I was born in 1947, have two grown-up children. The path to naturism was a long one for me, because a rather conservative environment during my childhood influenced me so that I followed my parents, at first: I considered it very odd, that my sister (18, ten years older) was nude at home, when warm enough.
However, my attitude changed quickly – a few years later, I started to do the same myself. One day in 1980, because of my routine of working in the nude on my computer (a Tandy TRS 80, PCs did not exist yet), a neighbour leaned so far over the balcony balustrade for a look into my study, that she almost fell down 30 feet!
She could have had it easier: Whenever possible, I also used to stay in the nude on my south-west balcony – be it for sunbathing, reading, eating, or gardening (my flower box had a cross-section of 1.5 x 1.5 ft2 and was suitable for growing unusual vegetables, that you usually cannot buy in shops or supermarkets: like sorrel – ideal for fish dishes!
One of the most beautiful nude bathing experiences happened during my studenthood. We were celebrating the birthday of a fellow student on a very hot summer day. In the small student flat, it was especially hot and humid. Suddenly, someone got the idea to drive to a nearby bathing lake to cool down. So, ten men and ten women agreed on that idea, the birthday boy distributed his entire towel supply to his guests. Then, we went by car to the bathing lake. Of course, nobody had bathing clothes with them – who would take bathing clothes to a birthday party? Therefore, we all took off our clothes and jumped into the cool water in our birthday suit … We didn't mind the many spectators around us, who were probably all textile wearers, amazed by the bunch of youngsters in the buff. After bathing, the birthday party continued quite romantically on the shore of the lake. It was a wonderful, long evening. This is how naturism works!
Since years, I go almost exclusively to places for a swim, where you can recreate without wearing a swimsuit. Swimwear is unpleasant and absurd: It is like a constricting corset – extremely contrary to any idea of “feeling good“. Swimwear does not have any use at all: It’s just annoying and you will stay wet all over after your swim anyway.
Shortly after the turn of the millennium, I started jogging in the buff in the woods around my home, encouraged by Peter Niehenke. This nude jogging went without any problems for a few years, until my knee joints and spinal column signalled me, that I should be a little bit more considerate of my increasing age. After a trial hike with Luftikus in Taunus Mountains, I switched completely to hiking. Since then, my knees and spinal column are satisfied again.
However, I realised, that driving 120 miles round-trip only for the purpose of one single hike does not make sense. I instantly began, to make hiking and biking in the buff more popular in nearby areas through own initiatives: in Sauerland Mountains, in Münsterland, in Teutoburger Wald Forest, and adjacent areas. I am still working on it!
At my first hike in Sauerland Mountains, there were already 20 participants. Some naktivities later, even 55 participants registered and we had to use three parking lots and organise a star hike to the meeting point in the forest for three subgroups, before the whole group could continue the hike together. Sauerland Mountains are of course very popular as a nude hiking area, because of the nearby Ruhrgebiet area.
Would you like to join us for a hike or another type of naktivity?