The 3rd Annual Human Powered Brewery Tour

What do the beer fairy, the queen of Wal-Mart, and Spiderman have in common? And what was this odd assortment of characters doing running down the streets of Old Town Fort Collins today?



Today was the third annual Human Powered Brewery Tour, and a group of about 30 runners and other bipedal human powered creatures participated as a fundraiser for ALS.

We go on so many training runs and take our running and racing seriously, but it has to be fun. Pounding out thousands of miles every year on the roads has to be fun if it's worth the effort we put into it. Every once in a while you have to do something different. Why not have fun and make it help someone who can't run?



The tour, similar to Tour de Fat, a huge bicycle event in the fall, was organized by Scott and Celeste as a fundraiser.

We started at New Belgium Brewery around 11:00 this morning. The sister of Fort Collins' lastest claim to fame joined us for the tour, Connie in her Balloon Girl costume, with the balloon tied to her neck nearly hanging her from one of the big old cottonwoods lining the streets where we ran.

At New Belgium Connie won the costume contest.

Connie, Rebekah, me, Cat, & Pablo.






Half the group at the start of the tour.













Cat (beer fairy), Rebekah (not sure- was she St. Pauli Girl?), and Connie (Balloon Girl).

Pablo as Spiderman.

Arriving at New Belgium.

On the road to the Fort Collins Brewery.







Celeste. (Eddie, Scott, Connie, and Felix in the background)





The costume award at New Belgium.




Me, Connie, and Pete.






Bringing your husband along on the tour does not guarantee he'll drink your leftover beer.

I tried an India Pale Ale at New Belgium. It was mediocre. I love good India Pale Ale, but generally I am not a big beer drinker. I can usually only drink about 6 ounces, at that point I feel good and if I drink an entire 12 ounce beer by myself, that's too much for me.

After some socializing, the costume contest, and some beer tasting, it was time to hit the road for the mile or so to Fort Collins Brewery.

The Beer Fairy (Catharine) and the queen of Wal-Mart (me) arriving at the Fort Collins Brewery.

I tried a Pomegranate Wheat beer at Fort Collins Brewery. Hmmm.





Dennis V. from Runner's Roost




All of us at Fort Collins Brewery. We were only at our second stop on the tour, but everyone looks toasted.

Soon it was time to hit the road again, back toward Old Town, to Odell's Brewery. I like some of their beers. Dennis and I used to bring home a case of 90 Schilling to Arizona when we used to come up to Colorado for vacations. I also like their India Pale Ale. But I needed to try some different beers.

Connie and Cat.






Lisa, Rebekah, and Eddie.






I ended up trying both the Cutthroat Porter (too smoky) and Five Barrel Pale Ale (ugh, not like India Pale Ale).






The group at Odell's.

Soon it was time to move on to the last stop on the tour, Coopersmith's. We were all hungry. Scott brought snacks for everyone but we were all starving by then. It was after 2:00 and all we had was beer.

Connie, Pete, and me at Coopersmith's. We got there first, most motivated by food.






After twenty years of marriage and four breweries, he's still with me. It must be the food.




The beer fairy at her last stop on the tour.




The hungriest of the group arrived early at Coopersmith's.


The group at Coopersmith's, still smiling at 4 pm.




The Queen of Wal-Mart comes home to the Buffaloes, a happy ending to a fun day.