Our amazing local weekend - Thunder in the Mountains! - was July 12-14. This was the first big event that Chris and I attended, and it was the first event that Chris and Luckey and I attended together. It marks a special place in our hearts. Packing for Thunder is an adventure. We like to stay at the host hotel for the weekend and save a 45+ minute drive each way for the three days of the event, so we just load up the car with all the things we think we'll need. No weight restrictions means LOTS of toys. Do they all get used? No. Are they available if we want them? You bet! Somehow, during Registration, Luckey wound up wearing a PINK Leather Tiara, bedazzled and bejeweled, custom made just for him by Shazzy. I need pics!
Friday night starts with a meet and greet, introduction of the presenters and staff, and a quick review of the rules. Thunder is amazingly low on rules for an event this size. Practically anything goes in the dungeon (with a few notable exceptions) and the classes are always an amazing lineup. After a quick dinner, we joined the meet & greet time, and then socialized for a while afterwards.
This year, Friday night in the dungeon hosted HOWL AT THE MOON! - a two hour puppy mosh pit sponsored/staffed by the Puppies In The Mountains organizers and friends. Ten pm rolled around and we were given free reign of the mats set up in one end of the dungeon space. Last year was our first year, and it was very well attended. This year there were fewer puppies, but they moshed long and hard. One of our local pups, Pup Loki, was there when it started and played until we shut down at midnight. I started calling him The Iron Puppy for his endurance. We had some first timers join us on the mat - one willingly and the other was encouraged/dragged in by the first and Loki. Overall, there was much fun and puppy frolic. When it was done, we collected our toys, water bottles, and gummi snacks and loaded them back to our hotel room. Luckey took the time to have a light and fluffy rope scene with Ruin Awaits. (Next day, she started calling him Cujo. I wonder why?)
I wasn't tired yet, so I wandered back to the dungeon to watch things unfold as scenes continues into the late hours. As it turns out, I spent almost two hours talking with one of our local guys that I really had never visited with before. We commented on one of the hot and sexy young men wearing a pony tail, and that conversation became an exploration of our histories and opinions on many topics until we realized it was getting late (bedtime). We both attended many of the same classes through the weekend, and continued visiting each time. Thanks, Doctor Bob! It was a great to finally get to spend time getting to know each other better.
Saturday's classes started about 9am and continued on until 5ish. We enjoyed a range of lighthearted presentations to very serious and focused scenes presented. You have to choose carefully at Thunder - there are so many classes that we often end up splitting up to attend more. Saturday night's playtime started at nine pm, so we grabbed dinner with the International Titleholders Dinner Club and got dressed for the evening. Yes, I said Dinner Club - not Breakfast Club. Too many schedule conflicts in the mornings.
Saturday night was the 7th Annual Game Night at Thunder, sponsored by the Denver boys of Leather. It's a fun time in the Hospitality Suite with lots of friends, cheesy poofs, and games. There were two separate games of Cards Against Humanity going on, and maybe a little Trouble too. The newly formed Denver girls of Leather announced their presence that night as well, and were welcomed into the community with open arms.
Saturday night I enjoyed delivering an impact scene to Chris and a caning scene to Pup Tugger - thumpy and stingy - all in one night! Added some bastinado into the caning scene for fun. <Evil laugh> Boy Bamm Bamm watched the caning scene, and joined in to deliver some good whacks of his own before we were done.
Sunday morning came all too early. Breakfast, load the car, classes, and a visit to the vendor mart. There's some great shopping at this event. A casual conversation outside the Truly Sin-Cyr corset booth turned into a line of men all waiting to try on a corset for the first time. Pup David (aka Wiggles or Bacon) went first, and it provided the support he needed for his sore back...and it looked HOT. Corset discussions continued, and the line formed. Luckey, Mark, Tugger, me, Loki, BammBamm - we all got laced in and spent a few minutes in them. It was interesting. I didn't hate it - but I don't know when I would wear it. Yes, they provide amazing back support. And some breath control too. Plus posture reminders - you shall not slouch.
We finished out the day and went to the Eagle to decompress and relax. Nick Elliott showed up and he spent a good long while talking with my boy. Later we fed Nick and returned him to the hotel. Time to go home, unpack the car, put away the toys, and go to bed.
To Rich and Brian - GREAT JOB! Thank you for all your hard work through the year. Thank you for letting the Denver boys of Leather host Game Night, and Thank you for supporting HOWL AT THE MOON! Aroooo!
