Cuddling on the
Wild Side

IML is less than a day away for me and for many it’s already begun. It’s a time of year for leathermen and everyone else to get together for a grand time – from the parties to the vendor mart to late night rendezvous. Last year I had the fortune of meeting Mr Marcus while just sitting in the lobby of a floor. I was hoping to talk with him again this year, but he has since passed.

For me, IML is about seeing my old friends and meeting new friends. Yes, I may have sex with some, but the best part are the friendships that last years. Mistakes are made and things are learned, but it’s a great time.

One of the hardest parts of getting ready for IML is the packing. I was/am a Boy Scout so I still have the mentality of Be Prepared. Those pesky airlines and their 50 lbs weight limit don’t agree with that philosophy so it’s a fun game of balancing desires – what toys to bring, what gear, do I bring clothes…

If you’re going, let me know. I’m always up for meeting readers, even if just briefly. Also, feel free to send me any stories you have from IML and I’ll post them throughout the weekend.

Executive Committee of International Mr. Leather has decided that it will no longer allow participation in the IML Leather Market by any entity which promotes barebacking or distributes/sells any merchandise tending to promote or advocate barebacking. [Source: Vendor Memo via Will Clark World]

Read the full article.

Picture yourself at IML 2010. You’re walking through the Leather Market, and you’ll notice that there are a couple of booths not there. Looking through the IML pamphlets and cards, you won’t see anything advocating barebacking. Stop in a hotel room, and the barebacking will likely be at the same level it has been in past years.

First of all, what’s wrong with barebacking? It greatly increases your chance of getting any number of STD including HIV. You could always of course trust the guy you met 5 minutes ago in the lobby when he tells you he’s negative. I don’t take that risk though. Then there is always the chance of getting pregnant… wait, wrong audience, but pulling out still doesn’t work in this case. Between men that are aware of all the risks involved, I don’t really have a problem with barebacking. My generation hasn’t been affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the same way older generations have. For a lot of us, it’s just like walking across a busy intersection – you are pretty sure you’ll make it across safe.

The effects of this decision on the Leather Community are likely going to be relatively small. The same number of people are going to participate in barebacking. Porn studios may, but probably won’t, change their videos to reduce the number of barebacking porn they produce.

What are the effects going to be? Is it going to be good, or make barebacking something people feel ashamed of and have to hide?

Well, it all had to finally come to an end. IML 09 was a great time. I met many great guys, didn’t get as much sex as I wanted, but still had a fantastic time. Once again, I woke up because I couldn’t sleep any more. I did a little bit of blogging and went to wander through the lobby. This is one of my favorite mornings to go to the lobby because you have the IML people leaving and everyone else coming. The new people don’t have any idea what had been happening for the past weekend.

I ran into my friend Brian, who owns Tribal Son with his partner. They make some truly amazing and high quality jewelry. You have to check them out. I usually end up talking to his partner more, so it was nice to get to chat with him. I first met them a couple years back at Market Days, then see them at most events. We chatted for an hour or two, but then I decided I better go pack my stuff so I could be out of my room by noon.

My flight wasn’t till 5:30, so I was stalling and not wanting it to end. I brought my luggage down and checked at the hotel for a couple hours so I could get some lunch. I ran into my friends from Maimi, Marty and Mike, that I had hung out with quite a bit throughout the weekend. They are very awesome and real guys. The fact that they are both kinky in their own ways is just a bonus

They ended up checking their luggage too and we went to grab some lunch at Giordano’s pizza. It’s the place we were looking for a couple nights ago, but this time we actually found it. The pizza was much, much better. They hadn’t done Millenium park so we went through there taking pictures at The Bean and then checking out the water display thing below.

Eventually we made it back to the hotel, then it was time to say our good-byes. I left the hotel and make the 8 block voyage to the Blue Line to take the train back to the airport. I couldn’t justify the $30 shuttle versus a $2.50 train ride that would take about the same time.

