Rupert J. Pupkin's Petaluma Gay Guide
(SF sex club and bar listings that I recently uploaded below all have links which will be uploaded shortly...just didn't have time last time I was working on 'em.)
There's lots to do in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Not many organized gay actvities here in Petaluma, but it's a beautiful Victorian riverfront town with a good-sized gay community. (Victorian in architecture...not attitude...most people here, and the townspeople at large, are very nice.)
A wonderful online resource is GayInsider.com
"the gay search engine...everything gay in one place":
(And look for the GayInsider search tool at the bottom of this page...
you can use GayInsider's search engine directly from this page!)
For information about gay travel worldwide, try:
Q-NET™, The Ferrari Guides’Gay & Lesbian Travel Site, at:
Interested in the phases of the moon? Visit:
http://www.googol.com/moonprint/index.html
>>> HERE'S A QUICK LIST OF BAY AREA SEX CLUBS (I have updated this list since last week...next week it will not appear here, but will still be found at RJPupkin's Petaluma Gay Guide at: http://members.aol.com/rjpupkin/rjp8gagd.htm):
--SAN FRANCISCO:
>BLOW BUDDIES Sex Club in SF for MEN (serious sex with raunchy, serious men...no perfume, deodorants, polyester, platform shoes, drag queens, or club faggots allowed...wear your Levi's and leather or jockstrap or fucking stay home) at 933 Harrison twn 5th & 6th, 9p-3a, www.BlowBuddies.com, $8 + $3 membership... Open THU-SUN from 9pm-6am (Sunday they open at 6pm), and WED: schedule: 2nd Wed-Watersports; 3rd Wed-Underwear; 4th Wed-Leather; 2nd TUESDAY is BONDAGE BUDDIES!
>The POWER EXCHANGE Sex Clubs in SF include 2 floors for MEN ONLY and 2 floors for ALL SEXES in a 40,000 sq ft club that includes every kind of theme room you can possibly imagine; WED-SUN 9pm-4am; $7-20 depending on the day, your sex, and your apparel; www.PowerExchange.com
>DO YOUR TIME in the MACK Folsom Prison in SF, a private club for gay & bi men in SF at 1285 Folsom @ 9th; open 7 nights a week, 24hr Fri-Sun; 415-252-1221, 444-3959
>The EROS Sex Club in SF at 2051 Market @ Chruch across from Safeway in the Lower Castro is a reasonably clean, fully-equipped, old-style gay bath house withOUT locking rooms; open daily from 4pm; 415-864-3767; $7 membership + $11 entry ($8 before 7pm) or $14 day pass, $1 towel rental; HRS: Sun-Thu-4p-12a, Fri-Sat-4p-4a; www.ErosSF.com
>WANNA JACK-OFF? The CIRCLE J CLUB Jack-Off Warehouse in SF is open Tue, Fri, Sat, & Sun from 8pm-Midnight; mandatory clothes check Tue & Fri, optional on Sat & Sun; 369 Ellis in SF; 415-474-6995; www.CirclJClub.com
>SF JACKS jack off club in SF on the 2nd & 4th Mondays; mandatory clothes check; door: 730-830p ONLY; $7; location: 415 267-6999; www.SFJacks.com
>CLUB 220 in SF (formerly the New Meat Campus Theater, formerly the Campus Theater, formerly...etc, etc, etc) is a sleazy, filthy, fucking, sucking porn theater with an Internet room and sticky walls and floors throughout...it's open every night from 6-6; 220 Jones @ Turk, www.220Club.com
>The NOB HILL THEATER in SF at 729 Bush @ Powell, not as nice as Club 220 above; www.NobHillTheater.com
>The TEAROOM THEATER in SF at 1445 Eddy twn Mason & Taylor, another sleazy, sticky dive, features "live erotic jack-off shows", open Sun-Thu 9p-2a, Fri & Sat 22 hours
* COCK at CASTLEBAR, a cigar, S/M dungeon, and wrestling play party for men only at 410 Bayshore on the 2nd Saturday of every month; door: 9-1130pm; mandatory RSVP: cock@castlebar.com; NO drugs, NO booze; $15; www.Castlebar.com/cock.htm
--BERKELEY:
>The STEAMWORKS in BERKELEY is a fully-equipped gay bathhouse open 24/7 with a big following...www.SteamWorksOnline.com
--SAN JOSE:
>The WATERGARDEN Gay & Bi Men's Club & Baths in SAN JOSE is the BEST, CLEANEST, NICEST, most BEAUTIFUL fully-equipped gay bathhouse in the entire Bay Area, with a gorgeous garden and pool and ALL the amenities...it's ALSO, of course, the most expensive...you'll pay at least $24 for one 8 hour visit, but it's worth every dime (they are currently advertising a special: a Weekday Pool Pass for $14 from 10a-3p only); open 24/7; 1010 The Alameda; www.TheWatergarden.com
SONOMA COUNTY:
First stop: GaySonoma on-line: http://www.gaysonoma.com
For information about the beautiful Russian River:
CLUBS:
Let It All Hang Out (LIAHO) is a group of GAY NUDIST MEN in Sonoma and Marin who meet once or twice a month. Write to: POB 1508 San Anselmo CA 94979
Singles (Straight) Outdoor Activities and Recreation (SOAR) sponsors hikes for single adults. To get on mailing list, call 539-3795.
Singles (Straight) Outdoor Living Experience (SOLE) hosts tennis and mountain-biking expeditions on Saturdays. Call for times and locations. 577-0770.
Frontrunners & Walkers of Sonoma County offers:
FREE, TRICE-WEEKLY GAY & LESBIAN WALKS IN SANTA ROSA:
Did you know that there's a group of gay men and lesbians that meets three-times-a-week in Santa Rosa for fun walk/runs?
Frontrunners and Walkers of Sonoma County, is a running/walking club for gay men, lesbians, et. al., and their friends of all athletic abilities. They meet on Saturday mornings at 8:30 and Monday and Thursday evenings at 6:30.
On Saturday mornings year-round, and on Monday and Thursday evenings during Daylight Savings Time only (April through October), they begin at Howarth Park and run/walk to Spring Lake Park.
Directions to Howarth Park in Santa Rosa: HWY 101 North or South to HWY 12 East. Take Hoen Ave. to a left on Summerfield Road. Howarth Park is on the right. Look for the group and their rainbow-stickered cars near the boat house at Lake Ralphine.
Monday and Thursday evenings during Standard Time (November-March) they meet at Santa Rosa's little-known Town & Country Shopping Center.
Directions to Town & Country Shopping Center in Santa Rosa: HWY 101 North or South to Steele Ln Exit, go East past Mendocino Av, turn right on Franklin Av, follow past the cemeteries, turn left on Terrace Way. Look for the group and their rainbow-stickered cars near the north end, away from the busy Pacific Market.
For more information, contact: John Rochat at 707/838-0397(544-9576), or Jim Melancon at 707/579-2087, or send e-mail to: james2@sonic.net, or US mail to: Sonoma County Frontrunners and Walkers, PO Box 1284, Santa Rosa, CA 95402-1284.
BARS & NIGHTCLUBS:
The NEW GAY BAR in PENNGROVE is called The Black Cat Bar & Cafe (10056 Main St, 707-793-9480) FINALLY someplace to replace the old Santa Rosa Inn that closed, what, two years ago? Anyway, it's got a pool table and juke box, and it's in the thriving metropolis known as Downtown Penngrove. To get there, take Hwy 101 to NORTH of Petaluma and take the Petaluma Blvd North / Old Redwood Hwy / Penngrove exit, drive EAST to Penngrove...turn into town past the fire station, and look for their neon sign on the west side of the street just north of the railroad tracks running right through town. They serve lunch Monday-Saturday from 1130-230pm, and dinner Wednesday-Sunday from 6-930pm.
There's Santa Rosa Adult Superstore (3301 Santa Rosa Avenue, 707-542-8248) north of there on Santa Rosa Avenue, if that's your scene.
