A Grand Escape

A Grand Escape

I recently had the opportunity to escape to The Grand Canyon.

I live in Las Vegas. The Grand Canyon is about a four-hour drive from here. That would not seem like it is so far that one would not regularly just drive there… Except I have chosen to live a lifestyle that does not include a vehicle. (That life-style-choice is a completely separate story, and an entire blog in itself… which I may write one day.) So, Someplace that is a four-hour drive is not such a quick get-away on foot.

I work at The Airport, McCarran international Airport in Las Vegas, to be exact (LAS). This airport is huge, and has so many airlines coming and going from all over the world. I actually work for Servisair, but am contracted to work for WestJet Airline. Servisair handles WestJet among many other airlines. One of those other airlines is Vision Airlines. Vision is a seasonal operation, so when it resumed service in June of this year, I was curious what it was. I had not yet seen one of these planes, just heard the chatter on our work radios. I asked one of my managers about it one day, and she informed me it flew daily charters to The Grand Canyon, as a day-trip. I naturally assumed that any plane flying to The Grand Canyon must be a little plane (as I call them “Puddle-jumpers”).  When I mentioned this, my boss said “Oh, no! They run a 737!” This caught my attention. After a little more curiosity, I was informed that as an employee we got special deals. She told me the price, and I was amazed. (The perk and price are amazing! I will not post publicly what these are, but if any wish to privately inquire, I might disclose it.) This was a Wed Evening as I was leaving work. She told me which manager to inquire about booking a trip with.  I knew this was a great opportunity, and wanted to jump on it!

Friday Morning I was onboard the Vision Air to The Grand Canyon.

To say I was flying blind was literal. Usually, any trip I take anywhere, I do my homework, know what is totally involved, and am not just going without knowing. I decided to make this a true adventure,  and just show up, pay my minimal fee, board the plane and be surprised.

I did do a quick Google-search of “Grand Canyon Airport/ Vision Air” just to know the three-letter code for where I would be landing. (GCN) Beyond that, I did not look up any details about Vision, or the tour. I wanted to be surprised. And I was! Pleasantly, too!

Most of my friends expect to be surprised by my daily adventures, and the things I discover, see, and post about. Often, I will tell a little bit of my plans in advance, and even post as it is happening. This time, other than a few close friends I saw on my way out of work Thursday evening, I told no one, and made it a guessing-game online as to where I would end-up on my Friday Adventure. I decided to utilize Snapchat, Facebook, Foursquare, Instagram, and Tumblr. I started posting clues Thursday evening (requesting  those few who knew swear to keep quiet… a major feat in itself!) I continued with the clues beginning Bright and early Friday Morning.  Here are a few of the clues:

I posted that I would find freedom,
But likely would not see this.

I Posted that where I was going,
there most defintely would be a breeze,
but likely would not see an Ocean.

I First posted that my Adventure would include an Airplane. I posted a photo of the current weather at 4:31 am, (Blacking out the location) and it was 34 degrees at that time (farenheit), but would get up near 90 degrees.

Here are a couple of the other clues.









I knew I boarded the plane, still having no idea what to expect, at 9:15 am. I arrived bright and early, so I could use the time to get coffee, breakfast, and explore parts of the airport I had not yet previously seen. Turns out, I arrived just as the agents were opening the check-in counter. I was first to check-in! I also was thrilled to find out it was open-seating, so we each could choose the seat we desired. Yay! Window with a view, please!

Here is the plane we will be flying on. Not at all tiny! Turns out it is a 737-300, which seats about 120. Our flight this day would only have 43. (Which is another reason they offer the perk to employees, so they can help fill-the empty seats.) Most of the people on the flight are tour-groups, and this is part of their Vegas Tour package they previously purchased. 

The flight from LAS to GCN is a short 30-minute flight. We flew at 17,000 feet, for two reasons: First, the length of the trip does not allow a much-higher cruising altitude. And Second: Since this is a sight-seeing tour, we get great views during the flight. Upon Boarding, The Flight attendants told me which side I might see Hoover Dam from. I took their advice. I have been to Hoover Dam many times in my life, but never before seen it from the air. I was excited to get this chance! Sure Enough, not long after we left Vegas, I could see Boulder City, and Lake Mead in the distance.

As we flew closer, I totally could see Hoover Dam and the Bypass Bridge! It was not easy to zoom-in, and also get a clear shot while cruising past at nearly 200pmh and from 17,000 feet, but I managed to get some good ones!

It was not long after we passed the far-reaches of the many fingers of Lake Mead that we could see the West and Southern end of The Grand Canyon. … But this view we glimpsed as we came low to land was nothing compared to what awaited our tour. In moments we were approaching The Grand Canyon National Park Airport.
I was quite excited to see all the trees just feet below us! (Since moving to Vegas, I have missed terribly the green of trees all over the landscape.) The approach and landing were quite fast, since unlike a city-airport, there is not miles of concrete jungle before the airport. It is a tiny airport, with The Tiny Main Terminal resembling a mountain lodge, A-frame-style that is a fitting match to the wilderness. After a short taxi, we pulled alongside the terminal. Awaiting our arrival was The Grand Canyon Airport Fire Department. Turns out they are the Ramp Crew, too! They stood ramp-side, with their fingers in their ears as earplugs, until our plane’s jets were shut off.

If you look, those Three Men Are the Fire Dept...
And two of the three have their fingers in their ears.
This is The Main Terminal at GCN

I found this quite comical, but also befitting for the small-operation of this airport. As soon as the jets were silenced, they drove the stair-truck planeside for us to deplane. Ahh… The Wonderful smell and feel of the fresh air! The Fire Department was also playing the role of official “Welcome and Greet” committee.








They hurried us inside The Terminal, But I of course stopped to get a couple of pictures!



Once inside the Main Building, we each were told to grab a wonderful sack-lunch (Included in the tour package), a bottle of water, then scurried quickly onto our awaiting tour bus.

As soon as we were onboard the bus, we were off on the next portion of the tour. The driver introduced himself, and gave a bit of his background, and also introduced his co-tour-guide. The driver lives at The Grand Canyon, and has driven tour busses there for 39 years. He has an incredible charm, and gentle spirit.  The Lady he introduced as his co-tour-guide is the Japanese guide, since most of the people on these tours are from Japan. They have worked together on this tour for ten years, he giving his stories in English (plus assorted other phrases he’s learned in other languages just for humor), She giving her stories in Japanese, and occasionally a bit of English. As far as tour guides goes, this pair is fantastic!  

The bus is a very nice tour bus, with each seat a bit more elevated than the one in front, so each person has views forward and out the side windows. As we drive toward The Grand Canyon official Entrance, we are informed of the history, the culture, the wildlife, and our expected itinerary.

