Nude jogger `not a pretty sight'
One of the strangest wildlife sightings in the Cupertino-Saratoga foothills has yet to be identified: a naked jogger, wearing only shoes, glasses and a black tam hat.
He's cordial and polite, not threatening. He doesn't do anything obscene. He avoids confrontations. A white middle-aged man with a paunch, he isn't much to look at.
But his frequent appearances in the Fremont Older Open Space Preserve are startling hikers, equestrians, runners and cyclists, whose idea of sightseeing usually involves something more scenic.
``He passed me and said `Good evening,' '' said equestrian Sue Bowdoin, while riding her horse Randy last summer on the Wedding Tree Trail in the south end of the park. ``I thought: Ugh!''
``I think he has a screw loose,'' said Bowdoin, of Santa Clara.
The recent cold snap seemed to keep him indoors, or at least more fully clothed. But for the past year and a half, there have been consistent reports of his nude workouts on Maisie's Peak, Vista Loop trail and others.
On warm days, the tam stays home.
Many sightings come from horseback riders at nearby Garrod Farms Stable who exercise their animals in the 739-acre preserve. One rider says that she chased, cornered and confronted him, yelling that he should not expose himself to children, women and the elderly.
He acted worried, she said, and backed away from her.
Bowdoin recalled a second sighting last fall. ``He was running behind me, then started to cough and make noises so I wouldn't be startled,'' Bowdoin said. ``I pulled over and he went right by. He never did or said anything.''
And he maintained a steady pace throughout.
``I think he is not one of those guys who is deliberately trying to offend you,'' she said.
Park rangers have never seen him and his identity is still unknown, although efforts are under way to identify and apprehend him, said Gordon Baillie, a management analyst with the district.
Nor have his clothes or car keys been found, leading some to suspect that he's a neighbor.
Jogging au naturel is risky, given the abundance of poison oak in the park.
It's also illegal. Open Space District Ordinance Section 412 states: ``No person shall expose any part of the pubic or anal region or genitalia while on District Lands in Public View.'' If they catch him, rangers have to identify him -- a tricky proposition, given that he has no pockets to hold a driver's license. Suspects who don't have IDs are asked for their name and address, which is then verified by phone against driver's license records at the dispatch center, Baillie said.
How would he be picked out of a police lineup?
His skin is pale, turning red and sweaty with exertion. His hair is dark. So are the frames of his glasses. There isn't much body hair.
``He's frumpy. Plain. Not in good physical shape,'' Bowdoin said. ``It's not a pretty sight.''
He's cordial and polite, not threatening. He doesn't do anything obscene. He avoids confrontations. A white middle-aged man with a paunch, he isn't much to look at.
But his frequent appearances in the Fremont Older Open Space Preserve are startling hikers, equestrians, runners and cyclists, whose idea of sightseeing usually involves something more scenic.
``He passed me and said `Good evening,' '' said equestrian Sue Bowdoin, while riding her horse Randy last summer on the Wedding Tree Trail in the south end of the park. ``I thought: Ugh!''
``I think he has a screw loose,'' said Bowdoin, of Santa Clara.
The recent cold snap seemed to keep him indoors, or at least more fully clothed. But for the past year and a half, there have been consistent reports of his nude workouts on Maisie's Peak, Vista Loop trail and others.
On warm days, the tam stays home.
Many sightings come from horseback riders at nearby Garrod Farms Stable who exercise their animals in the 739-acre preserve. One rider says that she chased, cornered and confronted him, yelling that he should not expose himself to children, women and the elderly.
He acted worried, she said, and backed away from her.
Bowdoin recalled a second sighting last fall. ``He was running behind me, then started to cough and make noises so I wouldn't be startled,'' Bowdoin said. ``I pulled over and he went right by. He never did or said anything.''
And he maintained a steady pace throughout.
``I think he is not one of those guys who is deliberately trying to offend you,'' she said.
Park rangers have never seen him and his identity is still unknown, although efforts are under way to identify and apprehend him, said Gordon Baillie, a management analyst with the district.
Nor have his clothes or car keys been found, leading some to suspect that he's a neighbor.
Jogging au naturel is risky, given the abundance of poison oak in the park.
It's also illegal. Open Space District Ordinance Section 412 states: ``No person shall expose any part of the pubic or anal region or genitalia while on District Lands in Public View.'' If they catch him, rangers have to identify him -- a tricky proposition, given that he has no pockets to hold a driver's license. Suspects who don't have IDs are asked for their name and address, which is then verified by phone against driver's license records at the dispatch center, Baillie said.
How would he be picked out of a police lineup?
His skin is pale, turning red and sweaty with exertion. His hair is dark. So are the frames of his glasses. There isn't much body hair.
``He's frumpy. Plain. Not in good physical shape,'' Bowdoin said. ``It's not a pretty sight.''
posted by Mr Farnham at
8:56 AM
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