RESORTS:
Guerneville's Russian River Resort ("Triple R") (4th & Mill, PO Box 2419, Guerneville, CA 95446, 800-41-RESORT {73767}, 707-869-0691, Fax: 707-869-0698. ) is right downtown, next to Buck's Restaurant, and is beautiful and popular, with a free hot tub (no fee...no cover charge at the bar) and all the amenities. Email: triplerrr@wclynx.com. Visit RRR's excellent web site: http://www.russianriverresort.com. Every Saturday night is Gay Comedy Night at RRR, with a different relatively big-name comic doing a free hour-long show in the bar by the fire...very crowded, but cozy, friendly, fun, and $5. They also have a fine restuarant and a piano bar...a wonderful place all around and a must-see on your visit!
Fife's Resort (16467 River Rd, 707-869-0656), is the largest of the gay Russian River resorts, is gorgeous, right downtown and on the river. It has a small beach, woods, a glorious meadow, campgrounds, public restrooms and showers, and lovely swimming pool, all free for day use (they make their money off the bar...if you go, be a sport, and buy a drink). You can wear a thong, but the ABC won't let the pool be clothing optional, unfortunately. The place is under NEW MANAGEMENT, thank goodness, and it should REALLY be great, now!
The Highlands Resort (14000 Woodland Dr, 869-0333) is very small, very quiet, very beautiful, and is reported to be great for its clothing optional swimming pool and hot tub (no bar). Day use on weekdays is $5, weekends it's $10.
River Business (16225 Main St., Guerneville, California 95446, 707-869-3400) always has interesting gay events advertised, such as gay pot lucks and dances, but I haven't visited the place, so I can't speak from experience...check it out yourself: http:\\www.riverbusiness.com.
Santa Rosa Hideaway (northeast of Santa Rosa, 707-525-1771) is a "Private Health & Enrichment Program for All Men... Gay, Bi and Straight...A place to be yourself ... to relax, have fun and meet new friends." There are 15 acres of land, 9 of which are in their natural state of pristine beauty - picturesque hills, lush trees, a year round creek and a captivating nature trail --- all accessible to you during your stay. On the arable acreage we have a private sun deck, a pond for swimming and a covered all weather recreational area. There are areas where clothing is optional. They have reserved Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm for a Men's Social Program...the fee is $10.00. You must bring your own food, drink and a towel for sunning and swimming when weather permits. (There is an alternate indoor program during bad weather.) All Facilities are available. (last update: 8/19/99). http://www.sr-hideaway.com/
NUDE BEACH:
The beautiful Russian River used to be full of nude beaches, but due to heavy Sheriff's Department enforcment of the couty's anti-nudity ordinance, only the meadow, beach, spring, and trails up river from Wohler Bridge is still populated by naked, gay men, and then only with caution and after a hefty, 30 minute hike.
Parking is an issue, because the County of Sonoma has been discouraging the use of the Wohler area. "No Parking" is signed and enforced on both sides of the road in all directions for more than a mile. There is a lovely, convenient, paved, safe, County, pay-parking lot on the North-East side/end of the bridge, but the County closes the damned thing from Spring to Fall! Don't you love beaurocratic thinking? haha
Wohler's convenient and safe county pay-parking lot is inhospitably closed by the county throughout the summer ostensibly because of its proximity to a drinking water pump station. The county says it's to protect drinking water from the pollution of human bathers, but Steelhead Beach is a brand-new county park that is OPEN year-round and sits on top of another county pumping plant. Are scores of families with bar-be-ques really dirtier than a few dozen of the Boyz with backpacks?
Therefore, the only parking in the summer for Wohler that is safe from cops and criminals alike, and is generally the best, closest place to park is ON EASTSIDE RD at the corner of Wohler, directly across the street from the Raford Inn. There's not much room, but there are also spaces further down each road.