Just outside of The Airport, we pass through the little town of Tusayan. This li’l town seems to have everything  you might expect. General Store, Two Steak Houses with Saloons, Hotels, Motels, Trading Post, a movie-theater, … Even had a McDonald’s and a Wendy’s! (The tour driver says this is the Second-most-expensive McDonald’s in The U.S.!)

Not far beyond the town of Tusayan, is the main entrance to The Park.
Shortly after entering The Park, we arrive at our first destination. This is Mather Point, and Grand Canyon Visitor Center. We are told we have exactly one hour before the bus departs. We Are told of the many options for how to enjoy our time, but would have to choose which we preferred as there was not time enough to enjoy all that was available here. Of course, The Canyon and Views were a Major feature! Other features included nature centers, Information areas, Book and Gift stores, Cafes (which according to the Driver has Excellent Fresh Berry Smoothies), and many other attractions.

My Phone had already died, and knowing I needed to keep track of time, I dug my watch out of my pack. (It was in my pack, because I had recently broken the band, and had not repaired it, but still had it with me. I stuffed it in my pocket, and headed out to explore.

Many of the tour-group decided to venture toward the village, and informative centers, restrooms, etc first. I decided to head to The Views first. I had been to The Grand Canyon long long ago, but this was my first visit in ages, and I wanted to take in as much as possible on this quick trip. I was a bit surprised how crowded the rim trails were, but quickly understood how they were so crowded. Long ago when I visited, the trails were narrow, rough, and considered a hike to even view The Canyon. Recent improvements had made the area complete accessible to all. The trails were now like roads. Wide, concrete, evenly graded, so anyone in any shape, any age, or using any sort of mobility aid was able to access the same places. I absolutely love that this is accessible to anyone. Suddenly this Wilderness area was a confusion of wheeled devices. A Lot of Them, too! (Where did all these come from?) There were thousands of things on wheels everywhere along the “trails”. It was quite surprising to see so many electric scooters, wheelchairs, strollers, bicycles, wagons, and Segways along the Rim of The Grand Canyon. I would later discover there were shops nearby that rented everything on wheels you could imagine for the tourists to use on these paths. I did find it amusing, but chose to not let that slow me down from enjoying what I came for.

After a bit of jockeying around parked wheeled devices, I found my way to the Rim.


Ahhh! Soo Magnificent! So Much to enjoy, ponder, and take-in.
Just like all the thousands of others who were there to do the same thing. I definitely felt like I was just part of “What everyone else is doing”, instead of getting the chance to be part of the place, feel its energy, understand its balance in the world. I decided to venture a bit further down the rim trail, away from where the hordes were. Knowing I still had limited time for exploring.


I did find some views that were not so crowded, and where I felt I could feel the energy of the land, not just of the people. I got some fun pictures, watched some of the life far far below, enjoyed the feel of the natural spirit. I sat on a rock where I could feel its energy, and wondered how much that rock could tell that it has seen over the centuries.

After a short time, I decided I should head toward the bus, and if time allowed, venture to some of the informative centers nearer the bus. I managed to have about 15-minutes left. I toured some of the information places, the bookstore, and decided to hit the Restroom before getting back on the bus. I tucked my watch back into my pocket, and joined the long line for the Men’s Room. I noticed everyone was waiting for the urinals, but nobody was using to toilets. I went around the line, and to the toilets.


As I buttoned-up, the toilet auto-flushed, and right then my watch decided to leap out of my pocket … ~Splash~! Right into the flushing toilet! I thought: No big deal, it’s water proof, and toilet is already flushing. I could just grab it out, wash it off in the sink, and be all good. Nope! In that split-second, the toilet totally swallowed my watch! Most toilets would not flush even a simple object, and most have trouble with toilet paper… But this one, flushed my watch completely, without hesitation. That made me laugh, so I took a picture of the toilet… and laughed again.
(Probably The Only time I would take a picture, and post it on a blog about The grand Canyon!... especially of an ugly, dirty toilet!)



I went back to the bus, just on time! I usually have an excellent sense of time, so figured I would not need my watch, and would be ok. But then I thought about how distracted I get while lost in nature, and knew the next stop would be easier to lose track of time… I wondered how I would figure this out. On the short drive to the next stop, I remembered my Camera also has a clock on it. That'll do!

We drove to the next stop, which was Bright Angel Lodge.

Here we were also given many options, but mostly on the Rim-side of the Lodge for exploring. Here were magnificent views, historical lodges, huts, and other historical buildings. Also there were many gift shops, bars, ice cream parlour, and cafes. There was an art gallery on the edge of a cliff, plus a grand lodge just up the hill to another view point. This was also the place where The Mules were that gave the Mule Tours down into The Canyon. Not mentioned by The Driver, but noticed by me was the Grand Canyon Railroad was located here. I decided to take in as much of all the areas as I could manage in the allowed hour. I Noticed most people head to the shops, and cafes first, waiting in lines to get what they wanted. I found a door out the back that quickly led me beyond the buildings (which are gorgeous, and have quite an authentic history you can feel as you pass through) directly to The Rim.

Once on The Rim At Bright Angel, It was Amazing!
This area was definitely not catering to all those with wheeled devices. It was still open, and graded, but also had steep hills, and open drop-offs everywhere. Definitely more in-touch with the natural side of The Canyon. Of course I felt the natural energy here, plus the history. But I actually was more enthralled with the giant Squirrels everywhere! And The Condors, too!

Hard to Capture these Condors In Flight!
I got many just gliding above, but I LOVE This One
with the Canyon in the background!

After a bit on The Rim, I decided to go explore The Railroad and The Mules. I was soo happy to be allowed on The Train Tracks, and touch the Locomotive, too! (In Vegas, if you even step on the gravel near the tracks, they will arrest you and charge you with criminal trespass, so I have been wanting some Real Train-track time!) This was not just any old railroad, It was The Grand Canyon Railroad!


















Not only did I play here, so did many others, too! (Including My Ducks!)

After the RailRoad, I went to check out The Mules. 


I wanted to get pictures with them (Of course!) and show people I was showing My Ass in The Grand Canyon … Seems The Mules wanted to show more than their Ass …


I had to laugh that as soon as I showed up, they got … Well, very Frisky! … Yup, I took pictures. How many people can say they saw THIS at The Grand Canyon?

After The Mules, I crossed the tracks again, and hiked up to The Lodges one more time. I felt the time was close that I should be back at the bus. Turned out I still had ten more minutes! I explored some more of The Rim, and enjoyed as much of this sight as I could, before leaving.

Once on the bus, we were driven through the Workers’ cabins.


(Thousands of seasonal workers come every year, and they only pay $60 a month for rent in these cabins.)









Then after a short drive, we were back at The Airport to board our flight back to Vegas.  I was one of the first through the TSA screening, so had a few extra minutes out by The Plane to enjoy.

I asked the Fire Department if I could take pictures with My Duck, and their Engine. They’d never had anyone ask that before, but after a brief discussion, they decided it would be ok.  (None of the firemen wanted to be in the picture.)


