www.atons.net
www.argonautsll.org
www.grrivermen.net

I think it’s really important to belong to a sense of community, whether virtual or physical. They provide different assets to people all looking for various needs to be met in their search for the other. That’s why I’m gonna spend this entry doing a shout out to some really great organizations in the mid-western United States dedicated to fostering men’s social communities through leather, levis, bears, and good ole fashioned sex. First up …

Probably the most oddly named of the bunch, the Atons of Minneapolis should be wary of the esotericism of their moniker so they don’t lose potential members. That being said, their website is one of the most clearly laid out and well-designed membership sites I have seen. They seem to have a thing for aliens (perhaps that’s a Minneapolis or Minnesota thing I am unaware of) as evidenced by their upcoming retreat to a secluded wooded camp they’re calling “Close Encounters.” Make sure you bring your own anal probe! Once you have a look at their calendar they seem to have a lot going on, as well as some good-looking members!

While being next door neighbors to their friends the Atons, the Argonauts website does not seem quite as extensive or detailed. I’ve been told this is not reflected in the activities of the group; apparently, they are quite social and always ready to have some fun, they just don’t always advertise it to the world. Their next big outing is a camping trip in mid-August, where facilities include, “locker room style showers, saloon and dungeon open 24 hours, and an open bar 24 hours from your time of arrival on Friday thru departure on Sunday.” It sounds like I need to take a trip to Wisconsin! If you’re already there and you’re not going on this trip you’d better check your pulse … you might be dead. I mean, that’s not just a 24 hour bar, that’s a 72 hour bar, and who knows where that could lead!

The names just keep getting better! I can’t decide if these are leather groups or superhero groups trying to get their own comic book series! Either way, I’d leave the tights at home guys! The Rivermen are an active group with events like their own Hug Me XXIV Fetish Festival coming up at Campit Resort! A bit tongue in cheek, eh? You can also check out their latest newsletter on their site. But really, what interests me the most is their “Power of the Paddle” tag line, which they boast is a secret initiation ritual. I think we could just all crash their Fetish Festival and see how many times we can actually get initiated!

www.innleather.com

A mate of mine just returned from Florida for the first time and of course he fell in love with Miami and its bevy of hot men (hetero and homo) clad in barely-there swimwear. However, he also spent some time in Fort Lauderdale and stayed a night at the Inn Leather Fort Lauderdale. He has informed me the staff was genuinely lovely, and while the inn is on the small side his accommodation was clean and well kept. He also filled me in on a little story about some mischief he got up to with the leather daddy that happened to be staying next door… Since every room has a sling, if you’re on your way to Florida it might be worth a look!