Hiking - Part 89

Eifel Hike, 2025

Today we look at a hike that was done on the weekend of August 30, 2025 in the Eifel mountains, a low range in western Germany, not to be confused with the Eiffel Tower.

Above is a photo of the hiking group.  The hike was organized by a group called Naked Freedom, but the participants included some of the Naked European Walking Tour (NEWT) hikers whom we have seen before.  NEWT hikes take place in the Alps in Austria.

Above, Natfree Pascal at left, who organizes the NEWT hikes, and a guy who calls himself Naked Hiker on x.com, who posted these photos.

Here's Naked Hiker during the 15 km hike on Saturday.

And here he is addressing the group before the hike on Sunday.

The group on Sunday seems to be smaller.

After the hike on Sunday, the group gathers for food and drink at the group house.  That's Naked Hiker with the wine glass.

The hiking weekend was extended to Monday, but only 7 hikers participated, above.  The women aren't getting into the spirit of naked hiking, but the men are.

We end with a photo of Naked Hiker on the Monday hike near Kesseling, Germany.

National Swimming Pool Day 2026

National Swimming Pool Day

Today is National Swimming Pool Day.  To celebrate, here are some photos taken by LIFE photographer William Vandivert in 1938 at Michigan State.  The first photo shows coach Matt Mann talking to a swim team member.  Although they are clothed, note the naked swimmer in the background.  Swimmers practiced naked in those days.

Here's coach Mann talking to another swim team member.  Matt Mann (1884-1962) was born in England, where he learned to swim in the public bath house and the canals in Leeds.  One day, swimming nude in a canal, someone stole his clothes, and a policeman marched him naked through the town to the station.

In 1908 he emigrated to the U.S, where he eventually became a swim coach at Yale, then Harvard, and finally Michigan State/University of Michigan.  In 1965 he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

We end with a photo of eight swim team members doing an exercise in the pool.  LIFE magazine did not publish frontal nudity, though it occasionally published rear nudity.  I don't think any of these photos appeared in the magazine.  They are in the LIFE photo archive.

Poem of the Day - Part 89

 The Fly
by William Blake, 1794

                                                            Little fly,

                                                            Thy summer's play

                                                            My thoughtless hand

                                                            Has brushed away

                                                            Am I not

                                                            A fly like thee?

                                                            Or art thou not

                                                            A man like me?

                                                            For I dance

                                                            And drink and sing

                                                            Till some blind hand

                                                            Shall brush my wing

                                                            If thought is life

                                                            And strength and breath,

                                                            And the want

                                                            Of thought is death,

                                                            Then am I

                                                            A happy fly,

                                                            If I live,

                                                            Of if I die.

Artists - Part 91

Richard Laeton

Richard Laeton was born in 1955 and raised in Long Beach, New York.  He attended Carnegie Mellon University and the Parsons School of Design.  He is currently a graphic designer in Marin County, California.

Early on, he became fascinated with birds and made beautiful paintings of many wild birds, such as Hooded Oriole, above.

His output is prodigious, including all kinds of portraits and other pictures.  Male nudes make up only a small part of his work, but that's what we will look at today.  Above, Victor.

Often in his male nude paintings, the background design shows through the male nude, like Radley, above.

Laeton conceals male frontal nudity, which is odd, because most artists value artistic freedom over prudish public attitudes.  Above, in Dillian C., the background shows through, but the penis doesn't.

In Mike W. it's a woodland background that shows through.

The pattern is especially obvious in Lance W., above, where it seems to have graduated from a background pattern to becoming the foreground of the image.  Why does Laeton do this?  Maybe to be different, or maybe it's just his thing.  Personally, I don't like the effect.

So it's a relief to find a Laeton male nude without a background showing through, like Rafael #1, above.

Beach Bums - Part 86

Herring Cove Beach, Provincetown

Provincetown, Massachusetts, has long been an LGBTQ+ haven.  Its main beach is Herring Cove Beach.  As the map indicates, the beach has sections for straight people, lesbians, ...

gay men ...

and a nude beach section.

