Earth Week Beer Hike to Latona Pub

Last week I had an opportunity to join some other dedicated urban beer hikers in supporting Elliott Ryan and Latona Pub's Earth Week Celebration in which all of the beers (or most, anyway) served all week were delivered without the use of internal combustion engines.  (Note:  One came part way by bus.  If you have a problem with that, be gone.)

It began earlier in the week when I caught a picture on Twitter of some people pushing a keg from Fremont Brewing up to Latona Pub.  I didn't immediately know what they were doing or why, but I knew I had to get in on the action.  This was true urban beer hiking.  I contacted Latona and luckily one of the dudes was familiar with Urban Beer Hikes and offered to let me join in on the fun.

Earth Week UBH
Hale's Ales / Fremont Troll / The Dock / Blue Star Café / Latona Pub

View Latona Earth Keg UBH in a larger map

Link and I arrived at Hale's Brewpub on Sunday morning and met up with several other hikers to grab some kegs for the following night's event at the Latona Pub.  The gang included Elliott and Patrick from Latona and Henry from Hale's.  We did some "stretching" at the bar (bloody marys, mimosas, and pints of fresh ale) before embarking over 4 miles east and north to Latona.  After some pictures with the crew and the kegs, we hopped onto the Burke-Gilman Trail, which runs right behind Hale's, and headed toward the center of the universe that is downtown Fremont.  Link and I didn't immediately get to partake in any of the carting, but that was fine.  This was all level ground.  I knew the big challenge would be up the hill of Stone Way N. a little later.

 
Urban Beer Hiking along the Burke-Gilman Trail

After a short detour north to get some pictures in front of the Fremont Troll, it was motioned and seconded (and thirded, etc.) that we make a pit stop at the Fremont Dock for some refreshments.  We hitched Link up by the kegs and went up to their large patio where we imbibed in a couple of pitchers of [BEER].  Before moving on, we were joined by another of Hales' brewers, Greg, whom despite being a Philadelphia Flyers fan, is OK in my book.

Probably the weirdest thing I saw all week.

From The Dock, we summoned our strength and headed east, toward the hill that is Stone Way N.

 

Me lagging behind a bit (as usual) on Stone Way N.

When we got to Stone Way, I finally took the reigns of Babe the Blue Handcart and we marched about 8 blocks uphill to the Blue Star Cafe and more refreshments.  The Blue Star was hopping with it's usual Sunday brunch crowd and we took down some pitchers of [MORE DELICIOUS BEER].  We were pretty sweaty by this point, too, so water was definitely in order.

From there, it was a pretty level walk the rest of the way up Stone Way to Green Lake Way N.  There were tons of honking horns, shouts, and cheers at our little caravan of goodness as we walked by the throngs of people out around Green Lake on such a beautiful spring day.  After only one more small hill (N 64th St.), we arrived at our destination, the Latona Pub.  We were sweaty and spent, but the kegs arrived safely and it was time for some more well-earned pints.

 

The sweaty pits say it all.

Other Earth Week urban beer hikes (and bikes) that brought good beer to Latona include:

• Big Time Brewing
• Elysian - Tangletown, RAM Northgate, and Naked City
• Pike Brewing
• Elliott Bay Brewing
• Schooner Exact
• Fremont Brewing
• Two Beers Brewing (organized a 10-mile relay!)
• Maritime Pacific 

(Note:  My apologies if I left anyone out.  No one reads this blog anyway.)

Cheers to all that made this possible and cheers to Elliott and Latona Pub for the realization of a great idea.   I was honored to be a part of its success.  (As was Link.)