The Secret Naturist Handbook

[nuduke]

Yes I very much agree with Bob and Jbee,
So often we aren't truly naked outdoors - walking shoes, sandals, vibrams, backpacks, hats, gardening gloves and even glasses to me are not quite naked enough.  If I'm out on a walk or in the garden with shoes (rarely wear shoes anywhere at home these days) I will take the shoes off and drop anything else I'm wearing or carrying to have at the very least least a short time totally naked, completely unencumbered by any of the trappings of society or textilism. 
The Naked Rambler - Steve Gough was rarely naked in these terms.  He wore big boots, big hat and a backpack that fastened round the front in a wide sash with sundry things dangling down so you saw little but legs and shoulders when he walked along and according to the documentary made about him, he got dressed at the end of a day's walking (mainly to keep warm in his tent).
Same goes for JMF - pics of him are often in boots and backpack although he does get completely naked a lot (at least in his pictures).
Jbee and DF are often depicted with something draped over the neck and shoulders, footwear and packs of various sorts.
It's actually quite difficult to be completely naked when you hike as you need stuff along with you for basic needs and safety (eg water).
On the other hand Jbee, DF, and JMF find many and many a location and time to be completely unencumbered by any covering.
John

[jbeegoode]

I might mention that there is a thread on site that I believe is called "barefoot" that has ample discussion on the topic and various shoe solutions, if someone is interested.
Jbee

[jbeegoode]

I strive to be as naked as possible. That goal is driven by what you say Nuduke, the feeling that I have experienced when truly nude. Even natives around here found shoes of some kind, carried some "necessities" appropriate to the situation.

Sometimes we can leave our stuff behind when we find a place to practically go completely bare, like home. I can go away from everything like that all over Redington Pass and spend hours some days. Water to drink is the limitation.

I generally can get by with with water, camera, shoes for protection and hat for protection. The wrap fits under my shoulder straps and is more comfortable. It is usually there in case we are out longer and have had more than enough sun on our shoulders.

A longer day hike needs more water, or a filter and a snack (blood sugar). The wrap then can be used for a turnicut, sitdown something, towel, wind break if sudden change occurs, a cover if we end up in civilization again, and more. 
Jbee

[jbeegoode]

Warning Signs: From "The Secret Naturist Handbook"

The ability to read natural warning signs and alarm calls is an important ability for the secret naturist. On any outing, if you can detect and understand these warning signs they can give guidance to what is happening in the surrounding area and can help you take evasive action or plan accordingly. The examples here are based on the wildlife and birds of the British Isles but other similar animals and birds will be found elsewhere in the world.

The alarm calls of many common birds found throughout the countryside can readily be used to give advance warning of the possible approach of people. Examples include the blackbird, whose loud and noisy call is well known and the wren also makes one hell of a racket when it detects possible danger within its nesting territory. Members of the crow family such as the carrion crow and the jay both have quite distinctive calls and are easily recognised when you get to know them. During the breeding season many birds will get excited when an intruder is close by. Common examples are the oystercatcher, black-headed gull,

The best way to get to know these alarm calls is to observe the bird actually making the call. A couple of good examples are the pheasant and grouse, which make quite a racket when disturbed at close quarters. Try and remember that the alarm call sounds like for the future.

When you hear any natural alarm call in the field, you need try and make a guess at what caused the bird or animal to make that call. In the first instance you need to decide if it was yourself who caused the reaction. A good guide is how far away the call is. For example, a woodpigeon taking off suddenly from a few metres away will likely have been due to your own presence but the same event occurring at the other side of the wood could be down to another presence. Having eliminated your own presence, the other two possibilities are predators or people and there is no easy way to know which it would be remotely. Your best action is to exercise additional caution and keep your wits about you.

One important note to remember. If, for example, walking through a lane in the middle of a wood, and a bird flaps out, say 50 metres away - don't automatically think that YOU have disturbed it - there may be someone coming in the opposite direction, who have caused the disturbance.

Members of the crow family have already been mentioned above and from experience the carrion crow is one to pay special attention to. Carrion crows in the countryside are very wary birds and can be used as "remote eyes" when on secret naturist outings. For example, at my local patch of coniferous woodland, crows tend to sit on the treetops and will take flight as soon as they see humans in the area, often accompanies by an alarm call - useful indicator to human activity in the area.

