I come from a very outdoorsy family. When I was a kid we used to go on long camping trips during the summer, and it wasn't unusual for us to go on long weekend outings in fall or early winter. Once we learned how to find our way in the woods, my siblings and I were allowed to roam around the countryside pretty much as we pleased, and we often stayed away from our campsites for hours. As I got older -- by which I mean my mid-teens -- I preferred to roam by myself, often carrying a pair of binoculars to watch birds and other wildlife.
One summer after graduation, I invited my best friend, Danny, to join us on a weeklong trip to a favorite campground in the Colorado Rockies. He accepted, but said he would have to leave after a few days to go to a family wedding in Albuquerque. His parents and sisters would pick him up on their way from Denver.
Danny had been camping a few times before, though never with us, and I was looking forward to showing him some favorite places in the woods to watch for wildlife or just soak up the scenery.
One such place was a rocky outcrop on a ridge a couple of miles from the campground. In one direction it overlooked a broad forested bowl under high peaks, and in the other overlooked a narrow canyon where a gravel road led to three or four isolated cabins.
We hiked up there the second afternoon of our stay, taking some snacks and a couple bottles of water. Although it was a warm, sunny day, we also carried small packs with warm jackets and gloves in case the weather turned, which is far from rare in the mountains. As usual I also carried my binoculars.
We'd been sitting up there for about half an hour, talking occasionally but mostly enjoying the quiet and the view while we took turns with the binoculars. I had just gotten them back from Danny when I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye. When I turned the binocs that way, thinking it was some animal, I realized it was a couple of people walking through the trees not far from one of the cabins. They were maybe a third of a mile away.
I was about to put the binoculars down when the two people drew close together and kissed. When they separated again, I realized it was not a man and a woman, but two men.
"Whoa," I said.
"What?" Danny asked.
"There's two guys down there kissing," I said. "They were a second ago, anyway."
"Let me see," Danny said.
I gave him the binoculars and told him where to look.
"They're doing it again," he said. "The fuck?"
To me, two guys kissing isn't a big deal. I have an uncle who's gay -- my mom's brother -- and I had been brought up to accept homosexuality as different but basically normal. Danny, I knew from previous conversations on the topic, was more judgmental.
"What are they doing now?" I asked.
"They're walking again. Looks like they're headed to that cabin with the red roof."
He pointed but didn't let go of the binoculars. I could just make out two figures making their way through the forest.
No big deal, I thought. I lay back on the rock, closed my eyes and let the sun warm me. A minute or two passed.
"Whoa," he said, "they're really going at it now."
I sat up and he handed me back the binoculars, but for a second I couldn't spot them.
"Look closer to the cabin, in that clump of aspens," Danny said.
When I sighted the two men again, they had their arms around each other and were making out like two teenagers. Even from this distance I could sense their passion.
I felt a sudden stir of excitement.
This surprised me; after all, I'd seen my uncle kiss his partner several times. But that was when the family was around, and their public kisses were more affectionate than passionate. These two were behaving as if they were in private.
I knew it was wrong to spy, but I couldn't help myself. I suppose I was experiencing the thrill of voyeurism, though that word was unknown to me at the time.
The two guys reached the stairs to the cabin, climbed up to the deck and lay down on a sort of couch.
They made out furiously, and as I watched one guy started rubbing the other guy's crotch. Soon he started undoing the other guy's pants.
"Whoa," I said. "They're..."
"Let me see," Danny interrupted, snatching the binoculars out of my hand and lifting them quickly to his eyes.
"Oh, my God," he said. "One guy's got his hand in the other guy's pants."
My face got warm, like I was blushing, and my heart seemed to beat a little faster. Suddenly I was conscious that my dick was taking on weight.
"What are they doing now?"
"He's got the other guy's cock out!" Danny said excitedly. "It looks like he's going to jack him off."
I reached for the binoculars, but Danny pulled away from me.
I got a hand on them, and for a few seconds we played tug of war. By the time I got control and focused them again, both men had their cocks out.
"Wow," I said.
"What are they doing?" Danny asked. I could hear the excitement in his voice.
Just then the two men scrambled to their feet and went inside.
"They just went inside," I said, "but for a second I saw both their cocks."
I lowered the binoculars to my lap. As I did my hand bumped against the front of my jeans, and I felt what was now a definite hardon. I knew I shouldn't be turned on by what I'd seen, but I was.
I looked at Danny. He was still staring at the cabin.
"Dude," he said, swallowing hard. "That was....."
He didn't finish the sentence.
"Are you hard?" I asked.