Naked Hippie in Marion

Marion police caught a Cedar Rapids man with his pants down Monday, but there’s more to the story.

On a whim, Robert C. Thomas, 50, decided to strip naked and ride his bicycle through Legion Park in Marion, police said. An officer making a routine check of the trail around 11:20 a.m. made the discovery.

Thomas jumped into some weeds and tried to get dressed when he noticed the officer, police said. It was too late.

“He was just getting back to nature,” Lt. Scott Elam said. “He said he just wanted to see what it would be like to be naked out in the wild. He was told that this wasn’t a good place to do that.”

No one other than the officer witnessed Thomas riding the bike, saving him from an indecent exposure charge.

Thomas was cited for public nudity, a simple misdemeanor, and released. Fully clothed, this time.

Bro, he was just trying to spread peace, love and happiness.