IPA Day 2011 (8 Mile Tune-Up)

(Seattle, WA)

Apparently there is an "International IPA Day".

I'd never heard of it.  No one I knew had heard of it.  But it popped up on my radar (via Twitter) one day when I was planning a beer hike anyway, so I took it as a sign that I should only drink IPAs on the hike.  Which I did.  So what?

This hike also served as a another tune-up for the ridiculous 17 mile expedition I was planning to join the following week.  (More to come on that. Someday.)  Let's see how many IPAs it takes me to get shit-faced:

IPA Day 2011; 8.4 mi. 

The Dray / Maritime Pacific / Brouwer's / Fremont Brewing / Big Time / Bottleworks / The Dray
View IPA Day 2011 in a larger map

Notes: 

• Obviously, at 8+ miles, this hike is best suited for the long days of summer.  We began at The Dray around 12:30pm and finished the loop around nine hours later.  
• The route I've plotted here sticks mainly to streets and there is almost no elevation gain, so it's more about distance and endurance (especially if it's hot.)  
• The Burke-Gilman Trail is a safe, even path between (3) Brouwer's, (4) Fremont Brewing, and (5) Big Time Brewery. 
• By the time you get to Bottleworks, consider calling it quits if you're drunk.  You're in a central area with lots of bus and taxi options.  The last leg back to the beginning is a bit of a climb (albeit gradual) and can be confusing in the dark, especially if you're cutting through Woodland Park
• This is a very dog-friendly hike.  At Brouwer's, hitch up just outside the front door and see if you can sit on the patio.  Big Time is a little trickier and you'll have to hitch up out on the sidewalk, and hope you can get one of the few tables near the window.

Here's some pictures our hike that I'm proud of: