Naked Camping in Vermont

Naked camping in Vermont

~Oh My!~ 

(But You Thought Vermont was "Pure")

I have written many times in the past about some of the most cherished camping trips. They range from early childhood all the way to recent. Almost all of my most cherished involve freedom, acceptance, and complete bonding with nature. Some feel camping is all about connecting with nature. Some think it means packing all of your house, and going to spend time with your possessions someplace else. 

When I mention “freedom”, what comes to your mind? For some it is something connected to the country we live-in. Yes Some flat-out believe their “Freedom” is somehow a United States of America thing. They are welcome to believe this. For me, America is not the symbol of freedom. To Me, Freedom is what we each do to bring balance to our own spirit, mind, and soul. For me, Freedom means peace, unity, and connected spiritually with our world, our universe, and most important one's own self.

Yes, Freedom to me is Not about laws, rights, and what America says it stands-for. For me, most of America is actually not free. If we were truly free, simple nakedness would not be a rarity, but rather an every-day, normal, accepted, and not hated thing. In most places in The U.S., there are not laws prohibiting nakedness, but people seem to think there are. Yep, Americans somehow have come to view the human body as two things: First they see it as sexual. Second: they see it as shameful, illegal, and that it should be hidden. I cannot understand how either of these have come to be “The Normal”.

If America was truly the land of the free, we would be allowed to be naked (which is fully LEGAL) and not be treated like we were the ones breaking the law. Most police officers will admit they would arrest someone for nakedness, yet they would not have a lawful reason for this action. When discussing this with police, they are convinced naked is illegal. When you show them the laws, and show them it is not illegal, they still say they would “Find another reason to arrest you”. Now you tell me, is this Truly the “Land of the Free?

So, You ask: Why am I bringing this up right now? Well, I happened to come across an old writing from long ago (9 Years ago!) that I never published about camping Naked in Vermont. In My search for what life truly is all about, I have found many things that bring life, joy, and freedom. Also interesting is how The path to attempting suicide actually became the path to Life! I am in the process of puting together my views and reasons why attempting suicide many years ago actually was THE BEST thing I could have done in life. Until you have actually gone down the path of attempting suicide, you can never truly have an opinion about it, nor can you understand it. One of my greatest treasures is that I can share these feelings, thoughts, and struggles with others. Even if I help one person along the way, My struggles are worth it. But even bigger is I Have Learned to Help Myself. 

Sometimes, The Greatest gems are not the thoughts we have on a subject from nine years ago, but rather the thoughts we wrote about that subject nine years ago, and are just now re-discovering. Nine years ago, August 2005, I Discovered Life....

I Discovered a campground that I knew I would love to Die at. Sounds morbid, right? But instead of death, I found life. 

In Vermont, one campground had pit-toilets, yet had a large unisex shower-building, with no roof. This shower-building was one large open square concrete room with shower heads all around the walls. There were no partitions, and not even a full set of walls. The concrete floor was moss-covered and had assorted leaves, twigs, and pine needles all over it. It was almost like the natural forest floor. The entrance was a large, wide opening simply facing the forest, with no partitions to block it. Just one wide-open square gang-shower for all to share at the same time. There were no benches, or even an area that was supposed to remain dry. With no roof, and not even full-walls, I expected cold water. I was surprised to find it had plenty of hot water! It was unusual in how it was built.

It was a campground, yet there was not even a place to pay for a night of camping. The showers were free, too. The camp was very primitive, and seemed like maybe it was long ago designed as camp where only boys or only girls (Or men, or women) camped without the opposite sex. Only camped... Like a retreat, or something like that. It was not far from a major (well two-lanes was major in Vermont!) Highway, and got a lot of traffic from day-travelers, yet few camped. The place was not even marked with signs on the highway, but the mossy, forested little road was inviting. There was a "Camp-symbol" on the map, but nothing indicating this place existed on the road.

It seemed it was currently used more as a day-rest-area along a small-country road, although it was still listed as a campground. As soon as you pulled off the highway, you felt like you had escaped, and were totally in nature. The paths and small roads were mossy, covered in fallen leaves, branches, and seemed very peaceful. You could see where previously large buildings existed, also seeming to have a past that invited groups for special retreats. As you drove up from the highway, there still existed a sign about the "rules" of this campground, but that was the only proof it really was a campground. 