It's a 15 minute hike down the road to the Sonoma County Water Agency's gate at 9750 Wohler Rd. (or just 5 minutes across the bridge from the parking lot, in the off-season when it's open), and 15 more minutes through the agency's beautiful road, forest, and meadow to the beach, which is small, but sandy, sunny, shady, surrounded by thick trees and bushes, and full of private little areas for private little encounters! No surprise by this description that this place is a favorite of gay nudists and cruisers! haha
Another 15 minutes through gorgeous forest, past spectacular cliff-side views of the river and a huge, pristine lake, and you'll end up in an incredible eden-like forest creek trail. The goal: a PVC pipe spilling clear, cold, clean spring water into an 8-foot-wide and 4-foot-deep concrete tub, surrounded by the most beautiful, cool, pristine forest imaginable.
Copy / Paste / Print DIRECTIONS:
TO GET TO THE PARKING AREA from Santa Rosa and origins south:
Take Highway 101 North past Petaluma, Rohnert Park, and Santa Rosa.
In north Santa Rosa you'll pass exits to Steele Lane, Bicentennial Avenue, and Old Redwood Highway...drive on to the next exit, just past the huge Luther Burbank Center on the right (east) side of the freeway.
Take that exit, which is labeled "River Road / Guerneville / Mark West Rd", and bear left off the freeway, turning left (west) at the light and going over the freeway again.
Continue on past the winery on the left, PG&E substation on the right, through the stoplight at the intersection of Fulton Road, and on for a few miles (about 7 miles), with small, rolling hills on your left and vineyards on your right, past Laughlin, Slusser, and Laguna/Trenton-Healdsburg, and then turn right (north) on Wohler Rd. (If you pass Covey, the Spears Market sign, Mirabel, and/or canoe rentals and campgrounds, you've gone too far.)
Follow Wohler over a creek bridge, to the right, and to the left. You'll see the Radford Inn bed & breakfast on the hillside to the north, as well as other cars parked on Eastside Road, wihich turns right (east) off Wohler.
Wear good walking shoes, bring water, food, a hat, sunscreen, and be prepared to take out all the garbage you bring in, as there are no garbage cans anywhere!
On weekends, you might like to go either to Guerneville or to Santa Rosa afterwards for dinner, drinks, and/or partying and dancing. Guerneville is the gay capitol of the North Bay, with lots of beautiful resorts, great restaurants, and hot bars. Santa Rosa is a city of 100,000, with its fair-share of nice restaurants and bars, one of which is gay.
Wohler is warm and beautiful past sunset...in fact, sunset is a magical time at Wohler...like dying and going to heaven!
MARIN COUNTY:
CLUBS:
Let It All Hang Out (LIAHO) is a group of GAY NUDIST MEN in Sonoma and Marin who meet once or twice a month. Write to: LIAHONaturists@aol.com or LIAHO, PO Box 1508, San Anselmo, CA 94979-1508
Regular Guys meet for ball games and hikes: Mike @ 415-821-4421
Marin Life is an outreach, social, and education program of the Marin AIDS Project (MAP). Call to hear about Marin Life Programs, including monthly events and social activities: 415-457-2487...for info on these specific topics ask for these specific men at these specific extensions:
Marin Life – for gay and bisexual men: Bryan, ext. 112
Marin Life Entre Hombres – for Latino gay/bi men: Erick, ext. 117
Marin Life 101 – for gay/bi, queer, & questioning, under 30: Michael, ext. 113
Marin Life PLUS – for HIV positive gay/bi men: Shannon, ext. 118
There's FREE and anonymous HIV testing each Wednesday from 3-630pm at the San Rafael MAP office at 1660 2nd St @ G. For more info, contact Marin Life Coordinator Bryan Gardner at 415-457-2487 x112 or e-mail marinlife2002@yahoo.com. You can visit the free Yahoo Group at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MarinLife, and subscribe by sending an e-mail to: marinlife-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. You can also visit MAPS' home page at: www.MarinAIDSProject.org
NUDE BEACHES:
Marin has a host of nude beaches, trails, and ponds, including Red Rock, a family-style favorite of Marin County naturists (http://www.redrockbeach.com). But I'm only going to discuss at length the cruisiest, most beautiful, and my personal favorite: Hagmire Pond and Starlight Meadow.
