Volume 2, Number 2 / February 1999
Volume 2, Number 2 / February 1999
Bay To Breakers Update
Sauna SIG Goes On The Road
Important NAC Alert
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Bay To Breakers
Update |
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On The Road We got to the Orcas dock at 11:45 pm. A local resident needed a ride to the resort and showed me the way to the resort. I am glad that she showed up, because it was dark, rainy, and unfamiliar driving on Orcas. Nothing on the island looked familiar, as I was on Orcas last in 1973-going to Camp Orkila. We checked in and found a spacious, warm, and large cabin
awaiting us. It was refreshing to find a homey place on what
I perceived to be a "rustic" getaway. There were plenty
of beds for everyone and all of the snorers relegated themselves
to the upper level . The only disappointment was that the clothing
optional tub and sauna area was already closed for the evening.
Oh well. There are two more days ahead of us. We went to the tubs and sauna area after Saturday morning's breakfast, overlooking a picture postcard view of Doe Bay. We met some ladies and their male roommate from Seattle who turned out to be pleasant and companion nudists. Perhaps, the SLUGS newsletters that Howard brought to the c/o area will interest other nudists at Doe Bay in future nude swims at SAC. It would be nice to include these folk into the SLUGS fold. James talked about some textile hiking up to Mt Constitution that day. We thought it would be kind of fun to do the hike and drove into Moran State park around noon. The SLUGS entourage first stopped at Mountain Lake, where we checked out the scenic lake. Being the polar bear/masochist in swimming natural frigid waters, I envisioned this place in summer for a swim. But I'm going off the track, again.... We finally go to the trailhead and climbed up to two summits on the mountain. The hike was 3 miles each way and took me about 2 hours.....my mind is healthy, not my body! At least, I had the foresight to wear lug-soled shoes and a big jacket. As the group labored towards the lower summit, we happened upon some snow, ice, and windy/clear skies. The view was quite nice with vistas of Mt Baker, NW Washington, and the islands north of Orcas. The thermometer on John's keychain showed the temperature to be a "balmy" 32. BRRR. Thank God for heavy clothing. Most of the group went up to the CCC-built lookout at the 2409' level and had a 360-degree view of SE Vancouver Island, Sucia Island, and the aforementioned views. The tower was built in 1933-4 by President Roosevelt's newly created Civilian Conservation Corps. The road that they and present day travelers use had too much ice on it to make travel safe. So, we opted for the hiking trails again for the return trip to the Slugmobile. Claudia is to be congratulated for the chocolate chip cookies at the top and the sugar and bulk they provided. Thank you! Of course, the return was predominantly down hill. But, I was quite tired and hungry after my rare attempt at arduous exercise. When I got back to the cabin, I moved like a zombie. Oh well... After a hot dog and shedding my dirty clothes, I wandered to the c/o area again. This time, I braved the cold tub for half a minute or more-this would get me used to future polar bear excursions. Later that night, our cooks whipped spaghetti with three types of sauce, garlic bread, and a salad. Everything was good. Lo and behold, Claudia's birthday was Sunday, but we celebrated
on Saturday night. The SLUGS got her a cake with a slug on it.
Pretty cute, eh? Judy Williams arrived from Vancouver that afternoon
to visits the SLUGS and the birthday gal. Judy brought some excellent
bread and wine to the party. Thank you, Judy, for the refreshments
and your company. We also gave Claudia a slug lollipop, slug
butter, and some organic tea. The piece de resistance came from
Judy-Claudia was treated to an excellent job of body painting.
James got a painting of young Miss Hoover (his pet iguana) on
his arm, too. Sunday, we ate the casseroles, packed up, and checked out by 11am. However, we could use the tubs/sauna until 1 pm-which we gladly did! Some of the other guests of Doe Bay wanted to go to SLUGS events and express interest in the group. The management designated the beach below the tub area nude-as long as the textile visitors weren't offended. After warming up in the tubs and the sauna, I swam in Doe Bay for a minute. Even though it was January, skinny dipping was quite pleasurable. I felt like an aquatic animal for a bit-too bad the air temperature was cool. Leaving Doe Bay, we drove to Eastsound for some sightseeing, shopping, and eating. It is a pretty town, that is largely dependent upon summer tourists. Most stores and restaurants were closed. After an hours time, we drove to the dock, walked around the landing area, which was busy, and got some coffee. The ferry ride was partially in the daylight, which was quite scenic. And the ride back seemed much easier in the daylight, as the Horseshoe Highway is an easy route from Olga Road (which leads to the resort) to the ferry landing. All in all, the trip and camaraderie were excellent. James had an ironic point that the resort is jammed during the prime weather months, yet the cooler months are still wonderful for the tubs, sauna, and trails. We each paid $40 for the two nights stay and chipped in for the meals, as there were 11 SLUGS at the cabin. Other accommodations are available such as hostel rooms and yurts. Check it out!! You won't be sorry. You can get more information about Doe Bay is available online at http://www.orcasisle.com/doebay/index.html. Email them at doebay@pacificrim.net. Their phone number is (360) 376-2291. |
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Important NAC
Alert The bill was introduced by Senator Joseph Zarelli (R-18) on January 20, 1999 and is presently in the Senate Judiciary Committee. This committee has a Democrat Chair and Vice-Chair, and the Democrats control the committtee 7-5. This gives absolutey no guarantee,however, that the bill can be stopped at this stage. NAC will meet via teleconference on Friday, January 29 to discuss possible stategies for combatting this nasty bill. What will surely come out of the meeting is that Washington State immediately needs an experienced lobbyist. The state lobbyist Washington had a few years ago is no longer available, so Mark Storey and other NAC board members are looking for another. What is needed immediately is some funds to hire a lobbyist to focus solely on Senate Bill 5351. The lobbyist would be instructed to either find a way to kill the bill in committee, or to reword it so non-lewd naturists are not effected. Lobbyists doing such work usually cost about $4000. AANR may be willing to shoulder some of the cost, but NAC needs your financial contributions TODAY. Naturists have not been contributing as much lately, so NAC's coffers do not presently have enough to pay for all the lobbyists needed across the country during this 1999 legislative session. The low contribution rate experienced lately is probably due to there not having been a key anti-nudity bill to rally against. Well, we've got that bill now, and there is no use saying, "We should be more pro-active"; the bad guys don't go to sleep for long, and when they come up with these bills, we've got to respond. At this point, NAC is not calling for a letter-writing campaign. It is not clear that a deluge of letters would help or hurt. It is possible that we do NOT want the state legislature to know that there are dozens or hundreds of people here who wish to be nude in the great outdoors. If NAC decides, after further consideration, that we all need to write letters or make phone calls to our legislators, you will be the first to know. The task is unfortunately simple at this point: send a contribution to NAC so we (and other states with similar bills) can hire a lobbyist fast. The same bill passed in Idaho in less than three weeks. We may not have much more time. Send a check to NAC, PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54902. LATE UPDATE |
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