountains where the sun is much more intense. If you are new to nude hiking, consider using a high SPF factor on your private parts as these areas are very sensitive and prone to severe sunburning. Do not use products containing PABA because many people develop an allergic reaction to PABA. Also, PABA only blocks one component of UV radiation. Use products that block both UV A and UV B. Do not use scented or aromatic lotions and oils as they attract insects (see next item)

2. Insect Repellent:

"It is said that fully 95% of the protoplasm in the far north is concentrated in the bodies of mosquitoes and blackflies. I believe it."

Cliff Jacobson

That's a lot of mosquitoes and biting flies looking for a landing pad to alight and enjoy a blood-sucking meal, and a nudist's bare skin provides a lot of opportunistic real-estate. Take measures to protect your skin. Mosquitoes are attracted not only to the warmth of exposed skin, but also to sweat, fruity fragrances and the carbon dioxide we all exhale. Biting flies in particular in the lower alpine meadows are attracted particularly to the sheening droplets of perspiration on the legs. 100% DEET is the most effective product but I find it irritates me. There are eucalyptus-based sprays on the market that are almost as effective as the toxic DEET (Cutter and Off). I use the Eucalyptus pump spray when I first start a hike, spraying from feet to neck, not forgetting the exposed buttocks and back. Spray a little onto your palms to apply some to the face and then carefully to the genitals for protection.

Apply insect repellent after the suntan lotion as sun tanning products need to be absorbed to work.

The verdict is still out on the electronic bug repellents but I clip one to my pack just for good measure. One product that I do like are the wrist bands available at most stores . . . coiled plastic with an organic repellent. I wear one on a wrist and an opposite ankle.

3. A good Sun Hat and Sun Glasses: Don't risk heat stroke of sun blindness. The sun is extremely strong at the higher altitudes.

4. The BEST Hiking Shoes or Boots you can afford: Your feet have to get you in there and then carry you out again. Some of the places you will hike are best described as goat trails and this is particularly true for the nude hiker who usually has to do his or her hiking on lesser-maintained trails. Take care of your feet. Flip-flops, shower clogs, and cheap sneakers are inappropriate and will get you hurt sooner or later.

Wear two pairs of socks . . . an outer cotton athletic sock and an inner wicking sock that pulls moisture away from the feet and helps keep them dry. The inner liner helps prevent blisters by acting as a sliding surface with the outer sock.

I carry a pair of good AquaSocks on a clip on the pack or fanny belt. Eventually, you are going to reach an alpine lake and want to wade into the refreshing water . . . or clammer over slippery rocks to a refreshing waterfall. You don't want to get your all-important hiking boots soaked. AquaSocks are lightweight, easy to put on, unaffected by water and provide good grip and protection for the feet in water.

While we're on the subject of feet, keep those toenails clipped short. Besides looking ugly should you find the opportunity to go barefooted as well, long toenails cramp your hiking boots and after only a short distance you are going to feel the pressure on the toes . . . especially on the downhill slopes.

5. A Walking Stick: Indispensable! You can buy walking sticks or just find a good, stout fallen branch and make your own. It needs to be stout and reasonably straight. A slight curve is actually an advantage on slopes. The length should be slightly above the elbow from the ground.

6. Backpack or Fanny Pack?: The choice, of course, depends and how far, how long, and what you need to carry. For a two to three mile hike my choice is almost always a fanny pack. We want to maximize the exposure of skin, after all. Some would say why cover it back up with a day pack and I tend to agree. Your destination and the activities at the end will determine which choices to make but here are some of the items that I commonly take along with me on my hikes:

a. A camera We want to see the pics, after all
b. A towel to sit on
c. A float toy if the destination is a lake
d. A trail first aid kit Small pouch kit; Styptic pencil is handy for scratches
e. GPS Receiver and compass; maps if appropriate
f. High-energy snack bars A few glucose and salt tablets as well
g. Cell Phone Surprisingly, they connect if you're on a high ridge
h. Matches in waterproof container or lighter The ability to make a fire could be a lifesaver
i. Clothes (see below)
j. Water (see below)