To all the presenters - Thank you! We learn so much every year and come away inspired.
To all the vendors - Thank you for tempting us with your wares. My credit card fears this event.
To all the volunteers - Thank you for contributing and donating your time to make this event great.
To all our friends and family - Thank you for making this an amazing weekend for us all.
Much love to you all!
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
2013 AIDS Walk Colorado Donations
I'm taking a break in posting the travel updates to let you know my upcoming plans. This next Saturday morning, August 10, I'm going to be decked out in my Corcoran Boots and Title Vest (and probably a little more clothes) to participate in the 26th Annual AIDS Walk Colorado event. I'll be walking with the Denver boys of Leather on their team.
Yes, it's a fundraising event. If anybody has some spare dollars that they'd like to share with a good cause - please do. And if anybody has a LOT of dollars they want to contribute towards a good cause - please do. Colorado has a great in-state support system and network for people affected by HIV. This fundraising will impact many, many lives.
I've set a reasonable goal, and would appreciate any support that you can give. There are only five days left until the event, so if you read this and feel inclined, don't hesitate. Share what you can. Even if you cannot afford to donate, please send your love and your best wishes to support all the individuals walking or running or working to promote and run the event.
My fundraising page is RIGHT HERE.
Thank you, everyone, for your support.
Yes, it's a fundraising event. If anybody has some spare dollars that they'd like to share with a good cause - please do. And if anybody has a LOT of dollars they want to contribute towards a good cause - please do. Colorado has a great in-state support system and network for people affected by HIV. This fundraising will impact many, many lives.
I've set a reasonable goal, and would appreciate any support that you can give. There are only five days left until the event, so if you read this and feel inclined, don't hesitate. Share what you can. Even if you cannot afford to donate, please send your love and your best wishes to support all the individuals walking or running or working to promote and run the event.
My fundraising page is RIGHT HERE.
Thank you, everyone, for your support.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Minneapolis Pride Weekend
How much fun can you have in one weekend? We were pushing all the barriers to find out.
The last weekend of June found us back in Minneapolis with friends to celebrate Twin Cities Pride Weekend. Once again, we stayed with friends and were welcomed in as family. They enfolded us into their pack and off we went for a wild ride. Friday lunch was all-you-can-eat sushi, and that night was Flog-A-Palooza and a visit to the eagleBOLT bar. Saturday we walked around Loring Park and enjoyed the festival as spectators (fried cheese curds) and then visited the eagleBOLT bar again for more time with friends.
Sunday came and we were on the parade route bright and early. Minneapolis leads their parade with two giant flags - the first one is the Gay Pride rainbow flag and it is followed by the Leather Pride flag. We joined local titleholders and community leaders and community members to carry the giant Leather Pride flag. These flags are huge. They are heavy. They are beautiful. And the mood that day was jubilant. You see, the Supreme Court ruled on Proposition 8 in California and on DOMA the prior week. And there we were, carrying one of the largest Leather Pride flags in the country, right up at the front of the parade. Several times when we stopped on the route, I turned around and looked up and down the lines of people carrying that flag. So many faces, so many backgrounds, so much diversity and history among the kinky locals - it brought tears to my eyes and a bigger smile to my face. As we walked the parade route, people threw money onto the flag - it was donations towards their fundraising goals for the year. Children threw handfuls of change, adults wadded up bills, and two people scampered out to collect the cash each time we stopped along the route. When we were done (all too soon for me) we navigated onto a grassy area with the flag and took pictures, folded the flag, and stored it. Then we joined Ryan Brown and quickly walked back to the parade route start point to jump on the eagleBOLT truck and do it all over again! This time we sat in the back of a truck with waterguns and a huge tub of water and Ryan sat/danced on the hood through the parade route. By the end of it, my face hurt from so much smiling. Seriously hurt. But I couldn't help it.
Back to Loring Park and the bondage booth! Yes, they had a booth set up with information and a partitioned off area for light bondage demos. What was the catch? You couldn't hit anyone. That means you can put someone over the spanking bench and pretend to spank them, but not actually hit them. Flogging could happen, but really not happen because you were flogging the air behind someone. Amazing thing about rope bondage - getting tied up doesn't HIT anyone. Luckey did four demos (three in the cage, one under the tent) and kept the crowd entertained.
When we were ready to collapse from exhaustion and heat, it was back to the house for a quick shower and GAME NIGHT! We ordered in pizza and relaxed with our family. Oh, the shenanigans. There is far too much evidence of that night on Bud's facebook page, and most things went undocumented. That's probably for the best, though.
Monday came too soon, and we headed back to Denver - happy and exhausted.
I am thankful for all of our friends and extended family in Minnesota - you guys rock my world!
The last weekend of June found us back in Minneapolis with friends to celebrate Twin Cities Pride Weekend. Once again, we stayed with friends and were welcomed in as family. They enfolded us into their pack and off we went for a wild ride. Friday lunch was all-you-can-eat sushi, and that night was Flog-A-Palooza and a visit to the eagleBOLT bar. Saturday we walked around Loring Park and enjoyed the festival as spectators (fried cheese curds) and then visited the eagleBOLT bar again for more time with friends.
Sunday came and we were on the parade route bright and early. Minneapolis leads their parade with two giant flags - the first one is the Gay Pride rainbow flag and it is followed by the Leather Pride flag. We joined local titleholders and community leaders and community members to carry the giant Leather Pride flag. These flags are huge. They are heavy. They are beautiful. And the mood that day was jubilant. You see, the Supreme Court ruled on Proposition 8 in California and on DOMA the prior week. And there we were, carrying one of the largest Leather Pride flags in the country, right up at the front of the parade. Several times when we stopped on the route, I turned around and looked up and down the lines of people carrying that flag. So many faces, so many backgrounds, so much diversity and history among the kinky locals - it brought tears to my eyes and a bigger smile to my face. As we walked the parade route, people threw money onto the flag - it was donations towards their fundraising goals for the year. Children threw handfuls of change, adults wadded up bills, and two people scampered out to collect the cash each time we stopped along the route. When we were done (all too soon for me) we navigated onto a grassy area with the flag and took pictures, folded the flag, and stored it. Then we joined Ryan Brown and quickly walked back to the parade route start point to jump on the eagleBOLT truck and do it all over again! This time we sat in the back of a truck with waterguns and a huge tub of water and Ryan sat/danced on the hood through the parade route. By the end of it, my face hurt from so much smiling. Seriously hurt. But I couldn't help it.
Back to Loring Park and the bondage booth! Yes, they had a booth set up with information and a partitioned off area for light bondage demos. What was the catch? You couldn't hit anyone. That means you can put someone over the spanking bench and pretend to spank them, but not actually hit them. Flogging could happen, but really not happen because you were flogging the air behind someone. Amazing thing about rope bondage - getting tied up doesn't HIT anyone. Luckey did four demos (three in the cage, one under the tent) and kept the crowd entertained.
When we were ready to collapse from exhaustion and heat, it was back to the house for a quick shower and GAME NIGHT! We ordered in pizza and relaxed with our family. Oh, the shenanigans. There is far too much evidence of that night on Bud's facebook page, and most things went undocumented. That's probably for the best, though.
Monday came too soon, and we headed back to Denver - happy and exhausted.
I am thankful for all of our friends and extended family in Minnesota - you guys rock my world!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Kink U - Cincinnati Road Trip!
What's a title year without an epic road trip?! We were invited to present a Puppy Obedience Training class at Kink U in Cincinnati and to present rope suspension demos at the bar during the social times. How could we say no? Flights were prohibitively expensive, and we almost did. But we looked at the calendar and a map and decided to make the drive.
We started out on this ever-changing road trip on Wednesday morning. Before we left to head east, we had to detour north to Boulder to pick up Luckey's phone that he left in his friend's car the night before. This set the tone for the entire trip - be flexible and have fun! Our original plan was Denver to Kansas City, MO, then Indianapolis, IN, then Cincinnati, OH, Kink U, and reverse the directions. Needless to say, that changed about two hours into the trip. We decided to swing over to Columbus after Kink U was done and visit our friend Pup Dino. Then take the northern route to the west and drive to Des Moines in one day, and finish up with a quick jaunt to Cabelas in Nebraska on our way back to Denver.
The roads were easy and the weather was great. We got to Kansas City with no issues and stayed with Chad and Richie for the night. Next morning we were driving and thinking about lunch and realized we'd be close to St. Louis. Luckey contacted Auntie Karen (Karen Ultra) and we met her for lunch before finishing up the drive into Indianapolis and staying with our friend Kyle. The next day was a short drive, so we went out to the 501 Eagle for a visit after dinner. Met some great people out for the pool tournament - Pup Spaz showed us around the bar, and the Falcons made us feel at home. After breakfast (amazing red velvet pancakes with chocolate chips and cream cheese frosting) we made the quick drive into Cincinnati.
