Chapter 4 - a weekend to remember. or not.

While we generally speaking had weekends off, the trails were usually pretty crowded then so one of us would go into town and get a bunch of beer. Whenever it was my turn, I’d also pick up some nice snacks like ingredients for smores or ice cream. One of the perks of being a larger woman is that my alcohol tolerance is about the same as most guys; it sucks because I need more beer to get a buzz but is awesome because it’s hard for me to get too drunk. Shane, on the other hand, was a clear lightweight and we did occasionally tease him for this. It was all mild mannered and he took it well. Whenever he was super drunk (usually on Saturdays) I’d make a fourth meal which would usually mean half pound cheeseburgers followed by ice cream. Conveniently I’d usually make an extra couple of burgers and insist that Shane keep us from having left-overs. Breakfast Sunday morning was always kinda special because it was clear that Shane would be hung over---which of course meant a little ribbing about our light weight friend.

One weekend in early August we were camping in a very remote part of the mountains that happened to be near a hot spring. We hadn’t seen anyone else all week long, and doubted we’d have a random visitor. Due to the remote location they actually had to helicopter in our supplies which meant we had plenty of food, but the Forest Service never did buy us booze. Fortunately we planned in advance, and each had a least a bottle of liquor. Part of being an athlete, and part of working in a wilderness crew means being comfortable with our bodies. Even though we were a co-ed team we’d all seen each other naked at some point, it was unavoidable to be honest. It did not creep me out at all that the guys knew I had a six pack, in no small part because I got to see them too.

By this point the one person I had not regularly bathed with was Shane because he’d wash up while we were working on the trail. I’d only seen him once his first week. We took turns bathing in a small watering hold near camp, and he was the last to bath. Unfortunately I had been right before him and it simply did not occur to me that he might not be able to reach the soap I had left maybe eight feet up on a tree branch. Since I was still in the area, he called out for me and asked me to get the soap. I remember seeing him---he was just tiny. Not just a food shorter than me but half my weight. His pencil arms and chicken legs had no muscle and I could literally count his ribs. The only part of him that really had any flesh was his soft, but almost inverted, tummy.

So, digression aside, we’re at this remote hot spring as a bunch of attractive young athletes and have a bunch of booze. You can probably see where this is going. So I ask the other girl if she is fine sharing the hot spring with the guys and she kinda rolls her eyes and says, “You even needed to ask? We don’t have nothing to hide after months camping together.” Anyways we go to the guys and say we’re both going to the hot spring and they should join us. We’d just finished dinner, so Shane asks if he can join us too. (He’s always a polite gentleman, but not really a full part of the team.) Of course, we all agree. The whole group walks to the hot spring, and we prepare to leave our clothes on the grass to the side. Of course I pay closest attention to the guys: there is something incredibly sexy about seeing five college athletes taking their clothes off. I notice the large bulging arm muscles, the thick quads and of course the hairy bellies. I also notice that some of those abs are just a little less defined than at the beginning of the summer, but hey that’s what happens when you are off season bulking. I was a little bulkier, too, but kinda liked how the softness made my body look curvy instead of just strong; I felt more feminine. The other girl, btw, no longer had a visible six pack. I lightly teased her about it, (hey hun…where did you leave that six pack) and she joked back we’ll get more beer next weekend. Shane made it down last, and was quite the sight: not only were his ribs no longer visible, but I could see an adorable little beginner belly. His arms were softer too, but it’s clear that he was not the one doing physical labor if you know what I mean. He took his shirt off first, and I could tell his shorts were just straining to stay buttoned giving him an adorable little muffin top. It’s been about six weeks when we did a weigh in and he was 126 pounds then. With his new weight I bet he’s at least fifteen pounds heavier now. After about half an hour of soaking, someone went back to camp to get some vodka and mixers. By the time things were starting to wind down, we were all a little drunk especially Shane. We walked back to camp, and the guys said it was time for me to make a snack. I made my usual cheeseburgers, this time with blue cheese, and found a five pound bag of frozen potatoes. Every0ne except for Shane was getting tired and slowly peeled away from the group. Shane and I saw one half-pound burger left and maybe a pound of French Fries. If I’m buzzed, Shane was still flat out drunk. I tease him and say, “Hey there skinny, any chance you’ll help us with these leftovers? We both know that leaving it out could attract bears and we don’t want to loose more of our ice.” Always the good guy he said, sure if you’ll help out with the fries.” Now after two burgers myself, I really was not that hungry. Shane had kept up with the group and I was impressed he wanted to tackle a third half pound burger. He said, “Just one thing. I think that my shorts must have shrank in the hot spring or something because they are tight. Are you fine with me taking them off while I eat?” Of course I would not object, we had just seen each other naked after all, and I was impressed with how his t-shirt was now skin tight on his belly. He ate the burger in maybe ten bites, and started moaning because he was so full. I figure that the nice thing to do was poke his belly—which was just so stuffed it was hard. I told him he really did look full, but that I’d give him a belly rub to make things better. It might have taken fifteen minutes, but eventually he just looked so happy. I then told him it was time to share the fries. He started to object, but acquiesced as I fed them to him one at a time dipped in mayonnaise. By the time we finished the fries the moon was high in the sky, and we were both drowsy. I basically had to carry Shane back to his tent, because he was starting to snore. I placed him on his sleeping bag and could hear him sawing lumber. I threw his shorts on the ground and went to bed myself.