7. Clothes for the nudist: Rarely is the entire hike going to be naked. Some trails are popular, particularly near the beginnings, and it is not polite to 'shock and awe' unwary and unsuspecting hikers you may encounter on the trail. Likewise, starting from your car and arriving back may be inappropriate in the buff where others may see you. So you need at least something that can quickly cover your nudity on those chance encounters. For men it's as simple as a pair of loose-fitting shorts that you can quickly step into without removing your shoes. For women, a tank top as well. A female friend of mine likes to pull her tank top front over her head and when she needs to, she can pull it back over to quickly cover her breasts . . . and it's long enough to provide coverage to mid thigh. When I hike I like to tuck my shorts in the belt of my fanny belt where I can reach them quickly when I hear another person coming down the trail toward me.

Of concern in the Pacific Northwest is the way weather in the mountains can quickly change for the worse. If you plan on hike more than two or three miles the day pack may become necessary so that you can bring along a rain suit or emergency poncho. Hypothermia is a real danger in the mountains. On these extended hikes, carry along an extra pair of socks as well.

8. Water: No matter how clear it looks, you cannot drink the water in a mountain stream. You must carry along all the water you are going to need and/or a water filtration kit. On a day hike into the mountains, I like to carry at least two quarts of water or Gatorade along with me. My fanny pack has two holders for water bottles . . . and the day pack has a hydration bladder built right in. Heat exhaustion is the result of dehydration because of perspiration. You need to carry lots of water with you.

For those hot spring afficianados, resist the temptation to use the water from the hot springs as a potable water source. Depending on how deep the source of a hot spring is, and the temperature it reaches, minerals will be present and in some cases toxic levels of arsenic, which is common in volcanic-origin hot springs. Though safe to soak in, hot spring water is not safe to drink.

In another post, I will go into the items I carry when I do extended, overnight nude backpacks. Till then, try it. Get up and explore the great Pacific Northwest in the buff. If you're not sure or you just can't find anyone to keep you company, give me a call on Yahoo Messenger (my cell phone can be IM'd thru Yahoo)

Rick

Exhibitionism or Nudism?

That's a tough one and the answer really depends on what sensations and motivations you experience while hiking nude! Often I question my own motives for stripping off my shorts on the trail with full realization that there is a good chance that I may accidentally (or even purposefully want to) encounter another person on the trail. There is no doubt that we all have an innate desire to present ourselves as sexually appealing to members of the opposite sex (or same sex if you are so oriented). Clothing constrains us to covert exhibitionism but rarely diminishes the fact that we are always doing it . . . clothed or not. That is why we have fashion designers like Calvin Klein with low-cut jeans or revealing shorts designed to enhance our sexual appeal. Not all of clothing design is for functionality. Fashion designers create just so that we may display ourselves in the best possible light. In reality, all of us are exhibitionists because of the choices we make in the clothing we wear.

So what about the nudist? What is he or she trying to state with nudity? Is the person strutting down that trail purely enjoying the sensation of the elements on his or her skin, or is there just a little bit of exhibitionism in there? I would argue for both for I experience both sensations when I hike and despite the objections to the opposite, most fellow nudists I know are doing the same thing . . . if only subconsciously. It is no accident that most public nudists (those that practice what I call risque nudism, like myself) as opposed to nudists keeping their lifestyle to a landed club, are, by and far, younger and in good physical condition. It is natural that we want others to appreciate our bodies as well.

Nudists are extremely self-confident of themselves. They have to be because they are presenting themselves to the world (if only in a limited and controlled fashion) with all their flaws and less-than-perfect physical features wide open for anyone to see and criticize. We live in a world where we are pushed to achieve perfection in form yet few of us are perfect. We all want the perfect body . . . the sculpted vision of Madison Avenue ad agencies. Just look at any lifestyle magazine on the rack at your local supermarket. Clothes cover up our flaws and give others the impression of fitness and perfection. The nudist has no such crutches to rely on. What he or she presents to the chance gawker at the beach or on the trail is themselves . . . pure and simple, and they'd better have the self-confidence to deal with criticisms that clothed, nobody would ever be aware of.

