I felt Chad’s powerful fist jab my gut, snapping me out of my daze. "Hey Luke, close your mouth and look where you’re going!" I stopped inches before smashing my face on the trunk of a giant redwood.

Everything seemed unreal. We were walking buck naked on a forest trail; so were another dozen or so guys of all sizes, types, and ages, like a stroll to the grocery store. Around us towered huge redwoods with trunks as wide as houses, their crowns so high that when you looked up only little blue patches of sky were visible on a cloudless day and the sunlight shrunk to little dapples on the shady forest floor.

But best was what was standing beside me: the handsomest five-feet-seven-inches of chunky, hairy, beefy bear cub I’d seen in a dog’s age, and for good measure a terrific new buddy who was starting to boil my cream.

On the trail ahead Sean and Jesse stopped a moment to chat with two other naked men and then, gesturing at us that they’d meet us up the trail, hiked on, leaving Chad and me dawdling behind. Like a tourist I gawked at everything. But then tourists don’t normally walk around buck naked.

"So tell me what you think of this place, old man?" Chad’s handsome face was impish.

"This is too fucking wild!" I answered, and I returned the gut punch. "At our camp in the Adirondacks we hang around naked because it’s private. But this ...! It’s ... uh, public, sort of. And all these guys hiking around buck naked, real cool, no hassles, saying hello, like a walk in the park."

"Welcome to the seventies in California. But if you keep gawking like that, man, you’re going to be walking upside down in the river. Look."

Chad wrapped his strong hand around the back of my neck and pointed my head down over the trail edge so I saw the steep slope which tumbled sharply about a hundred feet to the riverbank, where a bunch of naked jocks were playing Frisbee as a passing boatload of teenagers whistled at them.

Up ahead Sean couldn’t help glancing at the big golden bear at his side as he and Jesse plodded along the trail. Jesse reminded Sean of one of the ancient heroes in my treasured mythology books, which was true. Standing next to the 6-foot-3 Californian who carried about 230 pounds of beef covered with straw colored hair made Sean, just over six feet, feel small. It also made him feel hornier than hell.

Jesse had a thick shock of blond hair, a slightly darker mustache, and a forest of fur from his thickly-maned groin up to the base of his neck. Jesse’s massive forearms and muscular legs were also densely covered with light hair.

"Does this place have a name?" Sean was trying to get his mind off Jesse’s body.

"Nothing official," Jesse replied. "It’s got lots of nicknames depending on who you talk to. Rumor is that some famous movie star owns the land, but nobody knows for sure."

Whatever it’s name, on any hot California day lots of hot California men came to this place and shucked their inhibitions with their clothes to sunbathe, hike, stake out solo space, look for companionship, or just disappear into the dense forest of evergreens and redwoods. Sean had no trouble visualizing Jesse in that forest, his huge golden body straining as he wrestled other bears as huge and furry as he for the primacy of the woods. Mythical figures, naked giants and heroes, he thought, locked in furious struggle tearing at each other in a brutal fight.

"Where does this trail go?" Sean’s eyes were on the trail but not his thoughts.

Jesse chuckled softly and grinned at Sean. "Wherever you want it to, my friend. Wherever you want."

We were three days into our California trip, a long-planned birthday present from our loving papa bears in honor of Sean turning eighteen and me sixteen that year.

Nick was an old boyhood buddy of Greg’s from upstate New York who had insisted that all four of us stay at his rambling hand-built log house in Guerneville in the Russian River area. A big friendly ursine who’d moved west in his twenties, like the rest of us Nick was a wrasslin’ bear.

Sean and I took right away to Nick and his sons, Jesse, a year older than Sean, and Chad, my age, actually Nick’s nephew but legally in his charge. Staying with these guys was terrific fun and we made instant friends with Jesse and Chad, two exceptionally friendly, good-natured guys who also capped top honors as the two hottest bears we’d ever known. Sean and I thought exactly the same sweaty naked thoughts.

