Latest / Hiking without a stitch / EP. 23 - Running a Naked 5K at Shangri-La Ranch with Cyndi and Olivia

Transcript

EP. 23 - Running a Naked 5K at Shangri-La Ranch with Cyndi and Olivia · Hiking without a stitch

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Who first told me to cover up?
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: What if the truth is too bad in nature isn't changed for all?
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: Stealing it reconnecting to your body and to the natural world.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to Hiking Without a Stitch.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: Get naked, be free, and be kind.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: I'll share my journey with nature, stories from the trail, and conversations with others who have found freedom in the open air.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: How's it going guys?
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to Hiking Without a Stitch.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: I'm John, your host, and today's episode is going to be a really fun one.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: I sit down with my wife Olivia to talk about the time that we ran the Bear Buns Desert Run Naked 5K at Shangri-La Ranch.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: I think events like these are really amazing for first-timers, and they present a great opportunity to experience non-sexual nudity in a safe, fun environment.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: So I really wanted to talk with my wife about what we were both expecting going into this experience, what it was actually like when we got there, and if it was as awkward as she thought it was going to be once we ran the race.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: So in this episode, you're kind of getting three different perspectives, all on the same experience.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: If you've ever wondered whether a nude 5K is for you, what it's like to visit a clothing optional resort, or what happens when you try something new with your partner, that's what this episode is all about.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: So let's get into it.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: Hello everyone.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: She's back, guys.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: Before like we went to go to do the naked 5k, do you remember me asking you if if if we could go and do it or if we could if I could go and do it?
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_03: Well, I think you asked me if I'd ever go run a naked 5K.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_03: And I was like, what?
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_03: No.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_03: And then I think another week went by, and then you asked again, like, well, do you care if I went on a naked 5K?
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_01: And then I think I was just like, no, I don't mind.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: What was your like first impression um when I told you about it and I was wanting to go?
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: Were you were you worried?
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I was scared.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_03: I was like, there's no way I can get naked in front of a bunch of people.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: For someone who's never been to a clothing option or resort, how would you describe your first moments kind of coming to Shangri-Law?
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: I guess, I guess let's back up.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: Tell me about arriving at Shangri-La and the little bit of a backstory.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: We went and bought a small pop-up camper because I was like, oh, we're I don't want to sleep in a tent.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: We're just gonna, I've been saving up, we're gonna get a little camper.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: So we bought a camper in Phoenix, and then we immediately just drove it to Shangri-La.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: Without without looking at it too much.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: And uh we arrived at Shangri-La and I kind of like pulled over in their drive and and looked at her, and I was like, okay, well, uh, you know, just go inside and and get us checked in.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so well, we pulled up, and you know, they have the like security fence so you can't see in.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_03: And John pulls like to the right side, and he's like, Okay, well, can you hop out and go check us in?
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_03: And I was like sitting in the seat looking at him, like, are you serious right now?
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_03: Me go in and check by myself?
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_03: Like, you're kidding, right?
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_03: So then John's like, okay, okay, let's go in.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_03: Let's both go in.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_03: Um, so we did that, and initially, um nobody in the office was nude yet.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: No, no, no, I didn't know what to expect.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: And then, like, once we got through the gate, I was like, okay, in my mind, I envisioned us driving through the gate, and then there was gonna be naked people everywhere.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: And then we're driving through the campground, and I'm like looking around and I'm going, where's all the naked people?
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: That person has a t-shirt on, and then there was like one dude that walked by, I'm like, hey, a naked person, we are here.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: Amazing.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_03: Mm-hmm.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_03: But yeah, it wasn't a lot at first initially.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_03: So I was like, are we at the like right place?