Extreme self-confidence. You have to believe in yourself if you are a nudist. You have to accept the fact that you are not perfect . . . that the imperfections you do have do not matter and you are not going to ascribe to any required pillar of perfection. We are what we are and we open ourselves up to you!

So what about the original question? Are we just enjoying nudity or are we subconsciously hoping that a member of the opposite sex will be attracted to our display of nudity? Is it inappropriate? Do we push for response from an encountering individual that makes them feel uncomfortable? That's that supreme self-confidence at work again. We expect that the person will react favorably to our display and that that individual will get some erotic pleasure (hopefully a lot) from seeing us naked. That is exhibitionism and needs to be recognized when it happens. I do not deny that on the occasions when I have been caught off-guard and been wide open to a group of women hikers, that I did not get sensual pleasure from the suppressed smiles and giggles as we passed on the trail. On occasion the experience has produced physical and evident arousal which either makes me very self-conscious or indeed gives me much self-confident pleasure. Is this wrong? Is it a form of perversion?

I think the answer lies in our motives and how we behave in situations like this. Oft-times, this sort of display is not expected nor wanted by those we encounter on the trail and we must be aware of that. Would we do the same on a busy street downtown during a lunchtime rush? Probably not. But on the trail, enjoying nature, we tend to think that harmless nudism is somewhat expected or accepted on occasion. All of us have gone skinny-dipping at some time in our lives and gotten pleasure out of the naughtiness of seeing and being seen naked.

If you hike nude in the wilderness, expect that at some time or another you are going to encounter those that either get a thrill out of seeing you naked (and those people often wish that they had the guts to do the same thing) . . . or you are going to run across those that disapprove with disgust. Women often have no problem with nudists . . . men are usually hung up in moral criticisms of your actions. So what are you to do?

Curb those exhibitionist tendencies. Yes, it is part of our belief in self-worth and attractiveness but fraught with dangers of offending others whom we must share the trail with. They have their rights to enjoyment without undue displays that force a reaction (either favorably or otherwise).

Listen on the trail. Observe far up ahead and be aware if someone else is on the trail or you are on a section where you might encounter someone else who might come upon you suddenly and without warning. Be prepared to duck off-trail into some cover if need be . . . or bail off the side of the forest service road as a friend of mine is wont to do.



A pair of shorts (like those tucked in the belt of my fanny pack) should always be close at hand to put on before you encounter other hikers coming in your direction


Carry something to cover yourself in those situations and don't pack it away in your day-pack or fanny pack where it would take time and effort to pull them out and hurriedly put them on. I hike with a very loose-fitting pair of shorts tucked into the belt of my pack where I can pull them out quickly and step into them in only a few seconds. It has saved me from embarrassment many times. Make sure the shorts can be stepped into without removing your hiking boots.

But it will happen and one day you will be coming around a bend in the trail, stark-ass-naked to the world, and walk straight into a group of hikers coming the other direction. What else can you do but grin and bear it. To panic and hurriedly attempt to pull your shorts on as they watch is only going to make you look weak and unsure of yourself. I think at moments like that you need to pull that self-confidence out and stride forward with a smile of your face. By and large, my experiences have all been positive . . . and yes, in this situation it is exhibitionism because I am all too aware that I am being watched and appraised . . . probably an appraisal of my sexual apparatus. If you can do that then you are all deserving of the sensual self-pleasure you feel.



Fair warning (and polite), you do fellow hikers as courtesy by posting a warning sign


If you hike to a destination where you plan to sun or relax nude, consider posting a warning sign like the one above at a reasonable distance up the trail and perhaps at a location where you can observe hikers approaching in advance. Give your fellow hikers the opportunity to either continue on the trail or make a detour around via another trail. Forewarned, they will appreciate your honesty and thoughtfulness . . . and oft-times will react favorably by continuing on and joining you. There have been occasions when a swim at an alpine lake has turned into a group of never-before-nudists stripping down and enjoying nature with me. It's up to you to present an non-threatening environment that lowers the inhibitions of all concerned.