I saw a couple IML boys in the airport, but not as many as I expected. They all probably took a different airline. There was this hot daddy (pictured below) on the flight back to Austin with us. There was another friend, Chris, from Austin that was on the plane back. He’s one of those first-class, premium member guys, so he got on the plane like 5 hrs before me leaving me by myself. I slept the entire flight back, and the next couple days too. IML really wiped me out.

Once I had finished getting ready for the night in my harness, Nasty Pig jeans, and Nasty Pig jockstrap, I headed down to the lobby to see who was down there. I ran into some friends and took the IML-sponsored bus to Excalibur where the Black & Blue Ball was hosted. It’s the party for everyone that had been working the whole weekend. There are a lot of vendors there, a lot of locals and guys that know to stay around. The awesome music was done by DJ Ted Eiel. Check him out and subscribe to his iTunes podcast. He keeps a constant beat going, which is very important to me.

The party technically started at 8pm, but when I arrived at about 9:30, was when it seemed to really be starting. I chatted and danced with some friends, including a guy a recognized from when I lived in Minneapolis. He’s a hottie, but fairly sure I’m not his type. It was nice to get to know him because we never chatted while I was in MN. After a bit I ended up coat checking my pants and just wore my jockstrap around for the night. I should have done it right away and avoided the long coat check line.

At most leather events you can find sex going on somewhere. Just look for the most secluded space. At Excalibur if you go to the very top floor, that’s where you find it. I only wandered through there once. It was a little too dark to find the hot guys, but there was sucking, fucking and everything going on.

They had the IML contestants up on the stage and brought the winner, Mr Texas out. From the sounds of it, he’ll do very well, but he gets pretty shy in situations like being on stage at a club dancing… lol.

I got felt up a bit and talked with some hotties, but none that looked available and were really my type. Overall I think I was a little too picky at IML this year, but I still had a fantastic time. I talked with the guy I took the taxi back to the hotel with from the night before. Apparently he heard that I blogged about him, but he seemed cool with it. Which one of you blabbed your mouth though… lol (no worries)

I ended up cabbing it back to the hotel with my roommate from last year. He was getting pretty drunk and thought it might be good for him to get back to his bed. The night as a whole was very good.

Day 4 started out way to early as did every day coming up to it. I woke up to my friend from Omaha that I had met up with the day before asking if I wanted to do breakfast. He had wandered down my way to go to a store that was apparently closed on Mondays. We ended up going to Yolk (on Michigan Ave), just down the street from the hotel. It was where I was going to go the day before. The food was really good and resonably priced, especially compared to the hotel. It was nice to chat more.

After breakfast, we went our separate ways. I went back to my room and changed for the Leather Market. Today I was going to buy some more stuff. I made it to the Nasty Pig booth and David, one of the owners, played a little dress up on me. I liked the look, but it didn’t feel like me. I did love the shorts we tried on, so I bought those. During my time at the Market, I also bought some leather suspenders and a spandex mask. I looked at getting a brutal rubber flog, but I’m not as adept at flogging as I should be to spend more money on it. Plus I don’t really have many boys into flogging. Normally on the last day of the market there are a lot of last-minute deals, but I didn’t see many this year. They’ll try to get rid of a lot of their products so they don’t have to ship them back. Maybe the recession is affecting them.

After the Market, I relaxed in my room for bit and also chilled down in the lobby. The lobby had definitely calmed down a lot compared to the previous days. About half the people will leave Monday, but if you ever go I highly recommend staying till at least Tuesday. In the lobby I met some great guys, Brent and Steve, from SF that apparently own a porn studio. I never asked which studio. I figured if they wanted to tell me, they would have.

I don’t remember what I did for dinner, it must not have been that great, but I’m also blaming the lack of sleep on not remembering. I eventually changed into the same outfit as the night before, I know it’s a gay faux-paux, but I only have so much leather. I was planning on stripping down to my jockstrap though.

After I woke up from my nap, I put my jock, Nasty Pig jeans and harness on. Then headed down to the lobby to see what was going on and hopefully find someone to share a taxi to the House of Blues party. I hung out with some friends, but ended up taking the taxi by myself.