That morning, tired of sightseeing, we four younger bears sat quietly outside on the porch after breakfast. The California sun was already ablaze in a cloudless sky and our dads were off day-tripping in San Francisco. Smiling like he was up to something Chad broke the silence.

"Hey, guys, how about a nice, quiet walk in the California redwoods?"

An hour later we were bouncing over twisting back roads in Jesse’s vintage Ford station wagon until we turned onto a long narrow country lane flanked by a row of old clapboard houses on one side and low rolling fenced-in fields opposite. Leaving the wagon we hiked along the road past about two dozen or so other parked cars. About a mile later the lane dead-ended at a big gate, the entrance to an old power station on our left, an abandoned quarry on our right. Other guys on foot were heading in our direction. Chad stopped.

"There it is, the Russian River," Chad said it almost reverently, pointing down past the power station through dense eucalyptus and pine, where I saw a broad band of muddy water.

Jesse then led us over a wide dirt track through thick woods which eventually emerged into a sprawling sunlit field covered with head-high grass. The path forked, the left branch heading to a row of old orchards, the right cutting through the middle of the tall grass. Turning to Sean and me, Jesse pointed forward and hurried into the grass leaving us behind. Chad stepped in front of us and stood beaming, like a guy with something up his sleeve.

"You guys are gonna love this place," Chad said, chuckling. "Um, that is ... if you’re not shy about ... stuff. You’re not, right?"

"Shy? Me? It’s one thing I’ve never been accused of," Sean said winking at me.

"Why the question, and what ‘stuff’?" I was onto Chad.

"Just be mellow, men. Be mellow. And take a good look around, guys." With that Chad turned and paced briskly toward his adopted brother halfway down the field with us at heel. When we caught up with Jesse the field opened out into a large clearing.

The was crawling with men. Buck naked men. Jesse and Chad grinned wickedly.

I’d spotted heads sticking up in the high grass as we crossed the field but didn’t pay any attention. But now before our eyes dozens of cocks and bare asses lay spread out on blankets or towels while some naked men just strolled around. In the shady deep woods ahead of us silhouettes moved and in the thick orchards flanking the field we saw naked male body parts through the green cover.

Never shy about being buck naked Sean and I were still pretty dumbstruck at the sight of our first real ‘public’ nude hangout. Stupidly we began to pivot around for the full panoramic view and as we turned two naked guys stepped unexpectedly out of the tall grass alongside us, said hello and walked off. At that point Sean and I lost it.

Chad was chuckling at our bewilderment as he yanked off his shorts and stood there naked. Just as naked, big Jesse looked at me deadpan and just shrugged.

"Well, Luke, you said you wanted to see Disneyland."

"I knew you’d be cool about this," Chad declared confidently as we picked up our pace. "You struck me as a man who gets off on nature."

Chad was about as different physically from other bearcub guys I’d run into before, and for that matter also from his adopted brother Jesse. But the 5-foot-7, 180-pound cub was not your average chubby teenage boy. Stocky and round, he had a powerfully compact body: huge thick chest, hard round gut, brawny arms and short but muscular legs all sprouting a lush coat of fluffy black body hair.

Strikingly handsome, Chad was both boy and man, cub and bear. A strong masculine face completed the picture: his hair was thick and dark, his tan complexion ruggedly healthy, his light gray eyes might see through steel. A round face, a firm jaw, strong brows, small nose slightly upturned, determined mouth.

Every furry inch of Chad growled a challenge: ‘Wrassle me!’ And I was aching to accept. I was hooked, and determined.

We stopped again. Out from under the forest shade now, we were strolling in bright sunlight as I fastened my eyes on his body.

"Nature isn’t the only thing I’m getting off on right now," I said.

I reached over and started to rub his fuzzy belly, softly at first, then harder, working my way up until I reached the denser hair of his broad chest. Tightening my hands on his beefy pecs told me that my impressions were all correct. Dry heat filled my body and my mouth.

Jabbing a hard fist up into my hairy pec, he paused, then jabbed again. Chad’s handsome face and dark eyes glowed like red evil.

"Same here man. Tell me what you like." Chad’s hushed voice was plain and demanding.

"Bears. Meat on the bones, fur on the beef." I said as plainly.

His dark blue eyes examined me as he nodded. "Yeah ... perfect. There’s more," and he broke into a knowing smile.

"Lots more. Struggle, real good, hard struggle. One man against another," I answered. "As rough as they can take it. You, maybe?"

"Me definitely," was his answer. Then, a dare: "Just don’t let my size fool you."

"No chance," I said. "You just give me all you got."

Our chests heaved, we could feel each other’s hearts pounding. Our sexual furnaces burned hot and thickened the milky nectar in our groins, two young cub cocks pumped hard, like iron bolts.

"Don’t worry, friend, I intend to. Made up my mind about that three days ago when I first saw you."

"Me too. Okay, show me where it’s going to happen."

Two crewcut marine-type joggers whisked by flashing us big naked grins, followed a moment later by two gray-furred daddy bears in Stetsons and cowboy boots, who gravely nodded their approval at our hardons as they passed hurriedly back toward the field.

"Just follow me," Chad said, punching my gut as we headed off up the trail. Wrapping my arm around Chad’s square hard shoulder we headed up the trail.

Sean and Jesse were alone in a quiet grove of conifers on a ridge high above the trail. The high grass was green instead of the burnt brown under the sun as Sean circled around nervously, hands on his hips.

"Hey Sean, chill, man. They’ll be here soon enough," Jesse said, adding with a wink, "Chad can find this place in the dark."

Sean snorted. "Yeah, I know. Those two have been ready to rock since they laid eyes on each other."

"Are you kidding?" Jesse threw back his head as he stretched out his massive, furry body. "I could swear I saw sparks a few times." Awed by Jesse’s immense physical presence Sean thought he could easily wrap a hand around one of the redwood branches far above.

"Luke wanted to tackle Chad the moment he walked in the door."

"Get ready for a hell of a brawl, my friend. Chad’s one tough-ass little bear."

"I don’t doubt that." Sean’s bearish pride rose. "But don’t get overconfident. My man Luke’s a real steamroller."

"Maybe so. But Chad’s what you call tenacious," Jesse retorted. "Doesn’t quit easy."

"Luke will take him," Sean edged closer. "It’ll be easy."

"Chad hates to lose."

"Today’s the day he learns how," Sean answered with a smile.

"Your ass will too." And laughing the two hulking bears hurled themselves at each other.

Chad stepped off the trail motioning me to follow. For the last half a mile we hadn’t said a word as we threaded single-file the tapering trail above the River. Instincts coiled inside our bodies, making us taut as we readied for our coming sexual combat. The scent of struggle and of each other burned like incense.

Chad led me through a large ravine where the sunlight gleamed on the dense ferns and brush. We stepped over rocky outcroppings and a winding rill as the ground sloped upward. The trail and all other bodies were no longer visible.

Close behind him I never let Chad out of my sight as he hurried along up a winding slope along the fern-covered ravine wall. Looking up I saw a solid wall of thick conifers at the top of the ravine. Once out of the ravine but still climbing, we threaded through them for what seemed like along time, until finally Chad disappeared between two large firs. When I caught up to him I was in a flat, shady grove where he stood waiting for me, catching his breath, a great victorious smile on his face as I drew alongside him. He turned away from me to watch the spectacle in front of us.

On the cool green overgrown grass a few yards off our older bear-brothers grappled fiercely, their immense naked bodies straining. Finally, Sean took on the big golden bear as I knew he wanted to from day one. It was an awesome battle to see.

Watching the great dark bear warrior Sean pit his huge 220-pound frame against the 230-pound golden bear warrior was fascinating and exciting for me and for Chad too. With Chad’s arm resting around my shoulder and my arm wrapped around his waist I flashed back to the first time only two years before when Sean and I first grappled buck naked in the Adirondacks. This was, I thought, like watching that night.

With Sean’s head clamped tightly in the lock of his huge arms Jesse tried to kneel to pull Sean down, but Sean kept to his feet and with a seismic thud Chad and I felt landed a hard fist to Jesse’s gut. Jesse winced slightly but didn’t give.