Above all, nudism is not sexual exhibitionism. You cannot completely suppress the physical reactions we all get (nor would I want to) but you can behave responsibly and with consideration for others.

Rick

Scenic Hot Springs . . . Two Years Later

Scenic Hot Springs is still there . . . and a pool exists. However,
the site is in disrepair. Is there hope on the horizon?


Soaking late at night in the one remaining pool at Scenic Hot Springs

I was to meet Robert (aka the Naked Gourmet) and a few other "Friends of
Scenic Hot Springs" for a 'work party' at the springs on Saturday
morning. However, with the rain squalls of Friday and seemingly the
same early Saturday morning . . . I was the only one to show up at the
access road. There was one car there at 7AM so I assumed the work party
had gone up ahead. I proceeded up to the springs on my own. As the
morning was cool and threatening to continue the rains from Friday, I
wore my rain gear . . . mistake, would have been better to get soaked
because this hike generates lots of heat on the steep slopes.

The access road is gated about a quarter of a mile up. Unlike the last
time I went up, there was no "No Trespassing" sign . . . an encouraging
omen. Parking is limited and iffy at best. The rains didn't help much,
softening up the muddy shoulders. There is barely any room to turn a
car around. Beyond the gate, the road has been improved somewhat with
fine gravel at least to the power lines. The road beyond that is still
four-wheel, high-clearance drivable (assuming the gate ever comes
down). I hear that there is an unmaintained trail leading up to the BPA
access roads from the Surprise Creek Trailhead (which has plenty of
parking near the railway tracks for those with FS Passes). I intend to
explore that option at a later date . . . particularly as a winter
parking spot.

A Minimal Attempt to Keep the Last Pool There

The trail up has had work done on the lower sections . . . trees dropped
haphazard, etc., to widen it for ATV access (as I learned later).
However, it is still a hard hike with lots of large rocks and tree snags
to twist the ankles of the unwary. When I arrived at the springs there
was a group of teenagers soaking. The day was barely started and the
springs engulfed in heavy morning clouds and non-stop,
get-everything-wet drizzle. First sight was a huge disappointment.
What a f*cking mess. The remains of King County's 'dismantling',
lumber, piping and blue tarps haphazardly tossed all over the place . .
. and the trashed remains of someones squatter-campsite. The remaining
deck-work was in poor repair. Plus, it was raining pretty good now as I
scrambled down and surprised the half-drunken teenagers in the one
remaining pool. Beer bottles disappeared quickly and the guys seemed
embarrassed. Not the three girls with them though. Obviously
nowhere else for me to go, I was upon them. So I hung my pack up, found
the poncho to shield it from the rain . . . smiled and said my hellos,
and then undressed to join them in the pool.

They made room for me and the half-drunk bottle of beer eventually came
back out of the pigeonhiles they had hidden them. I even accepted a
beer, though I rarely drink. Nice soak. The water is hot. Not as hot
as Lobster before, but muscle-relaxing hot-tub hot. We all relaxed and
enjoyed it. They had spent the night there ducking in and out of the
pool throughout the night to keep warm. Eventually they left probably
because I suggested they clean up the mess they had made. I continued
to soak for awhile longer before I decided time to do something. I gave
up on the rest of the work party and started my own clean up of the site.

Garbage and Torn-down Construction Materials Abound

The irresponsible continue to party up here. From what I hear, not as
bad as in the heydays of the springs because of the hard hike all the
way from Hwy 2. However, the evidence is all around, from beer bottles
tossed by the hundreds down the slope from over the pool edge, to
discarded, forgotten clothing rotting in standing water . . . even some
condoms. No needles but I suppose drug-users are not going to hike
strenuously for an hour or two just to shoot up. Still, I wouldn't walk
about without good sandals on my feet.