From the moment you entered, you knew this was a place of freedom. I did not hesitate one minute. I Knew I would camp here. I also knew I would find a way to die here. ... Or so I thought. At the time I actually was angry that I was finding life, but now I am glad.

I parked just a few yards up the road. It felt so free, I immediately stripped all my closthes except my hat and boots. I knew this place was safe, free, and comfortable. I walked up the road, discovering the camp extended many acres in many directions up the hillside, and again down into a hidden valley. As I entered the valley, I discovered a couple of families were camped here also. The shower "building" was near the highway, yet far enough that it was not seen from the road. The "main parking" area was also right near the shower, so it invited the day-travelers, and rest-stop seekers, yet did not discourage the feeling to be totally free. As I walked around I saw one family coming out of the showers, completely naked, except for shoes, and walk back to their camp, over the hill and into the valley. They showered and walked about completely naked, not caring if anyone else came along. The couple of families I encountered did not blink or give a second-look at me while I explored naked. They said their normal friendly greetings, but nothing more. I was glad to find friendly people that were not overly friendly, nor nosey about what I sought in life (or death). 

Oddly enough, while seeking death, it is amazing how much of a facade I placed all around me. Some who do not understand suicide think it is shocking, or beat themselves up for "not seeing the signs", when in reality, there ARE NO SIGNS, and the one seeking death will NEVER let another know. That is the irony in suicidal thoughts. To anyone not completely tuned-in to the suicidal person's soul, NOBODY can see they are extremely sad. 

One of the beautiful things about a place like this is that nobody would care if I was naked. Nobody here would care if i wanted to die. It definitely had true freedom. Often families would pull-in to rest a bit, have a picnic, play, and have a relaxing afternoon. The kids always delighted at the idea of being allowed to shower "in a forest", and would beg their parents to be allowed to do exactly that. They delighted in the idea that they could view a naked human and it not be considered shameful, scary, or forbidden. Here, people easily shed their "societal imprisonments". They loved the idea that it was a safe place where they could be allowed to play naked.  The parents were funny in how they would react to their kids’ desire to shower naked in the forest, but a shower should be no different than any other form of water outdoors. The pure and simple joy of enjoying water without bulky fabrics making it uncomfortable, and awkward should never be a surprise, but for some reason many adults forget to enjoy the simple and pure pleasures life gives us freely. Once they would give-in, it was hardly just a shower naked. The kids were given their freedom, and often the parents would forget to make them be so hidden, allowing them to actually play. It also is amazing how it takes nature, and children to remind adults how to relax.

It was funny how for the showering, nobody was concerned about being naked, but when the kids would want to run free all over the forest, at first, the parents seemed surprised. The joy that a kid (or any human) has when they are allowed to run naked, play and experience nature in the forest is unmatched by any other experience. The feeling of being allowed to get dirty, completely, without any clothes, or worry of “making mom upset about dirty clothes” was a freedom any kid would cherish. The joy, wonder, and feeling of actually being allowed to truly connect with our Earth, without blocking it with unneccessary fabrics, or other barriers is unmatched in discovering "Pure". Of course what started as a desire to take a shower in the forest became a full-day of showering, then getting completely filthy and then showering again. 

The parents would watch in bewildered amusement, thinking how silly the children were. It usually did not take long for a child to ask the parent why they were still wearing clothes, and sitting on a log watching, instead of enjoying the day. Most adults just laugh those inquiries off, not quite grasping how much the child knows and can teach (or remind) the adult who has forgotten what is truly important in life. Occasionally one or both of the parents would strip, and join the freedom. Oddly, it is usually the mother who would join, seldom the father. 

Now, I ask you, What in Your Mind is "Pure"? Sure we all thought Vermont was "Pure". But some think "Naked" and "Vermont-Pure" could not belong in the same sentence. I guess ya gotta ask yourself why you would view simply pure nature as somehow not-so-pure. Have you ever allowed yourself to learn to live? I have ... But it took dying to learn to live. I Hope you find life before you die.