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_03: Like it just looked like a campground.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: It it really did.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: It had it was a cool, um it has a cool vibe to it too.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: It's a real cool place.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um pretty chill.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, really chill.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_03: Everyone kept to themselves most of the time.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_03: So that the night that we got there, um, you know, we didn't have power or anything to our camper, so John's like, oh, let's go walk around.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_03: And I was like, okay, okay.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_03: It should be fine.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_03: It's like dark out, like, you know.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_03: And anyways, he was like, hey, let's go to the hot tub.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_03: And so we're walking to the pool, we're looking at the pools, and then we get closer to the hot tub, and I just see like, I don't know, it was like eight or ten people, but it seemed like it was way more, way more than that.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_03: And I was just adhering headlights, and I couldn't go any further.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_03: It was like my vision became blurry, and I was like, I'm I I don't know if I can do this.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_03: So so he was very patient with me that I was like, okay, I'm not ready for this right now.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_03: So then we kind of walked around a little bit more and then just went back to the camper and went to bed.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: I actually forgot that.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: We also walked down to the little store.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: They're little at the uh front office, they have a store that I think I bought a cord there so we could plug the camper in or something.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, the camper was all janked up.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't realize that the camper door didn't have a lock on it, totally didn't look when we bought it.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: And we went to go down.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, what the hell's going on here?
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: Doors like flopping open.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, oh my god.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so needless to say, didn't sleep the best, but um, yeah, got some sleep before the race.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: What made you decide that you actually wanted to participate in the Bear Buns run with me?
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_03: Well, I mean, honestly.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_03: A break and a new experience.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, just kind of why not?
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_03: Like, let's try something new.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: Well, and I I had come across it kind of by accident, just researching clothing optional nude events and things to do in in Arizona, and I came across it and I was like, that might be fun.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: Because we had done you used to do um half marathons and M5Ks in like Bellingham.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: So it wasn't like outside of our wheelhouse to go do that.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: Um just that it was nude.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, just that for clothing optional.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: Just that it was nude.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: And you had planned to to run it nude last year.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I think like the day before I did decide I was like, okay, okay, I'm gonna run this naked, like, I'm just gonna do it, like go for it.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_03: And I think I was just gonna wear a fanny pack.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_03: Um but then yeah, on our way to go to the race, I started my cycle.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_03: So then, yeah, I wore shorts.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, which was totally fine.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: No one no one cared.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone was just doing their own thing and and you did yours and it was great.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: Mm-hmm.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_00: Um it is funny when I think about when when we were coming to Shangri-La, I was like, okay, I gotta we're gonna go to the race.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: What am I gonna wear?
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, I'm not gonna wear anything because I'm gonna be naked.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: Like, do I bring clothes?
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: And ultimately I brought like sweatpants and a sweatshirt because it was chilly in the early morning.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then basically the whole time I was there, I was naked, other than that.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um we woke up in the morning, had breakfast at the Bear Buns Cafe, which was phenomenal.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: The staff was awesome, everyone was super friendly, the food was great.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it was a lot of fun.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_00: And then we made our way to the starting point of the race.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: And that was really cool to me because just seeing so many different people come together and you could just feel the energy like building.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: You're like, okay, something's something's happening.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: Here's the event, and like here it comes.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: And then more and more people came, and more cars pulled through the gate, and more and more people came.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: What was that like for you?
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_03: Well, so I was wearing a sports bra and shorts.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_03: So um, I think just having a larger chest area, I was like, okay, actually I do not want to run um three miles.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_03: Like, that's really uncomfortable.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_03: So I was pretty much well, there was maybe three or four of us uh that had clothes on, and I mean nobody cared or made us feel differently that we had clothes on.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_03: But um no, yeah, there was definitely a lot of anticipation, and then some people stripped off the last minute as soon as they said, you know, start.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah, it was cool to be around that energy and just people who didn't mind.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: What was it weird for you being clothed around a sea of naked people?
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: Like did you feel like odd?
