Nudist Opportunities in Colorado

2011-08-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

Denver's World Naked Bicycle Ride

2011-08-05T16:26:00.000-07:00

Denver's 2011 World Naked Bike Ride is almost 2 days away! Join us!

Date: Sunday, August 7th
Time: Meet at 2:00pm, ride takes off at 3:00pm
Start location: 721 Elati St. (the "T-Haus")
Directions: Between 7th and 8th Ave (8th Ave. is a one-way street going west, so plan your route out ahead of time if you don't know your way around here). Elati is 5 blocks west of Broadway. 721 Elati St. is a house (residence). We'll be in the backyard!
Bring: Your bikes/rollerblades/skateboard/rollerskates/pedicabs/tricycles/etc., clothes you can take with you during the ride, water bottle, helmet (please?), and your fabulous self and as many people as you can convince to come ride with us; optional: signs that can be safely strapped to your bike, bike decorations. Some body paints and brushes will be provided, but bring some of your own if you want. Can anyone bring a portable sound system?
Do I have to be naked?: The ride is "As Bare As You Dare." This means as much or as little clothing as you are comfortable with.
What about police?: The Denver police are actually pretty supportive. We should be fine. (see below)
What if I think I'm too fat/ugly/abnormal/etc. to be naked in public?: You are free to decide what you are comfortable with, but the ride is body-positive and open to all, regardless of body type (see below)
Other info: If you live too far away to bike to the start location, please try to car-pool or take public transportation or something. Yes, you can take your bike with you on all RTD buses, including the BV/BX from Boulder to Denver.
You will be able to leave extra clothing, paints, or other stuff at the ride start/end location during the ride.
The route will probably be about 7 miles long (possibly less, but not more) and will travel slow enough for everyone to keep up.
Questions?: e-mail wnbrdenver@gmail.com

***About the World Naked Bike Ride and this year's Denver ride***

The World Naked Bike Ride is an international protest movement that, through rides that happen in cities all over the world, calls attention to and raises awareness of bicycle and transportation issues, protests oil dependency and car culture and the resulting global warming, and demonstrates the vulnerability of cyclists on the road. More information about the movement can be found at www.nakedwiki.org .

One important aspect of the World Naked Bike Ride is the body-positive aspect that reminds people not only that cyclists on the roads are extremely vulnerable against cars, but that cycling is a completely healthy, organic, and human-powered form of transportation.

Ride participants also seek to celebrate the power and individuality of the human body and remind people that there is nothing inherently lewd or indecent about the human body itself. As such, the dress code for the ride is "as bare as you dare," which may include anything from full nudity to completely "dressed," and anything in between, but many participants find creative ways to cover up whatever body parts their own modesty dictates, using bodypaints, bike parts, found objects, and other creatively- and tastefully-designed costuming. How individual participants express this dress code is up to them as long as they are attired and behaving in a way that is in no way lewd or sexualized, and ride organizers never impose a minimum or a maximum of clothing. Most participants paint some sort of bike-related political slogans on their bodies to make it clear what the ride is about.

For those concerned about legal issues, here are a few helpful things to know:

1. In both Denver and Colorado, "indecent exposure" laws are designed to criminalize flashers and others who may seek to "offend or alarm" others with their nudity. What we're doing is quite the opposite, and therefore legal (according to lawyers we've worked with in the past).

2. Nipple exposure on ANYONE is legal in Denver.

3. The Denver WNBR has worked out a pretty good balance with the police department, who are fine with what we're doing as long as we follow traffic rules (stay in one lane and stop at red lights, etc.) At the last ride, they showed up at a couple points to block off a busy street for us so we could all cross, but left us alone otherwise. Please note that this does not constitute a guarantee on the part of the organizers that there will be zero legal issues this year, but we do believe that it is reasonable to expect solely benign, if any, interaction with law enforcement.

4. You can always find a creative (or uncreative, if you must) way to cover up whatever your modesty dictates, if you still have some concerns. Participants are advised to bring with them some sort of clothing they can throw on quickly in case there are any issues or, more likely, they get separated from the ride somehow (although we do try to make sure this doesn't happen.) You can always add or remove clothing along the ride, as you are comfortable.

Who can participate? Anyone! Please know that you are beautiful and are welcome to participate, whether you are fat, thin, muscular, flabby, trans, cisgendered (not trans), female, male, genderqueer, gender-ambiguous, intersex, a person of color, white, able-bodied, disabled, queer, straight, tan, pasty, old, young, political, non-political, rich, poor, religious/spiritual, non-religious/spiritual, a naturist, some one who's never been naked in public before, shy, outgoing, a cyclist with a fancy bike, a bike commuter with a non-fancy bike, a car-owner who hasn't picked up their bike in a few years, a skateboarder punk, etc. etc. Of course, you are still free to decide how much nakedness you are comfortable with or whether you want to participate, but know that as long as you are coming to ride in solidarity with the pro-bike/body-positive message of WNBR and respect the people around you, you are welcome!

*Kids are welcome, but it's recommended that the younger ones have a parent or something with them.

*We're aware that the nature of the ride may pose particular obstacles for some disabled folks, and that it is not perfectly accessible. But please please talk to the organizers if you would like to participate and have any concerns about accessibility. We'd like to make it work as best we can.

*Also, we'll have a safer spaces policy. We'd like to encourage people to not take some one's picture without asking first, but to also keep in mind that you may end up having your picture taken and to plan accordingly.

Join us as we protest oil dependency and celebrate the power and individuality of our bodies.

NAKED BICYCLE PEOPLE POWER!

Happy Towel Day

2011-05-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

For lovers of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adans, today is Towel Day. But as most nudists knew long before the radio show, you never should go anywhere without your towel.

Tomorrow is World Naked Gardening Day

2011-05-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday will mark the sixth annual World Naked Gardening Day, sponsored by the American Association for Nude Recreation.

Gardening enthusiasts who wish to be at one with nature can do so on the day, joined by thousands of others with the same mindset.

With our recent heavy rain and sunny skies now appearing, the flowers will start blooming all over, including the wildflowers along the hiking paths at Mountain Air Ranch.

You can read other stories here, and here.

Wall Street Journal Article on Nudism

2011-05-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

The Wall Street Journal has an article out today discussing nudism and nudist resorts in America. You can read that article here.

Nudist Digital Clock

2011-03-18T19:23:00.000-07:00

Here is a cute idea for a nudist digital clock (click here).

New Nudist Themed Motion Picture

2011-03-14T13:17:00.000-07:00

A new nudist-themed motion picture is still trying to see the light of day. The film is Act Naturally and you can see their web site here. They are still looking for investors to get distribution going, evidently.

Is Facebook too strict on nudity?

2011-03-10T07:27:00.001-08:00

Lately, Facebook has been excessively reacting to posting of breastfeeding, art projects, nudist postings and any pictures showing human skin, even if not nude. AANR has started a polling site here for you to chime in on how you feel.

Great ad for an Internet Service Provider

2011-03-08T05:10:00.001-08:00

I just love this ad by an Internet Service Provider (not in the United States).
You need to have Flash installed (and working, which is sometimes problematic).

Save the Colorado

2010-06-16T06:49:00.001-07:00

A local brewery, New Belgium, has always been known for their environmental committment, as well as great beer, including their Skinny Dip beer and Fat Tire (in cans you can take poolside).

Now they are sponsoring a group that is committed to preserving the Colorado River. And this group is obviously somewhat into social nudism, as you can see from the above picture. Plus, I'm sure it gets more attention than simple a picture of a magnificent river.

Nude recreation on the Colorado River is abundant, given its length and its traversal of remote and nudist-friendly environs. On any given day, the various lakes along the Colorado are full of great spots to be clothes-free.

Nudism in Grand Junction

2010-05-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

There is a nice article and video report on the World Naked Gardening Day
and a couple in Fruita, Colorado

Springtime in the Rockies

2010-03-19T05:02:00.000-07:00

The past two days saw temperatures across Colorado in the 60s and 70s, with today's forecast being 30s and snow. So, a lot of nudists (and near-nudists) took advantage of the weather to get outside for some sunning, gardening and hiking.

