Naked Hiker Spotted

[nudeed]

Hello all I have been following this discussion here on this site for the past week. Having been involved in this topic on another hiking site I find the comments similar. As those of us who hike nude note, it seems that the general consensus when encountering others is they generally don't object to the lack of attire. I have hiked various sections of the Long/Appalachian trail in Vermont always nude. Throughout my many encounters I have never experienced a negative reaction. Last year I had what an amusing positive response from a through hiker. When we meet he loudly stated "yea dude yea." While repeating this he raised his right fist while pumping it in the air. I even heard him after we had passed. In my encounters with single or a couple of female hikers they always appear the most positive. They are the ones who generally stop and talk about nude hiking and the trails in general. The post by the writer on the site that brought this discussion, I would beleive is someone that was brought up in a family were nudity equals sexual activity. As we know that need not be the case.

[John P]

Nudeed, since you appear to be in our region and time is short, I'll put this message in this thread, and hopefully you'll have a chance to see it. I should have posted it earlier, but I didn't really think anyone from New England was on this forum. Send me a message and I'll pass along the address of the organizer.

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As most or all of you know, the hike originally planned for May 7 was postponed until Saturday, May 28.

The plan is still to meet at 11 a.m. at the dam on Harriman Reservoir (the lake that hosts the Ledges nude recreation area).  The trail is flat, along an old railroad bed parallel to the lake, running on the west side from the dam (just west of Whitingham, VT) to a northern trailhead (just west of Wilmington, VT).

The laws in Vermont are tolerant, so even though there is a risk of running into other hikers since it is Memorial Day weekend, there is no threat of legal repercussions.  Even so, I suggest having a cover-up available to avoid unnecessary conflict.

There will be the option to do the whole nine mile hike or to turn back and return to the dam after hiking part of the way.

We will need to spot enough cars at the northern trailhead to accommodate all those who want to do the whole 9 miles (which would take about five hours, including a lunch and skinny-dipping stop).  We will meet at the northern trailhead to drop off the requisite number of cars at 10:15 a.m.

I NEED A HEAD COUNT OF THOSE WHO WILL DO THE WHOLE NINE MILES SO WE CAN ARRANGE TO SPOT ENOUGH CARS.

PLEASE RSVP TO SAY WHETHER YOU PLAN TO PARTICIPATE AND WHETHER YOU WILL DO THE END-TO-END HIKE OR RETURN TO THE DAM.

I will send detailed directions to those who RSVP that they will attend.

Current weather forecast for Saturday is a high of 78 degrees with partly sunny skies and a chance of a thunderstorm.

I look forward to seeing you on Saturday.

Nude cheers,

Milt

[eyesup]

Throughout my many encounters I have never experienced a negative reaction. Last year I had what an amusing positive response from a through hiker. When we meet he loudly stated "yea dude yea." While repeating this he raised his right fist while pumping it in the air. I even heard him after we had passed. In my encounters with single or a couple of female hikers they always appear the most positive. They are the ones who generally stop and talk about nude hiking and the trails in general.

This is what puzzled me about  the original post, which has since disappeared. After reading it I looked up info and trip reports about the AT and Naked Hiking Day and saw no indication of a negative reaction to the tradition.

The post by the writer on the site that brought this discussion, I would beleive is someone that was brought up in a family were nudity equals sexual activity.

Since she chose to not clarify or explain, we don't know. There was a blurb on the page where it appeared that said she had either just finished or was about to finish college at BYU.

For those unaware that is Brigham Young University located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Not everyone attending there is Mormon, but a large percentage is. Since it is a private school, before being accepted you must accept and agree to live by their Honor Code. It is online if you wish to look it up. If she was serious about that, it is easily understood why she reacted the way she did to a naked person. What is puzzling is her reaction to a response to her post that posed a disagreement with her statements. Instead of explaining, she (we think) took down the post.

Duane

[jbeegoode]

She has a background in law enforcement, and law. Regulation and fear of "bad guys" and "crazy" people,and degenerates, outside of BYU construct maybe suit her. She could be insulated from the outside world, and surrounded by peers also in that mindset. This could lead her to believe her projection out of that cage, thinking that she is a norm. This is not unusual in itself, but coupled with the hints from her background, she may have been very surprised by her hiking peers reaction and what I wrote. She could be a very disciplined young lady, who spends her time on the trail accomplishing and mastering it. She may have grown up in girlscouts, or family camping and thru hiking is a breakaway to independence, or pride and coming of age and her own, but still in context of what she grew up with and knows.

If she took it down because it was offensive as we suspect. She is rethinking the whole issue. Maybe she got a boyfriend or girlfriend and nature is taking this silliness out of her.

You are correct Eyesup, we can't know. It seems that most likely an intelligent post in rebuttal has had the effect of taking down negative anti- body freedom hogwash. Her points were good after all of that. If we hear them again in the future without the hogwash, we will know.

It is important to rebuttal, politely, all anti-body postings on the internet and in mass and scientifically. It is important, like doing events and being seen and letting opinions be put out in all media. The culture of backpacking and hiking is being changed. Nude hiking is commonly acceptable in the hardcore community and they are the respected leaders.
Jbee

[eyesup]

She may have grown up in girlscouts, or family camping and thru hiking is a breakaway to independence, or pride and coming of age and her own, but still in context of what she grew up with and knows.

My son and I were in Boy Scouts. My daughter and my wife were in Girl Scouts. I was drafted on many occasions to be the token “man” on campouts and I was officially a registered adult with the Girl Scouts. My wife’s experience locally in the GS community is that girls and young women were not encouraged from within the church to affiliate with GSA. The BSA was for all intents and purposes the defacto boys youth group for the Mormon church. I don’t know if they ever took the step to forbid girls joining GS, but it was not encouraged.

As you mention, Jbee, I do remember reading that she was studying law enforcement. Maybe she is a maverick. Being an independent hiker and in law enforcement shows initiative. It not unheard of in close knit family cultures.

All of this is of course academic and irrelevant as we haven't a clue about any of this. I for one hope she will come round to a more accepting attitude. Maybe this is the equivalent of a regretted slip of the tongue and she will reconsider.

Duane

[reubenT]

I grew up in the woods,  only a small area of it, a few acres,  but woods nonetheless.  And we went hiking in the appalachians frequently.   My brother was a baby about that time and rode in a carrier on dad's back until he was old enough to walk and keep up.   Both of us are more comfortable and at home in the wilderness than on a city street, no matter how back in we get.   No "what if" fears.  I think it's a knowledge and familiarity with wild places and nature that develops such easy going feelings with it.