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah, since I was clothed in normal running clothes, um yeah, I f I did feel a little out of the loop, you know.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_03: But it was fine.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's what's so funny.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: Like when you go to Tank Faraday, or at least the people that I've I've talked to and like myself, when I've gone clothed, it's like oh, I feel kind of like the weird one.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: Like Or it's like, what is he why is he not getting naked?
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, exactly, exactly.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: It's funny.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um What is he hiding?
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: What are you doing over there?
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: Was it was it weird being around a group of people that got completely naked?
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean it really when I say this, it was a mix of all ages, different sizes, shapes, different personalities, and it was really cool to see because we're all there for the same reason.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_00: And it's it's not like there's nothing sexual going on.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: It is completely like the other races that we have run, just without the clothing.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: So that was like really cool to see, and then people were really into it.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: They have the ankle monitors, and there's people hooting and hollering and high-fiving, and lots of actually like people in their twenties to thirties.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_03: They seem like they were more kind of competitive, you know.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_00: I was not, I was one at the very last.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: Me too.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: It's okay.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_00: We did we did bring up the the the end of the uh all the runners.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: Us and like one guy.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: We chatted with him for like three miles.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_01: So was the was the 5k different than you expected?
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, just in the way that I guess I thought more people were going to be looking at us or wanting to know, you know, what we were doing there, you know, but really everyone kept to themselves, so I think that surprised me.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, was there a point that you kind of forgot that everyone was naked around you?
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_03: Um, yeah, there was.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_03: Um I think, well, yeah, because when you first get there at the start line, it was it's a little, you know, a bit of a shock.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_03: But then it's like you're just still standing there and it's like, oh, we're all just still still here, so not a big deal.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have any like funny memories or moments that you remember from the race day?
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_03: No, not the race day.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_03: Well, just other than like everyone was passing me, like I have a funny moment.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_00: When we were running, so we went around the loop like the first time, and there's a woman standing, because all the the residents and people visiting that aren't running the race kind of line the road and cheer you on and hand you water bottles and say good job.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: But there's a woman on like one of the third turns before going up the hill, and she was fully dressed in like her nightgown and her slippers the first time we went around, and then the second time we went around, she was just in her like underwear and had taken the top off and the robe and the pajama buttons off.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, that was so funny.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: And then the third time we came around, she was completely stripped and like, woo, like rah-rawing us, and I was like, hey, that's cool.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_00: So it was it was cool that the residents really got in on it, and you really do get to see the the community and the park, and they do have a cool trail and path that you get to you you go up and you come up this turp first hill and you look down and you're like, wow, this is a really cool view.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_02: Mm-hmm.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um Do you think that like sharing experiences like this helps bring do you think it helped bring us closer together and create kind of a different connection in our our relationship and marriage?
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, absolutely.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_03: I just feel like because like this is something that started off being something you're interested in, and instead of you know, just letting you do this by yourself, it's like, well, no, I want to like participate and do it with you and like grow as a couple.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: So it's way it's way funner to experience this with you, and I would say that it creates a stronger bond and trust between us.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, totally.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_00: Especially with the nudity, because it's like I'm not hiding anything from you, we're not doing anything weird, I'm not doing anything weird.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um so that that's really we're just you know, you're free to be yourselves and grow together.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_00: From your point of view, what do you think people misunderstand about couples participating in like clothing optional activities together?
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_03: Well, they probably just make it sexual, like thinking that they're gonna you know, go look at other people or try to hook up with them.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know, but and maybe there's not that trust there.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, so overall, like the experience was a lot of fun.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_00: Would you go do it again?
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, we're going to.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, spoiler alert, we're going to, we're gonna get signed up.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_00: If someone was curious about visiting Shangri-Law Ranch or participating in a naked 5K but kind of felt nervous, what would you tell them as like a spouse or just a beginner that's never done something like this?
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_03: Um, I would just say, I mean, give it a chance and just go with your partner or go with f a group of friends and you know, see if it's your vibe or something that you want to do.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's a that's a good uh that's good advice.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have anything that you want to say about the event or anything that we didn't bring up that you thought of while we were talking?
