[Non-Fiction] Running the Refuge

[patrickm]

I recently went on a trip to visit some family who live in a very rural part of the American south. I had mentioned to them that I was interested in any good running trails, and they recommended some trails at a wildlife refuge about 30 minutes away. I did some research and the trails got very high recommendations. Given its isolation, it also was never crowded. A lot of reviews said people spent a whole day at the park without ever encountering another person. I decided this would be a perfect place to go for a morning run and maybe some fun.

I left the house wearing two pairs of shorts, a tee shirt, and a sweatshirt. The outer shorts were my usually running shorts with a seven inch inseams. Underneath, I wore my full side split, 1 inch inseam, white, no liner running shorts (boa elite 1 inch if anyone is interested; it comes with a liner, but I cut it out). These are not very decent. It's almost like wearing a loincloth the ways the legs tend to flap up and expose the buttocks. When wet, it's pretty transparent. I've only dared run outside with them late at night or very early in the morning. An empty wildlife refuge seemed a perfect place to try a run in the sun with them.

There were two pick up trucks and a jeep in the first parking lot when I got there. That was fine. I had planned to go to the furthest parking lot anyway. The first parking lot had a trail that was the shortest way to the river where fishermen and bird watchers frequently went. It was unlikely I'd encounter them on a trail. My parking lot was empty as I had hoped.

I took off running on the trails, just wanting to check them out before disrobing to my indecent shorts. As expected, I encountered no one. Unlike most parks and refuges I had run in, the wildlife refuge was largely open fields with lines of trees separating them. If I did encounter anyone, there wouldn't be much more than tall grass to hide in. After about twenty minutes of jogging, I worked up the courage to strip down.

I left my sweatshirt, tee shirt, and shorts behind a big tree conveniently marked with a big white X. It would be hard to miss that. I shivered slightly in the cool breeze, but the sun felt great on the bare skin. I headed down what looked like a wide, by lightly used trail that ran along one side of a big field. I ran for another twenty minutes down that trail, it wound its way from field to field, slowly making its way towards the river. I decided against going to the river because of the greater risk of being seen, but I was tempted. A quick skinny dip in the cold waters would have been great.

About two miles from where I had left my decent clothes, I came across another field of short green grass. surrounded by fields of taller yellow grass on three sides. The fourth side had trees which was where I was. The field looked idyllic with the bright sun, blue sky, and waving fields of yellow grass surrounding it. I hadn't planned to go streaking, but I had told myself to be open to it if the opportunity presented itself. This field was perfect.

I stripped off my skimpy white shorts and, after briefly considering carrying them with me, left them in the middle of the trail. Then I took off around the field in just shoes and socks. It was a fairly big field, and it took me about five minutes to make my way around it. It felt great. The warm sun on my bare skin, the slight cool breeze providing a nice contrast, the fields of yellow grass only going up to mid thigh leaving me very exposed. I loved it.

And things were going great till I made that final turn to run along the line of trees back to my single skimpy item of clothing. There, at the corner, I found a bike lying in the grass.

It wasn't an old bike. In fact it looked very new. A helmet lay next to it along with what very much looked like a camera bag. The owner, thankfully, was no where to be seen.

Shit! I though to my self. A bird watcher was nearby, probably with a high definition telescoping lens. I didn't seem him, but that didn't mean he hadn't seen naked me or gotten photos. I sprinted the last leg of the field and quickly scooped up my shorts. I didn't put them on until I was a few minutes from the field. I then slowed down, and did an easy jog back to my clothes. Being a little spooked, I quickly redressed and made a bee line for the parking lot.

All in all, a fun adventure with a greater than expected chance of having been caught. I don't know if anyone on here is a bird watcher, but you may want to be on the lookout on bird watching forums for pictures of the rare sighting of a male Streakus Au Naturalus. Hopefully, though, the birdwatcher was too focused on the many hawks and eagles I saw, and not on my bare body.

[dontgetcaught]

Great story! What a fun way to enjoy the refuge. I would most definitely like to check it out myself… not so much for the birds but more for the fun you had.

[patrickm]

Glad you enjoyed it. If you're ever there for a visit, let me know. I might be able to join you. Though, I'm sure Colorado has plenty of areas where you could have some fun.