It’s hard to believe it’s the middle of July already. Summer might feel half over, but there’s plenty of time to have fun camping it up with bears and leather men! If you haven’t seen the great outdoors in a while, camping is the perfect way to catch up on those Boy Scout badges you missed.
All of these campgrounds are membership-based and none are limited to tent camping. They all have electric and water hookups, modern bathrooms and shower facilities, swimming pools, cafés and recreation halls. Some even have laundry rooms, hot tubs and wireless networks. It’s gay camping, after all, not roughing it on the Appalachian Trail.
Nightly rates vary at each location. Each campground is clothing-optional, but they all have clearly stated policies against public sex. That means don’t get your freak on in the middle of the road or on a pool floaty: But if you find a nice secluded spot in the bushes, no one will stop you (try to join you, maybe; but stop you, no).
The Woods Campground
As you drive up the Northeast Extension, the first gay campground you’ll encounter is The Woods. This venue has an annual membership fee of $25 and admits men and women ages 18 and up. You can find more information at www.thewoodscampground.com.
Upcoming leather and bear events include Motorcycle/Leather II on Aug. 7-8, where Philadelphians MC will be hosting the Friday and Saturday night Pavilion bath-house parties; Bears at The Woods III on Sept. 18-19; Motorcycle/Leather III on Oct. 2-3 with the Mr. and Ms. Woods Leather contests; and Bears at The Woods IV on Oct. 16-17.
The Woods is the newest of the bunch so it’s very clean and well-maintained, but its annual fee recently skyrocketed to five times that of the others. The grounds are flat and easy to walk. But if you’re looking for a break from the Philly bar crowd, you should keep driving. The Woods is heavy on Philly folks, so if you think you can whore around in anonymous bliss, you may find your shenanigans plastered all over Facebook before you get home.
Hillside Campgrounds
Drive up I-81 about 20 miles past the end of the Northeast Extension and you’ll find Hillside. This venue has an annual membership fee of $4 and is open only to men age 21 and up. More details at www.hillsidecampgrounds.com.
Upcoming leather and bear events include Motorcycle & Leather Weekend on July 17-18, with cocktail parties by the Long Island Ravens and Northeast Pennsylvania Leathermen (NEPA), who also produce the Mr. Hillside Leather & Hillside Leatherboy contest; Bears in the Woods III on Aug. 28-29; and Leather/Levi Weekend II on Sept. 11-12.
Hillside is great because the higher elevation means nights are very cool and comfortable — perfect for snuggling in a sleeping bag. Every Friday and Saturday night a huge crowd gathers at the bonfire outside the rec hall for cruising under the stars. But Hillside is literally on the side of a hill, which some people find hard to trudge up and down at certain times of the day — right after cocktails being the toughest.
Oneida Campground & Lodge
Drive just a little further up I-81 and you’ll reach Oneida. This campground has an annual membership fee of $5 and is open to men and women age 21 and up, unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. For more information, check out www.oneidaresort.com.
Upcoming leather and bear events include Greek Gods & Bears in the Woods on July 31-Aug. 1; and Mr. Oneida Leather Weekend on Aug. 14-15.
Oneida is a nice balance between The Woods and Hillside because you get cooler temperatures and a flatter terrain. It’s the oldest of these three campgrounds but, thanks to new owners, it has some of the newest facilities, including a café, rec hall, pool and upgraded telephone, DSL and cable service.
Leather gossip, girl!
No, the Philadelphians MC have not left The Bike Stop. Just because they’ve scheduled a couple bar nights at LAID Saturdays to support the new weekly leather party doesn’t mean they left their home bar of the last 27 years. You can trust this as fact because it’s coming straight from the club’s captain.
Some of us miss the days when a leather man in Philly could spend all night bar-hopping between The Post, The 247 and The Bike Stop before passing out after hours in the truck cab at The Cell Block. Now with The Bike Stop, LAID, WOOF and country nights at Woody’s, it’s starting to feel a little bit like old times (anyone for Tea Dance?).
Personally, I think competition is good for business, even in a tough economy like this one. It forces the players to clean up their acts and find creative ways to attract and keep customers. I know Philadelphians MC will continue to support both The Bike Stop and LAID Saturdays to the best of their ability. There’s room in this town for both.
UPCOMING EVENTS
WOOF! Philly: Every Sunday at 5 p.m., 200 S. 12th St.; www.woofphilly.com or www.myspace.com/woofphilly for info on DJs and dancers.
LAID SATURDAYS: Every Saturday at 8 p.m., 200 S. 12th St. Wear your gear! www.laidsaturdays.com
CENTAUR MC: The most amazing leather club on the East Coast, which produces MidAtlantic Leather Weekend every January and Olympia every other Labor Day, comes to town for a bar night July 25, from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. at The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St.
Questions? Comments? Leather gossip? Girl, Contact Jim at [email protected].