In Boulder a nudist was picked on again for being topless, which is NOT illegal in Boulder. 9news.com reported the story here.
Unfortunately, it took a while for the repressive Boulder Police Dept. to stop harassing the Pierces and tell the four callers to grow up.

The Boulder Camera asked a few people for reactions in the following video. I like the last lady's comment "I have more important concerns with kids than whether someone is topless:

How To Look Good Naked

2010-01-21T10:31:00.000-08:00

The W Network in Canada is launching a Canadian version of "How to Look Good Naked," a TV series hosted in the U.S. by Carson Kressley. The show teaches women how to look and feel good about themselves with their clothes on or off. The outdoor campaign running in Toronto and Vancouver heavily emphasizes being comfortable sans clothes. A naked, pear-shaped woman stands next to a giant pear, with copy stating, "Learn to love your pear shape." A woman with an apple bottom stands next to a large apple and similar copy. See here and here. Pear- and apple-shaped bodies are basically out of one's control, but the muffin top, however, is controllable. The third ad has a naked lady sitting on a blueberry muffin, advocating her to love that muffin top. See the ad here. Zig created the campaign.

A Colorado Newspaper Covers Nakations

2009-12-07T14:12:00.001-08:00

The Durango Herald did an OK job of covering Nakations (Nude Vacations) recently. Although they ignored a signature event, the World Skinny Dipping Record, held this past summer and instead focused on two bizarre airline problems with nude passengers (who really weren't being responsible nudists), they at least mentioned some high points to nude vacations.

Popularity of Nudist Vacations

2009-09-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

This is from the San Jose Mercury News:
It seems that a recent survey of 1,882 US adults showed that ten percent of them would consider a nude recreation experience extremely or very desirable in a leisure travel experience. That was higher than for golf, snowboarding, hunting or mountain hiking, all of which you can do in Colorado.

The weather this past week in Colorado has been great for nudist venues. The Desert Reef Hot Springs and Dakota Hot Springs were open and I had friends visit both of them this week. Mountain Air Ranch had great weather, but it will be a little cool for the next three days before warming up again.

Another Not-Colorado Nudist Story

2009-07-25T03:44:00.000-07:00

It seems the fight in California about the nudist use of its State Park beaches isn't over yet. If you follow this fight, you know that an Appeals Court ruled that the State Park rangers could start citing people for nudity WITHOUT A COMPLAINT!. Now the State Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal of that ruling by the Naturist Action Committee.

World's Best Nudist Beaches

2009-07-25T03:33:00.000-07:00

OK, not about Colorado, but fun to read about. The Daily Mail newspaper in England reports that TripAdvisor has updated their list of the World's Best Nudist Beaches, in this order:
1. Haulover Beach, North Miami Beach, Florida - A truly great beach, wide, warm water, and close to a large metropolitan and tourist area.
2. Wreck Beach, Vancouver, Canada - on my Bucket List
3. Paradise Beach in Mykonos, Greece - I haven't been to this one, but I have always found beaches in Greece to have the clearest water.
4. Orient Beach, St. Martin, Caribbean - another wonderful beach that I have had the pleasure of spending many days at.
5. Black's Beach, San Diego, California - a great beach, but the water can be a little chilly

The Denver World Naked Bike Ride

2009-07-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

STOP INDECENT EXPOSURE TO CAR EMISSIONS!
The Denver WNBR is set for this coming Saturday, July 11, 2009. Participants are meeting at Enzo's End Pizzeria at 4:30pm for body-painting and bike decorating. The ride will kick off at 6:30pm on a route that will bring you back before sundown.

Enzo's End is at 3424 E. Colfax (& Madison)

Why a video about Air Safety in a Nudist Blog?

2009-07-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

Watch the following video and see if you can see why:

The Boulder Naked Gardeners are Not Alone

2009-06-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

You may have read about the couple in Boulder that is being threatened with eviction because they like to garden wearing just a thong. Well, they certainly aren't alone. In Tom's blog terracottainn, Tom says that Shakira "loves nude gardening." Also, according to ShobizSpy, actress Eva Mendes is a naked gardener. The site says "she is so comfortable in her own skin, she even weeds her flowerbeds and trims her bushes while she’s completely naked. I love being naked. I do everything in the nude, even the gardening! We’re Cuban, and it’s a hot island. Why not go nude?” CNN even had a video report on a guy in Oregon who gardens naked.

World Naked Bike Ride 2009

2009-05-22T06:38:00.001-07:00

Owen has started the ball rolling on this year's bike ride. Here's his note:

OK, so for all of you who have been itching to get the ball rolling so that we can plan this year's Naked Bike Ride and make it bigger and more awesome than last year's, here's the scoop:

What: Organizing Meeting for Denver's 2009 World Naked Bike Ride
When: Sunday, May 24th, 5:00pm
Where: Cheesman Park - by the structure with the columns on the east side of the park (that way if it starts to rain or thunderstorm, we'll be covered). read: no cafe meeting-place, no need to buy a drink in order to go to the meeting!
Who: Anyone who wants to be a part of the organizing process this year.
Why: We need to decide what date/time to have the ride, the route, how to get the word out, and whether we want to kick off the ride with a neat little bodypainting-

&-sustainability festival, like Seattle does for their ride. We'll also need some leadership/volunteer roles filled (publicity coordinator, safety coordinators, art/bodypainting/decoration coordinator, web coordinator, legal liaison, media liaison, T-shirt designer, etc.), so if you want to fill one of these roles, come on out to the meeting and speak up.

This is a community-oriented approach to organizing - anyone can be a part of putting this together, to whatever extent they want to and are able to. But coming to this meeting is a good place to start.

Tell your friends!

Questions? Concerns? E-mail WNBRdenver@gmail.com

In naked solidarity,

Owen

More Pictures from Around Colorado

2009-04-13T07:01:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures posted on the web taken at Orvis Hot Springs, a clothing-optional resort in Ridgway, Colorado. These pictures are all taken in January 2009. Click on the picture to see it in higher resolution, or see the whole set of pictures here on Flickr.

Some pictures from Valley View Hot Springs (Orient Land Trust):

New Nudist Movie? No, but a good parody

2009-03-29T05:54:00.000-07:00

There is a very well made parody of the movie Red Dawn here. About a nudist resort invaded by Soviets.

"Naked Dawn" Trailer (w/ Rob Schneider, Mena Suvari and Vinnie Jones) Re-Uploaded and Safer-For-Work from Rob Schneider

A Motion Picture with a Nudist Theme

2009-03-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

Scheduled for release sometime in 2010, Act Natually is a movie about two sisters who discover that their recently deceased father was the owner of a nudist resort and they have inherited it.

This is an independent production and the producers are still trying to secure all their funding, so stay tuned.

You can see a teaser preview of the movie here. (requires QuickTime software to play).

More Medical Reasons to be Nude in the Sunlight

2009-03-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

In April 2009's Esquire Magazine, Dr. Mehmet Oz answered this question:
"How come cold weather makes your joints stiffer and in warm weather they feel looser? Isn't it always 98.6 degrees inside your body?"
His answer: "In the winter, you have less vitamin D because you're getting less sun, which means some of your immune functions become weaker. So you end up with a less resiliant body across the board, and that tends to result in stiffness. Try taking a vitamin d3 supplements during the winter in addition to your daily multivitamin".
You can read the rest of Dr. Oz's column here.

Of course, it's much easier to just shed your clothes and go soak up sunshine for a few minutes a day (or as little as 15 minutes a week). Even with sunscreen on you, you will get enough sunshine to overcome your vitamin D needs.

In every winter month in Colorado, there are always one or two days when it is warm enough to enjoy the sunshine without clothing. In January 2009, I was able to layout two days at Mountain Air Ranch, and one day in February 2009. In March, it looks like it will be 10 or more days. Even last October 2008, I was able to layout at Orvis Hot Springs for a couple of days.

A Gallery of Colorado Nudist Locations

2009-03-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

There are a remarkable number of high quality pictures on the web of locations in Colorado where one can be nude. Here is a sampling (click on the picture to view it in full resolution):
Orvis Hot Springs

A typical weekend day at the pool at Mountain Air Ranch during the summer

Valley View Hot Springs

A Nudist At Theaters Everywhere

2009-03-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

I never read the graphic novel, so I didn't know that one of the main characters in the movie Watchmen was a nudist. So I was pleased to see the movie last night and to see that they handled his nudity without any cheap tricks and made it seem pretty natural, at least for a glowing blue guy who can change matter with a thought.
I liked the movie, but I have heard that not everyone who sees it does. It seems that some people really like the movie and others are tepid. I haven't heard that anyone doesn't like it, although it is a bit gory in parts.