I filled four-45 gal trash sacks and still made little dent in the
garbage. The site remains un-maintained with a lack of some responsible
person or organization; but to give the Friends of Scenic their due . .
. this was supposed to be the first cleanup since the destruction two
years ago. The only thing in reasonable shape is the remaining pool,
itself, which has a new liner. There looks to be attempts to
reconstruct an upper pool but even that seems to be an unplanned,
half-hearted attempt that got no further than some excavation. Run-off
from the rain and spring water from that abandoned work has deposited a
thick layer of mud and gravel on the decking below. I cleared the deck
of mud but without proper drainage, the slope will slide and run again.

Standing Water is a Problem and will Eventually Destroy This Beautiful
Location

The outhouse appears to be in good repair with someone keeping a
protected supply of toilet paper up there. The outhouse is an open
sided affair with a sloped roof on it just a little ways along a side
trail. If you are the sort of person who likes privacy in these
affairs, this outhouse is not your cup-of-tea. No walls and wide open
to any viewer. Better to hike up into the tree-line for your privacy
and dig yourself a cathole. The toilet is a composting type, though I'm
not sure it is in the right location on such a steep slope . . . and it
could certainly (in my view) be a lot further away from the springs and
possible ground water contamination.

That, again in my opinion, is the main problem with the springs and any
attempt to expand and build amenities into them. The water, because of
these attempts, is being forced to accumulate rather than run-off
naturally. The entire site has a stench to it. At first I thought it
might be the sulfur content of the water from the springs, themselves,
but that is not the case. The wood from the decking and tubs is
rotting. Water runs out the remaining pool over channels in the lips.
The water falls haphazardly, pooling around the base and forming
standing little pools just downslope. Additionally, the pipes that were
quickly re-routed after the original site was torn down in 2002 are not
protected nor maintained. They leak like sieves and form their own
standing pools and algae-encrusted channels under and around the
decking. That is the source of the smell that is not necessarily
overpowering (yet) but noticible if you go walking around the area.
With the garbage and unpacked out remains of food-wrappers, clothing and
so on . . . the area just around the site is becoming a cesspool.

Critters and Free Handouts are Expected

There is a problem with wildlife as well. After about an hour soaking
in the pool a cute little chipmunk scurried up onto the deck and stood
there waiting for a handout. It was certainly not afraid of us humans
which means it has been fed. Maybe I'm a purist but I think feeding
wildlife is always a mistake. My mind scape goes to images of bears at
Yellowstone harassing cars for a handout. The last thing we need is for
bears to start congregating on the slopes around the springs and perhaps
the unthinkable happening late one night to a soaker.

The work party never showed up (prolly rain-canceled, I thought and no
one let me know), so I packed out as much of the garbage as I could,
figuring a later party would take the rest. At least it wasn't on the
slopes waiting for an unshod foot . . . or still rotting at the base of
the pool.

The Friends of Scenic Finally Show Up

About halfway back . . . where the trail exits onto the BPA access road
. . . I met up with another of the work party on his way up. He looked
disgruntled also and even more so when I told him I was 'it'. We hiked
back down together and along the way he brought me up to date (most of
which my poor memory forgets . . . can't even recall his name but then I
was always bad at names). He is loosely associated with 'Friends of
Scenic' and a board member of Goldmeyer Springs. He mentioned that the
sale of the springs acreage is likely to go through this September. The
new owner *had* plans on commercializing the springs but has run into
code restrictions from King County. Any attempt to put a commercial
operation at the present site is going to require the owner to deal with
not only the sanitation problems (including a proper toilet), but the
county is going to force him to deal with the hot water effluent runoff
from the operation. The concerns are about hot water impacting the
streams and the Tye River down below. He says the county is requiring
the owner to pump the water back into the mountain . . . an unworkable
solution, it seems.

A Commercial Operation?

Instead, the prospective owner is exploring the possibility of drilling
for hot water sources on his property and then piping it back down the
slope closer to the access roads where it is believed, a commercial
operation can be conceived and eventually constructed. That site would
have all the amenities including restrooms, parking, and 'artificially'
constructed rock pools. What this means to the original site is iffy.
I was told that the 'Friends of Scenic' has an understanding with the
new owner to keep the original site intact and perhaps 'improve it'.
They would be left for the die-hard hiker to reach and presumedly would
be kept clothing-optional. Whether the proposed (but yet out of the
fancy of the owners mind) commercial and easily accessible lower site
would be clothing-optional was left unanswered.