Just past Dogtown you'll find California's best-known nude lake. Hagmire Pond is an unbelievably gorgeous lake on Highway 1 between Olema and Stinson Beach...there's almost always sex there, gay and straight, by the water or up on the hillside facing the pond, which is known as Starlight Meadow. Called the Pond by most users, Hagmier has a loyal group of fans who sunbathe nude throughout the year.
Unbeknownst to most visitors, when they are not present cows sometimes wander down to the water for a drink, creating possible health hazards. Later in the year the lake is reedy and dank. The crowd: On a hot day as many as 75 sun-worshipers show up here. Almost everyone is unclad. Problems: Cow manure, cold water, poor water quality.
Starlight Meadow is a 60-acre nude clearing on GGNRA land, on the top of the ridge facing Hagmier Pond on the south. A whopping 200 acres of woods surround Starlight. The crowd: Mostly gay men, but heterosexual couples are frequently seen opening having sex. About 50 people on weekends and up to 10 on weekdays use the site.
Legal status: There is no federal law against nudity, and National Park Rangers are generally very friendly...they're not cops, they're naturalists, but Point Reyes National Seashore policy is to ask nudists to cover-up, move, or leave if clothed visitors complain, which they have yet to do...people who wear clothes in the sun don't come to Hagmire. And there are no rangers around, anyway!
Copy / Paste / Print DIRECTIONS:
Hagmire is on Highway 1 between Olema and Stinson Beach...2.1 miles south of Five Brooks Trailhead, just 1.5 miles north of Dogtown.
From Sonoma County, take Highway 1 south from Pt. Reyes, past Olema. When you pass Five Brooks Trail head, you're 2.1 miles north. Look for the cars along the west side of the road and the cattle gate on the east side.
From San Francisco, take the Highway 1/Stinson Beach turnoff from 101 and take the long drive past Muir Beach and Woods, Stinson Beach, and past the Bolinas-Fairfax road intersection. When you pass Dogtown you're close...the "Dogtown Pottery" sign is 1.5 miles to the south. Look for the cars along the west side of the road and the cattle gate on the east side.
At the entrance, walk right across the meadow and you'll see the Pond. Because the rim of the Pond is steep and overgrown, look for sunbathing space around its little dam.
SAN FRANCISCO:
San Francisco, 35 miles south of Petaluma, is the center of the gay universe, of course, with a host of sex clubs, bars, and crusing spots...my personal favorites are listed below, and, below that, you'll find descriptions of my favorite sex club, the Power Exchange, my favorite bar, Martuni's, and my favorite cruising spot and nude beach, Golden Gate Bridge Beach.
SEX CLUBS:
Power Exchange: gay sex upstairs and pan sex and kink downstairs , 74 Otis St twn Gough & Van Ness, 415-487-9944 ($10-gay-upstairs, $20-bi-for single men downstairs)
Blow Buddies: raunchy, serious sex with raunchy, serious men 933 Harrison twn 5th & 6th ($5 6-mnth mmbrshp, $10 entry); 2nd Wed: piss, 3rd Wed: underwear, 4th Wed: leather, 2nd Tue: bondage
Eros: bathhouse with private rooms, 2051 Market @ Church, 415-864-3767 ($7 6-mnth mmbrshp, $11 entry or $8 before 7pm); 415-864-6737, 451 Market St, SF
The Berkeley Steamworks: nice bathhouse, 2107 4th St Berkeley, 510-845-8992 ($6 6-mnth mmbrshp, $12+ entry);
Marshall's Parties: a private, twice-weekly orgy (unknown fee); Friday: 7pm-1am, Sunday Noon-4pm; 415-255-7477, SFPartyman@yahoo.com
Jack Off Warehouse at the Circle J Club is now OPEN DAILY from noon to closing, but the ad in the B.A.R. is so goddamned confusing and self-contradictory, I'm not even gonna fucking TRY to quote here all the hours and days and prices listed...if you wanna jerk off (and JUST jerk off) for $8-10 and don't mind parking in the Tenderloin, check out 369 Ellis, but visit the web site FIRST for all the poop: www.CircleJClub.com
BARS:
SF GAY BAR GUIDE: www.SFLeatherAndBear.com/bars.html
