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What better naked travel experience can you have than to spend your entire vacation in the nude, with hundreds of other naked men? Join Gay Naturists International (www.gaynaturists.org) and you can do just that at the annual gathering every August. This was my first opportunity to attend one of these gatherings, though I'd been champing at the bit to rip off my clothes and join the other, nearly-900 men who do the same thing each year (as they have done for more than 20 years). I drove up with best friend Jason to the Pocono retreat. Two hours after leaving Philly, we reached the cool mountain haven and passed through the guarded gate. It was early evening and things were quiet. I spotted nude men in the distance strolling over manicured fields and knew I was home. We found our way to registration where a beautiful, very friendly man gave us our packets. As we'd arrived at the end of dinner hour, he suggested we get something to eat before settling in. We were clothed and none of the other dinner stragglers were, but they were hospitable and showed us where we could find what we needed. Friendly is one of the operative words at GNI - no one was anything less than congenial, warm, and accommodating. After all, once the clothes are gone, what is there to stand between us and amiability?! Body image is another hurdle many of us struggle with and GNI helps. Everyone I encountered seemed content with himself. And no one ever made anyone else feel anything but welcome. Most men bunk in cabins which house about 12 guys. We found our assigned cabin and were immediately welcomed into this family. Within minutes we were nude and trading stories, being given hints, tips, and whatever information we needed. This was a truly convivial bunch of guys, but I suspect all the cabins were equally agreeable. In an auditorium overflowing with naked men, activities began with the Parade of Naturist Groups. Then the GNI president and board members handled introductions and reviewed the schedule. The retreat center staff was introduced and even clothed, knocked audience members for a loop. These staffers had no trouble showing off for hundreds of naked gay men and were even spied at some of the cabin parties later in the week. After the official business, Carol Channing, or rather someone channeling Channing, entertained the naked troops. Later that night, Tropicana, the Naked Disco opened its doors. It was like nothing you've ever seen - nothing! Hundreds of naked, ecstatic, dancing men packed the dance floor, hopped onto pedestals to gyrate, and had a nakedly good time. Jason, in his element here, mesmerized the crowd with his moves. The music was loud and the lighting was beautifully intricate. Mist and a snowy confetti mix were occasionally pumped into the room making it a surreal and very happy dream. The gathering is not all parties and naked abandon, however. GNI provides serious fun as well. They had workshops on body image, massage, life drawing classes, bridge parties (yes, you heard correctly), bingo, telescope star-gazing with experts, sessions for gay fathers, and more. For the athletically inclined there were volleyball, tennis, morning runs, yoga and aerobics. Nightly entertainment included a cabaret act with perky, quick-witted Jolene, and a talent extravaganza where guys could show off, so to speak, hosted by an effervescent Stormy Weather. Even if the guys weren't bare, I'd have enjoyed the talent. Next time, you can share your talent. Naked, of course. The meals (including late snacks), were all excellent. I say that as the picky eater I am. Cooking for nearly a thousand hungry men can't be easy, yet the staff did it well and with a wide variety including multiple desserts. The clothed staff never blinked an eye at the long lines of deliciously nude men queuing up for food. The contests included one for cabins. Many choose to decorate their cabins and enter the multi-category (e.g. most humorous, manly man, girly girl, or bright lights) competition. As gay men will, they decorated with wildly imaginative takes on themes, well crafted decorations, and finely tuned set-designs. It made walking through this naked wonderland even more fun. More fun than seeing naked guys? What am I thinking? The Wildfyre Society (WildFyreSociety.org) based in southern Florida is one of the big movers involved in organizing and presenting the GNI gathering and deserves a huge naked round of applause. Other gay naturist gatherings also take place annually. CMEN (cmen.info) sponsors a week-long event where almost 300 men bare all in the Santa Monica mountains. PANG (phillynakedguys.org) holds a long-weekend event every Memorial Day. And there's a Midwest Male Naturist Gathering every June (groups.yahoo.com/group/MMNGinformation). Almost wherever you live there's a naked gathering or club (the GNI site has a list). If not, hop a train, plane, bus, whatever, but get yourself to one of these events. You'll be nakedly glad you did.  Joe DeMarco's latest projects include The Lavender Raven, an online GLBTQ mystery & more journal, at www.lavenderraven.com, as well as Mysterical-E, www.mystericale.com. Joe's website is www.josephdemarco.com Top |
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