(Thanks to our Facebook Friend, Billy Rayson for this guest post)
Adventures
of a Nude Hiker
by Billy Rayson
 |
| Nude Hiking (Billy Rayson) |
I’ve
been hiking nude since the mid-seventies. At the time I was attending UCSB and
would enjoy hikes in the foothills of the Los Padres National Forest whenever I
could. It was in Sycamore Canyon one day that I saw my first nude hiker coming
down the trail wearing only hiking boots and a gigantic back pack. He flashed
me the peace sign as he passed by and continued on his way. That was my
light-bulb-over-the-head moment! Having spent as much time as possible nude
throughout childhood, this first sighting resonated very deeply within me. I
stripped off immediately (except for the flip-flops I used to hike in back then)
and continued my hike naked for that first, exhilarating time. The exertion,
sun, shade, and the ice cold water of Sycamore canyon felt so much better,
intense, closer, and more in tune with Nature than I had ever experienced. I
spent the rest of summer, almost daily, nude on the trails, rock hopping, and
skinny dipping in the cold, refreshing crystal clear waters of Sycamore Canyon.
Been hooked ever since. The exhilaration of that first hike has never faded. By
contrast, clothed hiking feels constricted, separate from Nature, clumsy, hot
and sweaty. In short (please pardon the kid-speak), yucky!
Nude
hiking over the years teaches you many things about yourself, your abilities, trail
etiquette, others who use the same trails, and Nature itself.
I
have come to regard my nude hikes as a time to commune with Nature as can only
be done when naked in Nature as Nature intended. It is also a time for
contemplation, reflection, and walking meditation. The rejuvenating properties,
and the feeling of oneness you experience when there is nothing between you and
Nature are a priceless gift! Not that hiking with friends is not fun (and
safer), but I enjoy my nude hikes most when I hike alone. I’ve always returned
refreshed and more prepared to face the world after a day nude in Nature.
There
are, of course, many practical matters you learn to attend to as a nude hiker
as well. I try to keep things as light as possible, but the basics like water,
a snack (I only do day hikes), sunscreen, first aid, knife, fire, flashlight,
etc. are important to have in your pack. That, and a good hiking stick. I wear
Teva or Chaco hiking sandals instead of hiking boots or tennis shoes. To me,
sandals are “more nude” and instead of those silly looking ankle tans, yield a
“Teva or Chaco tan”, the proudly broadcast hidden message of which is: “This is
all I wore this summer!”
(Of
course as a nail painter, there is the added matter of not chipping a nail
during your hike to consider. More incentive to watch your step!)
There
are a few other basics particular to nude hiking you pick up along the way.
Mostly common sense things like, use trails that are not heavily trafficked:
the more remote, the better. Go early in the morning. (The old saying, “Plough
deep while sluggards sleep”, really applies here.) And if at all possible, go on
a week day. The idea, of course, is to encounter as few other (clothed) hikers
as you can.
Regardless
of any precautions you take, you will encounter clothed hikers from time
to time. Most experienced hikers, particularly in remote areas, have seen nude
hikers before, and in general, are of the “we-all-look-out-for-each-other-out-here-in-the-woods”
frame of mind. I simply give them the peace sign with a friendly greeting and
continue on my way. As a rule, I do not hurriedly cover up or in any way behave
as though I am doing something wrong or indecent when I see clothed hikers
coming my way. (Be aware, that nudity on federal land is not illegal.) It’s
good to have a strong conviction that nude hiking is completely natural, and in
no way “wrong”.
In 40-plus years of nude hiking, only one person has
told me to cover up (and I’ve even encountered Rangers on a couple of
occasions.) Admittedly, I was on a heavily textile trafficked trail – my
mistake. My normal experiences with clothed hikers have been, without
exception, in the neutral to friendly range. Several times I’ve stopped and
enjoyed a friendly chat with textiles about trail conditions, wildlife, or the
light-hearted joke about my “all-over tan”! And who knows, perhaps along the
way I’ve made a few converts just like that fellow I saw so many years ago did
with me.
Remember
friends, Be good to the trail, and the trail will be good to you!
(Thank you for this great article Billy!)
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