Although nude beaches are technically not legal in Massachusetts, the police don't bother this one.

Behind the beach are some dunes.

Behind the dunes is a tidal salt marsh, known as the lagoon.

And behind the lagoon is Provincetown.  The tower is the Pilgrim Monument.

The beach fronts Cape Cod Bay, which is calmer than the Atlantic Ocean side of Cape Cod.

But more people choose to wade in the lagoon than go swimming at the beach.

We end with a message that someone spelled out with rocks on Herring Cove Beach.

Gods, Myths and Heroes - Part 83

Zephyrus

Zephyrus was the ancient Greek god of the west wind.  There were four Greek gods of the winds.  Boreas, the north wind, was cold and blustery.  Notus, the south wind, was hot and summery.  Eurus, the east wind, was rainy and stormy.  But Zephyrus, the west wind, was mild, with gentle breezes, and he was associated with spring.  Even today, a zephyr means a mild, pleasant breeze.

Above, a fresco of Zephyrus from Pompeii.

Above, The Funeral Pyre of Patroclus by John Flaxman, 1805, depicts a story in the Iliad where Achilles' friend and lover Patroclus has died but the funeral pyre won't light.  Achilles prays to the wind gods, including Zephyrus, to start and fan the fire, and they do.

We've already seen the myth of Eros (Cupid) and Psyche.  Zephyrus is the god who transports the beautiful girl Psyche to a remote place where Eros can make love to her.  Above, Zephyr and Psyche by Henri-Joseph Ruxthiel, 1814, shows Zephyrus carrying Psyche.

But Zephyrus had his own love interests.  He fell in love with a handsome Spartan prince called Hyacinthus.  Above, a 5th century BC ceramic showing Zephyrus and Hyacinthus having intercrural sex (a form of sex in which Zephyrus' penis goes between Hyacinthus' thighs).

A 5th century BC vase depicting Zephyrus pursuing Hyacinthus.  But Hyacinthus had other admirers, in particular the god Apollo, and he decided to leave Zephyrus and go with Apollo.

Apollo invited Hyacinthus to play a game of throwing the discus with him.  Above is a Roman copy of a Greek statue c. 390 BC showing Hyacinthus with a discus.

But the jealous god Zephyrus hadn't gotten over Hyacinthus leaving him.  When Apollo threw his discus, Zephyrus blew it off course so it hit Hyacinthus in the head.  Apollo tried to save him, but Hyacinthus died.  Above, The Death of Hyacinthos by Jean Broc, 1801.  Unable to save him, Apollo then turned the youth into the hyacinth flower.

World Naked Bike Ride - Part 92

Clacton 2018

Today we look at a World Naked Bike Ride in Clacton on July 21, 2018.  Where is Clacton?  Clacton-on-Sea is a town on the coast of England, a bit northeast of London.

Riders gathered in the parking lot of the Toby Carvery seaside restaurant.  In other World Naked Bike Rides, many riders have gotten designs or slogans painted on their bodies.  Above is the only person who seems to have done that in Clacton, with a WNBR emblem painted on his chest, as well as adorning his bike's tires.  Something tells me that he was one of the organizers of the event.

Riders gathering in the parking lot.

This guy came dressed in a top hat and bow tie – and nothing else.

Getting ready to head out.  The vest on the guy at right says "Ride Marshall Roger", and the sign on the back of his bike says "Wobbly Vehicle."

Heading onto the street.

Riding down the street.

More riders.

More riders.  In most WNBRs, some riders have paint or signs advocating two things: (1) asking drivers to pay attention to bike riders for safety, and (2) asking people to ride bikes instead of driving cars because cars cause pollution.

Above is the only such sign I saw in this WNBR: the sign "More Bikes Less Cars" advocating the second WNBR goal.

More riders, including our guy with the top hat.

More riders.

And they ended the ride back at the Toby Carvery parking lot.