Suddenly with an enormous burst of power Sean managed to wrestle Jesse’s arm open just enough to free himself. Jesse seemed surprised at Sean’s power and was more surprised when Sean put a hammerlock on him. But then it was Jesse’s turn and his powerful upper body strained as he wrested free of Sean’s hold.

Wheeling around Jesse pounded a fist into Sean’s gut, but Sean had tightened his ad muscles and was ready for it and instantly fired off a return punch. Each grunted loudly as the other’s fist landed. For the next several moments the two big bears pounded away at their huge, hairy guts now shiny with sweat that matted Sean’s black wool and Jesse’s wheat blond fur.

At each blow, Chad and I trembled; we quivered as if it was our own stiffening bodies absorbing their blows. Standing close together, our arms fell to our sides when they started pounding, our biceps rubbing together, sweat beading on our foreheads. It was a minute before I realized I was holding Chad’s hardon, and his hand was around my outstretched dick.

Suddenly groaning loudly, Sean and Jesse each doubled over, the gut-punching fight climaxed. Each crossed his threshold of exhilaration and pain. Clutching their abdomens, they stepped back, glaring ecstatically, wildly, readying themselves for the next battle. It came soon as they slammed together in a mammoth bearhug.

Chad and I were ready. We turned and faced each other and for a long, hushed moment we stood and stared. We were trembling, our cocks out like prongs, the odor of combat enveloping the air around us and filling our lungs. Only a few feet away Jesse and Sean grunted as they tried to grind each other’s big naked hulks to dust.

Bracing our feet wide apart we raised our hands and locked them together at chest height and began to push each other with all the power in our muscle, a preparatory rite of testing. Forearms and biceps tightened and twitched. A short swift breeze blew the hair on our chests as our pec muscles stiffened and flexed.

Going up against this magnificently striking fellow cub while our bear-brothers battled nearby was a rush. Chad’s small, powerful body with its gorgeous pelt of soft dark fur and the face of a young god, the two huge, beautiful naked figures out of some ancient tale or myth locked together beside us, brought me to the edge of wild excitement. As my heart pounded in my throat and my hairy hide bristled I heard Chad’s words not to be fooled by his size.

Hands clenched maniacally together we strained every muscle in our arms, our shoulders, backs and legs; teeth gritting, we pushed, the sweat moistening our faces. Chad was stronger than I’d supposed, his power centered in those thick meaty shoulders and arms. I fought really hard just to hold my ground.

Riveted on each other in our bulldozing battle we temporarily forgot Sean and Jesse, now struggling on the ground nearby. We had our own fight now, and we fought hard; low guttural groans vibrated in our throats.

Suddenly I felt Chad slipping backward, imperceptibly at first, but yes, there it was: a little bit more, a little more ... With a roaring growl I blasted all my strength into the push and he groaned loudly, trying to deflect it. But it was no use and he stared to slip. I broke our grip and Chad’s arms flung wide apart. But I noticed how perfectly he caught himself in time to prevent stumbling. Chad’s balance was amazingly sharp.

We sprang apart, chests heaving, eyes locked on each other.

As I started to crouch, tightening my body for a rush at Chad but he sprang at me with the quickness of a cougar, ramming me at the gut and wrapping his arms around my waist so fast I didn’t know what hit me. My middle felt like two freight cars were crushing me as I blew all the air out of my lungs and my feet left the ground. Chad’s speed and agility were impressive for a guy his size and girth. I remembered his warning not to be fooled by his size.

Feeling his power and strength crushing me drove me to frenzy and ignited my fight instincts. Chad squashed me and I welcomed the great ache of my body crushed against him, against his manly upper body. My cock was caught in the fleecy cleft between his hairy pecs, and I wanted so badly to shoot his chest full of my hot white cum at that moment. But first I wanted all the combat he and I were capable of waging.

He snarled as I brought my fists down hard on his shoulders; once, then again, then again. The feisty scrapper didn’t relent, and kept squashing me with those thick heavy arms. Two or three times he tried to bring me to the ground, but I used my legs to steady myself each time so my feet hit the ground. He realized the only way to get me down was to go down with me, or keep squashing until I was senseless.