Now, I'm going to say this, and I may take some grief for it. But if you ever visit Cincinnati and they offer to take you to eat Cincinnati Style Chili - DON'T DO IT. We ate Skyline Chili, a local institution. It is the stuff of legends. Legendary gas and legendary gastric distress. I enjoyed the taste, but I could not live with the results. I was terrified that I would accidentally sneeze and totally explode for the next three days - and I have a strong system. Just don't eat it.
Friday night continued at On Broadway bar, where our friends brought in a portable sling stand. Luckey tied and tied and hung several people up in rope that night.
We kicked off Saturday at Kink U with our Puppy Obedience Training class at the Below Zero Lounge. That was a lot of fun! We had a good sized room and several pups and handlers right up front. After talking through the class part, we had demo time and put the ideas into practice. Classes continued through the day on dungeon furniture, rope bondage, flogging, shackles and handcuffs and restraints, relationship dynamics - three bootblacks worked the entire day and night - there was much fun for everyone. Le Chateau brought their store so there was shopping available and Alexis to squeeze. Once we got everything loaded out from the education area, it was time for dinner.
Second food warning - if the locals take you to Kentucky for Mexican food, listen to your hosts about portion size! Luckey and I decided to split an order of fajitas for dinner, so we ordered it for two. They warned us that we could not finish the giant order for one, but we were silly and didn't listen. Oh my. We got the most enormous plate of food ever! We ate and ate and ate, and maybe put down a quarter of it. It didn't look like we ate anything! Leftovers for days!
After eating more than we should, it was time to get dressed in tight leather for the Black & Blue Ball. The locals at the Below Zero Lounge were a bit surprised by the leather invasion, but good natured about it. When it was time to wind down and cool off, the temperature cranked up at The Serpent. We wrapped up the night at this sexy men's hot spot. Brunch on Sunday was back at Below Zero, and then it was time to hit the road. Congratulations to Matt and John and all the local team that pulled together Kink U in Cincinnati! You guys did a great job!
Pup Dino was excited that we were coming to visit, and we decided to go to the zoo! There was a dinosaur exhibit, lots of hot and sexy men, and a stingray petting exhibit! You could even feed them! That was a blast! Then we headed back to his place in the Short North for dinner and some bar time. Turns out, it was Columbus Pride weekend. Luckey grabbed some rope, and soon Dino was tied up and paraded around Exile, shirtless and helpless to resist. I suspect he loved it. The bar was crowded and friendly and I had some great conversations with people. Fun times!
Early on Monday, it was time to leave. Far too soon for my taste, but we had a long day ahead of us. This day brought us some weather as we approached Iowa. There was some serious rain. The kind where we were white knuckle driving slowly with both of us looking for the white lines to make sure we stayed on the road kind of rain. But we made it through safe, and enjoyed grilled kabobs and an amazing baked cauliflower dish with Jeremy and Aaron and friends while watching True Blood and relaxing.
Tuesday put us on the road to Denver, but we had a quick side trip to Sidney, Nebraska to visit Cabelas. It was fun to see such a huge outdoor sport store and stretch our legs for an hour. It seemed that the last leg took far too long, as my bed was calling me. Safely home, we unloaded the car and had a quick dinner, and crashed into sleep.
It was great to spend the week with Luckey on the road. It was awesome to spend time with Chad, Richie, Jay, Kyle, Demarius, Nuzz, Vidhra, Dylan, Hercules, Matt, John, Bella, Gabriel, Zech, Rocky, Bryce, Dino, Jeremy, Aaron, and Evie. I'm sure I've missed some, but please know we love you all. Thank you for making this such a wonderful trip.
We started out on this ever-changing road trip on Wednesday morning. Before we left to head east, we had to detour north to Boulder to pick up Luckey's phone that he left in his friend's car the night before. This set the tone for the entire trip - be flexible and have fun! Our original plan was Denver to Kansas City, MO, then Indianapolis, IN, then Cincinnati, OH, Kink U, and reverse the directions. Needless to say, that changed about two hours into the trip. We decided to swing over to Columbus after Kink U was done and visit our friend Pup Dino. Then take the northern route to the west and drive to Des Moines in one day, and finish up with a quick jaunt to Cabelas in Nebraska on our way back to Denver.
