Sample Articles - Volume 23, Number 2 (Summer 2008) Buns across the Border

Summer 2008 (gN/aN 23:2)

Buns across the Border 2007

by Geoff Godding

Every year there are exciting organized nude events in western North America. This year will be no different.

Last year, the first was the Fraternity Snoqualmie Bare Buns Fun Run held on Sunday, July 15 at the nudist resort of the same name on Tiger Mountain, a little south of Issaquah, Washington. Basically, you run up the side of a mountain for over 2 km, then turn around and run back down. Yes, going up is the harder part but good for the cardiovascular.

The race was a wonderful event, thanks to its director, Mike Donoghue. It included feeding all the participants the evening before. After the run, all 200 or so participants were treated to pizza and salad.

I arrived very late on Friday night but received a very warm welcome. My truck always draws people, as it’s a classic 1957 Kenworth.

This time I finished the race in 30:32, about 20 seconds slower than the time before. I placed sixth in my category, age 60 to 65.

Mike’s wife Mona explained the concept of the nude run this way: “Running in the nude makes you realize we all are basically the same. We all have the same body parts, no big deal. And to top it off, it is such a riot—really.”

Part 2 (sort of)

These clothing-optional summer runs form a trio of events called Buns across the Border. The next was on July 29 at Kaniksu Ranch, near Spokane, Washington. I missed that one; much closer to me on the same day was a World Naked Bike Ride event in Vancouver

(British Columbia, not Washington this time). This famous public event always brings curious onlookers. It winds through the city and ends at Kitsilano Beach.

Conrad Schmidt, who initiated the WNBR some years ago, thought there were about 300 people in last year’s Vancouver version, making it the largest naked bike ride ever held in Canada. He also pointed out that the police were very co-operative. My own observation is that everyone had a wonderful time.

Part 3

The last of the three events was the Wreck Beach Bare Buns Fun Run, on August 12. A nice day, not too hot. This was the eleventh such annual run put on by Judy Williams—the best run of the three, in my opinion, because at no time do you need even so much as shoes! About 80 people all had a great time.

The long-time beach personality known as Watermelon gave out the prizes, including medals to those having run in all three parts of Buns across the Border. After the run we were treated to a snack supplied by the Wreck Beach Preservation Society.

I look forward very much to the next version of these events this summer. I hope you enjoy all the photos of the various events I was at in 2007. [In the magazine are more photos than the one here.] One I didn’t include was that of an acquaintance and me standing between two uniformed RCMP constables on the beach checking things out. They agreed to the picture only if I promised not to have it published!

Buns across the Border takes place in 2008 as follows.
July 20: Fraternity Snoqualmie, Issaquah WA
July 27: Kaniksu Ranch, Spokane WA
August 17: Wreck Beach, Vancouver BC

And don’t forget National (or North American) Nude Recreation Week, July 6 to 12.