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_03: No, I mean just that I mean everyone that we did make eye contact with or had a conversation with or camped by, I mean, everyone was really friendly and like respectful, like no one was just sitting and staring at you and acting weird.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_03: Like it felt pretty comfortable and um yeah, overall just a great experience.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_00: Well, when you had a couple conver that's a good point.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_00: You had a couple conversations with a couple of the guys around our camper where we were setting up and getting ready for the race.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_00: I mean did you notice more eye contact or was it like this?
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, it was all eye contact and it was like there was it was just like a no judgment zone because it's like you guys just getting to know each other.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_03: And yeah, it it just felt too like it was almost like you guys were wearing clothes because it was just normal.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it was super normal.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it really felt it was funny because we saw a uh maintenance janitorial staff on a golf cart going by getting garbages and just doing their rounds, and I was like, oh, that's gonna be my job someday, Olivia.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_00: I wanna I want to live in a resort like this and and have a job like that.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_00: That would be awesome.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_00: Um We also spoke to Cindy, who you'll also hear in this episode.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: She took a picture of us at the finish line together, and we kind of told her that it was our first time and how much we enjoyed it and enjoyed spending time there and and doing the event.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, I speak to Cindy after this and kind of get the rundown of Shangri-Law Ranch and the Bear Buns 5K.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: But uh yeah, that's that's really I just wanted to do an episode kind of dedicated to the 5K because it was something fun that I think more people would enjoy, and I think people for first timers would really enjoy.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_00: Whether you're first time just interested in it, whether your partner or spouse comes with you, it's a good entry-level thing.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_00: There's not a lot of pressure, it's not, you don't have to be in any certain type of fitness level or size.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_00: You just show up, have fun, have a good attitude, and be open to the experience, and you'll have a badass time.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_00: So, with that, uh Olivia and I will be there this year.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, there's still time to sign up.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_00: I will post the links for everything in the show notes.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're in the Arizona area or surrounding states and want to come run the 5K, I hope to see you there.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: If you see me, say hello.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_00: I look forward to it.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_00: All right, guys, take care.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_00: Bye.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_00: See ya.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_00: Bye.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much, Cindy, for joining me today and taking the time to have this conversation.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_00: I really appreciate it.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, of course.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_04: Thanks for having me, John.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_00: Before we get talking about the Bear Buns Desert Run, can you give listeners a little bit of history about Shangri-La Ranch?
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, of course.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_04: So Shangri-Law Ranch was started in 1959.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_04: Um, and we, my grandparents bought the property in 1997.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, late, late '96, they took over January 1st in 97.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_04: So we are approaching our 30th anniversary.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_04: Um, since then, uh, my grandparents have both passed, unfortunately.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_04: But between my mom and myself, uh, my dad, who's our head of maintenance, and my sister works in our office, we are still family-owned, family operated for going on 30 years now.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, we are a clothing optional mobile home and RV park in New River.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_04: We have everything from full-time residence to rentals that people can come and use for a weekend during the week, anything like that.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_04: We also have RV sites.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, you do not have to stay here to come up.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_04: We have plenty of folks that come up just for the day to enjoy the pool, enjoy some hiking, uh, tennis and pickleball courts, volleyball, horseshoes.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_04: We just did a renovation on our game room.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_04: So we've got billiards, darts, ping pong, a little bit of everything for everybody.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, that's awesome.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_00: Um, what actually brought this conversation about too is my wife and I came up for the first time last year for the 5K together, and it was a blast.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_00: And I really wanted to have this conversation because I think more people should know about it.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it's a great event for introducing people into clothing optional, you know, recreation and stuff.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, how did the Bear Buns Desert Run kind of originally get started?