Problems in Paradise

When we arrived back at the lower access road we encountered the rest of
the work party trying to rip the lock off the gate with a chain to one
of their four-wheelers. Seems that someone (Forest Service, BPA, owner)
had changed the lock from one that the 'Friends' had a key. There were
a few bad feelings going around including remarks about 'deals' and such
. . . and the 'Friends' were simply going to tear to gate open. I
figured this wasn't my idea of fun and made my excuses to leave.
Actually, my opinion of this group changed to the negative in those few
short minutes and I'm not sure I like the idea that they have any
authority and/or influence in the future direction of the original hot
springs site. They seem self-centered and possessive of the springs . .
. to me . . . to the exclusion of anyone else. My opinion, though. The
guy I hiked down with shared some of those feelings as well and believes
it will be a long time before we see any improvement of conditions at
the original site.

A Nighttime Return Visit to the Springs

It was only a little after noon when I got back down from the springs
and instead of wasting the day (which was turning out to be a very nice
day free of the clouds and drizzle of early morning) I took a chance on
hiking the Deception Creek trail two valleys down the highway. No
vehicles at the trailhead so nude from the get-go. Found a great
sunning ledge at the second log bridge and got three or four hours of
tanning done. Hiked back out nude, figuring I shouldn't surprise and
shock anyone as it was getting late and few hikers would be on their way
in, which was the case. Now I needed that soak and besides, I was
intrigued as to whether the gate still existed in its' original form. I
drove back up the highway and parked as usual. By now the sun was going
down and this became a personal challenge to me. A confidence-builder
about things that go bump in the night . . . visions of walking through
the Mirkwood Forest (from Lord of the Rings, book, not movie).

Cool out, but not too so. No cars so I was the only one heading up. I
stripped, tucked a few supplies (including a rain suit just in case) and
strapped on my headlamp. For those of you who do not own one of these
lightweight neon headlamp, get one. About $30 at any camping store,
they throw out a powerful cool-color beam that perfectly illuminates the
trail in front of you without destroying your night vision. Three AAA
batteries last an average of 40 hours of continuous illumination.

Also, I trying out one of those electronic mosquito repellents . . .
dubious at first, but I hate mosquitoes. Either there were no
mosquitoes (unlikely, they always seem to find me) or it really does work.

The gate was in place but with a different lock than I remember. But
the knobby tire tracks beyond it were obvious. The 'Friends' had gotten
through and I easily followed the ripped up tracks all the way to where
you turn off and up from the high-tension lines that hum and click in
the night. Fascinating is that some of the larger boulders also click
audibly along the road, which gave me a few starts in the darkness. I
conjecture that there is a sympathetic relationship between the iron
content of the boulders and the high-tension lines about. Anyway, at
least it's not a bear waiting to eat me as I pass by.

The return hike to the springs was uneventful and I actually relaxed,
only occasionally to start at a quick shadow . . . the headlamp does
produce some sharp and flitting ones as you pass foliage. I came upon
the springs and lit up a couple of the candles left there by previous
visitors. I had the springs all to myself and alternately soaked and
got out (to cool off) till way past midnight. Staring over the lip of
the pool downhill and to the right, you can watch the headlights and
taillights of cars on highway 2 far below. The State Patrol was out in
force that night as I made out several obvious pull-overs on the stretch
leading to the hairpin rise to Steven's Pass. At first I thought all
those lights were other hikers working up the trail but no one ever
arrived. Cars, my brain finally figured out. Absolute darkness does
funny things to your perception. You hears things and see things
without regard to distance. Several times I made out the bobbing
headlamps of other night hikers . . . and plainly heard their idle
chatter amongst themselves. Yet, they too, were not on the Hot Springs
trail and I have to presume they were way over on Surprise Creek which
is the next trail west of the springs.

