A continuing diary of a stealth naturist’s hidden trail:

Nothing is static in the universe. Adjustments must be made. Sometimes for the better, sometimes it is just time for a new direction when things are too stale.

Yesterday late afternoon, I took a walk out the jeep trail and up the hill. My intent was to check the overlook nearby and double check any views from that road and area. There had been traffic, but hassling with my wrap skirt as it bounced around off of my neck as I jogged, wasn’t necessary. Nobody was there as usual.

My observation discovered that my little gulch, where my favorite rock sits, runs to a drop off, creating another little gulch, which misleads others. It appears that the thing ends. My rock is in a hidden valley. That’s why the animals are staying there.

At the end of the road is a small cleared flat area to demonstrate that it could be a building pad. To the southwest, it looks across to a ridge. On the other side of that ridge, my trail goes over to reach the sunning boulder. This overlook is not likely to be occupied for a long time and infrequently. All I have to do is check over there just before going over the crest, and then proceed in view for 20 or thirty feet, then knowing that it is clear. The trail is out of sight from there, crossing a pretty purple quartz playground. This exposed few feet is on the adjacent property. If seen, maybe a, “Did I just see that?” could be murmured. It is a low risk.

Today, the winds disappeared, so I took my broom out there and shoved rocks out of the trail’s way, finalizing the route. After the next rain and some wind, it should only be noticeable to me. The piles of rock along the side shall be nearly natural looking. Where I left it most obscured, I use slightly distant larger landmarks for direction. I am using the old “sweep the tracks away with a broom” trick to hide the trail. It was very popular in the old westerns and Boy Scout lore. You gather a bundle of shrub, or stalks at one end, and voila, a broom.

This project reminds me of TV/internet preppers with secret stashes, and campsites who need access to deliver supplies and travel without leading someone to their hidden lair. The ol’ broom sweep makes that trail disappear in seconds. Having no plans to elude police, packs of roving marauders in the apocalypse, or live as survival in the wilderness, finding myself using these tactics amuses me. It is something new, fun and interesting to do nude, enjoying the weather and getting tan, and secretly.

The trail is full of observation of the changing desert; examples of its amazing diversity and wonderment are along the way.

Back at my property, I pondered where I might put a barefoot running trail, as I watched the sun set.

Early November 2013

The last trip report told about the numerous potentials in the Pinaleno Mountains; too many to explore in just one day. This will become a huge playground for us. I have topo maps of the northern base of the mountain and I wanted to look at the potential for the trailheads and camping. Perhaps we might hike down a canyon from top to bottom. We had to hurry back to arrive at our friend’s place in the foothills of the north face. We needed light to orient, unpack and then have dinner. The arrival timing was perfect. A lesson in congeniality awaited us….

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02-2015 A Continuing Diary: Getting Intimate

The undergrowth is seasonal, and these rains during this season have made it nice and green in the Tortolita hills. There are the places that act as a protective mother and nurture plants. The vulnerable young saguaros during the first five to 10 years require a mother. These safe places hide the bunnies, quail and most everyone else. The most prolific, the “islands of life” are under the low branches of the mesquite and palo verde “trees.” I don’t even think about destroying, or even hassling with going through those masses. They are precious. Other than these, there is undergrowth under any shady place that has accumulated the treasure of soil.

An Island of life near the trail. This mesquite and hackberry began the nurturing of this saguaro well over one hundred years ago.

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Early November 2013

Our excursion was to check out trail-heads and terrain for next summer’s hiking in the Pinaleno Mountains, aka Mt. Graham…and have some fun.

Friday about 9:00pm, after shopping, dressed, I arrived at DF’s place. Stripping, I declared a commitment, if possible, that that would begin the total liberation from clothing for the next three days. Okay, one stipulation, maybe a cloak or something for the frigid temps at 10,000 feet, and maybe getting gas, and maybe…practical nudity.

I finished the packing, resolutely naked in the driveway, under the cover of darkness. A bag and food cooler would be all that would go out to the truck in the morning, for a quick and early start.

Mexico, Texas and Beyond

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02-08-2015 A Continuing Diary: Stealth Adaptation:

DF Gets a Tour

Today, I showed DF the trail. We saw no deer this time, as the tracks suggested. Oh well, another time.

It is still difficult for me to not get momentarily lost, tracing from landmark to landmark. This is a good thing, telling me that my trail is not detectable. This will change with use and familiarity.

We spend time on the comfortable two person sunning rock, sunning.