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_04: So originally, uh, I we've been going on, I can't remember if we're on year seven or eight, um, but we had noticed obviously the uptick of you know, 5K's people wanting to be outside and uh across the country, um, nude 5K's kind.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_04: Of became really, really popular.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_04: There was a longstanding one in at a club in California, which is unfortunately no longer a clothing optional club, but they kind of started it predominantly out here on the West Coast.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_04: And we said, hey, if they can do it, why can't we?
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_04: Um, we've got the space, and obviously that's our our whole gig is people can be, you know, as dressed as much or as little as they like.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_04: And so we just said, why not?
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_04: Let's give it a go.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_04: And it's grown every year since.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_04: Um, our route that we use is completely on ground.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_04: So again, you can be either completely dressed or not.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_04: And we also found, um, you know, much like yourself, it is a great way to introduce people to this community and to what we have to offer.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_04: A lot of folks, they, you know, I mean, runners, athletes, they all have, you know, bucket list kind of things.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_04: And so we kind of jumped on that trend and and have been riding it ever since.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, that's so cool.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's something that I noticed last year is that it was a good mix of everyone, all ages.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um, whether people wanted to be clothed and run it, they ran it clothed.
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_00: If they wanted to be naked, they ran it naked.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_00: It was awesome.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_00: Um I did have a question about that.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_00: Is there an age limit to who can come and run?
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_00: Like if my my like 10-year-old son wanted to come and run the race with me, is that okay?
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_04: Absolutely.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_04: So we are a family-oriented um environment, so everything that happens here is you know, above board, permissible for children.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_04: We encourage folks to bring out um kids, and this is a great way to do it.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_04: My nephews, who are now 13, um, they have run a couple for a couple of years, and so it is suitable for all ages.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_04: I've had, I think our oldest runner was in their 80s, and so we get everything from from young kids all the way up to retirees and and folks that are just looking out there to try and stay active.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_04: So it is open for everybody and all abilities.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_04: Um, our course is typically three laps because you know, we are only about 50 acres, kind of runs around the perimeter of the property.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_04: Although, I can't remember if it was last year or the year before, we did have some um some rain that had come in and kind of washed out our wash, so to speak.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_04: So we did run the majority of it through the park, which is a great opportunity for people that haven't been here before to see everything that is here, how big it is, and what it has to offer.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_04: Also gives a lot of our residents and those that are here for the weekend a chance to interact, set up a water station, you know, sit on their porch with their coffee in the morning, uh, cheer everybody on, because that's always a great component of running.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, I'm a runner too.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_04: And so for me, when I go to a different city or even do something local here in Phoenix, it's always nice to see some space in areas that you haven't seen before.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_04: But it's always great to be able to also see the local community come out and support the people that are there.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_04: And so we uh a lot of our residents and members kind of pride themselves on that as well and really enjoy the ability to cheer everybody on.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, like I said, it is accessible for all ages, all abilities.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_04: It is three laps.
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_04: We have had people in the past that, you know, they get through one and they're like, I'm good.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_04: I had the experience, it was great, and um, I don't think I want to do two more, and that's totally okay too.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_04: Again, open to everybody and all of their abilities, runners, um, runners, walkers, uh anything in between.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_00: And that's one of the things that I thought was really cool.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_00: Um your your guys' facility is pretty big, and just coming there and seeing everything last year is really cool.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_00: And you guys have two pools, uh, a little like coffee restaurant thing there.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: Uh that was awesome.
• 26:09
  SPEAKER_00: I really enjoyed that.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_00: Um, yeah, you guys have a lot going on there.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_04: We do, you know, um, even outside of the weekend or the day that we host the 5k, um, we have weekly events, everything like I said before, we've got tennis and pickleball courts, which is super popular.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_04: We also have a really good game room.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_04: Entertainment-wise, we do karaoke every week, we do a DJ dance every week.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_04: So that's another way for a lot of folks that aren't necessarily a runner.
