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by Spike.
Originally appeared in
"Toronto's Creative and Articulate Nudes-Letter"
v1 n3
This gay men's nudist gathering was terrific: my lover Peter competed (and
looked fabulous) in the Bare Bear contest, and our own Geremy V. won
the very first Mr. IMEN contest. Of the 270 men attending, there were
about 8 men from Toronto.This gathering of gay male nudists, the first arranged by the new group IMEN (International Men Enjoying Naturism) took place at a camp in Maryland, not far from Baltimore. It used to be a summer camp for kids, but it was converted to a full time adult camp. Although a few people slept in their tents, most stayed in the many cabins.
The first sign we saw of the camp's recent change was the brand-new beds, complete with box springs! These were quite a change from the camp cots built for children that we were used to from previous GNI gatherings. The next sign was the food: it was fabulous! They hired a terrific new cook (a giant of a gay man who got naked with us after hours) and a consultant to plan the menu, and it really showed. We certainly got our money's worth, especially when it came to the desserts. The package price for the whole week was US$385 and included 3 all-you-can-eat meals a day, plus a midnight snack, beer, pop, and juice on tap all day, and cocktail parties before dinner each night. Each cocktail party (free wine, BYOB otherwise) has a theme, and the creativity of the costumes is astounding. While this was the first time for both Geremy and Don, they made quite an impression with their fabulous outfits!
The setting is lovely, with many open grassy areas surrounded by tall trees to provide shade. The men at these gatherings are very friendly, and it is almost impossible not to make new friends while you are there. I spent a lot of time resting, but others joined in the many activities and workshops, even the popular aerobics classes, despite the incredible heat!
Actually, come to think of it, I did get some exercise, by
participating in the relay Drag Races. This involved running a relay,
trying to put a drag outfit together from piles of shoes, wigs,
dresses, and handbags. They are very silly and lots of fun, and our
Canadian team took first place!
Other events included nude games, psychic workshops, buns casting (making plaster molds of people's bottoms), massage, lectures on a variety of topics, photography, body shaving, videos, square dancing, a disco each night, and much more. There is something for everyone; there is certainly no excuse for being bored!
So, in a place filled with naked gay men, how do they deal with sex? Very sensibly: they set aside areas of the camp for playing in, and others which are G-rated. The principal concern is to keep the camp staff from seeing any sex (lest they be turned into pillars of salt or something), so the X-rated places are generally away from the main buildings. At this camp, the area down by the lake was used for outdoor play, especially at night around the campfire.
Evenings were somewhat noisy, with music from the disco, drumming from the campfire, and orchestral music battling the bullfrogs and insects, but everything faded away after midnight. Except the frogs and bugs, of course.
The weather was phenomenal: extremely hot and sunny for the most part,
the perfect weather in which to be naked. By the end of the week the
pools were as hot as hot-tubs, and just as crowded!
I had a great time, and I can hardly wait for next year!
Next Item: Pride Day 1996 (30 June 1996)