Tuesday, May 26, 2009

We are all nude! Who doesn't sing in the shower?!




We are all nude. Even if we do not think of ourselves as nudists, we still have a nude place inside ourselves to connect with. The things most folks do in the nude are: shower/bathe, have sex, and run around nude when they were little. This is what is so great about nudity, you can't escape it! I'm sure this nude side is very different for everyone.

First off, you were a naked little kid way back when. That "innocent" time as people say (I guess that makes us guilty now!) before we grew up into adults. I don't really buy this whole innocence to guiltiness transition; I'm sorry, I just don't. To me it is an Adam and Eve type thing imposed on us by society. I don't believe in the destruction of our innocence. Our innocence is our birthright, we must claim this important part of ourselves!! I don't believe that we have been banished from the Garden of Eden. I believe that the Garden of Eden is to be found on earth! Paradise and innocence still exist on earth, therefore they can be proliferated more and more until that is all there is; pure happiness. Enjoy your body freedom as you did when you were a child. Be totally carefree about nakedness. Think it strange that all "the adults" are wearing clothes out in the hot sun.

Secondly, we all have sex in the nude. Of course there maybe exceptions, but these are the kinds of quickies you read about in erotic stories: sex in the changing room, sex in the airplane restroom, or sex on the boss's desk. These wonderful moments in sexual adventuring aside, mostly sex is had fully in the nude. It is totally acceptable socially to be nude while having sex. There is no confusion here. It is even fairly acceptable to lounge after sex in the nude. What a great time to enjoy the sensuality of the human body, and be free of the constrictions of clothing! Lounge, play, be free!

*On a quick side note, one of the most common misconceptions about Nudism is that it is all about sex. For most people sex appeal means more skin. I think most Nudists though would agree that a bikini clad woman conjures up more sexual ideas than a nude woman. The idea being that dressing one's self up like a Christmas gift makes the viewer want to open the gift and see what is inside. In other words, covering up certain areas of the body creates mystery, intrigue, and desire around that area. Exposing all areas of the body is the natural state of being, and when this is somehow blocked (with clothing) the mind tries to connect a reason to the covered area. But, there is no reason... Only that society is in the habit of clothing acceptance, and nudity rejection. There is simply no need physiologically, psychologically, or even socially for clothing to cover our bodies at all times.*

Thirdly, we shower and/or bathe in the nude. Have you ever tried taking a shower with a soggy pair of shorts on? No, probably not, but most of you have probably worn some soggy suit into a swimming pool or public beach. Isn't it great to be totally nude in the shower? This may be the only time in the day that we are not constricted (by clothing) in our movements. Enjoy IT! Take long showers, take luxuriant bathes, and linger long after in the nude as you dry off. This is your time to bond with your beautiful body. It is a time to be quiet but full of soulful energy. A time to relax, and recharge the self. Take in all the peacefulness and body acceptance you need or want. Enjoy this body, this self, this life; it is yours waiting to be lived through completely, fully, and magically.

I know that Nudists and non-nudists read this blog occasionally. I am very curious to read what both think about going nude, and our reservations about not doing so more often. What is it that stops us from keeping the clothes off after the shower? What is it that prompts us to throw off our clothes and walk around the house/yard naked? What do we need to hear to know that it is OK? What kinds of word associations do you make with being naked? For me I think of: craziness (good craziness), wild, freedom, fun, and sensuality.

I look forward to hearing from you. How you view your naked body is the foundation for your self image. Love your body TODAY! Cherish your right to live this wonderful life free of clothing (if even for a little while)! Love to all of you; Be Well.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Mt. Baden-Powell summit and Nude hiking in the snow!











A month into our Pacifc Crest Trail adventure and I have hardly hiked in the nude at all. I have found that nudity is much more enjoyable if not laboring under a heavy sweaty pack. This doesn't even really feel nude anyway, 20-30 pounds hanging over me? I guess technically I would be nude though, and maybe I will start hiking more in the nude while wearing the pack, once I change out some of the gear and make it a little lighter. For now, 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! Baden-Powell had incredible views that a camera will never do justice. The air was just too smoggy/hazy. The eyes cut through a lot more haze than the camera does and we could see far in all directions. The mountain dropped off dramatically down to canyons far below. We could see the High Desert off in the distance.

The 9,407 ft summit was incredible. There were only little pockets of snow left on the trail to play in on the way up. The air was clear and much cooler than down below! There were amazing old pine trees, all gnarled and twisted like life sized bonsais. The trail was really well maintained in this section, so no need to get a scraped up from plants growing into the trail. There wasn't much that would grow up here anyway, but these old pine trees. The best part was no one was around but Jen and I, so I quickly ditched my clothes and hiked up to the summit! I made a little flag out of a trekking pole and my kilt to wave above the peak. Jen and I took photos of us on top. I signed the trail registry as Jen hunted around for some more photo ops. When we decided to head back down to our packs there was still no on coming up the trail, so I continued back down in the nude! It was a very happy exciting reward after the long challenging climb.

