Nude Hiking in the Alps!

Looking for some fun reading? Check out the NY Times article that includes this little snippet of hilarity (and one simply awesome photo):

In recent years, it has become fashionable for a growing number of Swiss and some foreigners to wander in the Alps clad in little more than hiking shoes and sun screen. Last summer, the number of nude hikers increased to such an extent that the hills often seemed alive with the sound of everything but the swish of trousers.

It seems nude hikers in Switzerland have no fear of shrinkage.

Why don't I ever see anyone running the Backbone trail naked? It's a misdemeanor. CA is just not as open minded about the human form as Switzerland, despite being one of the most popular places in the US for cosmetic plastic surgery, according to Forbes.com. One would think that the plastic people would be lobbying to show off their brand new boobs and butts.

"...in Switzerland there is no law against hiking in the nude," explains the NY Times.

I only hope Swiss chocolatiers put something on while working.

Chocoholics be warned.

To Poocasso Or Not? How to Dispose of Human Waste in the Wilderness

Perhaps I am speaking from past experience as a camp counselor in this article I wrote for TriadCamping.com.

Should you find yourself on a multi-day mountain biking adventure, or in an adventure race, this might come in handy!

"It’s natural. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You gotta do it. In fact, if you don’t do your business when you’re camping in the wilderness, you might get sick from holding it in (and wrongfully blame your stove buddy for your stomach pains!).

But it’s not always clear what you’re supposed to do with you poo. Should you make a “Poocasso”, smearing it on a rock exposed to the sun to kill the bacteria? Or is that just something a prankster camp counselor told you when you were 12 and gullible? Leaving it out doesn’t seem very civil. Packing it out doesn’t seem very fun.

If you’re on a multi-day backpacking trip in the backcountry, responsibly disposing of your waste should become second nature to pitching your tent. Remember the old camping adage: Leave only footprints, take only pictures? (Though some images would be best left to the imagination…) It’s time to practice minimum-impact, green camping!"

Click here to find out what you need to know to enjoy your trip to the fullest without harming the environment—aesthetically or bacterially...

Save California's State Parks

Governor Ahhnold Schwartipants obviously doesn't venture outdoors to workout, or else he wouldn't have tried to pass a 2008 budget proposal to close 48 California state parks and slash lifeguard jobs on 16 state beaches. If he were a triathlete and not a gym rat/beefcake, he'd know that the only way to stay sane as a triathlete in Los Angeles is to venture into the many state parks within the city limits. It's like getting away from it all without having to drive forever (except on the 405...sometimes that does take forever) or plan an entire freaking vacation just to get out of the city.

He'd also know that those of us who swim in the ocean a lot are secretly terrified of getting masticated by a ginormous animal and/or caught in a wave. Therefore, we find comfort in the fact that someone's out there looking out for us, especially if we do stupid things like accidentally swim into a rip tide or get hit by a surfboard.

Among the parks on the kill list: Topanga State Park and Will Rodgers State Park--two of the most accessible and most visited parks in the Los Angeles area. And two of the reasons that I and every other local triathlete have been able to improve our uphill and downhill running abilities, bike power, as well as sculpt bottoms that art students around the world would love to sketch.

Topanga saw 455,461 visitors in the 06/07 fiscal year, according to the CA Dept. of Parks and Recreation. And if those numbers are only comprised of paying individuals, the park probably actually saw 4x that amount of people, since everyone parks their cars on the street, then walks in for free. Which may be part of the problem here (and I can't say I'm not culpable).

So what can we do to reverse this psychotic, masochistic ruling from the beefcake gouvernator who apparently needs only a Gold's Gym and concrete surroundings to survive?

Visit the California State Parks Foundation to whip off an email to your local state representative. Inundate them with emails. Camp out on Schwarzenegger's lawn. Protest.

Also, check out this rad website: Save Topanga State Park. They've got tons of ideas about how you can take action.

We will not stand for this, Gov. Schwartzenegghead! Get the money you need to fix your freakin' budget from people who drive Hummers!

Peace,

TriDiva