A British Show on the Best Nudist Beaches in the World

2009-03-07T10:02:00.001-08:00

It may be a little dated, but still a good show to watch. An updated list can be found here.

Find more videos like this on Skinbook

Find more videos like this on Skinbook

Find more videos like this on Skinbook

Find more videos like this on Skinbook

Simple, Elegant Video Promoting Naturism

2009-03-07T09:41:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the French can be very creative, as shown in this video ad.

The_beach_naturisme

Good BBC Article on Nudity and Shame

2009-03-02T05:31:00.000-08:00

The BBC online news magazine has an article about nudity and shame. There is a broadcast about the same subject tomorrow on BBC Two. If an online version becomes available in the US, I will try to post a link to it.

Surprising Nudism Poll in Floriday Newspaper

2009-02-01T05:35:00.001-08:00

The Florida Sun-Sentinel Newspaper has an article about the state considering the status of nude beaches, and one testimony about the substantial revenue that Haulover Beach brings into the area. They also have an online poll that has a pleasant number of positive responses so far.

A Pleasant 70 degrees at Mountain Air Ranch Yesterday

2009-02-01T05:24:00.000-08:00

Saturday, the temperature just after noon, poolside at Mountain Air Ranch, was a pleasant 70 degrees. The temperature around the rest of the 160 acres was lower than that, as low as 53 degrees at the main office about 1/2 mile away. However, the pool deck was pleasant, with many members enjoying a chance to lay in the warm sunshine and use the hot tub (the swimming pool is still closed up for the season).

Naked pumpkin run: All in good fun

2009-01-28T09:30:00.000-08:00

The Boulder Daily Camera has more analysis on the arrest and prosecution of 12 people for participating in the Naked Pumpkin Run. This is a writeup by Andy Schmidt, one of the attorneys for Ty Tuff, who case was dropped and closed (thank goodness). This gives me hope that saner heads may yet prevail in the People's Republic of Boulder.

There is also a writeup about an interview with the Boulder Police Chief where there seems to be some problem with justifying a sex offense for running naked.

Record Temperatures at Mountain Air Ranch

2009-01-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

As you can see from the picture, the temperature for the past two days at the pool at Mountain Air Ranch has been 74 degrees, with another warm day expected today. Yesterday was sunny enough to get a sunburn, and at 7000 feet, that happens pretty quickly.
The swimming pool was still closed for the season (until April) but the hot tub was working well (with a new pump for the air jets).
Even though the temperature at the MAR Office was only 58 degrees, the temperature on the pool deck is considerably warmer on sunny days. The temperature in Deer Creek Canyon was only 46 degrees (about 5 miles downhill).

Another GREEN Reason to be a Nudist

2009-01-19T20:00:00.001-08:00

A Nudist As President of the United States

2009-01-19T13:40:00.001-08:00

OK, cheap trick, posting this the day before Barack Obama gets sworn in as our 44th President. But its interesting to read news coverage around the world about this event. In South Africa, they noted that John Quincy Adams used to get up two hours before sunrise in order to swim naked in the Potomac River before work. Now, I've tried to swim in the Potomac around Washington, DC and I remember it being quite cold and pretty swift in parts, but that may be because I was upriver from Georgetown.
You can read all of the other interesting tidbits about US Presidents from a South African view on this website.

Most Outrageous Reaction to a Nude Person

2009-01-11T14:07:00.000-08:00

Guess its best to stay OUT OF ARKANSAS. The Arkansas Times reported:

A 69-year-old Prairie Grove man was sentenced to six months in jail for indecent exposure in May after strolling nude onto his shrub-surrounded patio and being espied there by a sharp-eyed neighbor lady, who, according to testimony, had to do some major craning to spot something that offended her.

I find it amazing that the woman wasn't cited for voyeurism, since the article definitely implies that the man had a reasonable expectation of privacy.

But then, what can you expect from a state where its illegal to be nude in front of any other person except your spouse or a doctor? Actually, if I wrote this article in Arkansas, I would be guilty of a crime (they don't believe in free speech there, I guess) and could be put in jail for 6 months just for promoting nudism.

Talk about a backwater. Which reminds me of a joke about red-necks: Why can't they solve real crimes in Arkansas? There aren't any dental records and all the DNA matches.

Article on Nude Soaking in Idaho Springs Colorado

2009-01-11T13:55:00.000-08:00

Examiner.com has an article about Indian Hot Springs in Idaho Springs, Colorado. Indian Hot Springs is just off I-70 about mid-way between a lot of ski resorts and metro Denver. Soaking in the caves is in the nude, but separated by gender (women's section and men's section). If you want to soak nude with someone of the opposite sex, you have to get a private indoor or outdoor tub.

A Nudist on TV 56 years ago

2009-01-06T03:04:00.000-08:00

A pretty good episode of "What's My Line?" from 1953. For younger folks, this was a popular game show during the era of black and white television.

Skinny Dipping in 1934

2009-01-04T14:08:00.000-08:00

Most of us never think of our parents or grandparents being as liberated as we are. We tend to think that nudism is a "new thing". But here is a video clip of Maureen O'Sullivan swimming naked with Johnny Weissmuller in Tarzan and His Mate. This movie was released in 1934.

Now, its possible that the woman is a double for Ms. O'Sullivan; I can't be sure. But it sure would be hard to make this movie and have Ms. O'Sullivan suddenly have a swim suit in the middle of the jungle when she was previously wearing her nightgown.

A Very Hapy Nude Year

2009-01-04T06:11:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of shots of a magnificent sunrise at Mountain Air Ranch on January 1, 2009. Click on a picture to see it in full resolution (9 megapixels, about a 4MByte JPEG).

Tonight's Nude Year's Eve Party at Mountain Air Ranch

2008-12-31T07:55:00.000-08:00

The sponsors of tonight's New Year's Eve Dinner and Party want you to know there are still some openings:

Hey,

According to the office, a few reservations are still available for the MAR NYE Dinner/Dance.

Prime Rib Dinner.

Great Dance Band.

Midnight Champagne Toast and Dessert Buffet.

And, tons of Door Prizes!

Dance Certificate
Lodging Certificate.
Wine Basket.
Nightgown & Robe Set.
Avon Gift Set.
Ultimate Margarita Kit.
Lost Bikini Grill Certificate.
The Fort Certificate.
Tipsy's Certificate.

And more..

If you don't yet have a reservation call the office ASAP to make sure you get to partake of the festivities.

See ya there!

December 30, 2008 and 68 degrees at Mountain Air Ranch

2008-12-31T07:46:00.000-08:00

Two days before the start of 2009 and the weather at Mountain Air Ranch was a pleasant 68 degrees and calm. Just two hours earlier, the winds had been howling at 50 miles per hour out of the west, so the downslope conditions caused a lot of warming. Around noon, the winds died down and, as you can see from the picture, the temperatures were very nice. Good hiking and plenty of sunshine to lay out in.

If you click on the picture, you will get a full size version where it is easy to see that the temperature was 68 degrees F and the relative humidity was only 14 percent.

Four Videos on Nudism

2008-12-27T05:12:00.000-08:00

Skinbook has four professionally done videos on nudism. These are done in Brazil, so they are subtitled in English. You have to have the Adobe Flash player installed to see the videos.

This is a 4-part video, and I have tried to arranged the parts in order, from top to bottom.

Not Colorado, but we need a WARM reminder

2008-12-27T04:52:00.000-08:00

A couple has posted a nice video slideshow of their vacation at the Hangin' Loose Naturist Club on the Big Island of Hawaii. They also visit a nearby black-sand beach that is traditional nudist (there are no official nude beaches in Hawaii, but several are used nude without government interference).

You can view the video here. Its an MP4 file, so you will need Apple Quicktime support or other MP4 player.

In the interest of balanced reporting...

