Encounters...what to do?

[yeldew]

I walked with the Singles’ Outdoor Club yesterday near Petersfield.

Half way round the 12-mile walk we were surprised by a couple walking round the end of the hedgerow only a few yards away

I wondered if the front walkers would bother to cover up, being so close. They did, so we did also at the back of the line of 22 naked walkers.

The couple passed by with wide smiles, and the male of the couple said,  “There was no need to bother – we’re Dutch”.

Made my day 

Norman.

[milfmog]

The couple passed by with wide smiles, and the male of the couple said,  “There was no need to bother – we’re Dutch”.

It's surprising how often that is the reaction I have received; it's certainly more common than disapproval. let alone hostility.

Thanks for sharing that Norman.

Have fun,


Ian.

PS: I will be on the SOC walk at Hoo (near Gravesend) on 26/7; anyone else going to be there?

[yeldew]

I hope to be there on 26th.
My wife will still be in respite care.
It's likely to be the only other SOC walk I can make this year so will certainly try to be there.
Norman.

[jbeegoode]

I walked with the Singles’ Outdoor Club yesterday near Petersfield.

Half way round the 12-mile walk we were surprised by a couple walking round the end of the hedgerow only a few yards away

I wondered if the front walkers would bother to cover up, being so close. They did, so we did also at the back of the line of 22 naked walkers.

The couple passed by with wide smiles, and the male of the couple said,  “There was no need to bother – we’re Dutch”.

Made my day 
Norman.

"We're Dutch." What does THAT mean!?! I can only surmise.
Jbee

[Greenbare Woods]

The couple passed by with wide smiles, and the male of the couple said,  “There was no need to bother – we’re Dutch”.
Made my day 
Norman.

I don't know why being Dutch makes any difference.  There was no need to bother covering up.

Bob

[Greenbare Woods]

Don't know if this qualifies as an "encounter" but here's what happened.

I awoke this morning at about 3 AM.  It was a New Moon so it was very dark outside, dark sky, lots of stars.  Good night to step outside and enjoy the night, I thought. 

I slid the bolt on my back door, opened it, and stepped out naked into the night.  As I looked around I heard some heavy footsteps, thump, thump, thump, thump.  Close but unseen.

I stepped rapidly back into the building, closed my door, and slid the bolt home. 

I went to a window and peered out into the darkness.  I could see the general landscape in starlight, but nothing that would make heavy footstep noises.  Could have been a deer or elk, I suppose, or a moose perhaps.  Maybe a big foot.

Bob

[jbeegoode]

Tracks in the morning?
Jbee

[Karla]

"We're Dutch." What does THAT mean!?! I can only surmise.

Basically the Dutch are far less prudish than the Brits.

[jbeegoode]

I find it fascinating that this is a piece of national identity. An ethnocentric truth. Over here, we live in such a vast and diverse circumstance that we must see ourselves as regional at most and a mixing bowl. We can't see ourselves as generally more or less prudish, or much of anything else. We may speak different, architecture may generally change and history adds flavor, but that is somewhat superficial, regional and insignificant nationally. There is a hodgepodge of personal trending and individuality. Identity in the US, I think, is ethnic, or what you watch on media, etc.

Like any country's people, the ethnocentric attitudes like pride, or tribal identity are still there, but here they are mostly washed out.
Jbee 

[eyesup]

"We're Dutch." What does THAT mean!?! I can only surmise.

Basically the Dutch are far less prudish than the Brits.

Maybe Paul will pop in to clarify and expand on that. I figured that's what he meant.

Bob, we expect plaster imprint casts with a full report. Maybe next time you'll discover whether bigfoot is also a naked hiker. 

Duane

[jbeegoode]

Ah, come on guys, of course Bigfoot's a nude hiker. Imagine him in a speedo or worse! 

Maybe I'll publish my old Bigfoot posts next month.

Just last night, I was contemplating how I identify with Bigfoot because of the need for stealth from predators and their way of blowing things in imagination out of proportion. "Oh cripe! Here comes another of those dang encroaching humans."
Jbee

[eyesup]

That's a weird mental image. A massive physical frame with a tiny little speedo.

Makes you think of Arnold in one of his photos in younger days.
Which makes you think of bodybuilding.
Which makes you remember the ESPN post elsewhere here.

Which begs the question, why were there no bodybuilders in the article.
I've always thought bodybuilding somewhat odd. It makes the human body look like a caricature. Maybe that's why.

Duane

[reubenT]

insecurity?   self worship?  pride?   maybe several issues going on there.      We should be fit and healthy,  plenty of hard work can make us look quite filled out,  but striving for excessive buildup just to win a strength contest,  or look good,   is too much vanity.      I've worked harder than most do now days, loading logs manually with cant hook and operating a sawmill,    to where I can pick up more than my own weight with relative ease.    Sawed railroad ties for awhile off and on,    manual mill,  hand stacking everything,  green oak ties weigh 235 lb.     But I don't look all that musclebound,  don't want to any more than moderate.  And it's getting too easy to put my spine or hips out of place when I do that,  so I have to limit the stress.  Hard to do when there's a job to be done and I want to just get in there and do it all at once.   Better to do it in smaller pieces, or use a machine.  No point in trying to impress someone else.    Although it happens inadvertently sometimes, like when someone is trying to move a heavy object and I help em and make it look too easy.   

 My idea on nude risk taking,  is to be careful,  do it where there's the least chance of meeting others.   Occasionally someone will appear without notice,  if I see them first I'll cover up just enough to be "normal"    if I see em too late I'll pretend nothing is wrong, because nothing is wrong.  If they appear shocked, well,  deal with it.  It'll probably shock me more than them.    Cover up after the fact and be sorry for surprising them,   just getting some extra sunshine,  or some lame excuse.    If someone ever tries to call me a pervert over it I'll direct them to mychainsaregone website,  full explanation that makes lots of sense.   How hiding our naked bodies for moral reasons has had the exact opposite effect it is thought to have.   Most of my naked outings are on my own land and the logging roads within 4 miles or so.  The road on the ridge is open ended and has occasional traffic.   Like one vehicle in one to three days.   I have met vehicles there,  I hear them coming and step off the road into the bushes when naked.     
   

[midnightrider]

As from the reply of the male person of the couple saying:

“There was no need to bother – we’re Dutch”

He probably meant that most of the Dutch are quite open minded when it comes to nudity, but I can asure you that this is not applicable to all the Dutch. There are parts of the country where this is not the case, one of those area's is called "The Bible belt".
In my country nudity is allowed at suitable places, so if you are hiking with a group with no intentions to offend people and avoiding highly populated area's there is only a small chance of getting into trouble. But it all depends on the view of the local authorities.

Cheers,
Paul

[eyesup]

"We're Dutch." What does THAT mean!?! I can only surmise.

In America, "Goin' Dutch", simply means when out on an evening, everyone is responsible for their own expenses. I don't know why that is, it just has always meant that.

Maybe they were not "A couple".   

Duane