Then I took a few more pictures outside The Vision Aircraft, and boarded the plane.














 Once everyone was thru security, we were ready to head home. The flight crew informed us that it would be very turbulent on the return trip, and we would be flying at 22,000 feet to avoid some of that, making our views less spectacular.

I already had noticed how my internal compass was a bit-off during this adventure, and also knew I was approaching the level of unstable in the seizure area. But I figured I would be fine for another half-hour of flight. I usually do excellent at knowing exactly where I am, and also which direction is which. I think due to the nature of not looking up all the travel details, plus the fact that it was such a short flight, kinda messed-up my internal map/ compass. Even the takeoff from GCN was quite turbulent, and I wondered how this would fare for the rest of the flight. Usually if I am approaching seizure state of mind, I just need to stop what is affecting me. Well, that is normally simple… Unless I happen to be in an airplane at 22,000 feet.

Sound, movement, and light are what can set-off a seizure in me. Most of the seizure is neurological. So usually I just need to focus on something that will distract my brain from allowing the activity to continue. I took my earmuffs out of my pack to eliminate the sound, and that helped a little. I could close the window shade, but it turned out the view out the window was not affecting me. It was the uncontrollable movement in the turbulent flight. I knew I had to make it back to Vegas without a seizure, or I would cause a panic on the plane, and also cause emergency response to greet us upon landing. It was mental chore I do not wish to repeat. I made it. Even during the all-too-close onset of a seizure, I still found as much as possible to enjoy and see on the flight.


Seeing Vegas from the air is an entirely new experience, and I wanted to take in as much as possible.


I even was thrilled that I saw the tail of a WestJet on the ground, just before we arrived at out gate.

You might ask why I would include the part about the seizure in my writing. Well, good, or bad, it is part of the adventure. Every adventure will have some good, and some bad. I have learned to embrace what the adventure holds, not just gloss over and pretend it is only all-good.  I find that even the bumps in the road (or flight in this case) are part of the journey. If I only focused on the great stuff, I would easily allow myself to forget that there is more to a journey than just the great. By including the bumpy parts, I am reminded that we must always find positive in the bumpy parts.  I also do not totally remove those bumps, because I never want someone else to venture into some trip thinking it will be totally good. I want anyone who goes on an adventure to understand that they should expect a few bumps, to find to joy that awaits. If I ever mislead anyone into thinking there would be no bumps, and they get discouraged  at the first bump, I have not helped prepare them.

This trip was Absolutely Amazing, Spectacular, and Wonderful! Would I do it again? Without a doubt, Yes!
(But I may have to wait a few months for my scrambled brain to re-settle, and gain solid footing again before I do). Another thing this showed me was how easily I could still succumb to seizures if I am not careful. It has been many years, and I had forgotten how fragile I am at times. Sometimes even super-heroes need to be reminded.

I have told many how ABSOLUTELY AMAZING This Adventure and Escape is. That is The total Truth. The title of this blog is “A Grand Escape”. It is very fitting. I managed to have One Of The Best Escapes I’ve Ever had on a day off. It was more than I could have expected, and will be easily One Of My Favorite Adventures!

I Hope You find A Grand Escape in your near future.

A Footnote: I included a few photos of this adventure in this blog. If you would like to see the entire set, I have them in My Flickr page. They are all here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonsview/sets/72157645149194722/

The Great Pumpkin

The Great Pumpkin
It is That time of year... The time when the quest for the absolute best pumpkin becomes The Most Important thing on your list of things to do.
It is funny how most of the year, we hardly even think about pumpkins, but once Fall rolls around, they begin to have at least a trickling effect of appearing in our lives. Once October is in full-swing, they are slightly more noticeable everywhere we go. Once the third week of October comes around, we suddenly realize how dire the need is to suddenly go and find that all-mighty, all-perfect pumpkin for Halloween. Only one week remaining until Halloween, and we have not yet gotten that perfect pumpkin!

We see beautiful pumpkins all around us. Every neighbor, every business, and every other thing we look at has a great pumpkin on display. Some are carved, some are painted, some are just plain. But they all have their great pumpkin on display for the world to see, yet we notice we still do not even have one. Oh, the horror! You notice you are The Only One without a pumpkin, and it is less than a week before Halloween! How could this have happened?  You suddenly feel the need to go and remedy this problem. But in the dire need to not make it look as if you just rushed out at the last second to get yours, Now the Quest for The Ultimate Great Pumpkin is more important than ever!

You've got to suddenly come up with one that when the rest of the world sees it, they will Know you did not forget, but rather waited until the right moment to allow it to be seen. They will know without a doubt that you chose to wait, so it would not make theirs look so puny for the weeks prior. They will know you had compassion, and wanted them to at least be able to think theirs was The Greatest for a brief period of time. Because the moment yours appears, Theirs will forever be no longer noticed. es, That is how you need to play it. Play it as though you really wanted them to have the spotlight for at least a week or two prior to revealing your Greatest-of-all-pumpkins ever displayed.

But... That still leaves you needing to suddenly figure out how to actually suddenly come up with such a magnificent Pumpkin. Because, if after all that waiting, they see you only put a less-than wonderful pumpkin on display, they will know you actually forgot, and had to rush to buy whatever was left at the pumpkin patch... or worse, At the corner market! ~Gasp! The Horror! Could you imagine even showing your face after such a pathetic attempt?

So, you have a few options:
You can go to the local Pumpkin Patch and hunt all over the fields to find the perfect one that all the other thousands of people tromping those same fields have somehow missed.(If you live in a region that happens to actually grow pumpkins!)

Here is a good reason why waiting so long to go to a Pumpkin patch is not a good idea. See those crowds? Yipes! Sadly with so many people crowding the local pumpkin patch, The Best Pumpkin you might find is the one you can poke your face through to have your picture taken with "The Perfect Pumpkin"... Sigh~ So Much for The local, and crowded Pumpkin Patch, huh? (yes, that is Me in such a pumpkin...)

You can choose to go to a less-populated, less-crowded Pumpkin Patch (which happens to be an hour's drive away...)
Then once you get there, Run freely all over miles and miles of open fields of Pumpkins. Wow, you think, This Is The Greatest! I Could easily go hunting forever here, and find The Greatest Pumpkin! Oh, The Excitement!
(This is a picture of Aly... One of "My Kids" I had the pleasure of having in my life for many wonderful years.)

While searching and hunting, you might stumble upon a seemingly great pumpkin... Only to discover it has already been carved! Oh, The nerve, huh? The crew at this pumpkin farm actually carved the greatest pumpkin... and left it here as a teaser! It really was funny, since we found it from the back-side, then came around to the front to see the face carved in it. So, I placed my hat on it, and lay on the ground behind it for a funny picture!