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A Continuing series:

Across the Pond

The following is an account of a person in the countryside of Britain in similar undertaking:

This has brought back memories from many years ago. My location was an overgrown, small unused private wood. My first intention was to find somewhere there suitable for sunbathing. I found it after ruining a pair of trousers because of all the brambles etc. but it was well worth it. The next objective was to make a path to it without making it too obvious. Once that was achieved the task was to clear the small area of all prickly things to make it barefoot and bare everything else friendly. I had my own private sunbathing spot, with a place for morning sunshine and an adjacent one for the afternoon.

To have somewhere to walk barefoot, especially when it became too warm to sunbathe being so sheltered from any breeze, I began clearing the path to it of all thorns back to where the main overgrown path through the wood was. It was obviously little used as it was barely passable so I began clearing it with secateurs. All done naked and as we all know working while naked is much less of a chore. Eventually I had the path clear and free of thorns. I now had a wood where I could sunbathe and walk barefoot. Something I had dreamed about.

Of course clearing the main path, which needed maintaining over the years, meant other people could use it, but I don’t remember any encounters. I would often leave the wood and walk in the surrounding countryside, carrying nothing, up to a mile away. Good times!

I must have gone there for about ten years until the growing trees began blocking the sun. Then the wood became managed for pheasants and it was all over.

One of my two main sunbathing spots is now outside the wood where I have permission to be naked having been discovered there and not objected to. Not strictly Stealth Naturism there perhaps, but there are still trespassers to be avoided – not always successfully! I still walk naked from there in the surrounding countryside.
Dave

In some places a sweeping of prickers with a broom is enough

2014

On Valentine’s Day, I invited DF to climb up into the Tortilitas. It had been 85F today and the air was still quite nice. As the sun began to set, the the magnificent Catalina Mountains and the Tortolita Mountains, which surrounded us, turned Valentine’s red.

Strolling on a Tortolitan Trail, Under a Magnificent Crested

The sun set at the same time that the huge yellow full moon rose.

We sat and watched, we prayed, we soaked it in and danced, naked in the moonlight.

Then, we sat down on a slab of granite upon a hilltop. We had a fine candlelight dinner….

She told me of her day and this humming bird nesting right by a door at the hospital where she works. It had two spring eggs. Everyone watches like expecting parents.

2014-07-05

We were on the road, shooting down the interstate at 83mph in the 80 speed zone, naked. The plan was to make it to Cedar City for a long hot shower and a real bed.

2014-07-06

The next morning we had to get to Tucson for work on Monday. We grabbed a quick continental breakfast, but decided to stop into that fun little “everything homemade” restaurant for a brunch. We had a great meal again.
We had crossed through a scenic Highway 14, peaking at 9900 feet, through canyon’s vistas, forests, lakes and down into the wonderful red rock country on the way to that brunch.

Looking South Toward Zion

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02-10-2015

More Blazing of a Trail: A Stealth Adaptation

A Continuing Diary:

The next leg is mapped and mostly done today. I still have to trim and sweep away parts of bushes. I have displaced prickly pear cactus, but those are hardy and root, regrowing where they are placed. I did accidentally chop a small pin cushion cactus growing next to a barrel. Next step will be to hone with clippers.

The spring day feels wonderful on a nude body. Blazing a trail amongst the vegetation with a bare body gives the process a natural intimacy. Touch and trimming are more delicate and aware. I find myself talking to the plants, explaining my needs, my intentions and giving assurances that there will be no death, just accommodation. My sense is a love of being in this world, a fellowship of all that is here, family. I brush a leaf filled stem with my bare hip, just as the air brushes over me, as it continues on its way.

The trail meanders through some areas with various “pretty and colorful rocks.” It has become mostly lots of small rocks. I should be able to sweep away these small ones making a more discernible path here and there. This should make for smoother walking.

I want to make this a disappearing trail that is difficult for others to follow. To this end, I have deliberately left plants to climb over and one spot where the trail disappears in a golden granite field over a light ridge. There are many switchbacks to make passage look impossible to a person standing and surveying. A stranger should wonder if he is on a trail at all.

I have a list of monuments to keep my bearings along the trail at this point. Out to the big saguaro, then past the tall forked jumping cholla, up the opposite ridge passing the leaning barrel cactus, until a switchback leads back through on the south side of the dead saguaro skeleton. It is a list of cues, more than a trail. Then, it rises up the ravine to two armless saguaros growing side by side. Over the ridge, where lies the patch of copper bearing rock and into the next secretive little valley. Then, up, along the valley’s ridge to the peaceful rock, where I like to lay and meditate.

I will clip these bushes that only have leaves during monsoon for clear passage. I can smell the deer in the breeze, often. Tomorrow morning, I hope to take DF on a tour with a camera up the trail to the boulder and catch rays. I’d bet that we will find the buck or more. The weather continues to be perfect.

A Cholla Guides Me.