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_04: There are other ways to stay active and we try and keep those, um, keep those available to everybody.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_04: It's it's and it's all about the community and the people that are here.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_04: We kind of try and cater to what folks like.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, we've gone through phases where billiards was a big thing.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_04: We've gone through phases where pickleball is a really big thing.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_04: It just kind of depends on what the trend is at that moment.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_04: And even if we're not in the middle of a trend, we've still got all the options available for anybody.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_04: The cafes are also great, especially on run weekends.
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_04: They are only open on the weekends.
• 27:13
  SPEAKER_04: So they do a dinner on Friday night, breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday, and then breakfast and lunch on Sunday.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_04: So great to get in there and get the fuel that you need, either pre-race or post-race.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, they did, they did phenomenal.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_00: I just got to shout them out from last year.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_00: They did phenomenal, and all the staff that we interacted with were a joy to interact with and really, really professional, and and it was a great uh experience.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_00: Uh for like participants coming into this who have never ran a nude 5K or come to a clothing optional resort on their first like morning there, what should their what are they, you know, kind of going to expect to experience and and when they're preparing for the race, you know?
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_04: So ironically, I always like to say, don't put too much into it.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_04: You know, don't have an expectation.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_04: You're coming out here.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_04: I think last year was one of our biggest years.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_04: We had about 75 folks.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_04: So it's not a lot of people, if they've never been to a clothing optional place before, they've never done a run like this before, their biggest thing is, oh, I'm gonna stand out.
• 28:21
  SPEAKER_04: Well, honestly, we have learned, and I've even personally experienced this going to other clubs.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_04: Um, you stand out more when you're dressed than when you are naked.
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_04: So with 70 people, you know, it's really easy to kind of blend in and nobody's, you know, overall, whether you're coming for the run or you're just coming out for a visit, this is such a non-judgmental environment.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_04: And that's one thing that people I hear a lot is they're like, oh, well, maybe I'll come out when I'm, you know, what when I lose 20 pounds.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_04: You don't have to because when you get out here, you realize that it's not people aren't here for that.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_04: They don't care what what you look like or or how big you are, how little you are, anything like that.
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_04: It's the fact that you you don't have anything to hide behind.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_04: You are just who you are, and they are who they are.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_04: And so it kind of really takes away that that element from the beginning.
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_04: You know, we always like to say, because we do do some photos during the race, and people kind of enjoy that because they want a memento from something, because it is a unique experience.
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_04: And over the past few years, people come in and they're like, Can I get my photo?
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_04: And we always say, Well, what were you wearing?
• 29:33
  SPEAKER_04: Well, that doesn't work because nobody's wearing anything.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_04: So then we started saying, Okay, what color are your shoes?
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_04: Were you wearing a hat?
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_04: Are like those become your, you know, identifying factors, so to speak, which it's like, you know, I've got a couple of folks that have been running this for years since we've been doing it.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_04: And they now know, like I've even had a couple of them come up to me and they have said, Oh, I had to go out and get new shoes just for this, and I made sure they were bright blue, or my wife and I come out here and do this, and we got matching hats this year, and and they're all sorts of different colors, and that way they can, you know, pick themselves out and be a little unique and show themselves in that way, versus at a regular race.
• 30:17
  SPEAKER_04: You know, I mean, again, like I said, I'm a runner too, and that's always the big thing is like put putting out your race outfit, you know, a week ahead of time.
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_04: What am I wearing?
• 30:25
  SPEAKER_04: What am I carrying?
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_04: This one, you don't have any of that.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_04: Um, so expectation-wise, I say try not to take it too seriously.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_04: You know, nobody's coming out here trying to qualify for for anything.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_04: It's a fun environment, and that's at the end of the day, that's what we want.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_04: We want it to be welcoming and fun and inviting for everybody.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_00: And that's that's uh what like my wife and I experienced last year.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_00: It was just awesome.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_00: So the the races are timed events, correct?