Animals are also useful indicators of disturbance in the area. A deer suddenly bounding through the trees in your direction should get your immediate attention. Ask yourself what caused it to act in such a way? Could it be a dog let loose by a walker following another trail in the wood? It might have only been a fox but you should take heed in any case.

The sight of rabbits grazing peacefully is a good sign indicating a lack of recent disturbance in the area. When disturbed, rabbits will head for their warren and may not venture out for twenty minutes or more. Obviously this can vary from place to place and you should get to know what applies in your own area.

To understand natural warning signs you really need to practice in the field. When you see an animal or bird react in a certain way, ask yourself why it did so. Link up actions to possible causes and you will go a long way to becoming a master at the art of the secret naturist.

[jbeegoode]

A part of my naturism is the act of being nude and natural in a natural environment. How might the consciousness of a person who lived here take form? We have natural senses, more than our civilized living allows us. Nudity greatly helps to bring that out.

When I’m nude I see with my skin. I’m in the moment more. This is meditative, but a better sense of my surroundings is had. It is the skills of a hunter/gatherer. These are the places a mind can be in in a more silenced wood or desert, instead of alarm from traffic, sirens, and loud people and their distractions.

I’m out there not as just a nude, but a naturalist as well. I want to know what the beings of the natural world know and how they know it. I want to see wildlife, observe, smell, follow their lives by what they leave as clues in the greater puzzle.
There is also those often reported experiences of animals showing less, or no fear of the nude human. Be it smell, the look, the vibe, or what.

These skills can protect me from other people’s incursions just the same. If I am immersed in the trail experience, it follows that other humans would be a part of this practice of awareness. These days, so many of us are so oblivious to their noise, that they are so very easy to hear, follow tracks, etc.

If I want solitude, I may need these secret naturist’s tools and skills. If I don’t want to be harassed by law and textile sensibilities, I may need these secret naturist’s tools and skills. If I want to learn to know what it actually means to be natural, more than just naked, I must use these tools and skills. If I want to practice the art of the warrior leaving no sound or trace, I’ve got to “be” there with my intention. If I want it to be my choice to be seen, or not, I must use these tools and skills. If I am looking for the heightened spiritual sense found in naturism, the key to that door would be theses skills, and their practice.

As for birds, there is a Jay in Arizona that will, at times, loudly harass every step of the way. I’ve had them telling the whole world about my presence for a mile at a time. It lives mostly in the lower scrub oak communities along with all of the crackling crunching of stiff dry fallen leaves. There ain’t no Indian sneaking up on, or around, anybody, on those days.

[ric]

back to real basics , a disturbed wild animal or bird goes away from the disturbance,    anything fleeing towards you was disturbed by something else.

on another topic entirely , we had a few fine days last week and i found time for a ramble in the wilds of wiltshire, there was a slight breeze and sunshine , good enough for a brisk walk for just over an hour. actually saw a red kite overhead , first one ive seen and  met meet one surprised dog walker, dressed for the arctic.

[jbeegoode]

Spent the last three days in a remote canyon being amazed by the Fall color changes. There was a crew of hikers that we saw pass our camp, taking off earlier in the day. We didn't want to be surprised by them. Saw their tracks still going only one way. At one point, the jays were making noise in the distance, but it wasn't them. Color and photography was so wonderful, we could probably have cared less to be surprised by them, but there are old habits that, I think, are good habits.

Over a dozen wild turkeys in a batch, a young golden hawk made a bad day for a turtle dove and a blue jay. It came through speeding under the canopy near our head height, twice. 16 antelope out on the plain on the way home. They just stood and stared at our truck.

The other hikers came down after dark by flashlight (torch), STILL talking.
Jbee

[Peter S]

actually saw a red kite overhead , first one ive seen

A few years ago we were walking the Ridgeway in Oxfordshire and saw practically a flock of red kites, ironic as they were supposed to be a rare breed. Since then I've observed them gradually spreading westwards along the M4 corridor and they're now showing up in Gloucestershire in increasing numbers - the other day I biked past about half a dozen of them taking turns to dive bomb some roadkill. What worries me is that where the kites move in, the buzzards seem to move out, so we're regaining a previously endangered species at the expnse of another.

[jbeegoode]

If the kites were there before with the buzzards, then they'll both sort it out naturally.

Road kill would be the new intruder/invasive feeding species, so you probably have extra buzzards.

