A Busy Cub at Lazy Bear by Kieren Munn
With three weeks of sunshine, pool parties, and wonderful encounters behind me, I thought I had done more than enough to warrant my trip to America a success. The end of my holiday in sight, it was almost time to farewell this amazing country I had grown to call a second home. My body was weary from all it had been through, my suitcase was packed to the brim with well-worn clothing, and my skin had been already sun-kissed from the rays found in Provincetown. I was ready to phone in my verdict: America was my new favourite getaway destination. All that was left between me and my flight home was a quaint little town called Guerneville and a certain bear run known simply as “Lazy Bear.”
Upon arriving in this small little town, I was greeted with the quaint scenes of locals waving at me and making no apparent fuss that their small town had just been invaded by several hundreds of hirsute men. I took this as a good sign and made my way back to my residence for the week before heading out with friends to explore and see what Lazy Bear had to offer. It wasn’t too long either before I realised that something was little off; phone reception here was non-existent. I had no means of Facebooking, Growlring, and the like. It was as if Guerneville itself was telling me I actually had to talk face-to-face with people—a foreign concept at times, but one I was happy to accept.
The meet-and-greet was a great way to introduce myself to a few new people and enjoy the Rainbow Cattle Company’s cheap drinks and welcoming staff. I was quite pleased to learn that every person I spoke to was more than willing to engage in conversation and recommend which events they felt were worth attending. I certainly had no shortage of choices, particularly when it came to day events. Three pool parties ranging from mild to wild in nature—I made sure to get my fill of each one. The R3 was nice for those who just wanted a nice place to chill in a recliner and enjoy a drink by the pool; the Highlands Resort possessed a playful energy with tunes suited for the event’s Not-So-Mild nature; and lastly, The Woods was where you went if you desired darker, dirtier tunes, and a sultry atmosphere that was still sociable at its heart.
As the week was whittled away with trips to new restaurants and late evenings spent at the nightly bonfire, I was left with a warm contentment that this was to be my last big event before home; I made sure that I attended the big three events on my to-do list. Underbear was a huge success with the capacity reaching well over a few hundred more than there were last year. The music: dance remixes of Eighties hits, and let me say, the dance floor was packed all the way up until the last half-hour when it was clear time was almost upon us to retreat back home and recover for the next evening’s party. SWEAT, one of America’s longest men’s dance parties running today, was certainly worth the hype people had been building me up for. Both DJ’s Sean Mac and FunkyBear Martin played spectacular sets, accompanied by a brilliant light show that made the entire dance floor come to life as everyone danced like there was no end in sight.
With SWEAT in the can, it was time to enjoy Lazy Bear’s fabled Furry Sunday at the Estate. Held at a residence offered up to the organisers every year to farewell the attendees, it’s one big pool party that brought all who came to Guerneville together in one big group; we were there to enjoy great food, good drinks and a few carnival-esque attractions to entertain and amuse while taking a dip in the 25-meter pool to help keep us all cool. The one thing I truly admired about Furry Sunday, and all other events in actuality, was the ease at which I could insert myself into any group of guys chatting and introduce myself. The sincerity of those who were welcoming and friendly to me and my friends while there was uplifting and unashamedly touching. It’s something you don’t find as often as you would like to believe, but to have found it here in such a quiet town surrounded by acres of wineries and forestry is both welcomed and appreciated more than words could ever say.
Should I ever be asked by my friends looking to travel to America, “What bear events would you recommend,” Lazy Bear will always be one I whole-heartedly recommend. While I don’t see myself returning again next year, my plans for American bear events in mind, I can be self-assured that in years to come I shall return to the small town of Guerneville and enjoy once more one of the best weeks of my life.