Seattle Beer Week 5k

Several months ago, the guy over at GoodBeerTrips.com (Eric Monsterschlong, aka DraughtE) contacted me and asked what I thought about putting together a little 5k-like walk around downtown Seattle about the time of Seattle Beer Week -- just for the hell of it.  I was flattered that he thought of me and excited at the idea.  It was also November, or some shit like that, and it didn't seem like something I really needed to think about.  Another beer please!

Fast forward to about 3 weeks ago...

PANIV!  I mean--PANIC!  (I can't even type I'm pancake-ing so much!  Stupid speelcheck.  Arggghhh!)

Anyway, for the past three weeks Eric and I have been working somewhat hard catching up, tossing around ideas, and getting this little excursion in order.  We've each been making phone calls and sending e-mails.  Even paying visits to good beer joints.  Tough job indeed.

Here's the route we came up with:

Seattle Beer Week 5k Good Beer Hike
Pyramid / Collins Pub / Pike / Pioneer Square Saloon / Triangle / Elysian Fields / Hooverville


View Seattle Beer Week 5k in a larger map

We contacted the gurus over at the Seattle Beer Collective (only in America folks) and they were kind enough to list our event on their website.  We got a surprising response and filled up our self-imposed limit of 30 hikers in less than a week!  Damn! 

So now we have 28 people meeting us at Pyramid on Saturday and we're going to pretend to be leaders of some kind, taking them from stop to stop, espousing the virtues of good beer and good beer joints.  We're excited to meet new friends and old, but also a little nervous.  Neither of us really has any experience (or qualifications for that matter) at being a tour guide.  But something tells me we'll be just fine.  After all, it's about the city and the beer, not us.

Today I did a practice run (the theatre douches call it a "rehearsal").   My original goal was to walk it without having any beer, merely taking notes and recording walk times.  Link and I began at Pyramid Alehouse, walked up and over to Collins Pub (where I caved and had a Green Flash IPA), continued up to Pike Brewing (caved again and again), turned south to the Pioneer Square Saloon, Elysian Fields, and the Triangle Pub, and ended up at Hooverville (caved twice more).

The route is solid.  I'm very happy with it.  All of the venues have been notified of our coming and seem to be cool with it.  Everything that can be done to prepare has been done.  The only thing left to do is hike.  And drink beer.

And that's all I ever wanted to do.

Amen.