2008-12-20T04:37:00.000-08:00

A month ago, I posted that the temperature poolside at Mountain Air Ranch was a comfortable 74 degrees F. In those past 30 days, the temperature in Denver, Colorado set a record low (minus 19 degrees F) with the temperature that day at MAR much higher at +6 degrees F (a full 26 degrees warmer than nearby Denver, although I hesitate to use the word warmer). Just last weekend, the temps went from 54 degrees on Saturday to 9 degrees for a high on Sunday. Seems reasonable that the pool was closed up the first weekend in December.

Until we get the warm moments starting in February and March (yes, it happens), I guess its time to stick to the hot tub and sauna at MAR, or to go to the clothing optional hot springs around Colorado (Dakota and Orvis for example).

Also, I should mention that rooms for overnight guests at Orvis Hot Springs have been much more popular. The rooms have been renovated over the past three years and are much nicer than before. When we tried to get a room a month ago, we were told that they were sold out for the next 6 weekends. So, if you want a room as well as nude soaking time, you should call early.

There is also the New Years Eve Dinner and Dance in just two weeks at Mountain Air Ranch. There are only about 50 people signed up so far, with over 100 expected (procrastination is a common human trait, I guess). Just $40 per person. Lodging is completely booked (with a waitlist) at MAR, but if you want to party too hard, just bring a sleeping bag and roll it out on the clubhouse floor after the band packs up.

Another Mainstream Nudist

2008-12-13T05:22:00.000-08:00

You would be surprise who around you is a happy nudist.

In an interview with the Daily Express, Dame Helen Mirren, who won an Oscar as Best Actress for her role in "The Queen", said she is an enthusiastic fan of nudist beaches.

She says "I've been on nudist beaches and think theyre great, really great. They desexualise nudity completely"

Encouraging comments from the new generation

2008-12-10T07:58:00.000-08:00

A college student, Jessie Brown, at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, says in an article for the college newspaper: "who is honestly mortally offended by the sight of a random bare ass?" The article addressed the response to campus streaking by a new Director of Campus Security, Francis Manfredo, who apparently felt that security would be improved by confiscating the clothing of any streaker and making them stand around naked after their run. I can't say that I see any "security" issues that are addressed by this priggish response to a harmless activity.

MSNBC on where to get nude with locals

2008-12-06T03:57:00.000-08:00

Today, MSNBC came out with a writeup on some unique places in the world to get naked with the locals.

These aren't your usual nudist destination resorts, just places around the world where you can enjoy the local attractions without worries about what to wear.

There is also a well done slideshow here.

I would really like to try the Blue Lagoon Spa in Iceland for sans-clothing natural hot springs.

Chicago Tribune Explains Nude Recreation

2008-12-04T14:35:00.001-08:00

The Chicago-Tribune newspaper has a good on-line article on the success of nudist tourist destinations, even in a recession. The article can be found here.
If you look for some nude recreation, you can see how popular it can be. A nude cruise of more than 2000 passengers to Hawaii over a year from now (March 2010) is almost sold out. Tom and Mary Clare Mulhall's Terra Cotta Inn is consistently the first or second most fully booked resort in Palm Springs (it sometimes is second to a local casino).
The article also has a good discussion about the difference of nudism from life-stylers (swingers). I never before thought that a librarian would put a nudist subject under Sex.

A Nudist Ski Vacation

2008-11-20T09:57:00.000-08:00

Over the years, I have run into people who combine world-class skiing with a nudist vacation in Colorado. One couple I know regularly skis at Loveland Ski Area, then in the afternoon they drive by Mountain Air Ranch Family Nudist Resort to soak nude in the hot tub, then lounge by the fireplace in the Clubhouse.

The drive from Loveland Ski Area to Mountain Air Ranch is only one hour and 15 minutes, as shown in the map below. During the winter (when there is not a dance at the Ranch), you can reserve all four bedrooms (and two full baths, full kitchen, and living room with fireplace) for just $100 a night. Or just get one room for $70 a night. Then you can be nude when you want too and bundle up for some of the best skiing in the world. With two couples travelling in January 2009 into Denver International Airport, you can ski and relax nude for less than $160 per person per day (that would include a rental SUV with ski rack at DIA, rental skis, lodging at MAR, full price lift tickets, ski area parking). All you would need is airfare.

View Larger Map

Another option is to stay at the Orvis Hot Springs (clothing optional) and drive to Telluride Ski Resort about 45 minutes away. Orvis has several soaking pools that are 94 degrees or warmer year round and no bathing suit required. Telluride is a little pricey, but some great skiing.

"303Magazine" Article on Colorado Nudism

2008-11-20T09:44:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year, 303 Magazine published an article on nudism which you can read here (PDF viewer such as Acrobat Reader required).

One for the record books

2008-11-19T07:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, at Mountain Air Ranch, the temperature poolside was a pleasant 74 degrees F. Many people (I counted 22) enjoyed the sunshine. Turns out that this is the warmest November 18th on record. Too bad the sun dropped below the nearby hill just after 4pm.

The pool is still open (for at least another week) and heated to 84 degrees. The hot tub is open year round at a very warm 104 degrees.

There is a Thanksgiving dinner and dance this Saturday, Nov 22, at MAR. Dinner is $8 a person and includes turkey, all the accessories and home-made pumpkin pie and is served at 6pm.

The Thanksgiving dance, $14 per person, features the live band Hot Posse and starts playing at 8pm. Clothing is optional, fun mandatory!

The weather on Saturday is supposed to be pleasant, sunny with temperatures in the 50s or 60s.

Videos at Valley View Hot Springs

2008-11-19T05:45:00.001-08:00

Vally View Hot Springs is a very large, beautiful hot springs resort (many, many acres) with camping, lodging and RV spots. Its clothing optional everywhere. Here are some very good videos, including one during a snowstorm.

Nude Years Eve Accomodations

2008-11-18T17:04:00.000-08:00

Contrary to a posting on the Rocky Mountain Naturists newsgroup, overnight accomodations at the Mountain Air Ranch Family Nudist Resort for New Years Eve are fully booked. There is currently a waitlist for rooms in the Lodge or for the Ponderosa cabin. The Scrub Oak cabin is still available, but it is a little chilly in the winter and is only a small cabin with a queen size bed in it (its a long cold walk to a bathroom).
The Ponderosa Cabin has a full kitchen, fireplace, bath and queen bed and there was a posting that mistakenly said that someone could get it from someone who didn't need it.

If you are thinking of going to the New Years Eve dance at Mountain Air Ranch but don't want to drive home, remember that several people usually just put sleeping bags in their car during the dance, then sack out on the dance floor after the festivities end around 2am. The Clubhouse where they hold the dance is plenty warm (maybe too warm?).

The dance is truly one of the great deals in the Denver area. Only $40 each which includes a nice dinner, followed by the dance, with a champagne toast (one bottle per table of four people). Usually around 100 to 120 people attend.

In the past we have driven home after the dance (with one of us a designated driver), have slept in the back of our very large SUV, or have borrowed a friend's trailer that is parked on site. This year we were fortunate enough to get a room with a king-size bed in the Lodge for that evening.

Why is there no poll on how nudists voted?

2008-11-11T04:31:00.000-08:00

After the massive number of polls taken about the US Presidential campaign, I can't find any evidence that a poll was taken to see how nudists were going to vote? I did hear polls on how people under 30 voted, how hispanics voted, how every county in the United States voted and how much that vote changed from 4 and 8 years ago. Seems also laughable that I can't find out how the nudists voted.

There were the stories about how the nudists in Florida wanted their own polling places, and I am surprised that no media or polling service picked up on that to find out how the residents of Caliente were going to vote. It seems like a really good excuse to get an editor to allow another reported to go to a nudist resort and report on what goes on there. In hindsight, the whole things seems like a publicity stunt, since no serious action was ever taken to get a polling place.

Of course, there are always the suggestions that, while visiting a nudist resort, one should never talk about religion or politics, so maybe its best to leave this one alone.

Running naked with a pumpkin on your head makes you a dangerous sex offender?

2008-11-04T17:56:00.000-08:00

The Daily Camera news in Boulder, Colorado is reporting that the 12 people cited for "indecent exposure" during the Nude Pumpkin Run will have to register as sex offenders is convicted. WOW!!!! Talk about over-reactions. The twelve people are also a pretty well educated bunch as this article shows.

