A Revealing Nature Hike

From Mike McNamara
Soap Lake Class of '65

Soap Lake had a Nudist Beach on the west shore. As a Cub Scout, around 1957, we had to earn our merit badges. One way to get a badge was to plan and complete a hike. Planning a hike around the lake took me and my friend Donny Allen right by the nudist beach. Two 7/8 year old boys stopped dead in our tracks when we saw the local hairdresser lady and two guys frolicking in the water. We dug out our Boy Scout field glasses and turned our Cub Scout hats backwards and watched for hours.

 When I got home Madoline asked, “How was your hike? What did you see?”  Madoline, like a good attorney, never asked a question she didn’t already know the answer. I responded, “Mom you know the lady that drives the purple ‘57 Chevy and does your hair?”  Madoline was all ears. When I told her Donny and I watched her at the nudist beach she asked, “Well how long did you watch?”  Truthfully, like a good Scout, I said, “The whole time we were gone!”
Needless to say she didn’t sign off for our merit badge. Donny and I really didn’t care. We could hike another day. This memory was much better. ​

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