The roads were easy and the weather was great. We got to Kansas City with no issues and stayed with Chad and Richie for the night. Next morning we were driving and thinking about lunch and realized we'd be close to St. Louis. Luckey contacted Auntie Karen (Karen Ultra) and we met her for lunch before finishing up the drive into Indianapolis and staying with our friend Kyle. The next day was a short drive, so we went out to the 501 Eagle for a visit after dinner. Met some great people out for the pool tournament - Pup Spaz showed us around the bar, and the Falcons made us feel at home. After breakfast (amazing red velvet pancakes with chocolate chips and cream cheese frosting) we made the quick drive into Cincinnati.
Now, I'm going to say this, and I may take some grief for it. But if you ever visit Cincinnati and they offer to take you to eat Cincinnati Style Chili - DON'T DO IT. We ate Skyline Chili, a local institution. It is the stuff of legends. Legendary gas and legendary gastric distress. I enjoyed the taste, but I could not live with the results. I was terrified that I would accidentally sneeze and totally explode for the next three days - and I have a strong system. Just don't eat it.
Friday night continued at On Broadway bar, where our friends brought in a portable sling stand. Luckey tied and tied and hung several people up in rope that night.
We kicked off Saturday at Kink U with our Puppy Obedience Training class at the Below Zero Lounge. That was a lot of fun! We had a good sized room and several pups and handlers right up front. After talking through the class part, we had demo time and put the ideas into practice. Classes continued through the day on dungeon furniture, rope bondage, flogging, shackles and handcuffs and restraints, relationship dynamics - three bootblacks worked the entire day and night - there was much fun for everyone. Le Chateau brought their store so there was shopping available and Alexis to squeeze. Once we got everything loaded out from the education area, it was time for dinner.
Second food warning - if the locals take you to Kentucky for Mexican food, listen to your hosts about portion size! Luckey and I decided to split an order of fajitas for dinner, so we ordered it for two. They warned us that we could not finish the giant order for one, but we were silly and didn't listen. Oh my. We got the most enormous plate of food ever! We ate and ate and ate, and maybe put down a quarter of it. It didn't look like we ate anything! Leftovers for days!
After eating more than we should, it was time to get dressed in tight leather for the Black & Blue Ball. The locals at the Below Zero Lounge were a bit surprised by the leather invasion, but good natured about it. When it was time to wind down and cool off, the temperature cranked up at The Serpent. We wrapped up the night at this sexy men's hot spot. Brunch on Sunday was back at Below Zero, and then it was time to hit the road. Congratulations to Matt and John and all the local team that pulled together Kink U in Cincinnati! You guys did a great job!
Pup Dino was excited that we were coming to visit, and we decided to go to the zoo! There was a dinosaur exhibit, lots of hot and sexy men, and a stingray petting exhibit! You could even feed them! That was a blast! Then we headed back to his place in the Short North for dinner and some bar time. Turns out, it was Columbus Pride weekend. Luckey grabbed some rope, and soon Dino was tied up and paraded around Exile, shirtless and helpless to resist. I suspect he loved it. The bar was crowded and friendly and I had some great conversations with people. Fun times!
Early on Monday, it was time to leave. Far too soon for my taste, but we had a long day ahead of us. This day brought us some weather as we approached Iowa. There was some serious rain. The kind where we were white knuckle driving slowly with both of us looking for the white lines to make sure we stayed on the road kind of rain. But we made it through safe, and enjoyed grilled kabobs and an amazing baked cauliflower dish with Jeremy and Aaron and friends while watching True Blood and relaxing.
Tuesday put us on the road to Denver, but we had a quick side trip to Sidney, Nebraska to visit Cabelas. It was fun to see such a huge outdoor sport store and stretch our legs for an hour. It seemed that the last leg took far too long, as my bed was calling me. Safely home, we unloaded the car and had a quick dinner, and crashed into sleep.
It was great to spend the week with Luckey on the road. It was awesome to spend time with Chad, Richie, Jay, Kyle, Demarius, Nuzz, Vidhra, Dylan, Hercules, Matt, John, Bella, Gabriel, Zech, Rocky, Bryce, Dino, Jeremy, Aaron, and Evie. I'm sure I've missed some, but please know we love you all. Thank you for making this such a wonderful trip.
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