I’m pretty sure the taxi driver was trying to kill me. Not only did he accelerate and break like a bat out of hell, but he also ran a red light and nearly hit a couple cars. 1 mile later I arrived at the wrong door the the House of Blues, so I had to walk around to the front door.

The House of Blues is an interesting venue for a party like this. It’s more designed for concerts, so there are many levels with balconies overlooking what became the dance floor.  The DJ wasn’t really my type. The party on Day 4 is supposed to be better. I did make it out and dance for a while with some of my friends. I never like to stay in one spot for more than 15-20 minutes, so I was on and off the dance floor a lot.

I got kind of pissed off because a lot of guys that had talked to me online or looked at me before, didn’t approach me until the party. Kind of makes it hard to hook-up or even get to know someone. It was a great place to hang out with many of my friends though. I don’t think I’ll go next year unless my friends really pressure me. It was mediocre and the tickets cost $65.

I shared a taxi back to the hotel with a hot stud from NY. Apparently he thought I was a real big cutie. We felt each other up and made out a bit in the back of the cab. He asked me if he could follow me back up to my room when we got back to the hotel, but I was too tired and it wouldn’t have been the experience he deserved. Maybe some other time…

Woke up today way to early again and decided to go chill in the lobby for a bit. It’s always fun to go sit somewhere in the hotel and just see everything going on. I chatted with a couple friends that walked by. After a little while I headed to go get some breakfast by myself. Didn’t feel like trying to find people to go with.

I was walking down to place nearby I had found. On the way, I ran into some obvious IML guys and just said Hi. They weren’t my type but seemed friendly. Their names were Cisco and Ricky from NY. We were actually all heading to a place called Yolk, just a couple blocks down the street from the hotel. It ended up having a long wait so we went to a place next door. I had just planned on eating by myself, but they invited me to eat with them. That’s the great thing about IML and the leather community, random strangers will be nice and kind even if there isn’t the sexual connection.

We chatted during the breakfast buffet we found. Turns out Cisco is a titleholder from the Leather Sir competition in 2006 which was cool to hear about. They were very nice and laid-back guys, which kind of surprised me for NYC boys.

Right before heading out to the House of Blues in my new Leather Harness

After breakfast, I ran to my room to change into a jockstrap and vest, then left for the Leather Market. I met up with a couple friends, but today was the day I really wanted to shop. I was in and out of the Leather Market a couple times, but over the course, I bought a leather harness and some stuff from Nasty Pig. I’ll probably buy some more stuff tomorrow.

I also made some plans to meet up with a friend I’d been chatting with for a couple years now. He’s a great guy and in a relationship, but being that we were in the same city finally, we had to say Hi. He wasn’t here for IML, but for an event his BF was going to. He’s as great and hot in person as I expected from online. Would have been nice to take him back to my room, but he’s committed to his BF, so I didn’t push anything. He also brought one of his fun lesbian friends with him. We talked for a while. I was still in my jockstrap and vest when I went to meet them. I wanted to change into something a little more conservative for him, but I failed at that.

I met up with my friend Frank and his BF from AZ again at the Leather Market. We hung out for a couple hours and I watched them try on some wrestling singlets. It was fun to watch. You can check out some of their YouTube clips.

After that, we went and grabbed some dinner at a pizzeria. We shared a Meat Lovers Chicago-style deep dish pizza. It was pretty good, but not amazing. Then headed back to the hotel after dinner to take a nap.

After the nap is the House of Blues party that will come in part 2…

Day 2 started out way too early. I woke up after only 6 hrs of sleep and couldn’t fall back asleep. I texted a couple friends and ended up meeting up with @repete and his BF at Starbucks for a quick breakfast. We caught up on what we had been up to, then walked over to the Sears Tower to go up to the top. The Sears Tower is the tall building in the background of the pic above. I’ve been to Chicago a couple times, but have never done that. It was definitely cool. I’ll try to post some more pics of it later on.