Hole In The Wall Saloon: SOMA sleazy, friendly, ecclectic
My Place: SOMA sleazy, ecclectic - Folsom / 8th & 9th
Lone Star Saloon: SOMA cowboy/leather bar
Powerhouse: SOMA leather bar - Folsom @ Dore Alley
Eagle: SOMA leather/levi's/biker bar, great, large patio
Loading Dock: SOMA leather/uniform bar - Misson / SoVnVss
Esta Noche: MSSN latino bar -16th / Mission & Valencia
Harvey's: CSTR mixed crowd, wknd drag - Cnr Castro & 18th
Daddy's: CSTR leather bar - Castro / Mkt & 18th
Edge: CSTR leather bar - Cnr 18th & Collingwood
Pendulum: CSTR black bar - 18th / Castro & Collingwood
Martuni's: MRKT upscale piano bar - Cnr Market & Valencia
Alta Plaza Restaurant & Bar: upscale yuppie/old farts' bar
'N Touch: POLK asian bar - Polk / Sact & Calf
Reflections: POLK cruisy hustler bar - 1160 Polk / Post & Sutter
The Swallow: POLK piano bar - 1750 Polk / Clay & Washington
Kimo's: POLK drag bar - Cnr 1351 Polk & Pine
The Cinch Saloon: POLK over 30, smoking patio, pool
Sundance Saloon: SOMA, CW dance club, 6-11p Sunday ONLY - 174 King St nr 3rd
NOT A BAR:
* If you're UNDER 23 and GAY, LYRIC hosts various ongoing events for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youths...at 123-127 Collingwood, 1-800-246-PRIDE
MY FAVORITES:
My favorite bar is Martuni's Piano Bar (4 Valencia, 415-241-0205) at the corner of Market & Valencia, conveniently located west of Highway 101 (Van Ness Avenue) and east of the Castro. Simple to find...from Van Ness turn east up Market toward The Castro (by the way, one block south of Market & Van Ness is Mission and Otis, location of the Power Exchange)...Martuni's is on the fourth block up on the left across the street...it's the cornerstone of a block-large, four-story, residential hotel. It's a beautiful, classy, demurely-lit cocktail lounge with a copper-topped 8-seater grand piano situated as the focal point of the back room. Crowded nightly 'til 2am with a well-dressed, upscale gay and gay-friendly crowd, Martuni's is always hopping with catchy show-tunes, ballads, jazz, pop, and standards, sung by patrons and the fabulous, friendly, talented, and entertaining Larry and Madaleine (they don't appear together, they split the seven days a week the joint's open), and, on the weekends, Larry plays host to "The Trio", including a guitar, bass viola, and brass (the guy plays sax, trumpet, et al). NO COVER charge, but buy a drink and tip your waiter AND the pianist. Great martini menu!
One of my favorite places to get laid is around the corner at the fabulous Power Exchange Main Station (74 Otis, 415-487-9944, http://www.powerexchange.com), 40,000 square feet of theme rooms, all equipped with condoms & lube...open seven days a week (weeknight admission is just $7 but some areas of the club are closed and the whole place closes at 4am), Friday and Saturday nights are the busiest, of course, hours 10pm-6am, admission just $10 (downstairs, at the Sub Station, men are charged $20 and WOMEN are allowed for FREE, but upstairs, at the Main Station, men are just $10 and women are NOT allowed...once inside men can go to the pan-sex-side OR the gay-sex-side....we bisexuals love it!). It is very dark (with flourescent black lights) upstairs on the two gay floors, better lit on the street and basement levels where the women and women-like are allowed. A VERY KINKY place that the conservative will shy away from. But, unlike some other Bay Area sex clubs, PEX does not have a mandatory clothes check, and you can wear as much or as little as you like. You can just watch, or you can join in (at least upstairs...you know how women are), as you choose! Also, lots of very comfortable (though sticky) couches and beds and videos everywhere. Also, PEX has a juice bar and strip lounge where you can sip a beverage, snack on a candy bar, play pool, and watch amateur strippers ply their trade on the brass-poled and mirror-lined stages. Downside: no smoking, no showers, too many "lookiloos"! Unfortunately, many of the people, including most of the crowd downstairs, are there ONLY to watch...