Sigh~ It seems we waited too long to find ourselves The Greatest Pumpkin at a pumpkin patch....
So, that leaves us with a few other choices...in our desperate search to find the Ultimate Great Pumpkin this close to Halloween:

You can go to where someone has trucked-in a bunch of Pumpkins, a few hay-bales, and made a make-believe pumpkin patch. (Odds are the best ones have already been grabbed-up by the employees for their own homes.)
Or you can choose to go to the corner market, and hope to find something slightly worth the effort of even leaving home in the first place. (Odds are If you buy a pumpkin from a store, it will look just about the same as every other pumpkin sold in that entire community, since they are all trucked-in from the same source.)

Having not planned ahead enough to plant a garden and actually grow your very own Great Pumpkin, and not finding anything satisfactory in any of the other available places, this leaves you with only one option:

What IS That Option, You Ask? Simple!
You MUST BUILD Your Very Own Great Pumpkin! (What?? What Do you Mean Build A Great Pumpkin??)

That Is Exactly What I Did! I Built One! Yup! Over 300-pounds, almost three-feet high, Orange!
My creative mind came up with The perfect way to build The Great Pumpkin! Build it with wood, and instead of nails, use glue, so you can still carve it.

I made a few trips to local housing construction sites, and gathered all the scarp wood they pile for people to take away for free. In no time, I had the materials I needed. (I just needed to go to the hardware store and buy the glue, some paint, and I was all set!)

I started with a solid wooden block. Then I layered pieces of 2x6 in a semi-circular pattern to create a semi-round shape, hollow in the center. Then I would glue the next layer in a pattern making sure none of the seams overlapped to give it strength. I continued this process until I had a complete (but very rough) pumpkin-shape.

In the photo to the left, you can see the rough-shape of The great Pumpkin in the process of being built. (on the floor... lower right of picture.) Hehe, Again a picture of Aly is used to show what I need. She happened to be a very important part of my life at the time. The thing she is sitting on happens to be a cat-condo/ scratching-post she and I built together at the same time I was building The Great Pumpkin. She was wearing her Great Pumpkin/ Snoopy Pants, too... Perfectly appropriate! (She chose to sit on the cat post, to illustrate how strong it was, and that even her tough-cat would not be able to destroy it!)



After building the complete, and very roughly-shaped wooden pumpkin, that is when The Real fun began! The fun of carving it! Now, normally, when someone carves a pumpkin, it is Already shaped as a pumpkin. Plus it happens to usually be soft enough to carve with a simple knife. Carving a wooden pumpkin is just a bit more involved...

To begin, I had to first shape the outside of the wooden pumpkin to look like it was in fact pumpkin-shaped. This was fun! I used my skill-saw, sawzall, and assorted other saws to roughly get it the shape I wanted. Then I used assorted sanders, grinders, etc to make it just the right texture.

After it was shaped mostly how I wanted it, I began the process of actually carving it like you would a regular pumpkin. But since I would be literally carving in 6-inch-thick wooden walls, I needed to get more than just a simple knife to carve with. Bring out The really Big Sawzall Blades! Oh yeah!

Then, some orange paint, and Viola! The Great Pumpkin!

We all have different ideas and can find joy in so many varieties of pumpkins. Some like really BIG Pumpkins. Some like really small Pumpkins. Some like carved, some like to paint, draw or use other decorations. Whatever your idea of The Greatest Pumpkin is, I Hope You find it, create it, and enjoy it this Halloween! I leave you with one more pumpkin...

This Little fella Is My Absolute Favorite This Year! Meet Jack... :)

To me, This little Ducky-Pumpkin IS THE GREATEST PUMPKIN. Why?:
Because a wonderful friend just gave this one to me... Just in time to celebrate this season of pumpkins. And It happens to go very nicely with all the rubber ducks I collect. (or, rather it would be more appropriate to state that the Ducks Collect Me, Not I collect them!)
(Thank you, Frankie for Giving Me this One!... The Great Pumpkin!)


Happy Fall, Happy Harvest, Happy Halloween! What ever is your reason to have a Great Pumpkin... Enjoy it! ~=:-)

My Perfect (Nekkid?) Birthday, Part II

My Perfect (naked?) Birthday, Part Two:

My Birthday was an incredible, positive, and wonderful day! There were so many events that all combined to make for such a perfect day, they each could be their own blog, but I decided to write it as one… then decided to split it into two for separate posts. This is the second part of My perfect birthday:

You can see the first part here: http://enterwithanopenmindorclosedeyes.blogspot.com/2012/04/perfect-naked-birthday.html ...or, just scroll down. It is at the bottom of this one :)

~Naked Alert!~

In many of these pictures, You will see me Nekkid. 

I tell you this now, so if you do not wish to see naked pictures, you can avoid them. 

None of my pictures will Ever be Sexual, Lewd, Obscene, or Illegal. They are Always Family-friendly, safe, and often funny! There are Not any Close-ups.

They are Simply of Me enjoying life (often in a humorous, and silly way) without anything to be ashamed of.

If you are not sure whether naked is acceptable, then you have a few options:

...You can choose to leave this page.

...You can look with an open mind, or with closed eyes.

...You can simply scroll past the photos, and choose to only read the story.

Often, those who are not sure if this is something they will feel comfortable with quickly find that they are actually quite comfortable with me, once they realize it is just simply the human body in a natural way.

Now, that I have covered the alerts, back to the story: 

I had spent a wonderful day exploring nature wearing only a hat, boots, and a smile:

A Beautiful Heron in Flight

As the sun got low, I headed back to the bridge to watch the evening wildlife. The birds, ducks and turtles are always active just before sunset. I stayed nekkid, and after such a wonderful, free day, I was not at all concerned about who would come, or who would see me. I KNEW that anybody who came along this day was comfortable, safe, and the kind of human I enjoyed.

I was having a great day, and in the playful mood to take some more silly pictures. As I set up for these, I was aware of a large family approaching from the other side of the river.









I set up my camera so that they would not be in my shots. I was fully visible to them from the moment they came under the bridge, and knew that if they objected to a naked person they would not have come closer. They came all the way across, and were fully aware that I was there.

