Spring 2000

Last Saturday was a very busy day. I worked all morning up through mid afternoon. I needed to make some serious progress on a term paper (the end of the semester was fast approaching) and then I was hoping to hang out with friends later that night. But I decided to first squeeze in some running time between work and study. I’m kind of an addict when it comes to exercise.

The route I often run takes me outside of town into the country. About a mile and a half out of town is a pasture with a creek that zigzags through it heading mostly straight away from the road. There are lots of trees along this creek and I sometimes take a break from running on my way back to town and go into this secluded area for some nude sunbathing. I hadn’t really planned to do this today because I had so much to do, but the weather was good for it (partly cloudy and the temp was up around 70) and well, I just couldn’t resist the urge to indulge my nudist proclivities for a little while.

I climbed over the gate and headed back along the creek through the trees to where I was out of sight from the road. All the while I’d been thinking about how some people that I’d read about in situations such as this are so bold that they venture out nude a long, long way leaving their clothes behind. But I had never done that. If I was just sunbathing, my clothes were always near by - only a few feet away. And if I was exploring (never very far), I always carried enough clothes for a quick cover-up (sports bra and running shorts). I thought that I would feel way too vulnerable if I didn’t have my clothes immediately at hand.

But today my confidence was bolstered by the apparent confidence of these others that I had read about. That, combined with the fact that I felt I was in a very low risk area (private land and I’d never seen anyone out here), I decided that it was time for me to take action in becoming bolder – that it was time for me to venture out a ways and leave my clothes behind.

I went to my hidey place down by the creek and peeled off my sweaty clothes like I always do. But this time I left everything hidden there. I stepped out and started to walk on down through the trees along the creek. The new spring grass felt so good under my bare feet and the breeze felt so good blowing over me and through my hair. But I was scared! Really scared!! In order to not give in to my fear, I told myself to just keep moving and don’t stop to think. Besides, I could turn around and run back anytime I wanted. So I just kept walking and watching to see if anyone appeared (very unlikely) and planning escape routes (there were plenty of places to hide).

Before I knew it, I had reached the farthest point in the pasture that I had ever been. So far, so good. I was probably about a quarter of a mile from my clothes by now. But instead of turning back, I decided to go a little farther and explore some new territory even though I was still very scared. (Keep moving! Don’t think!)

There were fewer trees now and they were in little groves along the creek with open areas in between. Am I bold enough to cross that wide-open area? There was absolutely no cover for me between where I was and the next grove of trees. I looked around and then ran for it. When I got there, I looked back and realized that was no big deal. Then I looked out into the next clearing and thought that I may as well go for the next one. That lead to the next and the next! When I came to a fence I realized that I had completely crossed this part of the pasture and that all my clothes were back on the other side about a half-mile away (I’m guessing). What a feeling of freedom!

I wasn’t about to cross that fence (rusty old barbwire), but on down the fence about a hundred yards (another guess), it turned a corner. That corner post would be a good end point for my daring adventure, but it was way out in the open and more visible than any place I had been so far. Am I bold enough? (Keep moving! Don’t think!) I jogged along the fence getting farther and farther from the tree cover. When I reached the corner post, I stopped and put my hand on the top of it like I was claiming it as mine. Actually, it represented an accomplishment - a victory over fear - that was mine.

I stood there beside that post for a moment or so reveling in my feelings – feeling the grass, the wind, the warmth of the sunshine that had just come out, and the openness of the grassy hills surrounding me. I tried to picture in my mind what I must look like standing there in the open like that –just me as nature intended - not even a scrunchie in my hair. At that point a certain feeling of confidence came over me. I’ve always enjoyed being nude, but now I realized that I could be nude outdoors without the necessity of having clothes near by. Does that make me more nude?

I thoroughly enjoyed the walk back to my hidey place. It was a lot more leisurely and a lot less fearful.