It was nice to see them, but after the Sears Tower they were going to do some more sight-seeing. Another friend that I had originally met on Twitter, Moby, was in town visit his boy and they had just separated ways for the weekend. So we met up, then he came to the IML host hotel with me. We chilled and caught up for a bit, then headed down to the Leather Market. We had only met up one other time at Folsom last year. He’s a great guy, very genuine and real. He’s looking for a roommate in SF, and I would totally do it if I could/would move there.

We wandered around the Leather Market and he knows a lot of the SF boys. I still have yet to buy anything there. I’m thinking Day 3 is the day to buy. We left the Leather Market and went to the Eleventh St Diner nearby, where Moby destroyed an order of Chili-Cheese Fries(see photo below). I only had 1 or 2. He was headed back to SF on a buddy pass and I was trying to get him to stay. I have a feeling he would have if there was just one more pushing influence, but after a couple hours he took off back to SF.

I just putzed around for a while after that. At some point in time, I tried to take a nap, but I couldn’t fall asleep. Later that night was the Onyx party in the hotel. I went in and out of there, also wandering around the lobby. I ran into some more friends I hadn’t seen in a while including Frank and his new-ish BF. I first met frank on Twitter, then in person with Moby at Folsom 08. They’re both great guys. I met a couple of other hot guys and did the usual groping.

Nothing too exciting happened, just socialized and met some cool people. No sex stories of any kind. I was a virgin for Day 2. I’m fine with that, I front-loaded the fun. After I got tired of the lobby area, I headed up to a smaller lobby they have on every floor outside of the elevators and just chilled there for about 30-45 min. There were a couple of tragic guys that tried to hit on me, including a pair that was flogging the other’s balls. I did meet a guy named Mr Marcus, he’s an older man that has been at IML since the 2nd year. He also does some leather writing for a gay newspaper in SF. It was amazing talking to him and hearing about things and some general gossip. After that though, I just headed to bed. I wish I had some more stories for you, but maybe Day 3 will have those in store for me.

This concludes Day 2.

I know day 2 is almost over and I’m still finishing up Day 1, but give me a break. Day 2′s events aren’t as in thrilling.

After Woof Camp and the Gear Fetish party, I met up with a Facebook friend that I hadn’t ever met before. He was a hot little, big chested, Italian stud. We chatted for a while and met up with some of his friends. I managed to eventually get him back up to my room for a bit. He was another connected boy and I worked over his nips with the forceps too. Did a little exploration with some CBT, along with Sir/boy play. He had done some of it before, but was still pretty new to it. We had our fun, but cut it short because he was never actually supposed to come up and had to meet up with some friends.

We hung out some more, but later got separated. We did manage to check out the San Fransisco party. It was pretty rocking and a LOT busier than last year. I wish I had gotten a chance to check it out a little more and do some dancing, but instead I got attacked by a muscle couple from Tampa.

We had apparently met before at some other event, but neither of us could figure out exactly where. It was about 2 minutes after we started talking that he said, “let’s go into the bathroom and suck your cock.” They were fucking hot, his partner said yes, so I wasn’t about to complain or stop them. I did manage to convince them to come up to my room instead of the bathroom so we could have an even better time.

They weren’t submissive boy type guys, but I did manage to teach them who’s boss. With couples there is always the weird dynamic and making sure everyone feels involved. Overall I think we did pretty well. They were both really into my ass, but I eventually did let one of them rim it for a bit. Worked their nipples over, lots of kissing and some body contact. Eventually one of them started to ride his partner’s cock while sucking mine. All of it was extremely hot.

I ended up letting one of them borrow my Nasty Pig vest because it looked very hot on him, and depending on how they are tonight. I may let him keep it. I tried to get them to spend the night with me, but one was interested and the other one wasn’t. I eventually lost them when it looked like they were having an argument.

They were both very great guys with 2 very different personalities. They had a great view on the world and even though they weren’t very kinky, I still feel like there is a lot that I could learn from them. Maybe I’ll have to make a trip down to Tampa

I waited around for a little bit to see if they were going to come back with their mind’s changed and come spend the night with me, but I didn’t see them. I chilled in the lobby for a bit longer, then headed to my room and made it to bed around 3:30.