It was a family of a Man, a Woman, a newborn baby, three young girls about 5, 10 and 12, three young boys about 3, 8, and 14, and a small dog. They stopped just the other side of where I was playing, and got comfortable. The oldest girl, and dad waited until I was not taking photos aimed their way, and came over where I was to ask if they could play down here, too. It appeared she was the one who spoke the best English, and she seemed the most confident of the whole family. The dad stood back, and just nodded and grinned as she asked me. I told them they were welcome. She grinned, and then said something to her dad in Spanish. He said something back to her, then she sheepishly, but excitedly asked if I minded if they undressed, too. She looked like she was excited that she might be allowed to go nekkid, but also concerned I might object. As she asked, her eyes showed how much she was hoping I would say it was ok. I assured her that they could be as comfortable as they desired. The joy that filled her eyes was Awesome! She turned, and said something to her father. He smiled, and turned to go to his family. The girl looked across to her mom, and her mom gave her a nod with a smile. The girl was so excited, she stripped off her shirt before she was two steps away. She dropped the shirt right there, and then undid her skirt while walking. She let it drop right there, and walked right out of it. As her skirt dropped, she was already removing her underwear. She sat on the edge of a floodgate and removed her shoes, underpants, and socks, then she was already in the water before anybody else had even started undressing! She was the happiest girl in the world!  The mom was excited, too, and immediately took off her shoes, and skirt. She kept her top on, and went into the water in shirt and underwear, while holding the baby. The oldest boy did not undress at all. He also looked uncomfortable when his sister stripped, but then seemed to quickly forget she was naked. He kept his shoes, shorts (which went clear down to his calves), and  shirt on to get into the water.  The boy did not seem to mind that I was naked. The dad took off his pants, and shirt and left his underwear on, and I curiously noted that he was a male, and did not have a problem with nakedness. The youngest boy and girl did not hesitate to get naked. But they did not want to get wet, so they just played on the rocks, and floodgates. The little dog stayed with them. The middle girl decided she would take off her shirt. She wanted to keep her skirt on, but did not want wet underpants, so she took those off. When she got in the water, she discovered how fun a skirt is when it billows in the flowing water. She also discovered how much it pulled on her. Her mom and older sister tried to convince her to take it off, and just play. She was adamant that she did not want to be seen naked, and looked my way when she said it. Clearly I was the reason she wished to hide. The middle boy looked a bit like he wanted to join the others, but was afraid to be naked. He clearly did not want to get his clothes wet, and watched the others for a while. He wanted to get in, but was confused, or conflicted.


I continued to play, and enjoy the wonderful day, doing my own silly fun while they did theirs. They were just out of this picture to the right.

After another minute, the boy went behind a bridge pillar and took off all his clothes. He did not see his older sister sneak up behind him, and as soon as his clothes were on the ground, she took all of them, and put them up on a sign he could not reach.  She did this in a playful manner, and was only trying to be playful at getting him to come out of hiding while naked. He seemed to enjoy her playfulness, and did not seem to think she was being mean. He did not seem to hide himself from her, but did seem to hide himself from the other sister.  At first he would not come out from behind the pillar. Then his other sister (the one who did not want to be seen naked, and the exact one he was hiding from) came out of the water wearing her soaked skirt, and went to him, took off her skirt, and put it over his head. At first he attempted to cover himself from her view. He must have realized what she was doing, because he put his arms up and allowed her to fully pull it down to cover his naked body. She then led him by the hand into the water. The little boy looked so cute wearing that drenched skirt, but also looked quite relieved, and proud to have such a wonderful sister! She looked over at me, and smiled so big and proud of herself! She knew she overcame her fear of being seen naked, And she helped her little brother hide his own nakedness. He happily played in the water fully naked, except covered by a skirt, that was equally fun for him as it was for her. It only took a few minutes for him to decide to remove that skirt, and then he was fully comfortable naked, too! The oldest boy did not play near the others. He occasionally would smile at his sisters and brothers and their antics, but would not join them. He seemed to not be too thrilled about being with those who were naked. I continued doing my own silly stuff, and taking some fun photos (but making sure to never point the camera in their direction).


They watched me play as much as I watched them play. Then, after they watched me take some pictures of Ducky, The oldest girl, and the girl who did not want to be seen naked, and the boy who had hidden behind the pillar came over to me, climbed out of the water and unashamedly all three stood naked next to where Ducky was. They asked if they could play with Ducky. I tied a rope around Ducky so they could play and not have him float away downstream. All this time, the parents were just totally beaming! Here, the oldest girl got her wish to be allowed to freely play naked. The middle girl overcame her fear of being seen naked, and the boy seemed to forget that he ever had an issue of ever being nekkid! They had a ball, and were free, comfortable, and accepting of the human body in the natural form.

While they were playing under the bridge, I went up on top to get some more pictures.
During all of this several other people had come across the bridge, some stopped to watch all the fun happening below, others just went on by.


As I was taking one series of timed photos, a lady came marching right on up onto the bridge, fully seeing that I was naked, and did not slow, or hesitate one bit. She literally stepped directly over the camera, and was saying hello to me, and commenting on what a beautiful day it was, then all of a sudden, it dawned on her that she just stepped over and into the frame of the camera which was beeping, and flashing a light to indicate it was active. The antics that then took hold of her brain were priceless! She could not form words to complete here thoughts, and I was too busy laughing to say anything, either! Then I went to the camera, opened the display screen so she could see it, and proudly showed her what She did. She looked absolutely horrified to have walked into the picture with a naked man! (yet she had no problem just being with me, or talking with me while I was nekkid… only the thought of her being IN the pictures horrified her.) After I showed each one to her, I jokingly asked if she wanted me to email them to her. She looked soo absolutely horrified, it was priceless! I told her I would delete them right in front of her. That helped calm her down. I did delete each one of those with her watching as I did. Then, once that fear was settled, suddenly she realized she was literally touching, and leaning in to see the screen with a naked man. She jumped at least four feet! I asked if she was always a basket case. To which she stammered a hesitant “yes”. I told her to wait a second, and ran down below the bridge to get a card from my pack. She did wait, and she went and looked over the edge, and was amazed at all the people playing naked down there. When I came back up, she said "I wish I could learn to relax like that!" I gave her the card. She took it, but looked so flustered I am betting she never contacts me again!

She hurried across the bridge before I set the camera up to shoot again. I redid that series, and got even better shots than the first set! 






















































I went back below the bridge, and when the family was ready to leave, the man and the oldest daughter came over. He had already dressed, but she remained naked. She returned Ducky to me, and asked if I had a Light (as in to light his cigarette) I did not. I gave them a card for Ducky’s site, and they again thanked me. She read the card, and noticed The Flickr information. Then she said something in Spanish to her father. He nodded toward me. She then asked me if I had taken any pictures of them. I assured them I had not, and even turned on the camera viewing screen to show them. As I scrolled back, they were enjoying the pics they saw I had taken, and were pleased to see that I was as honest as I said, and had not tried to sneak any photos of them. The girl asked if all of these would be posted to the Flickr account. I told her they would. She smiled, and said that she would love to show her friends how wonderful it is down here. I also told her that I would write about her and her family in my blog. She said something to her dad, he smiled, and she thanked me again. It seemed they were pleased to have made an impression on me and that I would write about them. I told her it may be a few days before I write the story. She just smiled and nodded. The rest of the family had gotten all their clothes back on, and they were ready to head home. The oldest girl loved her freedom, and wanted to stay naked. She picked up all her clothes, and was pleading with her mother in Spanish. Her mother looked back at me again, and had a look of understanding. She nodded to her daughter. Her daughter was thrilled with whatever was decided. She put her shoes on, and marched away happily naked, wearing nothing but shoes and a smile! (So, somewhere is a family that is featured in this blog, and sharing this with their friends.... to this wonderful family... I hope you continue to find love, acceptance, and share the joy with others!)