Blow Buddies ($3 for your 6-month membership, and $8 for entry), on the other hand, is filled to the rafters with men looking for sex...and, mind you, men ONLY...no women, no trannies, no panty-wastes, no spectators, no pedestrians! Not for the timid or the voyeur. It's a huge, dark, exciting, 2-level place, with a huge movie screen, myriad glory holes, mazes, booths, iron bars, and chain link fencing. Nice amenities include a social video lounge with cheap vending machines (soft drinks and juices only, but they'll check and refrigerate beer you bring in and drink anywhere, anytime) and free coffee and free peanuts (which are served in a sparkling porceline and stainless steel urinal), free lockers (bring your own lock and get there early...there aren't many), a convenient hand shower, and a spacious outdoor smoking patio with an outdoor glory hole maze...golden showers outside, in the john, and, on the second Wednesday and every Saturday, in specially-designed troughs throughout the place! Downside: NO fucking is allowed (except on Wednesdays), and there's almost NO place to lay down (unless you count the oh-so-sticky floor). Furthermore, you can only SIT down in the lounge and in the patio...BBD is a great place if you won't miss fucking and are willing to walk all night and stand during sex!
San Fracisco has many, many popular indoor and outdoor cruising spots (for a complete list of gay cruising spots nationwide, you MUST visit: http://www.cruisingforsex.com...you'll even find places listed in Petaluma, though I strongly recommend against them because of the presence of children), as well, including my pants-down favorite legally-nude, spectacularly beautiful beach: Golden Gate Bridge Beach (Check out my lengthy description and directions, and all the pictures of GGBB at: rjp4bech.htm.)...legally-nude, very gay, and very cruisy...beautifully located directly below and south of the Bridge. It's a breathtaking climb (keeps the straights away), a breathtaking view, and you'll love it. Also very cruisy is Langdon Court, GGBB's public overlook/parking lot, surrounded by old concrete bunkers. Park in the dirt lot overlooking the outer bay, nude, gay men on GGBB below, and GGBridge, and then stroll through the bushes and amongst the military bunkers, and you're sure to make friends! Ahem!
At GGBB below, average weekend crowds number about 5-100 (depending on the weather), but on hot days as many as 400 surge to one of the prettiest -- yet one of the most difficult to reach -- nude beaches of the 179 nude beaches in the Bay Area. Once here you'll feel as though you are part of a postcard of the Golden Gate Bridge. And, as I mentioned, the difficult access generally keeps the women, straights, families, and tourists away, fortunately.
Copy / Paste / Print DIRECTIONS:
From Marin: Go south on 101 over the Golden gate Bridge...get in the right hand lanes as you approach the Toll Plaza, and take the immediate right turn past the Toll Office, past the tiny Toll office parking lot and the bus stop. If you miss it and end up on 19th Avenue, turn around when you can, head back toward Marin, and follow the San Francisco directions in the next paragraph. (If you did it right, continue after the next paragraph.)
From San Francisco: take the last SF exit before heading north on the Bridge...not 19th Avenue exit, mind you, but the next one: the toll office exit right before the toll plaza. Curl left into the Bridge's touristy gift shop metered parking lot, go under the bridge, up the other side and turn right at the bus stop STOP sign.
You'll pass the paved Bridge employee parking lot on the right...DON'T park there. Up the road (Merchant Rd) a few more yards are cars parked in the gravel between the road and the old concrete military bunkers. Park there, and follow the trail to the right of the bunkers as it leads to wooden stairs near the edge of the cliff.
Go down the stairs and make an immediate left onto the trail that apparently goes right off the cliff. Wear some good, strong hiking shoes, and carefully go down the cliff. You'll see all the male nakedness from the top of the climb.
Alternately, do as I do, to cruise the entire beach in methodical fashion. Follow the trails to the left, past the old, concrete, military bunkers, past the dirt parking lot on Langdon Court (great view of the beach), and follow the trail through the bushes to the southernmost end of the beach, and then walk up the beach north toward the bridge until you find a nice spot, a nice smile, or a nice______.