The best is the night sky. Just lay back and stare up between the
towering evergreens and the stars blaze back at you in their
multitudes. Snuff the candles, let the darkness close in around you and
the sky landscape is mesmerizing. This is Scenic Hot Springs at it's
best and I plan on doing an overnight trip soon. There are a few good
tents site above the springs and if the burn ban ever goes off, a
beautiful fire ring in a cleared space to sit around and enjoy nature.
An occasional short walk down to the pool for a soak and back up to
toast marshmallows. Yeah, I could enjoy that. Now, if only all those
drunken teenagers would just stay away.

Rick

Full Nudity Pictures

The Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA)

Just a little bit of piece of mind for myself and for families with children and those who find nudity objectionable . . . I have no desire to have people come to this site unexpectedly and have to face material they may not like. So I've rated it with the above organization and those with Content Rating software enabled will be warning in advance of the material on my blog.

The ratings are:

http://nudehiker.blogspot.com/ is labelled

Content Label:

• Exposed breasts
• Bare buttocks
• Visible genitals
• No sexual material
• No violence
• No potentially offensive language
• No potentially harmful activities
• No user-generated content
• This material appears in an artistic context
• This material appears in an educational context
• This material appears in a news context
  

You may notice within my blog that I post very few images of myself that show full-frontal nudity. That is not because I am shy or ashamed of myself. On the contrary, I enjoy seeing myself naturally in those moments I am cabin-bound and textiled, stuck in some situation where all I can think of is getting to the great outdoors and shedding everything. The pictures remind myself of just how much fun it can be.

But to be realistic and show a little bit of decorum . . . I try to limit the images of myself in this blog to carefully trimmed images that do not show my genitals . . . but otherwise, certainly imply that I am nude. Sometimes I post a full-frontal becuase I really like the picture and want to share it (heck, I want to share all of them).

Also, there is a certain trolling audience of gawkers who do nothing but invade a nudity-related webspace for their own lurid interests . . . and I'd rather not provide them with their entertainment. For awhile on my SmartForums site I was posting uncensored pictures from my hikes. I started getting suggestive proposals of a nature I didn't like. So I deleted them.

Revised Policy (2007): The human body is beautiful and I've matured a great deal as a naturist these last several years . . . so much so that I need and want to take a stance of nudism in the hopes that I can encourage others to shed the negative impressions they may feel about their own nudity and whole-heartedly join the revolution for freedom. There is nothing lewd nor lurid about the pictures of myself nude and enjoying the freedom that naturism brings.

I have to thank many people for my new outlook but particularly Mark Storey and NAC, along with the Wizard from Australia for opening my eyes to the real meaning of the Nature of Offense. My nudity (and the simple nudity in my pictures) cannot cause offense in anyone because offense comes from the struggles and hangups of the one feeling it . . . not from me.

Disclaimers on Use of Blog Materials

Fair Use Disclaimer:

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1. Purpose and Character of Use
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Exposed and stark naked -- on purpose

Monday, April 7, 2003

But not all nudists support 'guerrilla' plans for prominent public exposure

By KATHY GEORGE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

ISSAQUAH -- Taking out the garbage on a recent sunny morning, Allan Arnold wore only his brown leather shoes and gold-rimmed glasses.

Nobody batted an eye at his nakedness. After all, he lives in a gated nudist park that's so remote and hidden by trees that nobody sees the nudity there by accident.

"We do our best not to get in people's faces," said Sharon Anderson, Arnold's wife and a longtime resident of the nudist park, called Forestia.

But the old way -- keeping out of the way -- is about to change.

A new activist group called the Body Freedom Cooperative wants to bring nudism out of sheltered private clubs and into the Seattle area's public places. And it plans to use "guerrilla pranksterism" -- flouting anti-nudity rules -- to press for clothing-optional beaches at local parks.

"We're pushing the envelope in what I think is a good way," said Mark Storey, a founding member of Body Freedom.

These are people who actually want to get caught with their pants down.

So far, the group has staged one public prank. Storey and two others went skinny-dipping at the King County park system's headquarters, Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island, to signal their "commitment to bringing clothing-free opportunities on public lands closer to the people of the cities."