After the family had left, I was able to get some more photos of the entire area without alarming them, or getting them in any of the shots.

While I was watching the sunset from the bridge, another family came by. All of them, except the dad said hi and smiled as they went by. When I had crossed back into the main part of The Wetlands, it was late enough in the evening that I knew I was safe to be nekkid for the rest of the way through The Wetlands.

I hiked all the way through to the parking area before getting dressed again. I did pass many more people while hiking back to the parking area. One family that I passed was especially humorous. There was a dad, a mom, a boy about four, and a girl about six. The mom smiled and said 'Hi.' The dad pretended he did not see me. The girl was busy looking at everything all around, including me, but never looked like she saw anything unusual. After they passed, the girl started laughing, and said, "Daddy! Did you see?" He hesitated a bit to decide how to approach this, and the mom was snickering. The mom said teasingly to him, "Yes, Daddy, did you see?" He cautiously asked the girl, "See What?" She said, "Daddy! That man had a Huge Rubber Duck on his Pack!" To this the man sighed, and the mom burst out laughing. It is things like this that make me wonder how, and when people transform their life-loving, and fully-accepting of others kids into hating, judging, humans. Kids Never have a negative view of the human body, until somebody teaches them to suddenly no longer accept it.

This was one of the absolute best birthdays I have had in many years! Was it just because I got to play nekkid? Nope. It was because it was A Perfect day! I was able to be free, comfortable, and relax in an environment loaded with things to enjoy, love, and watch. I saw critters, turtles, birds, and even many other humans. But the humans I saw were comfortable, peaceful humans... the kind I find joy in! I got to spend a day in the warm sun, in an environment where there is peace, love, acceptance, kindness, and overall happy people, animals, and nature.

Even the birds went for a sunset skinny-dip :)

The humans I encountered on this day were the right kind and helped make it a perfect day. Would it have still been perfect even if I never got to be nekkid? Good question. It WAS Perfect, and I doubt I will ever know how it would have been if I had not had the chance to enjoy it nekkid. Sometimes, everything just lines up so that everything is perfect! The fact that I spent much quality time without any clothes is just a result of everything lining up that was meant to be. I DO treasure days like this, and often wish Every day could be spent so freely. While I do not pretend to understand why our society has become the way it is, I know that under the right circumstances, Most people will accept and even celebrate who you are as an individual... I just wish people as a whole would do this on a daily basis.

However you define "The PERFECT Day", however you define a Great Birthday... May you find more of those in your near future. Thanks for accepting me for who I am, and even if you won't come along in life with me, thanks for reading, and possibly understanding a little bit more about what peace, love, and acceptance are all about. JOn ~=:-)

The Perfect (Naked?) Birthday!

The Perfect (nekkid) Birthday

Would it have been perfect even if I had not been naked? Good Question! I got the opportunity to enjoy it naked, so I did! Why Naked? One word: Freedom. Feel free to read many of my past posts to get a grasp of why naked is so wonderful. I know most see “naked” and immediately assume it is sexual. Nope! Simply Naked is not at all sexual, illegal, or even anything to be ashamed of.  If you are not sure whether you can read about someone living life naked with an open mind? Come, and see… Just remember to enter with an open mind, or with closed eyes.

March 30 is the date I entered this place called Earth 44 years ago. How did I spend My Birthday?

I Relaxed. I Played. I spent as much time in nature totally naked as possible.

A Perfect day! I was able to be free, comfortable, and relax in an environment loaded with things to enjoy, love, and watch. I saw critters, turtles, birds, and even many other humans. But the humans I saw were comfortable, peaceful humans... the kind I find joy in!

In Vegas, the warm weather comes early (sometimes). This year, we hit temps above 80-degrees in the final days of March. Of course we have also had temps in the 40’s, and even some Cold winds making it feel like winter. And, Ironically, today is April 1^st, the temp is barely 50, and the winds are howling off the snowy mountains. Last week, Spring arrived, and with it, I moved my favorite chair out to my balcony so I could enjoy as much time outside as possible. So, today, I am writing this while bundled in hat, gloves, and multiple blankets… at least until the sun hits this area.

But on March 30^th, we hit 85. It was the perfect opportunity for me to go outside and play naked in nature!

The morning of my birthday was fairly warm, but with a chilly breeze, so I relaxed during the morning with some clothes on. This picture shows how wonderful a relaxing, warm, yet slightly breezy morning can be for me!

Once the day warmed-up, I headed out to play, escape, and find peace, nature, and wonder in this otherwise chaotic city.

Not far from the sprawl of Vegas sits a nature-wonderland. It is called The Wetlands Preserve Nature Park. This is a place where every bit of water that flows from Vegas merges and creates a wonderful river, wetlands, marshes, ponds, and incredible  sights that otherwise cannot be found for many miles. The amount of water that flows through here is at times mind-boggling, especially since you are fully aware that we are Smack in the middle of The Mojave Desert. The Wetlands is an area that goes for many miles where no motor vehicles are allowed, the plants, critters, and animals thrive, and it is a treasure, and joy to escape to this place. It would seem that for many years work has been done to make this possible. (Although last month I discovered a huge chunk of The Wetlands that has been torn-up, where they removed all vegetation, trees, and marsh, are installing roads, parking lots, and lots of concrete. It tore my heart up to see all the destruction!) Even with that destruction at the Southern end, the place encompasses many square miles so there is still part of it that is pure, and only accessible by hiking. This purely nature part is where I went for my birthday.

As I headed out from home, I dressed in Denim shorts, My comfy boots, and layered shirts, on top. The sun was warm, but there was still a chilled breeze, plus the busses are usually air conditioned, so sweatshirts are a must. (For some odd reason, the moment the temps get above 60, the busses run their A/C and keep the interior at about 40! It is completely ridiculous, because they have no concept about just maintaining a comfortable 65-70 degrees. But that is a blog for another day… back to my birthday!)

Nature and places about nature create an environment where people forget about all the nonsense, and silly rules that tend to imprison us in the city. When you venture into an outdoor, natural area, people tend to accept other humans for what they really are. We, as humans are funny by how we create such rules for in the city, but allow others to be themselves in nature. In nature, people relax, accept, and welcome what they would be freaked-out by in the city. In nature, nobody freaks-out at the sight of the human body. Nobody cares if the human has sags, wrinkles, jiggles, dimples, bumps, or character. In nature, nobody cares if you are skinny or round, tall or short, have smooth skin, or if your skin could be used as a topographical map. Nobody cares if you are hairy, or clean-shaven head to toe. Nobody cares what the color of your skin is, what your religion is, or even if you have no religion at all. Nobody cares what country you were born in, or even what language you speak.