Practice family nudism and your kids are less likely to be autistic?

2008-11-03T21:04:00.000-08:00

New research indicates that a lack of vitamin D may be a suspect in the development of autism. As the magazine Scientific American reports: Children in rainy states may watch more TV, which has been linked to problems with language development and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Because they spend less time in the sun, those kids may be deficient in vitamin D, which is needed for the brain-building steroid calcitriol, the scientists suggest."

As other experts will tell you, taking vitamin D supplements is an ineffective way to supplement your diet, and that exposure of your skin to sunlight is the most effective method to get vitamin D. Lack of vitamin D is also a suspect in contributing to cancer.

Naked pumpkin runners ticketed in Colorado

2008-11-03T04:58:00.000-08:00

Instead of attending the Naked Pumpkin Run in Boulder this weekend, we decided to spend the weekend soaking nude at Orvis Hot Springs. So we missed the event in Boulder, which evidently did not go very well for some. Here is some video from the 2002 event:

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2008/11/02/7281661-ap.html

November 2, 2008
Naked pumpkin runners ticketed in Colorado
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BOULDER, Colo. - Police in Colorado have ticketed about a dozen people running naked on the street while sporting freshly gutted pumpkins on their heads as part of an annual Halloween event.

The citations for indecent exposure Friday night came as dozens of other costumed revellers, including a man with a red cape and a sword, chanted to police officers to let go of the streakers and "find real criminals."

The event known in Boulder, Colo. as the Naked Pumpkin Run has been held for 10 years.

This year it drew a huge crowd, prompting concern from police.

Boulder police Chief Mark Beckner says officers "wanted to do something before (the event) got out of hand."

Nude Outside on a Nice WARM Day and Only 2 Days Until Halloween

2008-10-29T16:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture taken today next to the swimming pool at Mountain Air Ranch Family Nudist resort. The temperature is 76 degrees, humidity 20%, at 4:16pm on October 29, 2008. There are no clouds and, after a while, its actually a little too warm in the sunshine.
Click on the picture to see it full size, and you might make out the chaise lounges, a corner of the swimming pool, and the pool ladder reflected in the clock face.

"Its just the way God made us..."

2008-10-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

From a National Geographic Series called "Taboo"

Happy Nude Year!!!

2008-10-28T13:20:00.001-07:00

When it gets cold in Colorado (and it isn't yet), there are still some nice nudist activities to attend. One of my favorites is the New Year's Eve Dance at Mountain Air Ranch Family Nudist Resort. The cost per member is only $40($80 per couple), which includes dinner, live band for dancing, party favors, champagne for midnight toast. Also the hot tub and sauna are just outside the clubhouse and available (and used all night). Non-members should call the Ranch at (303)697-4083 to see about availability and cost (I think its between $20 and $40 more for a couple).

There is lodging at Mountain Air Ranch, but all of the nice rooms are already reserved for New Years Eve and paid for. The Scrub Oak may or may not be available. But there is space to park RVs with electric hookups (no water hookups in the winter). There is camping for truly hearty souls (we tried it one year and its was indeed very cold). Some folks bring sleeping bags in their cars and just toss them out on the dance floor after the band leaves at 2am.

Compare this to the $218 cost for a couple at the Hyatt Hotel downtown and you can see that its quite a bargain and arguably a whole lot more fun.

Most attendees go completely nude (the fireplace in the Clubhouse is started early) and the room will be plenty toasty once the dancing starts. Some ladies will wear some minimal attractive outfits, but they usually don't stay on very long. Some gentlemen have come in tuxedo coats (just coats).

Another really nice non-Colorado New Years Eve party is at Terra Cotta Inn in Palm Springs. This is a very small affair of around 20 couples. As Tom Mulhall (the owner) reports: Our New Year's Eve party is a blast. It is held obviously on Wenesday, December 31st. It is our most popular party of the year where we turn away lots of guests who wait too long before booking. The party itself is just $250/couple. We have a 5 course sit down dinner with steak and lobster. And we go all out for our guests as for instance the lobster is Canadian New Brunswick lobster which is even tastier and sweetier than Maine lobster. We have a fun DJ, dancing Midnight dessert buffet and more. Give us a call at 800-786-6938 to make reservations.

Trip Report for Valley View Hot Springs

2008-10-13T05:45:00.001-07:00

Bill from New Mexico posted this trip review on USENET:

Dear All,

Valley View Hot Springs/Orient Land Trust is in a class of its own. We spent four days at that unique place in the last two weeks. 99% of the people were nude in the water. For reasons not known to us, 99% of the people on the trails and in their campsites (but not us) were clothes minded, even though it was plenty warm enough for clothes freedom. The natural pools were 95 - 97 degrees while the hydro heated kiddie pool, which is very shallow, was about 102. The hydro heated sauna was as high as 160, a great temperature. A really great feature of the sauna is that it has a small cool pool right in the room, so there's no need to leave the room to cool down.

Valley View makes 100% of their own electric power by collecting the outflow of most of the springs, then sending it down a pipe to a 70(?) KW hydro plant on the valley floor. About a dozen 20 amp electric outlets are available for free use here and there in the campsites near the pool.

Cell service in the area has vastly improved; we had a full signal all the time on our phones and internet access with a Verizon data card was broadband; we didn't even need to turn on the 50 db amplifier we have to use in remote areas, such as here at Wind Horse in New Mexico where we live off the grid.

We were a bit late in the season for a good bat fly out. In mid summer, as many as 250,000 bats fly out of the old Orient Mine at sunset, the largest bat colony in the state of Colorado.

Naturally Nude,
Bill

Nude Hiking in Colorado

2008-10-09T12:58:00.000-07:00

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to hike nude in Colorado, I have posted a slideshow video of the some of the hiking trails at Mountain Air Ranch.

This slideshow of pictures taken while hiking nude through MAR shows the trails starting just uphill from the office, heading east up a ravine, across a hillside, then south through another ravine, then east across the meadow on the south end of the property, then up to BareFoote Rock, then to Panorama Point, then down to the Clubhouse, around the pool and ending at the tennis/volleyball courts.

This hike covers about 25% of the clothing optional hiking land at Mountain Air Ranch. The trails on the north and west side of the property are not shown.

Why Colorado?

2008-09-19T10:12:00.000-07:00

A lot of people move to the north of Tampa, Florida just for the nudist options available there, but a lot of people move to Colorado for the natural beauty and want to continue to be a nudist here. Here is a panorama view of Ridgway, Colorado where the Orvis Hot Springs is located (its just to the left of center in this picture). There are very few places I know of where you can soak nude in a hot spring and see a vista like this around you. Click on the picture to see if in higher resolution or see it on Panoramio in full resolution.

Some other interesting items about Ridgway: They filmed the John Wayne movie True Grit here and it was also the setting for the movie Fort Smith.

"I'm not a nudist" on a nude beach

2008-09-12T10:17:00.000-07:00

OK, this isn't filmed in Colorado, but I found it interesting. This is a pretty good video of folks at Haulover Nude Beach in North Miami, Florida enjoying one of the best nude beaches in the USA. It gets really interesting when the interviewer asks "Are you a nudist?"

Naked News: Lily Kwan Visits a Miami Nude Beach | Girls | SPIKE.com

Lush Goes Naked to Save the Environment

2008-09-12T10:11:00.000-07:00

There are quite a few videos on the web that show how Lush is emphasizing no packaging to reduce the amount of waste generated in consumer sales

In the USA

An in New Zealand

Online map of clothing optional places in the Western USA

2008-09-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

There is an interactive map online that purports to show clothing optional places throughout the Western United States. The map can be found here.

It lists some interesting places, but is noticeably incomplete in Colorado. It lists only Indian Springs Resort (which is only clothing optional inside and segregated by gender) and Rainbow Hot Springs, near Pagosa Springs.

September is a great time of year for nude recreation in the Front Range

2008-09-05T06:02:00.000-07:00

After Labor Day, attendance at Mountain Air Ranch usually drops off considerably, as a lot of people think autumn has returned. However, the weather along the Front Range is very inviting for nude recreation. The forecast for this weekend is sunny and mid-70s and the forecast for next weekend is sunny and low 80s. While there were over 100 people at Mountain Air Ranch last weekend and the tent meadow had 10 tents pitched and RV parking was full, the next four weekends will much quieter.