• 30:57
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, we do work with a timing company, um, and they're great.
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_04: They handle all of our registration, you know.
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_04: So a lot of people that have never done a nude run before, they go, Well, where do you put your bib?
• 31:07
  SPEAKER_04: Well, we don't have bibs.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_04: We have um we use the ankle, uh, ankle monitor tracking, and that works really, really well for us, you know, similar to what you use normally in like a triathlon or something like that.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_04: So that works out really well.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_04: And so it is timed, um, but it's not like I said, you're not qualifying for anything.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_04: It's just meant to be a fun check it off the bucket list and and then be able to enjoy something different and unique.
• 31:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_00: Is there have you changed the courses much from year to year?
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_00: Or do you kind of stick to the same uh layouts?
• 31:46
  SPEAKER_00: I guess you're kind of restricted to the layout of your resort, but uh I was just curious.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 31:53
  SPEAKER_04: We um we have gone through, I think, three or four different routes.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_04: Um, our property is pretty big, so we do have a little bit of of leeway in some of the stuff, but we're kind of surrounded on one side we've got a mountain, um, and then on the other side of our fence is BLM land.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_04: So you don't see a lot up there, but we do use that portion of the property, and that's where you get the trail run aspect of it, is because you are going up a trail and there are rocks, there are creatures, there's a little bit of everything there.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_04: You never know what you're gonna run across.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_04: Um, and then on the other side is a wash.
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_04: Normally it is a dry creek bed, but like I said, last year, the year before, we did have a pretty big rainstorm um right before the run.
• 32:39
  SPEAKER_04: And so it does kind of get a little muddy.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_04: Not quite sure what we're gonna do this year.
• 32:45
  SPEAKER_04: We have utilized other portions of the property in the past, like past the wash line.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_04: We've got some more property over there.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_04: It is a little further away, and we have found, you know, from talking to some of the runners, they kind of like being closer.
• 32:59
  SPEAKER_04: Again, it goes back to that community aspect, being able to see people, have people cheer you on, be a part of it.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_04: Um, on that side of the property, we do also have some neighbors that are starting to develop their land.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_04: Um, we are quite friendly with our neighbors.
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_04: Again, we've been here for 30 years.
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_04: The property's been here for you know 40 before that.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_04: So it is a little unique in that sense.
• 33:27
  SPEAKER_04: We've got great relationships with them, but in order to maintain that relationship, we want to be as respectful as we can.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_04: So we don't try and utilize that space.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_04: We did one year, that was I think our second year that we did the run, just to try and get a different, um, a different view.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_04: But we found that most folks wanted to be closer to the property, closer to the people.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_04: And we just, you know, out of respect for our neighbors, we've kind of scrapped that portion of the space.
• 33:57
  SPEAKER_04: But we do try and mix it up a little bit instead of, you know, continuously just running in the same circle.
• 34:02
  SPEAKER_04: A couple of years we've kind of run it opposite.
• 34:04
  SPEAKER_04: So you go up the trail first onto the mountain versus at the end or anything like that.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_04: So that one is still a little bit in play, even for this year.
• 34:13
  SPEAKER_04: It's also a little weather dependent.
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_04: And it's, you know, we'll we'll see what happens as we get a little bit closer.
• 34:21
  SPEAKER_00: Is is the weather pretty, I guess this time of year up in Phoenix, is it pretty?
• 34:28
  SPEAKER_00: Can you kind of bank on it being semi-nice, or does it rain like 50% of the time when you guys do this?
• 34:34
  SPEAKER_04: No, rain has only been an issue for us once out of the seven, eight years that we've been doing this.
• 34:41
  SPEAKER_04: So rain is not normally an issue.
• 34:43
  SPEAKER_04: The issue that we run into, because the runs in October, and in, you know, in Phoenix, October is that sweet month where you start getting cool mornings, cool evenings.
