Haven't seen much in the way of a show of hands but my plan is to meet up with Morris Saturday around 10 30 and we'll take it from there.Sun Run Nine at 11 am - even if it's just the two of us and swim at 2. The meet up is to be Davawood camping area - that's south of the Pavillion on the upper grounds at Gaea - the World Record Skinny-Dip attempt is at 2 pm down at the Lake.

I'll be camping Saturday night. Sat looks warm and humid - and the humid conditions continue Sat nite so maybe not the nice cool night I'd hoped for - more like a warm and muggy but it'll be good.

Anybody else onboard for this weekend venture?

Dick Williams

www.campgaea.org for the Camp's web site. $5 day fee and additional fee for camping payable at the registration building opposite the lake and dam.

Well thanks to Morris' initiative we can say KC nudists took part in both Sun Run 9 and the Guinness World Record Skinny-Dip on Saturday 7-11-09.

Now in both cases things were sort of laid back but heck it's Camp Gaea, the most laid back place in Kansas and it's a bunch of nudists who're also pretty laid back.

The Sun Run 9 field took off in several heats -that means there wasn't really a starting gun and the course wasn't measured or timed but quite a few did walk or run the trails from the beach south to Field Five then back to the Pavilion.

I was late arriving and Morris and I started the course around 11 30 - no time and can only estimate the distance so this was not a sanctioned "run" but we're calling it Sun Run Nine just to keep the series alive. Sun Run 1 and all the other Sun Runs were also at Camp Gaea so there's some history to preserve. Thanks to all who took part. I think Morris indicated nine participated this year.

The other event was the World Record Simultaneous Skinny-Dip. Here too we did it but since we weren't at an AANR resort our effort counts toward the unofficial total and not the Guinness total. We have eleven skinny-dippers in the water with photographic evidence secured to prove the point.

Not bad - a long standing tradition upheld and a new World's Record established. We don't yet know what that record is - see below.

I camped overnight Sat nite into Sunday morning. Thunder to the west gave me enough warning Sunday morning around 6 so I was able to break camp and get my gear in my truck while it was still dry - easier than getting soaked and then packing wet gear. A nice time - they've done a lot of work at Gaea on trails and in setting up several new campsites. With the loops and side trails you can get "lost" on the grounds and stay on trails for a couple of hours if you want. Some neat overlooks and all natural.

The hiking and running paths around the fields are mowed year round now so it's great place to run or simply walk and enjoy the sounds of nature - see the wildflowers and the very natural state of Camp Gaea where nature is revered and preserved. The lake is full and the water's clear and cool - about 3 foot visibility which is great for a midwest lake.

A pleasant 24 hours - for those who experienced the 7 30 am thunderstorm this morning probably an impressive downpour - I was glad to miss that portion of the natural setting.

Thanks to Morris for promoting the Run and Skinny-Dip. Not formal events either one but heck - it's an informal world when you shed your clothes.

I'm doing Google News on "skinny-dip" to try to get a grand total but the tally isn't in yet. All I see are individual clubs and beaches:

Fraternity Snoqualmie in Washington state: 180
Laguna del Sol, California: 500+
Turtle Lake, Michigan: 324
Solair, Connecticut: 426
Sky Farm, NJ: 134
Willamatans, OR: 252
Whispering Pines, NC: 249
Desert Sun Resort, AZ: 360
Camp Gaea, KS: 11
Haulover Beach, FL: 787

There'll be an impressive total when the tally's complete. Maybe more than 10,000 people simultaneously skinny-dipping. It was a fun way to generate publicity for Nude Recreation Week which ended Saturday. Great idea. The intent is to make this an annual event. Hard to think the publicity buzz will top this year's First Edition of the event.

Do Google News on "skinny-dip" in a day or two or check the AANR site www.aanr.com for later info.

Dick Williams

Here's the first real number I've found for last Saturday's World Record skinny-dip. This from a spokesman for the AANR:

"It was great for us, said Carolyn Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the American Association for Nude Recreation. We attracted new members, people came from all over just to help break the record.

This is the first year for the giant skinny dip. The current count for the dippers is around 12,000 Hawkins told the Daily News, and they are still counting.

Whatever the record is, we cant wait to break it next year, said Hawkins.

Read more:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/07/14/2009-07-14_nudist_set_world_record_for_largest_simultanious_skinny_dip_.html#ixzz0LHFgY9i7&C

But please in your head make that read 12,011 to take into account our total at Camp Gaea.

Was anybody out at Heartland Cove Sunday afternoon at 2 and have a head count from there?

The AANR.com site should have a running update for the count but they did not as of today, Tuesday.

Dick Williams
Kansas City MO

Just I person at the cove got wet. There was 1 couple and 3 other gents in the area.