All I know of it is natural ecology is amazing and intricate and this:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/20/red-kites-thriving-in-england-30-years-after-reintroduction

We nearly lost the bald eagle, the country's symbol, but I've now seen several, from Michigan, to Arizona. Lots of kites is probably a good thing.

I have urban raptors hanging out in my big eucalyptus tree. They follow the turtle doves and pigeons that gather on the wires around here.  It's a great horned owl and a few large hawks. The tree drops lots of bark, branches and leaves, the big birds drop white crap all over the patio, but I get a warm thrill in my heart when I spot them, or hear them and it's worth the mess...well there was that unforgettable day years ago, when standing under a telephone pole and that huge glob on my shoulder. I looked up, after a few obscenities, looked at the damn hawk and then the sky, and said, "God, what did I do to offend you?"
Jbee

[nuduke]

When I was a lad my family went out on country drives and walks at weekends and seeing a bird of prey hovering before a dive was an utter rarity.  Nowadays we see them often in the field behind our house and frequently when travelling up the dual carriageways and motorways of this fair land.  It is my theory that the tree margins and banks planted along the sides of motorways and dual carriageways (for the Americans, a dual carriageway is a road with usually 2 lanes in each direction separated by a central reservation or barrier) have created woodland-like habitats frequented by small mammals and birds that are the prey of raptors such as the red kite, kestrel, harrier, owl and buzzard. This has led to a flourishing of those birds of prey (BOP) such that they are much more common than when I was a youngster.  I have no idea if this is right or wrong, just my own surmise, and I do recall that BOPs have recovered since the banning of organochlorine pesticides such as DDT so there's another effect.  I dare say the raptors are eating other species that have taken a dive as a result.


Anyone got any better knowledge that may enlighten us on this one?
.....I found this  https://www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/downloads/documents/positions/species/birds-of-prey-on-a-wing-and-a-prayer.pdf


John


 

[Peter S]

John, I seem to recall reading something years ago about the fringes of motorways being a haven for wildlife. Despite the proximity of the traffic, the roadsides are an elongated nature reserve where birds, bees and other flora and fauna can flourish, so yes it becomes a happy hunting ground for your BsOP.

[jbeegoode]

Nuduke, your article cites basic ecology eloquently. I had no clue there were so many birds of prey left over there.

It did seem odd to me to speak in terms of ecological systems in a place that has been so disturbed throughout hundreds and even thousands of years. The natural ecology, it would seem, disappeared generations ago. Even the wildernesses here in the western US are so very damaged.

The lady next door in Tortolita began to feed the local turtle doves for some reason. Her entire parapet was soon lined with them. It was an unhealthy mess of bird waste. I loved seeing the local raptors fix the situation. Thing was, they cleared the desert so snakes couldn't hide, so the raptors began to get rid of the mice, etc. and then the lizard diversity and sizes crashed. The natural balance quickly got way off.

The populations of everything in Tortolita have been plummeting from the extreme droughts and unreliable weather from climate change. Used to be that there was some drought every seven years or so, but the last twenty have been consistently goofed up and down.
Jbee

[jbeegoode]

We enter the last section of "The Secret Naturist Handbook" all about and entitled "Weather."

OVERVIEW:
Here in the Scotland the most commonly talked about subject is the weather. Meet someone in the street and the first thing they will say is how it is too hot, that the wind is too windy or the rain too wet. The general public at large tend to allow the weather to determine their outdoor activities, if its raining you stay indoors, if its foggy you cannot possibly go out. If its snowing...well.

For the secret naturist its another matter entirely, for they do not shirk at being naked outdoors during less than ideal weather conditions or even in extreme weather such as during thunderstorms. The dedicated all-seasons secret naturist knows where to go when its raining and stay dry and how to find sheltered spots for nudity during a storm. Weather need not be a limiting factor for the secret naturist.

Obviously you cannot spend a hours at a time naked outdoors in mid-February, when the wind chill factor is minus 20 Degrees and, of course, it would be folly to do so. However, stripping off for a couple of minutes on the most exposed of coastal headlands, facing the storm as nature intended can be equally as exhilarating an experience as spending an entire day walking naked during the warm summer months. Weather is a never ending challenge, just waiting for you to take the plunge.