By the time I reached the Wetlands, the temps were well above 70, the sun was shining, and there was a warm breeze. The parking lot was crowded, and this was the first time I had actually seen crowds out here. That did not change how things are in nature.

This meant that the very moment I was past the parking area, I could strip off most of my clothing. I say “most” because as a general rule, any place where people can drive to, or not walk more than five-minutes, they still tend to stick to their city-rules as far as what they accept. But once they walk more than five-minutes, the rules and their attitudes change. So, the moment I am past the parking area, I change into my “short-shorts”.  They are spandex/ lycra shorts that are designed specifically for exercise, comfort, and a snug, practical fit. These shorts are fun, comfortable, and ironically, smaller than many people would consider underwear. (The topic of “what is underwear” would be yet another blog in itself) I follow the rule of wearing as little as possible without creating problems for others.

The Wetlands Parks has many sections. The West-side is where the parking area is. This area is also full of paved-paths, and tends to have lots of easy access, and this is where you will find lots of people who do not wish to venture far from their cars. The paved trails make full-wide loops around this entire section. From these paved trails, there are also many dirt-trails meandering through the hidden areas to explore, and find birds, critters, fish, and insects. Many have children, toddlers, and even are pushing strollers. This is also a good, safe place for people to allow their kids to run, play, and be free without worry of harm, traffic, or people intolerant of kids. Yet, at the same time, these same people feel like they have escaped the city, and are here to explore nature… just without leaving the paved comforts of the city. Fortunately, they leave their city-views in their cars, and allow themselves to relax, enjoy, and play.


The trails and paths meander through various marshes, ponds, streams, trees, meadows, and assorted benches, shelters, and rest areas.

In this side of The Wetlands, I will comfortably strip down to only my short-shorts, my boots, and my hat. If you are quiet, you can see, and get really close to all sorts of fun wildlife. Often, I will discover an egret, duck, heron, dragonfly, turtle, or other critter. I will stop and watch, and it usually is not long before some kids come ambling along the path. The kids are smart enough to know that if they see an adult standing still, they know there is something to see. By the time the lagging parent catches up to where the kids have stopped, they are pleasantly surprised to find that their kids have gathered around where I am, and are looking at the same thing I had found. The kids are always eager to show the parent what treasure they had found. The best thing about these kids is that they are so excited about seeing nature, that they never even notice the Giant Rubber Duck on my pack! Often, the parent(s) are thrilled that I was there, and showed their kids where to look. Most of the time, it is only a mom with the kids. For whatever reason, seldom does a dad come out on these adventures. (Also ironic, is how women always accept me for who I am, but the men act weird toward me, and my unique style of life. Women never make me feel at all uncomfortable, self-conscious, or even like I am somehow out-of-place.) But never do the women or kids ever look twice at my clothing, or more importantly the lack of clothing. This is nature, and anyone who comes out here is there for that purpose… to enjoy nature, be free, play, explore, relax, and have fun.

On my birthday, the place was very crowded, and surprisingly, there were a lot of men along with the women and children. At first, because of how men usually treat me, I was cautious about stripping down to almost no clothes. But I decided to do what I knew I needed to do, and not allow the men to make me uncomfortable.

See that little white spot on the far edge of the pond?
It is the Egret I pointed out to the kids.

I had found a small pond with an Egret perched in a low tree about forty-yards from the edge of the trail. I was stopped there, and taking pictures, when I heard plenty of kids coming through the marsh. The first little girl saw me, stopped, and turned to the rest, motioning them to be quiet. As soon as she turned and motioned to the others, they instantly got quiet. The kids furthest back down the trail could be heard telling the parents to be quiet. It made me smile. The first little girl came right up beside me, and in a quiet voice asked what I saw out there. I pointed out where she should look, and let her find The Egret for herself. She was thrilled! As each of the kids joined us, she was so proud to do the same. She clearly was the leader of this group! There were about ten kids in this group. They all gathered real close to the edge of this pond right where I was. When the parents came around the trail, there were two men, and three women. The men stayed way back, and hardly looked interested in what the kids were excited about. The three women came to join their kids.

This is The Egret we were watching across the pond.

One of the women asked if the kids were bothering me. I chuckled, and assured her they were not a bother. At this, the first little girl told all the others that if it was not for me, they would have passed-by this treasure. Another woman asked about the Giant Rubber Duck. The kids heard this, and were suddenly looking for what they had missed. It was hilarious to watch as they realized that they had all not seen it! I gave them some cards to find Ducky’s page. Several of them took pictures. After a bit, they all decided it was time to go on their way down the path. The entire group of women, and kids accepted me, did not care what I was, or was not wearing. They all thanked me, and went on their way. The men never even said hi, or looked like they knew I was there. (and people wonder why I get along better with women, and kids!)

The Bridge to Adventure :)

After meandering through much of the West-side, I was ready to leave the concrete, and go where I could play nekkid! There is a bridge that spans The Las Vegas Wash, and that bridge is also the gateway to where the entire feel of the place changes. Across this bridge, it is a bit more rugged, and rough. There are still paths, trails, and plenty of public places, but it has a bit of a more free-feel to it. Often, the people with kids only go up on the bridge, but seldom cross it. Occasionally, some will venture below the bridge, and explore the floodgates, spillways, and flowing water, fish, ducks, and interesting reeds, cattails, and marsh wildlife. Even if I see an occasional human on, and under the bridge, I seldom see more than one or two other humans on The East Side. This day was different. There were lots of humans all day long.

The shorts I wear hiking :)

I crossed the bridge, and decided to rest for a bit in the shade below the far-end of the bridge. Once I cross the bridge, this is where I can strip-off any remaining clothes, and just play totally nekkid for the rest of the day. The bridge is a high-vantage point, and from there anyone on it can see the entire area for many miles. Also from the bridge approaches, you can clearly see under and all around the bridge, so it is hardly a secluded area. From on top of the bridge, you can clearly see what is under it. Also, while under it, you can clearly see what is on top of it, because the sides are wide-open railings, and what you cannot see directly, you can see in the shadows cast below. I hardly expect that I am in any secluded, private place while down here. Nor do I expect that I cannot be seen, or am somehow invisible. I actually go about my nakedness as if I am always visible, so as to not ever cause surprise, alarm, or to ever seem like I am attempting to surprise anyone. This area under the bridge is a treasure of wildlife to watch at any given time. The bridge goes over the spillway flood-control gates built into the flowing waterway.

 I took this picture, and then got completely nekkid for the rest of the day. Woohoo! I got to play nekkid on my Birthday!

After I got nekkid, I was watching some turtles in the water, and I could feel someone watching me. When I looked up, I saw this girl crouched taking my picture from the other end of the bridge.


