Things that make me go Whaaat?

June 22, 2009

This past week has been a week of things that make me scratch my head and go “Say whaaaat?”

One such incident was Naked Hiking Day which occurred Sunday. I am as serious as a heart attack. Naked Hiking Day occurred on the Summer Solstice which was also Fathers Day this year. According to an NBC news report, every year on the first day of summer, a few outdoor enthusiasts nationwide expose virtually all of themselves to insects, scrapes and thorns for the pleasure of bonding with nature au naturel. The hikers that were interviewed said it's not about being lewd and crude and all that. It's just enjoyment.

One hiker who blogs about hiking in Mississippi's Homochitto and De Soto national forests on his Web site, theplacewithnoname.com., cited as inspiration, passages from Henry David Thoreau, naturalist John Muir and backpacking guru Colin Fletcher that suggest nudity enhances one's appreciation of nature. This strange dude said he started hiking naked as a boy after a day of skinny dipping one long hot summer.

I don’t know about you but the woods and the great outdoors can be hot enough as it is this time of year with clothes on and I am sure not going to be shagging my duds just to commune with Mother nature. Can you imagine? I shudder at the thought of seeing some Borat or Bruno type character traipsing through the woods with a pale bare bottom just a shining in the noonday sun.

What are these people thinking? Don’t they worry about ticks, chiggers and the ever present, always hungry and looking for a meal, Mississippi mosquitoes? There are just some places on the body that OFF and DEET just should not touch, if you know what I mean! Now some of the naked aficionados’ claim that there's an advantage to hiking naked in a buggy area: wood ticks on the skin are easier to spot. And they do wear hats and hiking boots and carry back packs as well as apply plenty of sunscreen and bug repellent.

Thank goodness. And here I thought they were totally naked.

Now since these folks are out there hiking in parks, which is public property, that means you or I could happen up on them. Or what about the Boy and Girl Scouts that are out on their Summer time camping trips. If I am out in the vicinity of a wooded area, I sure hope some of these naked hikers accept the responsibility that I don’t want to be surprised by them and their enjoyment of nature, and they will keep to the shadows or at least carry some shorts to slip on. And between you and me and the backpack, if I ever do see a naked hiker, I will probably just start laughing at the ridiculous sight.