Beaufort Wind Scale

The Beaufort Scale or Beaufort Wind Force Scale is a system for estimating wind strengths without the use of instruments, based on the effects wind has on the physical environment and is a useful tool for the secret naturist wishing to estimate wind speeds when calculating the windchill factor without the use of instruments.

The behaviour of smoke, waves, trees, etc., is rated on a 13 point scale of 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane). The scale was devised in 1805 by the British naval Commander, later Admiral, Sir Francis Beaufort (1774-1875). A further set of numbers (13-17) for very strong winds were added by the US Weather Bureau in 1955.

Force -----Term------Specification on land-----mph
0   Calm   Smoke rises vertically.   Less than 1

1   Very Light   Direction of wind shown by smoke drift but not by wind vanes.   1 - 3

2   Light breeze   Wind felt on face , leaves rustle, ordinary wind vane moved by wind.   4 - 7

3   Gentle breeze   Leaves and small twigs in constant motion, wind extends white flag.   8 - 12

4   Moderate breeze   Wind raises dust and loose paper, small branches move.   13 - 18

5   Fresh breeze   Small trees in leaf start to sway, crested wavelets on inland waters.   19 - 24

6   Strong breeze   Large branches in motion, whistling in telegraph wires, umbrellas used with difficulty.   25 - 31

7   Near gale   Whole trees in motion, inconvenient to walk against wind.   32 - 38
8   Gale   Twigs break from trees, difficult to walk.   39 - 46

9   Strong gale   Slight structural damage occurs, chimney pots and slates removed.   47 - 54

10   Storm   Trees uprooted, considerable structural damage occurs.   55 - 63

11   Violent storm   Widespread damage.   64 - 73

12   Hurricane   Widespread damage.   >74

[jbeegoode]

Cold Weather: From "The Secret Naturist Handbook"

While you might think that it's always too cold in winter for outdoor nudity, this is not always the case. For example, daytime maximum temperatures over low ground in Scotland in January and February, the two coldest months of the year, can average around 5 to 7 degrees C., and on rare occasions in the lee of high ground, temperatures can reach up to around 15 degrees C. So, it might not be as cold as you think.

Temperature obviously plays a major role in determining if nudity is possible and personally I'm happy to be naked down to about 5 degree C. if I keep moving and there's no wind. Occasionally I've even managed lower but not for very long. The trick is to know where to go to find locations that have higher than normal temperatures for the time of year.

So, how do you get naked in winter? First of all, you need to find a location that is south facing to catch what little warmth the sun may have. Secondly, the location should be protected from the wind. A small clearing on the south edge of an area of coniferous woodland is a typical example for such a location. Altitude also pays a part. Temperatures are generally warmer at lower altitudes, such as along the coast, than they are in upland areas. The lower you go, generally, the warmer the temperature.

During the colder months, nudity during early mornings and late evenings, is just not possible and you need to look to the warmer parts of the day for your secret naturist outings. Best times are around 1.00pm, give or take an hour either way. Another tip for winter nudity is to limit the duration of your nudity and to get dressed as soon as you get too cold. Once you are warm again, you can strip off and so on. Furthermore, keep your hat on when you are naked. As much as 40% of heat loss can be from the head. Odd, a covered head and naked body but it often works! Finally, stay out of the wind and stay dry.

[jbeegoode]

Well, this happens to publish when I have just published a trip report where we were cold and wet for most of the day.

There it may show mood and attitude are also a factor.

The slightest breeze seems to make a huge difference. We've been out in freeze and snow moving around for over a half an hour.
 
Sunlight on a body makes cold temps much more tolerable. I head straight out passed tree shade to the sunshine each morning here in my yard.

The humidity makes a difference.

Altitude can make a drive from down in the desert valley to the alpine tops of the local mountains change from summer to winter in less than an hour.

Foot coverings insulating the cold ground helps me often.

Lookee might have a contentious discussion with Milfmog, who walks every morning with his dogs for a good duration, or our Scottish friend who crosses the wild fields where he lives for miles.

We had fun crossing through micro climates in a canyon a few weeks ago. There were bubbles of warm air, and streams of cold washing down the stream-beds. We would stand in a bubble an enjoy the warmth before moving on down the trail.

DF and I are cold sissies but we can do better with these considerations and some time to acclimate, each year as the temps dive.

This year, La Nina will probbaly not give us much cold and rain. SO far it has been way over historical temperatures.

Jbee