As soon as she saw me looking, she got up and scurried away… so I took her picture. J
I usually won’t take pictures of others, especially if I am not sure they would want their picture taken. But since she took mine, then fled, I felt it was fair. I laughed that she felt she needed to “sneak” a picture of me, since I was clearly not hiding, or avoiding being seen.

The view across under the bridge...and happy feet! :)

I went to explore the rocks below the floodgates. I left my pack, clothes, and camera sitting in the shade. I also left Ducky sitting on the concrete platform near the water. While I was on the rocks, a woman with four kids came across the bridge. I watched them curiously, but did not change what I was doing, or head back toward my pack and clothes. There were three girls, and one boy. The girls looked to be between the ages of five and ten, and were occasionally looking my way as they crossed the bridge. The boy looked to be about 11 or 12, and had seemed to not even notice I was here. The mom looked my way briefly. When it was clear that the woman was looking my way, I gave her a friendly wave to let her know I knew they were there, and it was not a problem. She waved back. They were no longer walking, but had stopped to watch the ducks below. She did not ever look at me like I was naked. Other than the friendly wave, she hardly noticed me. Also, she never tried to steer her kids away, or to keep them from looking my way. The mom was curiously watching each of her children, and also the birds, and ducks. The girls kept looking my way, but not in a surprised way, just like any person would glance at another enjoying the same activity. They smiled shyly, but never stared, or looked at me like they were seeing something they had never seen before. The boy never once looked my way, and I was wondering if he had not yet seen me, but it was clear the girls had seen me long before I saw them. I was not looking their way when the boy finally noticed me. He shouted “That man is naked!” The mom just laughed. Each of the girls just giggled, then one said “duh!”. The boy stared at me, but the girls had already seen, and this was not news to them. They were more interested in the ducks, and birds. The older girls occasionally looked my way, almost like they were happy to be allowed to see, but knowing they should not stare, or act like it is unusual. The youngest girl looked and grinned for longer periods. The mom watched their reactions, and smiled at each as they watched. They finished crossing the bridge, and the mom and girls came down to the area where I was. The boy stayed up on the end of the bridge. They tried to convince him to come explore and play where all of them were going, but he refused, and just sat down and waited up there. The girls went down under the bridge where my pack was, and to explore the spillway gates, and play in the water. The youngest girl saw Ducky, and grinning hugely asked if she could play with him. I told her she could, as long as she did not let him float away. The mom came over to me. She said hi, then asked if they were bothering me. I assured her they were fine, but expressed my concern about her son being mortified to see a naked person. She just laughed and said she did not know why he behaved that way, and she has always taught them that acceptance, and understanding was the right way to live, and how a place like this was a healthy place to be free. She said she was not sure how come her daughters understood this, but her son did not. She assured me that I was not a problem, and told me that she and the girls saw me long before they ever crossed the bridge, She said she had seen me long before they even started to cross the bridge, and she could tell I was safe, so proceeded to cross the bridge. She watched as each of the girls discovered me, and was pleased at how they looked, smiled, looked again, then looked at their mom to see if it was ok. Not one of them said anything, but just looked occasionally, and smiled. She told me each one did the same thing, and she just allowed them to make their own decisions about how to proceed. Each of the girls was happy to discover, and be allowed to see a naked person in a safe environment. The boy never noticed, and the girls never said anything. Her son only saw me once he was right where I was, and he was the only one surprised. She pointed out how her daughters only glanced my way a couple of times, grinned a bit, then went on to see other sights. As they left, the little girl thanked me for letting her play with Ducky, the other two waved, and thanked me. They went back across the river by going across the floodgates under the bridge. The son went back across the top, so he would not come near a naked person. The funny thing was he never stopped staring at me. This is yet another example of how come I just do not understand males. If he was unhappy, or offended, why was he staring at me? Why is it that the females are always accepting, courteous, and polite, yet the males always freak-out, stare, and act like being near a naked person is somehow a bad thing? Who teaches them to behave this way? The Mom and daughters were well-adjusted, happy, and there to enjoy all that is available in nature, yet the boy could see nothing but a naked person? (I had thought that since he did not see me from far away, but suddenly once he was close is significant…yet, the girls all saw me and were not surprised, but a few minutes later, I saw that he was just not comfortable around any naked.) After they crossed to the other side, they settled under the shade of the bridge, and ate their lunch. The boy finally came down to join them. As I was gathering my pack to head on downstream, I saw the boy hurrying up on top of the bridge again, then I noticed why: The mom and girls had taken off their clothes, and were playing in the water. The girls knew how to enjoy life. For some reason that boy would not allow himself to enjoy what was so common, free, and natural. Clearly, this family was not ashamed, or hid their nakedness, but the boy had somehow gotten the idea naked was bad. He clearly had seen his mom and sisters naked before, and they clearly were not at all embarrassed, but he seemed to flee from it. (which always makes me wonder why males get so weird about simple nakedness.)

After that, I headed further downstream. I found many birds, and ducks to watch. The interesting thing about this part of The Wetlands is that only the water divides the two sections. Just twenty or thirty yards across is where the paved paths go along the edge of the water. I was on the unpaved side, and often I would look up to see people waving and saying hi from the other side. Not once did any of them care that I was naked. They were there to enjoy the same things I was enjoying, and a naked person did not change anything for them.

Many hours later, I headed back toward the bridge. I had passed many people while nekkid, and most of them waved, and said hi. Some of the men would hurry on past, while the women they were with would stop to give a genuine “hello”, or a happy wave. By this time I had stopped keeping an eye out for who might be approaching, or even if anyone was watching me. The day was a perfect example of how people will let you be yourself while in nature. Some would stop, and some would pretend they did not see you.


But when I stopped to take the set of pictures that included this one, I had to laugh! Just as I set the camera timer, and started this series of shots, two ladies who were out for a walk, stopped literally just behind where the camera was to laugh, and watch my antics! I was already in the middle of the action when they appeared. It just made me laugh! I had gotten so used to being watched, seen, and people being around me today, that I never even noticed they were right there when I set up for this series of shots! The two ladies were clearly having fun, and were quite happy to have been able to watch, and take their own pictures while I was taking mine! It was hard for me to not laugh, or make funny faces! (I always know I am visible to others, and also expect that I will be in their photos, too!) After the camera timer finished, I stopped to talk to them. They had been watching me for quite a while. They were on a brisk walk for several miles around The Wetlands. They saw me, and the Giant Rubber Duck from the paved paths on the other side, and also when they were crossing the bridge. Then, they came down the trail toward where I was so they could see what I was up to with This Duck. To their surprise, and Mine, too, I had just set-up and started these shots! I gave them each a card so they could find Ducky’s page. They went away, laughing, and thanking me for brightening their day! (They brightened mine, too!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Birthday was an incredible, and wonderful day with many events that all combined to make for one fantastic day! Because there were so many events, and each could comprise its own blog, this is a rather long writing. I decided to break this blog into two separate parts, so it is not such a long-read.
I will post the second part another day. ~=:-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~