More stunts are expected. There's talk of a "mass nude photo shoot" at the Washington Park Arboretum this spring. And don't be surprised if you see some naked people jump out of a van in your neighborhood, clean up the street, then smile and zip away.

"I'm really looking forward to that," said Shirley Gauthier of Springfield, Ore., another Body Freedom founder. "It's hard to complain about someone cleaning up graffiti."

The group also has an artistic bent. It plans a trilogy of plays at this fall's Fringe Festival illustrating what it's like to be nude on a beach for the first time.

While nudity in theater is hardly groundbreaking, Body Freedom plans to have nude ushers and ticket-takers, too.

It's the "guerilla" part that makes Anderson and other traditional nudists a little squeamish. They worry that promoting nude beaches by being nude publicly may backfire.

"It would not be my choice," said Anderson, who was fully clothed as she gave a tour of Forestia's playground, picnic area and pools. "I don't like any sort of views foisted on unknowing people, and nudism is just one."

Nancy Trautenberg, president of the Northwest Nudists Association and co-owner of a Bellevue nudist club called Xena's Sanctuary, agrees.

"We like to have our nudist freedom, but we don't like to push it on anybody," she said.

Washington state has at least seven nudist clubs, including four with their own acreage -- Forestia in Issaquah, Lake Bronson in Sultan, Lake Associates near Mount Vernon and Kaniksu Ranch near Spokane. It has no public nude beaches.

It's not that Body Freedom has anything against the area's traditional nudists.

In fact, Storey, Gauthier and Body Freedom's other co-founder, Daniel Johnson of Seattle, work with local nudist clubs and established national organizations -- the American Association for Nude Recreation and The Naturist Society.

But they're tired of waiting for Washington to catch up to Oregon and British Columbia, which have officially designated nude public beaches with signs warning the unwary.

And the Body Freedom folks are not afraid of offending people. If they make some people laugh, that's OK, too.

"It used to be kind of a shock thing to say out loud that you're a nudist," said Gauthier, 52. "It's not that big a deal anymore."

She promotes nudism as a path to positive body image. Others tout it as healthy and natural. Body Freedom's founders like to quote a recent Roper poll, commissioned by The Naturist Education Foundation, which found that 80 percent of Americans support creation of designated, clothing-optional beaches.

"Problem is, where are the beaches?" Johnson asked.

As a lobbyist for the Naturist Society, Storey knows how to work the system. For example, he said he won support from the state parks director to designate Clayton Beach south of Bellingham as a nude beach.

But legislators blocked that idea, and usually nudists are on the defensive, fighting nudity restrictions. Storey and Johnson saw a need to be more proactive locally.

"In a nutshell, I'm a human being. The stuff underneath my clothes is who I am. There's no good reason for me not to be able to be myself," Storey said.

Johnson said he got serious about the issue two years ago after Seattle police threatened to arrest the naked bicyclists at Fremont's annual Solstice Parade.

As it is, he said, social nudity in Washington is limited to "those who have money to join clubs and the time to travel to them." And he thinks gated places like Forestia, at the end of a long dirt road on a forested hill, wrongly convey the message that non-sexual nudity is shameful.

"It's very creepy," he said. "I just find it really strange that people want to keep it secret."

Actually, Forestia is not much of a secret. Hundreds of visitors show up there for the summer Bare Buns Fun Run and annual Nudestock music festival.

The goal is not to hide, said Anderson, but to make sure those offended by nudity aren't exposed unwillingly.

That's the goal underlying Washington's indecent exposure law, the ban on nudity in state parks and other public nudity laws.

And while the First Amendment protects political expression, that doesn't mean Body Freedom activists can protest in the buff without arrest.

"The Supreme Court recently held that a government may penalize nudity under a statute that does not discriminate," targeting only politically expressive or non-expressive forms of nudity, said David Skover, who teaches constitutional law at Seattle University. "Prohibiting all public nudity, for whatever reason, has been held constitutional."

Trautenberg, the private club owner, would like Washington to have nude public beaches. But in the meantime, she said, "I don't like to upset people. That's not a nudist way.

"Most of the time, we're not trying to make waves."