There are four beaches, two north of this spot (the furthest
north is right at the base of the bridge!), and one south.
EAST BAY:
CLUBS:
Social Sports and Games Gay Association (SSAGGA) of Alameda County allows Alameda County gay men to contact and arrange get-togethers with others interested in the same soccial, spoorts, or games activities they are, using e-mail. Send a request for their questionnaire to: SSAGGA@aol.com
SEX CLUB:
The Berkeley Steamworks: ($6 6-mnth mmbrshp, $12+ entry)
BARS:
The TURF CLUB, a gay leather/Levi nightclub in HAYWARD (the home bar of the Alameda County Leather Corps) at 22519 Main St @ A (take the A Street exit off Hwy 880 and head east several blocks) next to Sapporo Restaurant; Owners: Larry Gray (LWGray@pacbell.net) and Danny Burris (Daniel1045@webtv.net), Manager: David Barker (TurfDad@earthlink.net); www.WFTurfClub.com
BENCH & BAR at 120 11th St twn Oak & Madison www.Bench-and-Bar.com
CLUB1220 in Walnut Creek at 1220 Pine behind the 7-11
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/02/02/CC39424.DTL
* HAYWARD claims to be the "gay heart of The Bay", with 3 gay bars (more than any town in the Bay Area, I think, except for SF and Guerneville): The World Famous TURF CLUB at 22519 Main (www.WFTurfClub.com), The RAINBOW ROOM at 21859 Mission, (www.Rainbow-Room.com), and Club RUMOR at 22554 Main (www.ClubRumor.com). All claim to be close to BART and and open 7 days a week, and all have plenty of parking, smoking patios, dancing, and no cover charge!
For more info and pix of the nude beaches listed above, check my web site:
INTERESTED IN READING LOCAL
GAY NEWSPAPERS?
Check out the following publications, all of which offer great information about what there is to do in their respective communities. Those without websites or on-line editions are listed with e-mail addresses, or, lacking even e-mail, phone numbers so you can write for circulation information.
We The People, Santa Rosa, WTP@aol.com
Bay Area Reporter, San Francisco, 415-861-5019/7230
Bay Times, San Francisco, SFBayTimes@aol.com
San Francisco Spectrum, San Francisco, SFSpect@dnai.com
Cream Puff, San Francisco, CPMagazine@aol.com
S.F. Frontiers Newsmagazine, S.F., http://www.frontiersweb.com
Outword Magazine, Sacramento, http://www.outword.com
Outpost (the LGBT web guide in Outword), Sac., http://www.outwired.com
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And these excellent not-gay-but-gay-friendly weekly newspapers:
San Francisco Bay Guardian, San Francisco, http://www.sfbg.com
San FranciscoWeekly, San Francisco, http://www.sfweekly.com
Pacific Sun, Mill Valley, PacSun@best.com
Sonoma County Independent, Santa Rosa, Indy@livewire.com
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Also, check out this excellent online gay guide:
SFGate.com, San Francisco, http://www.sfgate.com/eguide/gay
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And this is self-explanatory: http://SFLeatherCalendar.org
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And, please, tell me about your favorite by writing me at: RJPupkin@aol.com.
Here is your direct link to the GayInsider.com search engine...
just type in a name, place, or subject, and hit "Search!" and you're off!
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So, do you have any additions or suggestions for my Petaluma Gay Guide? Write me at: RJ@BWClub.net.
Follow these links to pictures and info about:
Back to RJP's Home Page * The Cigars * The Leather
The Hiking * The Beach * Other Beaches * The Activities
RJ and his Husband, Magic Juan
and
RJP: SF Virgin Queen 2000 1st Runner-Up.
And, check out:
RJPupkin's Petaluma Gay Guide.
Most importantly, don't fail to visit:
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Copyright 2003 by RJ Pupkin
All content, graphics and images contained throughout are property of RJ Pupkin and are protected by United States and International copyright laws. No text, graphic, or image may be used, in whole or in part, individually, or as part of a derivative work, without express written permission.
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