He kept squashing, I kept pounding him; he winced, but his pain only recharged his will and he groaned louder as my fists repeatedly smashed down on his shoulders. At last I brought my hands down on his thick neck hard enough to stun him, forcing him to let go.

My feet on the ground, I sprung back. Chad and I rammed each other, our heavy chests thudding at the hard impact as our arms entangled around our bodies in a bone-bruising bearhug. His arms were like iron as he squashed our chests and bellies together. It was the fiercest bearhug battle I’d ever had with anyone, other than Sean. Chad’s power and strength were incredible. This thickset small cub brought out the best in himself and in me.

In a white heat now I decided it was my turn to crush Chad in my arms, which were by no means weak. With raw fury our naked bearhug went on for a long while. The pressure was numbing and I thought one of us was going to break like an egg.

But when neither of us prevailed we began to fold ourselves into a crouch, grunting madly, each trying to force the struggle on the ground. Finally I tried to bend him as low so he’d think I was trying to force him down, but instead I quickly untangled an arm and slipped it under his leg, heaved him up off his feet and we both fell crashed on the thick grass.

Trying to pin him down with the force of my body was a whole other challenge: Chad wriggled hard, using his powerful upper body and the slimy layer of sweat on our furry hides to his advantage, blocking my every move at securing a hold.

Rolling over we grappled on the ground for some time,. Several times I thought I had him pinned, but each time Chad’s extraordinary power, balance, and tactical prowess prevented my gaining the edge. And his movements were uncannily quick, almost catlike. Clammy with our sweat, suddenly Chad wrestled free of my pressure and rolled out from under my body. Stunned, I righted myself, wheeled and saw him a few feet away, crouched on one knee. Panting heavily, Chad smiled at me like a little boy.

"You’re even better ... than I thought," he gasped.

"Wait ... I’m playing with you," I growled softly.

Pausing a few moments to catch our breath we glared at each other, some distance apart now; then slowly we stood up. But there was no hurry in our movements now. That we ached for more combat was as plain as the sweaty hair matted on our bodies.

Then I felt hands on my shoulders; they were Sean’s hands and Jesse’s hands. They were standing beside us and had either finished or broken off their struggle. Their great hairy bodies were shiny with sweat and they had the raw smell of combat.

The big bears looked solemn as they patted our backs, arms, and heads. Seizing us by the shoulders they shoved Chad and me face to face and stood huddled around us, their huge hands on our shoulders.

"Let’s see how tough you guys are," Sean murmured.

"Yeah ... We wanna see what you’ve got," whispered Jesse. Big thick bear ramrods stuck out like prongs. Their voices were low snarls.

"Hey Chad, how hard’s his gut?" Jesse snarled to Chad, but looked at me.

"Go on, buddy, show him!" Sean murmured to me.

Chad and I nodded and smiled. Watching those two trade gut punches earlier got us. So we drew deep breaths, we tensed and flexed our ab muscles. We fixed our eyes into each other, we prepared. I threw the first punch; the blow landed dead center into Chad’s hard round gut.

Chad winced, smiled, but didn’t move. Sean and Jesse trembled and groaned softly. Chad’s fist slammed into my belly next and I groaned. The pain was sharp and sweet.

Sean and Jesse seemed to feel each blow that Chad and I took, their large bodies trembling, softly grunting and groaning. They wanted it as much as we did, they knew what the contest meant and why our the pain excited us, they goaded us to share. A murmur of voices merged in our ears.

"Slam him again ... that’s the way ... Ow that’s right! ... Pound him good and hard ... Punch that big hairy gut, man ... Show him what you’re made of ... Harder, Luke! ... Slam that furry gut, Chad! ... Punch it, punch it, punch it!"

Tears rolled down our cheeks as we slugged it out. Our bellies convulsed at the pounding. The intensity of our battle, the indescribably wondrous sensation sealed all our bonds: mine and Chad’s, Sean’s and Jesse’s, all four of us. And when finally Sean and Jesse simply pulled us apart it was at the exact moment when their instinct told that our limits had been crossed.

