There are three basic rules of nudism:

Wear plenty of sunscreen.

Always have a towel on hand for when you sit, both for hygiene and to avoid a potentially unpleasant union with hot metal, plastic or wood.

And never, ever, fry bacon.

Richard Eriksen, a retired attorney from Virginia, tried that and speaks from grease-spattered experience. (By the way, he also warns against tarring your roof naked, which he also attempted.)

"I don't recommend cooking bacon or barbecuing," he said, chuckling. "Tarring the roof wasn't a good idea, either."

Mr. Eriksen is a longtime member of Pine Tree Associates, one of two nudist clubs in the county. The other is the Maryland Health Society, located in Davidsonville. Both were founded, separately, in the early 1930s, and are the only such clubs in the state.

Nationally, the nudism movement is much larger and growing, according to the Florida-based American Association for Nude Recreation. AANR has more than 50,000 members and close to 270 affiliated clubs, resorts, RV campgrounds and bed and breakfasts, according to its Web site.

"There's not a lot of (perfect) 10 bodies," said Carolyn Hawkins, AANR spokesman. "You don't have to be afraid of it."

Members of the two local clubs hail from the county, the rest of Maryland and many other states. Some live at the clubs during the summer months, others stay longer, and still more just visit on the weekends.

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