Hiking, paddle tennis, bocce, volleyball and shuffleboard at Mountain Air Ranch will be very pleasant (it was a little warm when the temps were in the 90s for over 20 days). There are over 10 miles of hiking trails (ask for a map in the office) and one trail leads by an old mica mine just west of the office. The swimming pool will remain heated to 80 degrees and open through November. The hot tub is heated to 104 degrees and is open year round.

Dakota Hot Springs just outside of Canon City, CO is clothing optional and will have slightly warmer temperatures, with temps both weekends in the 80s. The Well in Penrose, CO, which is also a nudist location, will be slightly warmer and sunny the next two weekends.

Outside the Front Range, Valley View Hot Springs will be in the high 60s during both weekends and close to freezing at nights, but the springs are still in the 90s. Orvis Hot Springs will be in the mid to upper 70s both weekends.

Artful Nudes

2008-09-04T18:28:00.001-07:00

The Denver Art Museum just opened a new exhibit a couple of weeks ago is a diverse look at the human figure. The exhibit features several very good nude art works, including the popular John DeAndrea's hyper-realistic, always-popular nude sculpture, "Linda" (1983) and a 1960 onyx sculpture of a female nude by Luis Antonio Sanguino, a Spanish artist.

The Denver Post has a writeup on the exhibit. Or you can visit the Denver Art Museum web page.

Get Nude and Save the Planet

2008-08-28T07:59:00.000-07:00

The UK magazine Marie Claire has an article about a group who claim living a naturalist lifestyle could be the best way to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. The reduced carbon footprint from not cooling as much, from not manufacturing as much clothing and lighter luggage when travelling seems to be a good thing. The group Econudes.org is interviewed about this.

Some folks will point out that heating homes in Northern climates would offset that, but if you read the research, its actually greener if you move to a Southern climate anyway. In Colorado, if you go nude and get away from using an air conditioner in your home or even reduce its use, your carbon footprint is a whole lot less, even if you keep it a couple of degrees warmer in the winter. An evaporative cooler (swamp cooler) actually saves over 3/4 of the energy of A/C and adds moisture to your house air, which is a pleasant side effect in Colorado.

Some really nice YouTube videos that cast nudism in a good light

2008-08-18T20:56:00.000-07:00

Here are some good videos on YouTube that cast nudism in a sane light....

Another really good video that shows a nudist party is at http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1819013

More mainstream media coverage on understanding nudism

2008-08-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

National Geographic is carrying a story on its website on Nudism in the United States. Called The Skinny on Nudism in the U.S., the article discusses common misconceptions about nudism and some legal difficulties in various states. It also explains nudist resorts and nudist housing subdivisions.

Some of the more disturbing items reported in the article are things like Montana jailing a first time skinny dipper for 6 months as a "sex offender" (100 years for a third offense). Hard to believe a state like Montana, with a reputation for independence and self-sufficiency, would adopt such a Puritan view on life, particularly with traditional treatments of nudism by folks like Mark Twain and Norman Rockwell showing tolerance. Of course, Montana is also the state that harbored the UnaBomber....

Record Setting Heatwave - another reason to go NUDE

2008-08-01T07:59:00.000-07:00

As Denver gets ready to set another record for most number of consecutive 90F+ degree days, the local news organizations have reported on ways to cope with the heat. I really like the one that said "take your shoes off" since the soles of your feet radiate a lot of heat. But why not just take off everything?

The temperatures at several Colorado nudist locations, including Mountain Air Ranch and Valley View Springs, are many degrees lower than in Denver. For example, on a drive last weekend from Denver to Mountain Air Ranch, the temperature went from 91 degrees on C-470 down to 79 degrees at the MAR Family Nudist Resort office in just 20 minutes. And 79 degrees is a very pleasant temperature for a nude hike in the foothills of the Front Range.

Keeping in mind that the temperature drops, on average, 5.5 degrees for every 1000 feet you go up in the mountains, anywhere in the mountains of Colorado will be cooler than Denver. Frisco, about 1 hour west of Denver, will be up to 20 degrees cooler than Denver today. An if you hike up above Loveland Pass, you can probably find somewhere to ski au-naturel.

Unless you really like it hot, you might want to avoid Dakota Hot Springs for the next four days, since the temperatures in the air are probably hotter than the hot springs themselves.

Even in Colorado, another story about Vitamin D deficiency

2008-07-24T07:06:00.000-07:00

A lot of non-nudists think that nudists run a higher risk of skin cancer, however the research doesn't support that view. Low levels of vitamin D in the body have been linked to higher risks from many cancers (including melanoma and breast cancer), and doctors and researchers will tell you that it is almost impossible to get enough vitamin D from just food sources. However, sunlight on the skin is a very easy way to get plenty of vitamin D.

Now, the Rocky Mountain News is carrying an article that shows that seniors in Colorado, one of the sunniest states in the nation, are suffering from low vitamin D levels. As the News says "Many of Colorado's seniors aren't getting enough vitamin D, a nutritional gem that can prevent osteoporosis and may also guard against cancer, strokes, heart attacks and multiple sclerosis, a new study shows." You can read the whole article here.

National Public Radio on Gunnison Nude Beach in New Jersey

2008-07-21T20:28:00.000-07:00

This is not about Colorado, but I found it interesting.
The National Public Radio (NPR) has a article and radio show on-line that talks about the thriving Gunnison Beach in Sandy Hook, New Jersey.

WestWord's Coverage of the 2008 Denver World Naked Bike Ride

2008-07-17T12:08:00.000-07:00

WestWord has put out its story on the 2008 Denver World Naked Bike Ride. You can read it here. They even put a slide show of pictures online here.

NBC Today Show Scoop Coverage of Nakations

2008-07-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

You can watch a segment of the Today show that covers the AANR Nakation marketing campaign and see a very reasonable mass market treatment of nude vacations. The video is a Flash presentation, so you have to go through the first 4 minutes 50 seconds before you get to the segment on Nakations. The segment is called "Bare Essentials for Nude Travellers" and can be seen here.

Another video from the Denver World Naked Bike Ride

2008-07-14T17:49:00.000-07:00

Denver's World Naked Bike Ride

2008-07-14T06:42:00.000-07:00

On Saturday night, at 9pm, Denver held its annual World Naked Bike Ride starting at Benedict Fountain Park (20th & Penn) . About twice as many people as last year attended and the event appears to have been a pretty good success. There was an organizational meeting nearby starting at 6am. Channel 9 News carried an article on their web site about it, though the text of the article was mostly just what an organizer submitted to them.

Kudos to the Denver Police Department for their extremely professional approach and their concern for the safety of all the public.

The picture is from WestWord's coverage of last year's Denver WNBR.

Last year, 20 people were cited for indecent exposure, but those charges were dismissed shortly thereafter. This year there weren't any citations and there was a rumor that the prosecuting city attorney from last year even attended (although the level of participation is unknown).

Although the WNBR event uses nudity to make a point, it really isn't about exposing one's self, it uses nudity to bring attention to serious social problems with our dependence on foreign oil. As Owen said " Remember, WNBR is about, among other things, celebrating the power and individuality of our bodies and underscoring the totally natural, organic, human-powered nature of bike-transportation in a completely NON-SEXUAL context."

The organization of the Denver WNBR was mostly done through a Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WNBRdenver.

Other information was at:

http://www.worldnakedbikeride.org/

www.myspace.com/worldnakedbikeride_denver

http://wiki.worldnakedbikeride.org/

contact:

WNBRdenver@gmail.com

WNBR - Boulder's Rational Response

2008-06-18T03:28:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, the World Nake Bike Ride was held in Boulder, Colorado. It went off without any problems and no complaints. Its goal was to "draw attention to oil dependency and the negative social and environmental impacts of a car dominated culture." What was really encouraging was the response from Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner. When asked by Channel 2 News in Denver why his officers didn't "crack down", he replied that his department has "better things to do than enforce a law in which no harm was being done".

The Boulder Daily Camera had a pretty even handed story on the event and the Rocky Mountain News carried a copy of the Daily Camera story.

