19 Comments

Great writing and very descriptive. Love the photos and videos as well.

T & K

Expand full comment

There are times I wished I had a photographer/videographer with me. Selfies are a PITA.

Expand full comment

I can only imagine the amount of time planning and set up it takes for you at times to capture some of your work. Kim and I share those duties with her actually taking more than me most times. It's always fun for us once we are back home to go through our photos, discard some, crop others and such.

Thurston & Kim

Expand full comment

That must be nice!

You see a scene and think it would look good with a person in it. Pull out the tripod and set the camera up on it. It is a small tripod which limits where you can use it. Then you try to get the composition right and decide how you're going to enter the picture.

Sometimes I use the self timer and have it take multiple pictures and hope one works. Other times, I just set it to record video and then grab a frame. Can't be sure what it looks like until you suck it into a photo editor. Make multiple runs because something always goes wrong. Then break down and move on to the next.

You get weird expressions on your face or your penis bounces up in an odd position or you have to crop out 3/4 of the frame to get something useful. Flaws show up in the editor that were invisible on the camera screen. Wrong area was in focus, motion blur, a bug on the lens.

Expand full comment

Exactly, a days' worth of shooting usually results in a days' worth of editing. Weird penis views, tit, ass and belly protruding too much and you thought it was the next best shot, all for naught. However we wouldn't trade it for anything.

Expand full comment

Nothing short of stunning. A comprehensive read. Thanks for sharing.

Expand full comment

What a wonderful experience. Reminds us of our naked hikes and strolls through our nearby forests and meadows. Love the photos and videos.

Jan&Gary

Expand full comment

Thank you!

Expand full comment

Yes, oceanside, san diego County. Was going to the Boulder canyon hike, but that is mil's birthday. I've been going to hers for many years. I will be going to the Blake Hill hike sunday 25 (mecca)

Expand full comment

I'd be on the Blade Hill hike if it weren't so far away. Hikes in SD and Orange Counties and Palm Springs is really outside of my easy range. I hesitate to spend more time driving to and from a hike than on the hike itself. I'm planning on a 4 trip to Saline, May 1st.

Expand full comment

Great write. This is a future hike.

Expand full comment

It's so nice of you. I am very much pleased to have your reply to my comment. I have noted the points you have said in your reply & really thank you for that..

Expand full comment

Filled with excellent hiking advice, whatever the trail. Wonderfully written!

Expand full comment

I love your "stories", Fred....keep them up !!!

Expand full comment

Thank you!

Expand full comment

It's wonderful to read your hike story. However saying this, I am really scared. You are a very courageous man to experience such wild hikes. I can't imagine even a day time hike, forget about night one. You must be well aware of all the dangers during such wild hikes.

Can I call you Tarzan of the Naturists community? I would have very much loved to experience such naked wild hike, ofcourse with you, as I don't have daring to do it alone..

Very wonderful images & videos.

Expand full comment

I am not at all courageous. My own feeling is that I am cowardly. I could do more hikes, I could be more public. I could let my "FTW! demon" come out and play more often. I could take risks.

I have, instead, become emotionally and physically fragile.

I have been hiking naked and alone through wild places since I was ten ears old. (Fifty eight years ago! Age has greatly reduced the extent of my adventures,) For every naked hike there were several clothed hikes. There is not much out there that is frightening. As long as you stay mindful of what you are doing, you are in less danger on the trail than on the drive out to the trailhead. Driving a car is a spectacularly dangerous thing to do, yet we do it every day without any particular courage.

OTOH, sitting behind a steering wheel with no experience would be very scary - and rightfully so. That's why we want everyone to go through a driver's education program. In my case, "driver's ed" was growing up in a remote corner of the north surrounded by forests and rivers and lakes. Being comfortable in the wild (backpacking, hunting, fishing) was expected. It was a very forgiving place in late spring, summer and early fall.

Southern California is less forgiving, but one adapts. I've been freehiking out here since I was 22.

Expand full comment

Thank you for this! Would love to see more recommendations for good trails for freehiking in California or wherever else you’ve been.

Expand full comment

Go back through the older posts and you'll see a few.

Expand full comment