Monthly Archives: January 2017

What To Expect When Visiting a Leather Bar

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I received an email asking me questions about leather bar attendance and attire:

what would be the best leather outfit to wear in a leather bar as a first timer? And what should I expect to happen once I make an appearance at an all-men leather bar? What goes from there?

I thought I had blogged about these questions before, but in searching this blog, I discovered that I have not.

Let me remedy that right away. I will write from the perspective of a gay man in the United States. I have not visited leather-oriented establishments in Europe.

But now Leather Up and get ready…
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Afternoon Out With The Boys

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Since I live with the world’s #1 recluse, I seldom interact socially. However, yesterday, several buddies saw to it that I would mount my Harley and go for a ride, even if the weather was less than cooperative.

In the morning, I got dressed in a pair of jeans and my favorite Chippewa firefighter boots and took several LOLITS grocery shopping. I assessed the conditions, and thought, “it isn’t going to dry up. My planned motorcycle ride for today won’t go.” Darn it… I was feeling as gloomy as the weather and needed a ride to clear my head.

But two cops, two firefighters, and three bikers had other ideas…
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Diversion by Bikers

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For those outside the Washington DC area, it is hard to know just how much the divisiveness of U.S. politics has become such a lightning rod for anger (on both sides of politics) that it is in the ether of the local atmosphere where I live. There is no way to avoid hearing about it.

People in grocery stores or shops are abuzz. Neighbors have visitors from out of town who have come to DC to join demonstrations and marches. In fact, even in my own family, two siblings who live in distant states arrived yesterday, and they plan to participate in an enormous anti-buffoon protest scheduled today. It was all the talk at the family dinner last night, and I left it early because I had enough. Basta!

Where does that leave me — one who has gone into a self-imposed news blackout, or a “mental-health avoidance void?”

Well ==> the alternative. A couple bikers (JB, my bike cop pal, and another guy from my riding club), will “bikenap” me and take me…
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Heavy Leather, Part II

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I wrote in my most recent blog post that I ordered “the ultimate” in premium leather gear from Langlitz Leathers of Portland, Oregon. The gear was delivered last Friday. The box as stated in the shipping information weighed 20lbs (9kg). The goods were a pair of competition leather breeches and a padded pocket Columbia jacket.

The majority of the package’s weight was the jacket. Man, it is really heavy! The scale tipped 15lbs (6.8kg) just for the jacket itself! But it is terrific. Warm, exceptionally well-constructed, and…
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Heavy Leather Weekend

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I had a real heavy leather weekend since Friday afternoon, through Sunday evening. Spouse was aghast when he received a 20-pound box from the man in brown on Friday, and watched me tear it open as soon as I got home from work.

Coincidence that my own personal “heavy leather weekend” coincided with Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend in DC?

So pray tell, spill the beans… precisely what composed this “heavy leather weekend?”
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The Importance of Boot Maintenance in Winter

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Those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere are in the middle of winter. What comes with winter weather besides cold temperatures (excepting locations closer to the equator, such as where my buddy “S” snowbirds in a U.S. Southern State)… is precipitation in the frozen form: ice and snow.

I have blogged a lot about the importance of having good traction when walking on slick pavement and on ice and snow. For me, boots that have the best traction have Vibram 100 (or similar) lug or waffle soles on them. They are like snow tires for the feet.

But what also comes with the frozen precipitation is the stuff that is spread to provide better traction for vehicles and to melt it: road salts (sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium) and abrasives (sand, fine grit gravel, silicon, and even aluminum particulate matter).

The combination of these products — road salts and abrasives — is an exceptional hazard to the health of your boots. Here is what I do daily about it…
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