Channel 2's coverage of the event was less than even-handed. Ignoring the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights pertaining to public assembly and freedom of expression, Channel 2 tried to take one repressive person's complaint and make it into a story. A couple of days ago, the Channel 2 web page carried a more rational coverage of the story.

Sounds like Boulder is a lot nicer place to live now days.

Nude Activities for the 2008 Democratic National Convention

2008-06-01T07:28:00.000-07:00

As you have most assuredly learned, the Democratic National Convention is coming up in August 2008, specifically August 25-28. Approximately 17,000 delegates, alternates, officials and news people will be traveling to Colorado to attend. For those attending who wish to see more than just the inside of the Pepsi Center, here are some ideas:

Close to the Convention - Mountain Air Ranch Family Nudist Resort is approximately a 40 minute drive southwest of downtown Denver. Located in the foothills in the western suburbs of Denver, Mountain Air Ranch has 160 acres of wooded property with hiking, swimming, hot tub, tennis (paddles and balls available), volleyball, bocce and camping. Here is the directions to Mountain Air Ranch from the Pepsi Center in downtown Denver
View Larger MapFor AANR members, if you go to Mountain Air Ranch during a weeekday, a daily pass is only $10 per person for the whole day. On weekends, AANR members can visit for only $32 a couple or $21 per person. Visitors have use of all Ranch facilities, including hot tub, pool, sauna, hiking trails, sports courts, barbeque grills, showers, picnic tables, and club house (pool, fireplace, ping pong, lending library, video library). There is also WiFi internet access available on the property for a $5 per day fee ($50 per year).

For your weekends before and after the convention, there are several sights around Colorado where you can enjoy the Rocky Mountains without clothes. About 1 and 1/2 hours south of Denver is the Dakota Hot Springs off US Highway 50. This man-made hot spring (they discovered hot water while drilling in the river valley) has a great view of the mountains and a very large hot spring pool for soaking.

About 3 hours drive out US 285 from Denver is Valley View Hot Springs, which has several hot springs scattered over several acres in the San Luis Valley. There is some rustic housing available, RV parking and tent camping. Its also a very ecologically friendly place, with all electricity generated by their own hydro-electric plant run by the water from the springs.

At 5 hours away, Orvis Hot Springs probably has the most beautiful views of mountains from a nudist venue in the entire world. Set at the base of the Million Dollar Highway thru Ouray and continuing on to Durango, you can soak in the hot springs while watching snow showers on peaks just 10 to 20 miles away. Orvis has 6 rooms for rent, plus a tent/RV area. I recommend the rooms, but tent camping among RVs is not my choice.

Colorado Nudism in the past

2008-05-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

Evidently, the Denver Public Library has a photograph album from 1949 that contains pictures of nudism at Mountain Air Ranch. One of those pictures is shown here. I gotta go down there and see if I can look at it. The detail on the album is Photo Album 291, 9. Western History and Genealogy, Denver Public Library, Denver, Colorado.

Oops...No Skinny Dip Beer in Michigan

2008-05-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

Turns out that the Fort Collins, Colorado based New Belgium Brewery doesn't have a distributor in Michigan at the Turtle Lake Resort in Union City, so they can't get any Skinny Dip beer to the AANR Annual Convention. But a local brewer, Stevens Point Brewery, has a Nude Beach Summer Wheat Beer that they can provide.

Now if they would just start putting some of that beer in cans, so I can drink it around the swimming pool! No glass on the pool deck.

Colorado Brewery is a sponsor of the American Association for Nude Recreation annual convention

2008-05-07T04:59:00.000-07:00

The New Belgium Brewing Company, based in Fort Collins, Colorado has its Skinny Dip Beer as a sponsor for the AANR Annual Convention in Michigan. Skinny Dip Beer is a seasonal low-alcohol, low-calorie beer that New Belgium brews (me, I like their Fat Tire amber ale).

San Jose Mecury picks up NYTimes Nudist Article

2008-05-05T03:53:00.001-07:00

The San Jose, CA Mecury News, a newspaper of particular interest to the engineering and Internet business people, picked up the New York Times article on nude resorts and vacations at http://www.mercurynews.com/lifeandstyleheadlines/ci_9149727

Nudist Theme Crossword Puzzle in USAToday

2008-05-02T07:47:00.001-07:00

The current USAToday has "The Naked Truth" as its theme today, with one long solution being an old nudist joke: "Have you read Marx?", "Only if I sit on the wicker chairs".

New York Times Sunday Travel Section Cover on Naturism

2008-04-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

The paper isn't out yet, but tomorrow's New York Times is supposed to feature a full color cover story on nude recreation and vacations. You can find the online version at this link. The attached picture is from Hidden Beach, near Cancun, Mexico, a very luxurious nude resort. The photo is taken from the swim up bar (careful, if you hit the ball into the bar, everyone on your side has to take a tequila shot!)

From the AANR:
For weeks we have been anticipating the arrival of a NY Times article which has been months in the making. We’re very pleased to have seen advanced copies of the story and can now say that it will appear as full-color story beginning on the front page of the Travel section, and continuing to a two page, full-color spread within. Please be sure to stop by any newsstand selling The Times on Sunday and purchase a copy.

Pool opening at Mountain Air Ranch

2008-04-23T07:00:00.001-07:00

Bob and Bill are in the process of opening the swimming pool at Mountain Air Ranch. A broken pipe had to be replaced first. It will take about 3 days for the pool to reach its normal 84 degrees F. Due to the large snowfall this year, the water storage tanks are nearly full with over 70,000 gallons available.

The weather since last weekend at the Ranch has been very comfortable. The bocce court is now in use and both tennis courts were being used. Today is supposed to be 76 degrees, a good day for sunning and hiking.

Also, all campsites at the Ranch now have good wireless Internet (WiFi) coverage, so if you need to stay in touch with family or work while at the Ranch, you can. Even Skype and MagicJack work there.

This weekend and Nakations

2008-04-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

So, after several inches of SNOW this week, the temperature at Mountain Air Ranch this weekend is supposed to be in the mid 70s. Mica Mine Gulch Road will probably be pretty bad after all the runoff. Now to see if the wildflowers are coming up on the trails.

Also, this week AANR started offering their Nakation In A Box. From AANR:
What's a Nakation? Visit AANR.com's newest Web page to find everything you need for a clothing-optional vacation pre-assembled and available at a low introductory price. Those who purchase a Nakation in a Box will receive a large plush embroidered towel in your choice of three colors, an issue of the brand new North American Guide to Nude Recreation including a full-color foldout map, fun items such as window clings, temporary tattoos that proudly state "I'm in a Nakation State of Mind" and individual-sized sunscreen packets with the AANR logo. And there's more. You'll receive 12 issues of The Bulletin, AANR's monthly newspaper, and coupons for savings at participating AANR clubs. You'll also have a chance to win the ultimate Nakation with a cabin for two aboard Bare Necessities Tour & Travel's Homecoming Cruise to Hawaii, March 19-April 3, 2010.

Political Nudism in Colorado

2008-04-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

So, Denver has the dubious honor of hosting the Democratic National Convention in August.

One group has announced their plans to hold a "nude-in" in a park downtown. They are planning to spell out the word PEACE across the park with nude bodies. I guess they are hoping to do something similar to the "no war" protest pictured here.

We've discovered our friends are nudists

2008-04-07T04:39:00.000-07:00

There is a very good article in the 'Globe and Mail" in Canada about nudism and your friends. This article describes how a couple suspected that friends of theirs had become nudists and they had not been told. Its interesting to read a story like this from the point of view of the non-nudist. We personally haven't told all our friends we are nudists (but we have told many). We are concerned that some people we associate with would be so offended, that we would no longer enjoy their company. But its hard to know who.

Some folks associate nudism with many other things, such as swinging. That's like associating Christianity with bombing, it just isn't so. But those misplaced associations can be troubling.

Rocky Mountain Naturists Swim and Pot Luck

2008-03-31T18:00:00.000-07:00

For those who don't know, there are at least three organized clubs in the Denver Metro area, including the Rocky Mountain Naturists, Mountain Air Ranch, and Front Range Naturists.

The Rocky Mountain Naturists have a meeting at least once a month. Their next Swim and Pot Luck meeting is Saturday, April 5th, from 5pm to 10pm. They reserve a whole health club pool and members bring dinner to share. The location is convenient, located near I-25 and several bus routes in south Denver.