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_04: So the morning of the run, when I start at when when I start doing all my setup and everything like that, you know, I'm up at 4:30, get the first cup of coffee, five o'clock, I'm out there setting up caution tape and and putting everything together.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_04: And at that time, it's still cool.
• 35:09
  SPEAKER_04: Like, but then again, it's Arizona.
• 35:11
  SPEAKER_04: I'm an Arizona kid, and so for me, anything below 80 is cold.
• 35:15
  SPEAKER_04: So I'm out there like in a hoodie and jeans.
• 35:18
  SPEAKER_04: And then by the time that we kick everything off around eight o'clock or so, it it is the sun's coming up, it's warm and everything.
• 35:25
  SPEAKER_04: And then again, you you start running and moving, and that warms you up.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_04: But it historically, we have had really, really friendly weather to something like this, and it it is quite enjoyable.
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_04: It does heat up later in the day, which is good.
• 35:41
  SPEAKER_04: You get a nice little run-in, you warm up the body temp, you get something to eat at the cafe, and then by the time that's all said and done, you know, you're looking at 11, 12 o'clock, the sun's out, the the air is warm, and take a dip in the pool and just enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
• 35:58
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 35:59
  SPEAKER_00: That's awesome.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's that's really all I wanted to know.
• 36:02
  SPEAKER_00: I wanted to get the word out that this event is going on and how fun it is, and what a great introduction to people who might not have experienced this yet or looking to experience more and kind of get find that community um and try something different out.
• 36:17
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you so much for your time, Cindy.
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_04: You're quite welcome.
• 36:21
  SPEAKER_04: Look forward to seeing everybody out here in October.
• 36:24
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 36:25
  SPEAKER_00: Well, thank you again.
• 36:27
  SPEAKER_00: Take care.
• 36:27
  SPEAKER_04: Thank you.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_00: All right, that concludes today's episode.
• 36:33
  SPEAKER_00: I really want to thank Cindy for joining us and giving us a look behind the scenes at Shangri-La Ranch and the Bear Buns Desert Run and the community that makes events like this possible.
• 36:43
  SPEAKER_00: Also, I want to thank my wife for coming on and sharing her experiences and being willing to step outside her comfort zone.
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's one of the things I love most about this episode.
• 36:54
  SPEAKER_00: It's not just about running a 5K, it's about trying something new together, figuring things out as we go, and realizing that sometimes the things that we build up in our heads are a lot more intimidating than the actual experiences.
• 37:07
  SPEAKER_00: For anyone listening who's been curious about clothing optional recreation, maybe you've thought about visiting a naturist resort or trying a naked hike, or even signing up for an event like the Bear Buns Desert Run.
• 37:19
  SPEAKER_00: I hope this conversation gives you a little more confidence to take those first steps.
• 37:24
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to do everything at once, you don't have to be comfortable with everything right away.
• 37:29
  SPEAKER_00: And you definitely don't have to do anything you're not ready for.
• 37:32
  SPEAKER_00: So go at your own pace.
• 37:34
  SPEAKER_00: If this is something that you've been wanting to try, or you know, it sparked your curiosity, this year's Bear Bun Desert Run is going to be held on Saturday, October 17th, 2026, at Shangri Law Ranch in New River, Arizona.
• 37:48
  SPEAKER_00: Runners are encouraged to run with nothing but tennis shoes, but nudity is not required, it is clothing optional.
• 37:54
  SPEAKER_00: Registration includes a day visit to enjoy the pools and the cafe and other amenities on the property, uh to just enjoy yourself and hang out.
• 38:04
  SPEAKER_00: Also, a big thank you to everyone at Shangri Law Ranch for putting on events like this and creating a space where people can come together and have fun and enjoy the outdoors.
• 38:13
  SPEAKER_00: If you've enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might be curious about naturism or just looking for, you know, something a little different to try.
• 38:23
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, get naked, be free, and be kind.
• 38:26
  SPEAKER_00: See ya.