But Chad and I fell forward, catching each other in a clinch like exhausted boxers. Throbbing in a shared ecstasy of pain we dropped to the ground limply, Chad under me, still as stones.

It was only a moment before our hands wrapped around our throats. We strangled just hard enough to discover new sensations in one last test of mettle and endurance. Our faces turned white, eyes bulged. Our chests rose and fell together; his furry belly grated under mine. I felt my cock rubbing into his hairy pelvis.

My face shoved to one side I found my eyes mere inches from Jesse’s calves, big thick stumps covered with light downy fur. On my other side I felt a kick: Sean’s dark hairy legs pressed against our prone bodies.

Once more our instincts told us when we had to release each other. We brought each other to the edge. We knew where our borders fell. We fought for fury and passion with only our bodies as weapons, not anger and hostility.

So now we just laid there in a heap of sopping wet flesh, every muscle in our bodies sore and slack and fatigued. Slowly air refilled our lungs; again we were still as stone. The flames of fight were now just embers, but flesh and bone and spirit still burned; now our sexual fury ignited and began to stir.

Pressed down on him, I started to rub my belly and then my groin against Chad’s. Slowly at first, Chad pushed up with his groin and gut into mine, then we rolled our chests together. I began to feel our cocks filling up with that good hot cream and straighten out good and hard in the sweaty fur of our groins.

Pushing myself up with my arms I saw rapture in Chad’s face as we rhythmically rolled and massaged our groins and hard-ons together. Chad slapped my face a few times, then grasped my hairy nipples and twisted them, sending waves of ecstatic pain shooting through me.

Sunlight dappled on their great hairy trunks, Sean and Jesse stood over us with their legs spread and slowly pumped each other’s monstrous, rigid bearcocks. My arms trembling from fatigue, Chad pulled me down softly and rolled me over, wrapping an arm around my neck, nestling me into his furry round body. Instantly our hands grasped each other’s rock-hard dicks; Chad draped his leg over my thigh.

Two bears stood over us staring down at Chad and me; alternately pumping their dicks and trading mild punches to their hairy guts and chests, Sean and Jesse brought Chad and me just beyond frenzy.

Watching those two huge, handsome, fur-skinned bears, one dark, the other light, their sexual fever seething; clutching ourselves, our own furry naked bodies nestled together, fanned all our sexual fires.

When they started gut-punching Chad and I were near delirious. Every time we saw fist strike gut we arched our backs, our cocks thickened with boiling hot cumjuice, and our hands tightened around our cocks. Even now as I recall that moment years later, I can still feel the unparalleled, roaring intensity of it.

Oiling up with their sweat and spit our bear brothers put a large hand around each other’s cock and began to pump, slowly and in measured strokes at first, then slightly faster, then slowing to a deliberate rhythm. Sweat dripped off their faces, which were blood-red.

They watched Chad and me lying flat on our backs in the grass as we stroked our hard male flesh; we watched the Black Bear and the Golden Bear high above us pumping their huge rods until they were raw. At last big Jesse’s hairy body and rumbling voice shook violently as his cream burst hot and white out of the fat head of his manhood and splattered all over Chad and me, all over our matted chests and our glistening bellies, and on our legs; and as Jesse rumbled in pleasure Sean’s big dark body convulsed too, and his raw cockhead shot spears of manjuice.

They collapsed to their knees, almost on top of us. Grabbing me by the hair Chad pulled me on top of him and we blended our two brothers’ cum with the sweat of our bodies. We began to grind and heave in unison, and it was not long before our own hot cream gushed out of us and mingled with our brothers’. For what seemed like several minutes our bearcocks kept spewing out cum as Chad and I writhed in delirious pleasure. Before we stopped cumming was so thick it drooled down our sides.

We returned to that place several times before that first fantastic California sojourn ended. All four of us are close friends. Chad and Jesse have visited us several times.

And they’ve even seen the Adirondacks.