They have a lot of information on their web site at http://www.rockymountainnaturists.com

Mountain Air Ranch Hot Tub Down for Maintenance

2008-03-27T05:21:00.000-07:00

If you are thinking of going to MAR to enjoy the hot tub this week, think again. The hot tub was pulled out for maintenance and will be out of service until at least this weekend. Bob, Bill, George, and Glen pulled it out of the ground on Monday to repair a leak and other needed work. All of the jets are being replaced as well as a lot of the plumbing. Bob hopes to have it back online this weekend. So, a couple of 70 degree days were lost in the hot tub this week.

The sauna (with showers) and clubhouse are still available. Wildflowers are not up on the trails yet, but should be soon. I should have pictures in about two weeks.

Reverse Streaking

2008-03-19T07:22:00.000-07:00

A funny video on reverse streaking (running with clothes on).

In Search of All Things Nudist - A Nudist Typeface Font

2008-03-19T07:15:00.000-07:00

So a gentleman named Craig Oldham has come up with
a typeface that has a nudist theme. Actually, its
a typeface with either fig leaves, pixelation, or
censor bars, so I'm not sure that its really nudist
overall.

Anyway, you can find more at http://www.craigoldham.co.uk/experimental/nudist-typeface/

As a nudist, I prefer this font:

Things to do Nude, ThingsNOT to do Nude

2008-03-08T03:59:00.000-08:00

As all nudists know, there are a lot more things you can do nude, than things you shouldn't do nude. Here's a list. I haven't tried many of the NOT list while nude, but I did try frying bacon nude, NOT A GOOD IDEA. But, as you can see in the background, jet skiing NUDE is a good idea.

Things To Do Nude...	*Things NOT* To Do Nude...**
Aerobics Aviation Babysitting Badminton Baking (cakes, bread, etc.) Barefoot Waterskiing Basketball Bathe Belly Dancing Bicycling Billiards Bird watching Boat Maintenance Body Pianting Boogie Boarding Bowling Buff the floor Build Webpages Bunge jumping CPR Camping Canoeing Cards Checkers Chess Cleaning the fish pond Cliff jumping Computer Work Cooking (with care) Cuddle Cycle tours by night DJ'ing Dancing Darts Dating Decorate for Chistmas Decorate the House Diving Drawing Driving Earth-Centered Spiritual Gathering Eating Encounter Group Therapy Enjoy a fireplace/campfire Exercise Fill the birdfeeder Fishing Flying Flying model airplanes Flying sailplanes Food Fights Frisbie Gardening Get the Mail Giving birth Go to church Golf Guitar playing Gymnastics Hackysack Hair cutting Ham Radio Hang Velvet Elvis paintings Hang gliding Hanging Clothes Hanging Out (doing nothing) Helicopter Rides Hide and Seek Hiking Home Repairs Homework Honeymoon Hoola Hoops Horseback riding Horseback riding (bareback) Hot Air Ballooning Hot Springing Hot Tubbing House-work Hugging Hypnosis Jet Skiing Job interview Jogging Juggling Karate Kayak Kite Flying Laundry Lawn Mowing Lifeguarding Listen to music Macarena Massage Meditate Metal detecting Mini-Golf Miniten Modelling Models Mountain biking Mud Football Night swimming NordicTrac Skiing Officework Online Banking Painting Parachuting Parasailing Party with friends Paying the Bills Photography Picnic Ping Pong Play musical instruments Playing in the rain Playing with pets Pogo Sticks Powerboating Pray Reading Relaxing Repair the well house Rock climbing Rollerblading Run Home Business Run through the sprinkler Running SCUBA diving Sailing Sauna School Scrabble Scuba Diving Sculpting Shopping Singing Skateboarding Skydive Sleep Smashball Snorkeling Snow Angels (after the sauna) Snow Ski (spring) Stargazing Strolling through the park Study Sunbathe Surf the Net Surfing Swim Swing in a hammock Swinging on a tarzan rope into water Taekwondo (Martial Arts) Tai Chi Take out garbage Talk on the phone Taxes Teaching Telephone Sales Tennis Tightrope walking Toss Devil Sticks Training the dog Trampoline Tree planting Twister Vaccuming Video Games Volleyball Vote Walking Walking the dog Wash Clothes Wash Dishes Wash the Car Watch TV Watch the Superbowl Waterpolo Waterslide Wedding Weightlifting Wind Surfing Window Washing Wood chopping Write Sermons Writing letters Yardwork Yoga	Aircraft Maintenance Arrive at work late Attend PTA meetings BBQ sizzling meat Baseball Beekeeping Blacksmithing Boxing Break dance Bull riding Carry an angry cat Chain Sawing Chemistry Chop firewood Chopping and logging X-mas trees Clean the BBQ grill using hot water Clean up radioactive waste Climb a Hawthorne Tree Climb a Picket Fence Coal mining Drive during rush hour Drivethrough Fast Food Feeding geese Fencing File for Divorce Fill a propane tank (very cold) Firefighting Fly fishing on a windy day Fry bacon Frying Food Glass Cutting Glassblowing Grind Fiberglass Ice Fishing Ice Hockey Install Insulation Iron Ore Smelting Learn to ride a bike Learn to rollerblade Make a snow angel Metal Fabrication Motorcycle Racing Paint the pool with oil based paint Paintball Participating in Combat Pick up frightened kitten Pickup the kids at daycare Play leap frog Play with fireworks Remove a hornet`s nest Roof Repair Roofing with hot tar Run for office Sandblasting Shovel snow Sit on an ant hill Sit on hot vinyl car seats Slide down a hot slide Slide down an unfinished banister Slide into homeplate! Snowball Fights Snowmobiling Steam Fitting String barbwire Sumo wrestling Take the SAT's Tear out Poison Ivy Train an attack dog Trim the hedges Visit City Hall Weed Whacking Welding, cutting, or burning Work around a grill Working

Nudism on Prime Time TV

2008-03-05T04:11:00.000-08:00

If you watched "New Amsterdam" last night on its series premiere, the main character was swimming at the YMCA when his partner (police) arrived to talk to him. She remarked that the "Y" was closed, he said yes, and she remarked "and you're naked....", which he replied "Yes.". Good moment; the matter-of-factness of it was very well done. Nice to see prime time TV not getting stuck on tittilation, and just accepting nudity as a part of life.
For nearly 80 years, swimsuits at YMCA's were forbidden, but those rules changed back in the early 1970s. Too bad. Does anyone really enjoy wearing a wet bathing suit?

Internet Radio Show on Nudism

2008-03-03T04:40:00.001-08:00

Treating Menopause/Becoming a Nudist

Friday, March 7
12 - 1 p.m. (PST)/3 - 4 p.m. (EST)
A Live & Online Broadcast

For Beyond 50's talks on "Natural Healing," we'll have Dr.Kathryn Retzler and Rebecca Glaser talk about the effective, bio-identical hormonal treatment of Menopause. Afterwards, we'll be joined with John Kinman and Pat Small of the American Association of Nude Recreation to talk about the nudist lifestyle that they love and encourage you to join a local chapter.*

To Hear the Live Broadcast, Click on This: Talk Shoe

*Subject to change. To join in the conversation during the live broadcast, call (724) 444-7444. When asked for the Talk Shoe ID, dial 59781#, and for the last code, press 1#. If you happen to miss any of the interviews, it is available through our archives.

Nudists are good for the economy

2008-03-02T06:20:00.000-08:00

Pasco county in Florida reported record hotel tax revenue in January 2008. Pasco is home to several nudist resorts, including Caliente and Paradise Lakes, as well as some nudist residential communities.
In Colorado, nudists pay lodging and sales taxes in six different counties, as well as property taxes on the resorts, hot springs, and hotels.

Yesterday (Saturday), temperatures in eastern Colorado were in the seventies, and nudist resorts saw a lot of business. Mountain Air Ranch had over 40 visitors, even with the swimming pool closed for the season. The staff at MAR even pulled out the snow shovels to move the rapidly melting snow off of part of the pool deck to make room for more lounges. The hiking trails at MAR were used by some, although there were some rapidly melting snow drifts still remaining in isolated spots. Glen has already been at work on trail maintenance.