After the summit we hiked on a few more miles to Little Jimmy spring. Probably the most visually appealing water so far! We drank heartily without filtering it; it tasted superb.

Deep Creek Wow! Incredible stop on the Pacific Crest Trail!











Wow. This is the stuff. Deep Creek Hot Springs was the most incredible reward for the forty mile hike from Big Bear! Jen and I stayed a day and a half, never wanting to leave the whole time. We kept coming up with ideas about how we could stay longer, but of course of pre-planned food rations limited us to the day and a half stay, which was incredible! I basked in the sun as much as my skin would allow, and dipped in all the pools for hour after hour. Jen joined me for many of my dips in the pools. She also enjoyed the wonderful shade area under some broadleaf trees across from the hot pool. This was such a great resource during the intense heat of midday. I was totally nude in the pools and sometimes walking back to camp. I mostly wore my kilt when not in the pools though, cause this seemed to be the norm. Jen went in with her hikers swimsuit (panties and sports bra) most of the time. She did take nude dips with me in the top hot pool each morning though, when it was quiet and few people were up.

There are easier hikes into Deep Creek. There are two hikes in from nearby trailheads, one is 2.5 miles long and the other is 6 miles long. The 6 miler has free parking on a road that leads up to Lake Arrowhead. The 2.5 miler starts at a parking lot closer to Apple Valley, and it cost a few bucks to park there, and a few more to leave your car overnight.

There is supposedly no camping at Deep Creek, but it is hard to resist doing so. There are signs saying clearly "NO CAMPING", and we have heard that there is technically no camping for 1 mile around deep creek. Well, upon getting there this seems a little unrealistic. Most folks who want to camp go about 200-300 yards away and camp under some small oak trees for cover. On one of the days a Sherif helicopter did fly over camp and then circle the hot springs 4-5 times before buzzing off down the canyon. No one ever came by and issued tickets or anything like that. That was our only encounter with any law enforcement during our entire one and a half day stay. I have heard talk though of rangers giving people tickets for camping in the past. It sounds like the camping started being regulated back in the 60's when a bunch of folks decided to create a little community our here. I guess the place was just too crowded and they started to discourage camping.

This place is incredible. It is a must see for nudists, non-nudists, anyone! The river bends at the hot springs into a large deep cool pool. Next to the cool pool are big boulders where nudists sun themselves in the middle of the day. There is a small beach on the North side of the cool pool, this is great for laying out on and chatting with people coming in off the 2.5 mile trail from the High Desert. About fifteen feet up along the bank from the cool pool is the top hot pool. This is the nicest and second hottest pool. It is made by a rock boulder on one side and large cobbles cemented together on the other. It could fit 4-5 people easily. There is a hot little waterfall filling the pool constantly with hot water that comes straight out of the ground. A 1 1/2 inch pipe coming out of this top pool pours down over a ten foot drop into the cool pool. It is shallow where the water hits the cool pool, right over a nice boulder for sitting on and receiving an incredible water massage!

The top pool has an offshoot down along the boulders to a medium warm pool. This pool is overlooking the cool pool, from about 8-10 feet above. This pool is created almost entirely out of rock boulder. It is sort of an inverted cone shape, with the bottom almost coming to a blunt point. This pool has had 8 people in it and it didn't even seem full! There is one more pool down next to the cool pool on the South bank. This is the hottest pool, it is very shallow, maybe a couple of feet deep or so.

The crowd at Deep Creel when we were there was fairly mixed. Nudists and non-nudists hung out casually enjoying the wonderful hot springs. Most people in the nude were people who came there regularly (like each week) or who had been there several times before. Some of the hikers went nude or top free, but some chose clothed dipping. It was a typical mix there I suppose. Everyone was really nice, and no weird vibes. I'd say that is pretty good for a place out in the middle of nowhere with no one really regulating it! I asked a regular if there were any groups or organizations that worked to maintain this place. He said there were not. I was surprised to hear no nudist group had signed up to take care of this incredible spot.

Friday, May 8, 2009

A Dip in Whitewater Creek and Big Bear Zero









Right now I am enjoying a zero day at the Big Bear Hostel. It feels great to be off the feet for an entire day. The bones in my feet were getting jarred. They might be getting back closer to normal feeling now (stopped vibrating all the time). This hostel is the sweetest! Lots of great PCT hikers around. Lots of socializing, feasting, and kickin back.

I had a first little skinny dip a few days ago in Whitewater creek (little ways north of Palm Springs). The weather peaked up into the 100s in the middle of the day. We hit this lonely six foot wide creek out in the middle of a 20 mile hike through the desert. What an awesome find!!! The water actually felt cold at first, but after a few seconds it felt perfectly comfortable (sixtyish). So completely refreshing, ahhh... The water was only about a foot or two deep and it was running fast! To dunk myself entirely I had to lay down on the bottom of the creek bed and hold fast to a big huge rock to keep from being pulled away with the current.

I am really looking forward to Deep Creek in a few days. There should be plenty of skinny dipping there at the hot springs out in the woods. Can't wait to update soon!