Gay Place

BURNIN' UP That time of year has come a bit early for us, hasn't it, Austin? Usually it isn't until deep July or even mid-August that we are throwing hands and eyes heavenward begging for a break from the triple-digit heinousness that is summer in Texas. But, no, here we are, not even freakin' mid-summer, imploring the deities for some form of sweet relief. Perhaps we shouldn't be gazing up. Perhaps we should be gazing south. Lawdy knows that even well-intended hikes out to the lake have resulted in low-level lameness. Even Canyon Lake and the tubing heaven of the Guadalupe River have been hurtin'. But then there's the Comal. Oh, Comal, even your name sounds comforting, inviting. Comal. Come one. Come all. A few weeks ago, we joined a frisky crew of Austinites heading for that lovely river for the big, annual Lez Go Tubing event. Lez Go Tubing (www.facebook.com/lezgotubing) was started by a bunch of crazy San Antonio lezzies inspired by ... well, isn't it obvious? So we went. Hot damn! Cool, clean water, brimming with the gay. Yes! And yes, please. So cool. So hot. We plan to make this an annual pilgrimage. Soon thereafter, we received word from a group we'd never encountered: Gay NewBraunfels (www.facebook.com/#!/gaynb), a Facebook group that hosted an event this past weekend similar to Lez Go. It was called Rainbow River, and the Comal surely did sparkle pink and blue and purple and all them other hues, we bet. They are also putting the call out for the formation of Gay Days at Schlitterbahn (you'd better bet your sweet bippy that we are keeping a finger on the pulse of that one). The point of sharing all this with you, dear readers, is to let you know that you are not suffering alone. There are groups massing as we type. Their goal? To face down this devilish swelter and chill you the hell out – family style, safe and cozy knowing that a coupla hundred other gaywads and gaywad-friendlies are floating alongside you. In fact, this weekend, the purveyors of San Marcos' desperately necessary Rainbow Night (why is there no functioning gay bar in that sweet li'l college town?) are throwing their own tubing bash on the San Marcos River called the Rainbow Night River Take Over. (Search Facebook for "Rainbow Night" and "Rainbow Night River Take Over.") Yes! Let's all go! Put in at Sewell Park on the campus of Texas State University and head down where the current takes you – to the Rio Vista (that means "river view"...). Going south never felt so good. Who are we kidding? Yes, it has. (See Sunday.)

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